"San Jose City Council Approves Larger Airport Terminal"

Tuesday, March 1, 2005

SAN JOSE COUNCIL APPROVES LARGER AIRPORT TERMINAL
KPIX-TV Ch 5 (CBS), San Francisco (CA)


The San Jose City Council today approved increasing the size of Mineta San
Jose International Airport's planned terminal expansion project by 625,000
square feet. 

The approval came despite concerns from a number of residents that the
expansion would lead to more plane traffic and increase noise pollution in
surrounding neighborhoods. In January, a residents' group, Citizens Against
Airport Pollution, sent a letter to the council saying the expansion
increase violated the city's municipal code. 

Interim Director of Aviation Frank Kirkbride said 425,000 square-feet of the
increase were needed for the increased security procedures adopted after the
Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. 

"The original estimate was developed prior to Sept. 11,'' Kirkbride said. 

Councilman Ken Yeager said that the council has repeatedly reassured the
community that it would not increase the number of gates at the airport
beyond 40, thus limiting the amount of planes that could use the airport,
without doing a new environmental impact report. 

"We have been on record time and time again about the 40 gates,'' Yeager
said. 

Currently the airport has 31 operating gates and will reach 40 operating
gates in late 2007 with the completion of the airport's North Concourse, now
under construction, according to airport spokesman Rich Dressler.


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