PUBLICATION: The Washington Post
DATE: January 20, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Pg. B06
BYLINE: Scott Wilson
DATELINE: Anne Arundel, Maryland
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Jeanne Mignon, vice president, Russett Homeowners Association; Meg Pasquerella, resident.
The Washington Post reports that homeowners in Anne Arundel, Maryland are fighting a proposal to build a $100 million auto speedway in their area.
The article says Anne Arundel homeowners fighting a proposal to build a $100 million auto speedway near Laurel warned during a boisterous community meeting last night that they would seek a countywide referendum on the project if an attempt is made to simplify county law to accommodate the project. The warning came at the first meeting between the Baltimore partnership hoping to build the 60,000-seat speedway and wary western Anne Arundel County homeowners. A referendum would pit a collection of homeowners associations against the track's wealthy developers and the popularity of one of the United States' fastest-growing sports. "We are prepared as a community to do this," said Jeanne Mignon, vice president of the Russett Homeowners Association, which represents 17,000 households. "If they can do this here, they can do it anywhere."
The article goes on to say that opponents, many of whom wore black ribbons pinned to their lapels, said the project is going to be a tough sell during an election year. They have hired the lawyer who helped defeat the Redskins stadium, Thomas Dernoga. During the hours-long meeting, they frequently shouted out their concerns that noise and traffic associated with a speedway would drive down property values. "It's 1,500 feet from our neighborhood," said Meg Pasquerella, 29, who bought a house in Russett two years ago. "We are going to be the ones affected by the lower property values, by the noise and pollution."
According to the article, under Anne Arundel's current zoning rules, the Middle River Racing Association would need approval from a hearing officer to proceed with plans to build a NASCAR-caliber racetrack, theme shops, restaurants and hotels on 400 acres near Route 32 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. It was the rejection by a hearing officer that doomed the Washington Redskins' plan four years ago to build a stadium on land nearby. But the partnership is hoping to change those rules to allow the project to proceed as a "conditional use," which would not require review by a hearing examiner. The developers have hired Fred Delavan, a prominent Annapolis land-use lawyer and member of the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation board of directors, to draft the bill, which would need a sponsor and County Council approval. "This is not really allowed at all right now," Delavan said. County Executive John G. Gary (R), who could introduce the bill on behalf of the developers, has indicated that he would support the project if the partnership won over surrounding communities. His chief of staff, Sam Minnitte, attended last night's meeting, which drew more than 800 people to Resurrection of Our Lord Catholic Church in Russett.
The article says the partnership rallied a number of its own supporters last night, and tried to assure the community that the project would improve property values by building on land that is a pocked, hardscrabble former industrial site. Deep in a bowl of bleacher seating, the track would generate little noise, developers contended. That assertion drew catcalls from the audience. Mignon tried several times to calm the crowd, telling them: "These people are much nicer than the Redskins people." The track developers argue that its 30 events each year would generate a tax-revenue bonanza for the county. "People are concerned about property values, but I think it will have a positive effect," said David Larkin, a systems engineer with Northrop Grumman Corp., who was wearing a checkered-flag tie. "Not to mention what it would do for local business."
PUBLICATION: The Detroit News
DATE: January 19, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Pg. Pg. C4
BYLINE: Doug Durfee
DATELINE: Detroit, Michigan
The Detroit News reports that homeowners on the west side of the Oakland International Airport in the Detroit area may be accepting offers to sell their homes for an airport safety zone.
According to the report, some homeowners on the west side of Oakland International Airport will be moving soon if they accept offers to buy their homes. Oakland County hopes to receive a $900,000 federal grant from the Michigan Aeronautics Commission to purchase eight to 10 homes on Tull Court for a safety zone, said J. David VanderVeen, director of central services for the county. Oakland will have to contribute $100,000, giving the airport $1 million to buy the homes. The county will not force anyone out, VanderVeen said. "We will not be condemning homes," he said. "This is a voluntary project. I can't give specifics on (how many homes will be bought). It depends on how much we have to pay." VanderVeen said the purchases will be made after Oakland County gets the federal grant, but he does not know when that will occur. The federal money will come from the aviation trust fund, which is paid for by a 10-percent tax on passengers' tickets and aviation fuel. "The Federal Aviation Administration takes the lion's share for its operations and disburses the rest of it for airport improvements," VanderVeen said.
