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DOUBLE STANDARD - Los Angeles often touts its leadership in environmental justice and civic participation. But critics say a recent move by the Board of Airport Commissioners (BOAC) exposes a widening gap between those ideals and City Hall’s actions.
At issue is a new resolution reshaping the Van Nuys Airport Community Advisory Council (VNY CAC) — a body created in 1985 to give residents and stakeholders a voice in how the airport impacts surrounding neighborhoods. Established by BOAC Resolution No. 14891 after a City Council motion (File 85-0592), the CAC was designed to represent people who live, work, or own businesses in the area, not those financially tied to the airport.
While the City Council’s motion emphasized local representation, the Airport Commission’s version left that language out. And this week, the seven-member BOAC approved a resolution from Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) that many say tilts the balance even further toward City Hall’s control. Commissioner Valeria Velasco abstained from the vote.
A Double Standard on Residency
Item 14 of the new resolution states:
“Any individual appointed to the VNY CAC by a member of the Los Angeles City Council must reside within the boundaries of the Council District they are appointed to represent.”
It also directs LAWA staff to monitor and enforce those residency rules — but only for Council appointees. Mayor and BOAC appointees are exempt, meaning they can live outside Los Angeles yet still serve on the body meant to represent local residents.
“That’s a power play, plain and simple,” said Edward Lee, a Valley resident. “The Mayor should abide by the same rules as City Council.”
Alicia Avery, a CAC representative for Council District 6, told the board, “City Council appointees now face tightened restrictions, while the Mayor’s and BOAC appointees are not held to the same standard.”
Retroactive Justification for Controversial Removals
Critics argue the move effectively legitimizes earlier removals of several Council-appointed CAC members by VNY manager Jacob Haik, who they say acted without proper authority.
“Today’s resolution affirms that Jacob Haik’s removal of City Council appointees earlier this summer was an ultra vires act,” said Timmi Romolini, a longtime community advocate. “He acted behind the backs of the public and Council members, before being granted any authority to do so.”
Suzanne Gutierrez, co-founder of Fumerfighters United VNY, warned during public comment that LAWA “appears to be operating in unethical and potentially unlawful ways, enabled by this Board — if you approve this agenda item today.”
Cutting Representation in Council District 5
The resolution also halves representation for Council District 5 (CD5), claiming the district no longer includes parts of the San Fernando Valley and faces less impact from airport operations. LAWA cited Mulholland Drive as a boundary line but offered no supporting data.
Residents strongly dispute that. In 2023, a small aircraft cleared for landing at Van Nuys Airport crashed just south of Mulholland Drive, within CD5’s hillside communities.
“Our stakeholders are chronically impacted by noise from aircraft heading in and out of VNY,” said Travis Longcore, president of the Bel-Air Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council, which filed Community Impact Statements opposing LAWA’s earlier attempts to remove CD5 representation.
Conflicting Accounts of Council Support
During Monday’s meeting, Haik claimed that Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky supported reducing her district’s representation. Yet an email from her office dated July 30, 2025, entered into the public record, stated otherwise:
“…the by-laws allow that the Council Districts within the general vicinity of the airport shall have representation. As we discussed, CD5 — even after redistricting — meets this standard, including the fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft flight paths over our hillside communities.”
Pattern of Exclusion
LAWA first tried to remove CD5’s seat in December 2022, just before Yaroslavsky took office. That effort was withdrawn following community protest. Public commenters presented flight-tracking data showing ongoing piston aircraft exposure over CD5 — data that remains unchanged today.
Residents say the new resolution repeats the same mistake, further marginalizing impacted neighborhoods and consolidating control under unelected bureaucrats.
“Residency rules should apply equally to everyone,” said one Valley resident. “If this board believes in transparency and accountability, it should start by following its own principles.”
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