Hawthorne residents press council over airport hangar expansion and noise; city cites FAA limits
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Summary
Residents told the Hawthorne City Council they feel left out of decisions on a proposed hangar expansion and warned of rising noise and air-quality impacts; council members reiterated limits set by the airport master lease and said federal agencies and the airport operator control flight paths and operating times.
Hawthorne residents urged the City Council on Tuesday to press pause on rapid airport expansion and to accelerate noise-mitigation measures after presentations that described new hangars and increased jet activity.
At the public-comment portion, members of the Hawthorne Quiet Skies Residents Association and several neighborhood residents said they had received little notice about the development and felt the city had prioritized airport businesses over nearby neighborhoods. Garrison Cober, who spoke for a household that has lived beside the airport for nearly 30 years, said residents face “increased noise, higher traffic, construction impacts, and more frequent flight operations” and asked the council to require stronger mitigation and oversight before construction begins.
Alec Mackey, a member of the Quiet Skies group, cited a proposed 130,000-square-foot hangar and said that could add roughly a dozen jets, heightening community concerns. “Why move so fast on this project when nearly 500 residents within the 65 CNEL are still waiting for the city to complete their report and get the soundproofing funding going?” Mackey said.
Council members responded that the city’s authority is constrained by a prior master lease with the airport operator. Councilmember (and city attorney comment) noted that the Federal Aviation Administration governs flight paths and operating hours. City Manager Von (on the record during the meeting) and the city attorney told residents that the city may be limited in imposing operational curfews or flight path changes and recommended pursuing federal or congressional assistance for remedies that exceed local jurisdiction.
Mayor Vargas encouraged residents to contact their federal representative, saying the master lease “gave away the farm” in terms of operational control and that the FAA and federal offices are the appropriate avenues to seek certain changes. Councilmembers also said the city is pursuing noise studies and grant opportunities for soundproofing, though some grant applications have been denied by the FAA in prior attempts.
What happens next: Council received an informational report on hangar development and referred multiple community requests—soundproofing, environmental review follow-up, and clearer public outreach—to staff. Residents were told the city is preparing a new noise study in the coming year and to contact Congresswoman Maxine Waters with jurisdictional concerns.
Ending: The informational item remained nonbinding; council members said they will continue to track outreach and grant opportunities but reiterated that operational control of flight paths and times rests with federal authorities.