The report says residents of Tull Court want to see how the plan will unfold. "I don't really want to move," said a 28-year resident of the street, who declined to be identified. "I'll just wait and see what happens."
According to the report after, acquiring the houses, the land will be cleared for a runway-protection zone, which means that if an aircraft is in trouble on takeoffs or landings it can land in a clear field instead of a home, VanderVeen said. In the past five years, the county has bought about 100 homes surrounding the airport, which has about 332,000 charter, corporate, private and freight takeoffs and landings each year. "A representative of virtually every Fortune 500 company will come through that airport in a year's time," VanderVeen said. "It reflects the business and commerce of southeast Michigan." The growth and expansion of the facility has led to complaints about noise, he said. Since those complaints, the airport has undertaken a noise study and taken several measures -- including building noise barriers and directing pilots to take measures to reduce noise on takeoffs and landings -- to make it a better neighbor.
The article says VanderVeen also said he expects to get a $5-million federal grant to repave the airport's taxiways and 6,200-foot main runway. He won't know if the aeronautics commission will approve the money until after the state receives bids for the work in February. The state of Michigan will take bids in February to repave the 6,200-foot main runway and associated taxiways at Oakland International Airport. The project is expected to cost about $5 million. If approved, work would begin this summer.
PUBLICATION: The Detroit News
DATE: January 19, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Pg. Pg. C3
BYLINE: Gene Schabath
DATELINE: Detroit, Michigan
The Detroit News reports that Michigan state Senator, Loren Bennett is proposing a bill that would give a portion of revenues from the Detroit Metropolitan Airport's parking tax to a fund for the surrounding communities effected by noise and other consequences of the airport.
According to the article a state representative wants to give some of the money collected from a parking tax at Detroit Metropolitan Airport back to the communities surrounding it. A bill proposed by Sen. Loren Bennett, R-Canton Township, would create a special fund from the 30-percent parking tax, which generates an estimated $12 million a year, which would be controlled by a board made up of representatives of the communities.
The article says Romulus Mayor William Oakley said he supports the idea because his city has suffered economic damage from the expansion of the airport, one of the busiest in the nation. "Naturally, we would want to supplement the tax base we are losing every day because of the airport," Oakley said, adding that the city has in other ways benefited from the airport. "The airport has 7,000 acres, and a lot of those acres used to have taxpayers on it. Whenever they leave, we lose that tax base. This has been going on for 20 years."
The report says Melissa McLaughlin, an aide to Wayne County Commissioner Bruce Patterson, R-Canton Township, said one of the important aspects of Bennett's bill is that it would expand aid to homeowners who live in areas affected by noise from the airport. The bill would give people who bought homes after 1992 in those areas money to buy items such as insulation to cut down on airport noise. About 2,600 homeowners in Romulus, Taylor, Huron Township and part of Dearborn Heights are eligible for noise -abatement aid from the county. The aid ranges from the county buying homes hardest-hit by the noise to sound-proofing them with insulation.
According to the report, Wayne County Deputy Executive Michael Duggan said diverting the parking tax money from the county's general fund would cause an $11-million shortfall in the county's budget, which could force the county to cut programs for senior citizens and close some floors of the jail.
PUBLICATION: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
DATE: January 19, 1998
SECTION: West Post, Pg. 1
BYLINE: Phil Sutin
DATELINE: St. Louis, Missouri
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Bob McVicar; Cheryl Miller; Gary Overton;
St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that St. Louis residents are in conflict over a proposed development in Highway 141. Some residents say the proposed food shop car wash and oil change center is the best sale they can make for their land. Others fear the noise and traffic will change the residential nature of the area, and lower the surrounding land values.
According to the report, a committee of the St. Louis County Council heard last week conflicting pleas for help from two groups totaling about 20 people who live near Highway 141 and Hawkins Road east of Fenton. The larger group consisted of residents who said the council would help them preserve the peace and quiet of their neighborhood by rejecting a food shop, car wash and oil-change center proposed by QuikTrip for 4.2 acres on the southeast corner of Highway 141 and Hawkins. The smaller group included elderly, longtime residents who live on or near the site. They pleaded with the committee to approve the project so they could sell their land.
