Long Beach : City Hopes to Grab Some of Land After Navy Base Closes

Sifting through the spoils of a Navy exodus, the Long Beach City Council reaffirmed its intentions Tuesday to grab as much valuable land as the federal government chooses to abandon when two Navy facilities close in 1996. But the city is not at all sure what can be done with it.

The city contends it has certain rights to some of the more than 1,500 acres of land occupied by the Long Beach Naval Station, two adjacent military housing facilities and the U.S.Naval Hospital. But some of that land appears to be so environmentally damaged that it would not be available for use for several years, according to a city report.

The Navy intends to retain most of the base land, and another unnamed government entity is said to be interested in taking over the hospital. The city probably would have access to a 35-acre parcel of hospital grounds, the housing sites and some property near the base, where most of the environmental damage is said to have occurred.

City Councilman Douglas Drummond suggested Tuesday that the base property be turned into a second municipal airport, noting that planes would take off and land over the sea and industrial facilities, rather than residences. Though study of that suggestion passed unanimously, other councilmen noted that there would be many hurdles to cross.