In 1961, the City of Torrance sought funds to develop and improve its newly-acquired airport. All of the airport property that the City had received from the U. S. was restricted to uses "for aeronautical purposes." The City sought release of that restriction from parcels of land on the north and south sides of the property so it could be leased for industrial and commercial activities and promised that all of the funds from those leases going into the Airport Fund for the "improvement, maintenance, operation and development " of the airport.
This restriction on the use of the funds from those parcels was guaranteed by the Torrance City Charter which requires money from the fund be spent on "operating and maintaining airport facilities" before it can be spent on any other purpose. Subject to those promises, the restrictions were released.
In October of 2020, the City Council, finding itself in need of additioinal revenues, asked the Airport Commission to evaluate charging landing fees at the airport.
Prior to the Airport Commission meeting on 10/8/2020, a number of letters were submitted to the Commission asking it to reject landing fees:
The Commission voted to recommend no landing fees. Following the meeting, the President of TAA sent a message to the Commission reinforcing information about the adverse effects of landing fees.
The "Coalition for Torrance Airport Reform" (COTAR), a small group of airport neighbors, began agitating for the City Council to implement landing fees and othr restrictions on airport operations with the objectives of ending flight training and reducing airport operations. One of their members was Councilmember Mike Griffiths, who began to lead a crusade against airport users.
Since the Airport Commission had rejected landing fees, Griffiths' first step in the crusade was to ask the Council to task the Transporation Committee, which has expertise in bus routes but absolutely no expertise in airport operations, to make recommendations on landing fees and other restrictions to reduce the number of airport operations. The City Council met on 12/14/2022 to "Discuss Options for Landing Fees and Reduction of Aircraft Operations." As before, letters were sent expressing opposition to landing fees:
On 4/12/2023, the Transportation Committee met and approved implementation of airport landing fees for all transient aircraft and Torrance-based fixed-wing flight school operators with fleets of more than three (3) aircraft, and authorize certain exemptions for military, public safety, and medical flights.
On 7/25/2023, while many of the airport users were attending Oshkosh, the City Council met to approve the Transportation Committee's recommendation to implement landing fees and other restrictions to reduce airport operations. As before, many e-mails were sent voicing opposition to landing fees. The landing fees and other restrictions to reduce operations were approved.
In a letter dated 9/8/2023, the general counsels for AOPA, NBAA, HAI, GAMA sent a joint letter to the Torrnce City Attorney, warning that expensive litigationwould result from the city's actions that were violations of federal law and FAA's exclusive authority ro regulate aviation.
On 11/14/2023, the City Council held the first reading of Ordinance 3927. Although all prior actions by the City Concil and Transportation Committee addressed landing fees as a tool to reduce airport operations, the justification for landing fees suddenly changed to:" The landing fees, as adopted, are necessary to offset the City's costs incurred in maintaining and operating the airport facilities." No analysis or data supporting this need were presented in the Staff Report nor in the presentation to the City Council. Also not mentioned was the multi-million dollar annual surplus in the Airport Fund.
As noted above, the City Charter prioritizes uses of the Airport Fund to the operation and maintenance of the airport.
Any transfers out of the fund are permitted only if those funds are NOT needed for those purposes. Typically, more than
half ($10-$14 million) are transfered out of the Airport Fund every year.
Many comments opposed to landing fees were made by TAA members, airport users and the president of Robinson Helicopter. The ordinance was approved with only 4 aye votes on 12/12/2024.
In January 2024, the City sent notification letters to airport users that landing fees would be levied starting 2/1/2024.
On Friday, March 8, 2024, the Torrance Airport Association filed a suit in the Los Angeles County Superior Court challenging the validity of the newly imposed landing fees. The new fees imposed on the users and tenants of Torrance Airport are patently unfair and allegedly violate state and federal laws.