The report says the Public Improvements Committee delayed making a recommendation to the council at least until a meeting on Feb. 26. The QuikTrip complex would include 10 gasoline pumping islands. The food shop would be open 24 hours a day. The car wash and lubrication center would be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The 24-hour QuikTrip "just invites trouble," said Chris Frederick, a nearby resident. "People will stop and look over our neighborhood," she said. Several nearby residents said the QuikTrip would be an opening wedge for commercial development along the south side of Highway 141 and would cut deeply into their neighborhood. They also said they were concerned that the site was across Hawkins from a child-care center. They said the property owners who wanted to sell to commercial developers were being greedy at the expense of their neighbors. Gail Ottolini, land use manager for the planning department, said the department opposed commercial development on the south side of the road except at the Highway 141-Hawkins intersection. The staff had told that to several developers, she said.
The report describes how the residents questioned the need for another food shop and gas station. They said at least 10 were within two miles of the site. But residents supporting the project said their properties had been damaged by road improvements. Bob McVicar, 79, who owns two acres at the southeast corner of Highway 141 and Hawkins, said, "I bought my place in 1946 and built my house in 1947." He recalled that the only highway had been a gravel road and that residents had telephone service from a single wire strung along the top of skinny poles. He never expected a widened Highway 141 to reach his land, but it has, and now he is ready to move on. "Please allow me to move to peace and quiet and to get away from noise, congestion and pollution," he said. Cheryl Miller says she has lived for more than 30 years across Hawkins Road from the site. By recently widening that road, the county put 500 feet of a five-lane thoroughfare in front of her house. A retaining wall is a scar on her property, she says. "We would like to get out," she said. Gary Overton, who owns five acres east of the site wanted by QuikTrip, said the county would hold his property hostage if it approved the food shop and prevented more commercial development. The county either should reject the store or approve the store and allow commercial development so neighbors could sell.
PUBLICATION: The Salt Lake Tribune
DATE: January 18, 1998
SECTION: Utah; Pg. B1
BYLINE: John Keahey
DATELINE: Salt Lake City, Utah
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Utah lawmakers are beginning to consider mass transit systems for the state, but road work still dominates transportation policies.
Note to Brenda or Marrianne, please do this one
The article says Mass-transit issues may be creeping slowly into the public's consciousness. After all, who can miss the track-laying on Salt Lake City's Main Street to get ready for the debut of light rail in early 2000. Or the talk about creating a commuter-rail system that ties together communities along the Wasatch Front. But state lawmakers -- who open the 1998 Legislature on Monday -- will equate "transportation" with "highways." The majority of transportation bills that either have been pre-filed or proposed have to do with highways -- building them, maintaining them, naming them. Only a handful deal with mass transit.
The report says most transit measures will address technical issues of adding rail to Utah Transit Authority's bus-based system. The funding of roads remains the tough issue. The Legislature will have to figure out a way to cover a $240 million shortfall in the $1.59 billion budget for rebuilding Interstate 15 through the Salt Lake Valley. Beyond coming up with the I-15 money, lawmakers will spend a lot of time figuring out how to pay for other projects already on the books, says Senate President Lane Beattie, R-West Bountiful. "Last year, we created a 10-year window of projects. I don't think we are adding to that this year," Beattie says. "But those projects have to be paid for."
According to the report, Beattie's Democratic colleague in the House -- Rep. Dave Jones of Salt Lake City -- agrees that transportation issues this year are still highway driven. That has to change, he says. "The millions we are investing [in roads] today are only going to staunch the problem [of congestion] for a very few years," Jones says. "We will return to gridlock by the year 2020.Do we do it all over again then?" he asks, or does the Legislature get busy figuring out how to handle alternatives to the automobile? Republican Beattie calls for patience -- and waiting for the right moment. "At what point in time do we have the population -- and the need -- to make those choices?" Beattie says.
Meanwhile, the article continues, the Utah Department of Transportation is keeping its eye on a handful of proposed bills. The agency supports nearly all of the measures proffered by lawmakers. "Their ideas for special projects -- such as a $1.2 million bridge proposed for the Ogden Parkway in Weber County [Senate Bill 110] -- would be funded, if approved, from the General Fund," says Clint Topham, UDOT deputy director. "If they wanted it paid for out of existing road funds, we would oppose it because that means projects already earmarked for money would have to be set aside," Topham says.
