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The Burbank City Council last week voted its preliminary approval of a 1.9 million-square-foot expansion planned by NBC Studios, despite concerns from some residents that the project would create major traffic tie-ups in the city’s Media District.

The council is expected to give final approval to the project this week, after voting 5 to 0 in favor of the project in its preliminary vote March 11.

NBC is expected to begin construction on the first phase of its expansion in the first quarter of next year. Plans call for a 15-story office tower along California Street, a parking garage and six sound stages.

The rest of the project is to be built in phases, with construction expected to finish within the next 20 years. In all, the studio is proposing to add four, 15-story office towers, six sound stages and three underground parking garages.

Two of the towers and one garage will only be built if NBC can find a long-term tenant to occupy them.

Studio officials said the project, when completed, might result in the addition of up to 3,000 full-time and contract employees at the NBC Studios facility.

The expansion is also expected to bring traffic. According to an environmental impact report, the expanded studios would generate 15,500 daily vehicle trips, compared to the 6,300 daily vehicle trips currently generated by NBC.

Before preliminary approval was granted, NBC agreed to make street improvements that city planners say would mitigate most of the problems.

Dan Turner