Torrance City Council Rejects City Attorney’s Agreement with ZAPS

On Tuesday, 6/17/2025, the Torrance City Council considered an ordinance, recommended by its City Attorney, to relax its recent broad restrictions on airport operations and REJECTED IT (5 to 1). This means that the hearing, originally scheduled for July 22, will need to be rescheduled.

Voting to reject the settlement: Gerson, Kaji, Kalani, Lewis, Mattucci
Voting to accept the settlement: Chen
Absent: Sheikh

The City Attorney and their outside counsel (Gatzke Dillon & Ballance, LLP) had recommended adoption of an ordinance that would have complied with Federal Laws and implemented the following:

• TOUCH (AND STOP) AND GO, LOW APPROACH, AND FULL STOP-TAXI BACK OPERATIONS: Touch (and stop) and go, low approach, and full stop-taxi back operations shall be permitted on the Airport , only Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• PROHIBITED OPERATIONS ON WEEKDAYS: No touch (and stop) and go, low approach or full stop taxi back shall be permitted on the Airport between 5:01 p.m. of one day and 8:59 a.m. of the following day, Monday through Friday inclusive, and between 5:01 p.m. on Friday and 10:59 a.m. on Saturday.
• PROHIBITED OPERATION ON SUNDAYS AND CITY OBSERVED HOLIDAYS: No touch (and stop) and go, low approach, or full stop taxi back shall be permitted on the Airport between 2:31 p.m. Saturday and 8:59 a.m. Monday, nor any City observed holiday.
• EMERGENCY EXEMPTION: An aircraft shall be exempt from the provisions of Section 51.5.6 and 51.5.7 if, in the reasonable opinion of the City Manager or his designee(s), a bona fide emergency, go around, or missed approach exists which requires a low approach operation for the preservation of life or property; provided, however, that such aircraft in its departure shall not exceed the noise levels set forth in Section 46.8.8.

As part of the Federal Court procedure, the parties held a “Settlement Conference” on 5/23/2025 prior to the formal hearing scheduled for 7/22/2025. At that conference, ZAPS’ attorney and the Torrance City Attorney (supported by their outside counsel) negotiated the agreement summarized above, subject to City Council approval.

The rejection of the City Attorney’s recommendation means that the City is still non-compliant with Federal Laws which do not permit the City to restrict airport operations for noise reduction.