The article explains that one bill UDOT will strongly oppose is offered by Rep. David Hogue, R-Riverton. His House Bill 22 would make 12600 South in Riverton a state road between Redwood Road and Bangerter Highway. It is now a city road, and southwest valley officials would like to see it widened and improved -- at state expense. And Topham believes HB 33 is unnecessary. Filed by Rep. Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake City, it would create a mechanism for UDOT to better communicate with community officials and taxpayers about road projects.
The report goes on to describe other major bills already filed which include: A similar measure was defeated last year, Topham believes, because lawmakers may have thought the revenues would go to road construction, not communities. Topham is not sure the proposed statute would work since studies show it takes a 20 mph speed reduction to drop noise by 5 decibels. For example, eastside Interstate 215 in Salt Lake County is now 65 mph. Would motorists there observe a 45 mph speed limit and reduce noise enough to satisfy Olympus Cove residents? Not likely, Topham says. A similar bill was passed last year to allow Beaver County to widen a road for an agricultural corporation. Hatch wants it extended for another year. The property is part of a 125-acre, UDOT-owned parcel scheduled to be sold for a commercial development and to Taylorsville for a park. Topham says the $1 million would pay for soil to cap the 26 acres earmarked for the park.
PUBLICATION: The Houston Chronicle
DATE: January 22, 1998
SECTION: Outdoors; Pg. 11
BYLINE: Shannon Tompkins
DATELINE: Houston, Texas
The Houston Chronicle of Houston, Texas, published a column by Shannon Tompkins, outdoors writer, about personal watercraft. In his column, Tompkins covers the reasons people love PWCs and why others see them as loud nuisances that are highly dangerous.
The article says may boaters and fishermen see personal watercraft (the open, one-, two- or three-person, sit-on craft) as the boats of Satan. To prove his point, Tompkins says ask any wadefisher who has been working a shallow coastal flat only to have the experience ruined and the fish scattered when a PWC comes blasting through the water. Ask any Clear Lake-area boater who has prayed for divine intervention to keep from colliding with the constant stream of buzzing, quick-handling PWCs that congest the recreational boating area. And ask the bass angler who has been working a hydrilla bed in some quiet cove on a reservoir only to have someone on a PWC shred the water between him and the bank.
The article goes on to say personal watercraft are, of course, not evil. But they do, however, tend to be used in ways that irritate others and create dangerous situations on the water. The maneuverability of PWCs, noise associated with their use, their popularity among young people who often aren't the most considerate or safe operators, and the growing number of these small watercraft have made them the focus of much attention. Most of that attention has come from the disproportionate number of boating accidents and fatalities involving PWCs.
According to Tompkins' column in the Houston Chronicle, a little more than half of the boating injuries reported nationwide in 1996 involved PWCs while PWCs made up only about 10 percent of the country's registered boats. A study by the federal Centers for Disease Control showed a person involved in a boating accident while operating a PWC is more than eight times more likely to be injured than a person having an accident in a conventional boat because the PWC operator is much more exposed than a boat operator surrounded by a cockpit. In Texas PWCs make up about 10 percent of Texas' 615,000 registered boats. In the most recent reporting year (Sept. 1, 1996-Aug. 1, 1997), PWCs accounted for 20 percent of reported boating accidents and 12 percent of fatalities - disproportionate, but better than nationwide figures. Yet Texas game wardens still list PWCs as the biggest problems involving water safety.. Most states over the past few years have regulated PWC operation. Texas limits PWC operation to daylight hours, sets a minimum age for operators and mandates all operators wear life jackets. Texas also requires the craft to be equipped with a cut-off switch and that it be attached to the operator, and prohibits operating a PWC at anything faster than headway speed within 50 feet of another boat (including another PWC), shore, platform, bridge, person or other object. Efforts have been made to ban PWC use on some public waters - including around the San Juan Islands off Washington and in Lake Tahoe on the California/Nevada border.
