Contrary to popular belief, the FAA doesn't set a general limit on building height near airports. There's a required 7460 notification of anything above 200' AGL (this rule is broken so often it hurts) or less if you're closer than 15,000' from the airport like Lindbergh, which fall under the "imaginary surfaces".
The FAA then does an Obstruction Evaluation study, which 90% of the time clears you to build. If they didn't, downtown would practically be flat. Caltrans though requires you get a permit from them if your structure both penetrates one of the imaginary surfaces
and is taller than 500'
AGL, a permit which they never give, not even if the FAA clears you. So this whole 500' limit only applies in California, which is why Boston's downtown still has skyscrapers of nearly 800' when their airport is close as or closer to their downtown than ours.
I have zero clue who gave the Tribune this garbage info about MSL, clearly someone whose never had to build anything near an airport before.
Source: me, someone whose had to build way too many things near an airport before.