The article states the backlash against PWCs has effected the marine industry. Recently, Genmar, one of the nation's largest builders of conventional boats, pulled out of the National Marine Manufacturer's Association. A company official cited its displeasure with the organization's support of PWCs. And there are indications that PWC sales have peaked and are falling. In 1991, early in the PWC boom, approximately 68,000 PWCs were sold in this country. Now, it seems, 1995 was the peak year with sales topping 200,000. Sales have declined for the past two years, dropping to about 190,000 in 1996 and an estimated 170,000 in 1997. Manufacturers of personal watercraft are attempting to address some of the most common complaints. Bombardier, which makes the popular Sea Doo PWC, has announced that changes in the design of its 1998 models will reduce noise levels by half-particularly when users jump waves or wakes and become airborne. And the industry in general has stepped up safe-operation education programs, including efforts to discourage PWC operators from jumping waves or wakes, pushing minimum age for operation, promoting pre-operation instruction, and trying to discourage the irresponsible use of PWCs that has given the small boats a bad reputation.
According to the article, PWCs offer several positives to boaters and even fishermen. They are less expensive than conventional boats; when operated in shallow areas such as coastal flats, their jet-powered systems are much less destructive of sea grasses than propeller-driven boats; they can give anglers access to areas too shallow for conventional boats; and they are just plain fun to ride.
PUBLICATION: Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
DATE: January 24, 1998
SECTION: Metro; New Mexico; Pg. C1
BYLINE: Michael Turnbell
DATELINE: Albuquerque, NM
The Albuquerque Journal reports that this week in Albuquerque, New Mexico, sections of noise walls recently installed along Interstate 40 near the Rio Grande were adjusted after property owners complained.
According to the Albuquerque Journal, Matt Buckland, superintendent with A.S. Horner Inc., the Albuquerque firm awarded the contract, said about 200 panels were either swapped with others or cut to fit. Buckland said the Burger King restaurant on Rio Grande Boulevard said drivers couldn't see the building's sign because the walls near the Rio Grande offramp were too high. And residents in neighborhoods west of Rio Grande Boulevard said they could still hear noise from cars and trucks on the interstate because the walls weren't high enough. Buckland said noise walls on the south side of the interstate didn't have to be changed.
The article reports the noise walls were installed along sections of I-40 as part of a $33.5 million project to rebuild and widen the highway from Sixth Street to the Rio Grande bridge. The extra work, which was finished Wednesday, added $207,000 to the cost of the project.
PUBLICATION: Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California)
DATE: January 24, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 2; Orange County Focus Desk
BYLINE: Julio V. Cano
DATELINE: Cypress, California
The Los Angeles Times reports that a proposal in Cypress, California may leave the chief of police there in charge of issuing live entertainment licenses.
According to the article, the city council usually approves the permits through a process involving a public hearing and discussions with police. The council hopes that giving the power to police could speed the process. The city just completed a full evaluation of all permits because of noise complaints from residents.
The article reports that the proposal would also require noise-levels be kept below a certain intensity, and would require security personnel. Consuming alcohol outside of a business will also be illegal.
PUBLICATION: Asbury Park Press (Neptune, NJ)
DATE: January 23, 1998
SECTION: B, Pg. 2
BYLINE: Jean Mikle
DATELINE: Toms River, New Jersey
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Whitesville Action Committee
The Asbury Park Press of Neptune, New Jersey, reports that a group of residents from Toms River, New Jersey, plan to meet with public officials to complain about noise and odor from the nearby Ocean County Landfill.
According to the Asbury Park Press, the Whitesville Action Committee, along with Dover Township's Mayor Joseph G. "Jerry" Geoghegan and Committeeman, J. Mark Mutter, will meet January 30 with county Public Health Coordinator Joseph J. Przywara to discuss residents' concerns about noise and smells coming from the Ocean County Landfill that are growing steadily worse.
The article reports at a Jan. 13 meeting of the Township Committee more than 100 residents attended to complain about problems associated with the landfill, which is located in neighboring Manchester Township. Landfill neighbors said smells and noise from the landfill often make it impossible for them to use their back yards and pools.
The article says in response to hundreds of complaints made by residents about landfill odors, landfill owner Charles Hesse III has only been cited once in the past several years for a violation. Neighbors of the landfill say that's because it frequently takes health department officials up to 12 hours to respond to a complaint. The health department recently added staff on nights and weekends in an attempt to address residents' complaints. Hesse has said his staff has stepped up monitoring of odors from the dump.
PUBLICATION: News Tribune (Tacoma, WA)
DATE: January 23, 1998
SECTION: Local/State; Pg. B1
BYLINE: Rob Carson
DATELINE: Tacoma, Washington
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Dave Bricklin, attorney for group of residents
The News Tribune of Tacoma, Washington, reports the Muckleshoot Tribe's amphitheater project must undergo a review of all possible environmental impacts, including traffic and noise as well as its effect on wetlands.
According to the article, because of wetlands on the site, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers exerted its authority under the federal Clean Water Act, ordering a full public review before it decides whether to let the tribe fill wetlands on the site. The Corps could require the tribe to prepare a full environmental impact statement before the amphitheater project goes forward, Corps spokesman Dave Harris said. The tribe, in conjunction with the San Francisco-based music production company Bill Graham Presents, is building a 20,000-seat amphitheater in a former cow pasture between Auburn and Enumclaw on Washington 164.
The article reports neighbors oppose the project, citing potential traffic problems on the two-lane highway and noise from outdoor rock concerts that would destroy the rural character of the Enumclaw plateau. "The project is more imperiled today than it has been any time in the past," said Dave Bricklin, attorney for a group that opposes the amphitheater. "It's the first time that a federal agency has moved to assert jurisdiction over the site in a meaningful way."
The article goes on to say Rollin Fatland, a spokesman for Bill Graham Presents, downplayed the significance of the Corps' decision. Fatland noted that the Corps' decision does not mean construction on the project must stop - except for that portion that affects the wetlands. "It doesn't stop construction, and it won't set back the schedule," Fatland said. The tribe and Bill Graham Presents hope to finish the amphitheater in time for concerts this fall. Officials at the Muckleshoot Tribe declined to discuss the Corps' decision. But John Daniels Jr., chairman of the Muckleshoot Tribal Council, issued a short written statement. "The Muckleshoot Tribe has worked closely and cooperatively with the Corps of Engineers on this and many other projects over the years," Daniels said. "We will continue to work with them in that same spirit of cooperation on the wetlands permit for the amphitheater project."
PUBLICATION: News & Record (Greensboro, NC)
DATE: January 23, 1998
SECTION: Editorial, Pg. A12
DATELINE: Greensboro, North Carolina
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: William V. Nutt, resident
The News & Record of Greensboro, NC, printed the following letter to the editor from a resident disgruntled who says the city's noise ordinance is seldom enforced.
"On July 2, 1996, I went before the City Council to complain about the loud noise - some call it music - that comes out of cars that have amplified speakers. The City Council, with the exception of one, passed an ordinance against that kind of noise. The beat continues to go on 24 hours a day. The ordinance is seldom enforced. Some people have absolutely no fear of being stopped by the police for being as loud as they want to and also driving as fast and reckless as they desire. It's called respect for the law. The police need to crack down on this, especially between Cone Boulevard and Pisgah Church Road. Let's enforce the law."
PUBLICATION: The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH)
DATE: January 23, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Pg. 1B
BYLINE: Kevin Harter
DATELINE: Cleveland, Ohio
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Roosevelt Coats, Councilman
The Plain Dealer of Cleveland, Ohio, reports that CSX Transportation's efforts to convince federal officials to approve a railroad merger, includes promises to enhance neighborhoods in Cleveland and East Cleveland, including re-routing some trains and implementing a noise-reduction plan.
According to The Plain Dealer, CSX and Norfolk Southern have proposed buying and dividing what is now Conrail. The federal Surface Transportation Board is scheduled to act on the merger in July. CSX unveiled plans yesterday that said no taxpayer funds would be used for any improvements planned by the railroad, including the rebuilding of the current Conrail terminal in Collinwood. CSX officials met privately yesterday with about 20 officials, including representatives of Cleveland, East Cleveland and Rep. Louis Stokes to explain why their purchase of about half of Conrail, including the Collinwood terminal, would benefit the railroad and Greater Cleveland.
The article reports the proposed merger met with strong, organized opposition following Norfolk Southern's announcement last August that it would increase freight train traffic through densely populated Cleveland and West Shore communities. CSX officials, however, said if the merger is approved, they would reroute many trains, but there would be no overall increase on the tracks they control.
The article reports that several officials continue to object to the merger. Cleveland Councilman Roosevelt Coats, who was unable to attend the meeting, said he sent a letter to the Surface Transportation Board yesterday opposing the merger. According to Coats, the merger would mostly affect black and poor neighborhoods such as Euclid Green, Collinwood and Forest Hills. "I will oppose the merger as it stands. My constituents are not willing to accept any increase in train traffic or noise," Coats said. East Cleveland Mayor Emmanuel Onunwor said he was keeping an open mind. "I would like to review it and see how it might benefit East Cleveland, which is not clear yet," he said. Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, who has organized bipartisan opposition to the merger, said he couldn't comment until he had reviewed CSX's proposal.
The article goes on to say that after a hearing that voiced safety concerns from civic, school, church and elected officials, the Transportation Board told CSX and Norfolk Southern officials to resolve differences or be ready to accept whatever conditions the agency imposes for the merger. CSX spokesman Robert L. Gould said CSX was working to resolve the concerns. "From our perspective it's much better to work in good faith with the affected communities and find mutually beneficial solutions," Gould said.
The article cited an economic impact study done for CSX by Dallas-based Insight Research Corporation. According to the study, the 10-year economic impact of the merger on Greater Cleveland would be $1.7 billion, including $110 million in city and state tax revenues from new jobs and businesses. If new transportation-dependent industrial development follows, the economic impact grows to $2.3 billion, the study found. But the only new jobs CSX specifically cited were at the new Collinwood terminal. The new terminal would be a hub for trucks and trains hauling goods, which would spark economic development, CSX said.
According to the article, Cleveland Councilman Michael D. Polensek is optimistic about the merger. "Some of the things they threw out were very appealing. But we are going to have to crunch those numbers to see if they are accurate and meaningful," said Councilman Polensek. After many difficult years working with Conrail, Polensek said he was hopeful CSX would make much needed improvements in Collinwood and along the "Short Line," which runs from Collinwood to Berea. Polensek also liked the noise - reduction plan outlined by CSX. Landscaping with earthen berms, trees and bushes would be used to reduce noise along several corridors.
PUBLICATION: The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
DATE: January 23, 1998
SECTION: News; 2 Star B, Also In, 4 Star, 1 Star Late, 1 Star Early; Pg. L01
BYLINE: Richard Cowen
DATELINE: Englewood, New Jersey
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Ellen Fisher, resident; Senator Byron M. Baer, Representative Loretta Weinberg; Larry Cherchi, councilman
The Record of Bergen County, New Jersey, reports that the federal government will again delay the building of noise barriers along Route 95. This new delay is attributed to a study of traffic patterns on the highway. At this rate, residents may have to wait until 2001 for noise barriers.
According to the article, talk of installing noise barriers along a 4.4-mile stretch of the highway that feeds the George Washington Bridge has been going on for the last twenty years. But now the federal government is thinking of reconstructing the road, so it makes no sense to install noise barriers and then tear them down.
The Record says residents in the noisy corridor have lost their patience. "We've had enough studies," fumed Ellen Fisher, who lives on Brook Terrace in Leonia. "You don't need a Ph.D. in traffic science to figure out they're stalling." John Dourgarian a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation said the agency is considering installing temporary noise barriers in the area. Although Dourgarian cautioned he is unsure how effective they would be because the state has never installed temporary barriers anywhere else.
According to the article, the Federal Highway Administration is studying the high rate of accidents in the corridor, which joins Routes 95 and 80, two of the most heavily traveled roads in the country. The two-year traffic survey will be complete in October 1999 , at which time the highway administration might recommend that the road be reconstructed. If that happens, reconstruction would trigger another round of engineering studies that could push the installation of permanent noise barriers back to 2001. Under the current agreement, the DOT would fund the $12 million installation of noise barriers..
The article reports residents have enlisted local politicians, among them Sen. Byron M. Baer, D-Englewood, and Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg, D-Teaneck, to try to put the project back on track. But even these politicians don't seem optimistic. "This entire project has been one bureaucratic snafu after another," Weinberg said. "Do we really need to study this again?" "2001, Call it a highway odyssey," added Larry Cherchi, a Leonia councilman.
PUBLICATION: The Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)
DATE: January 23, 1998
SECTION: Local; Ed. F; Pg. 3A
BYLINE: Marlys Duran
DATELINE: Denver, Colorado
The Rocky Mountain News of Denver, Colorado, reports that city officials refused to annually tax future residents of the Buell Mansion subdivision for a noise wall and other improvements. Instead, the developers, Perlmutter / Witkin Properties will have to foot the three million dollar bill.
According to the Rocky Mountain News, Howard Witkin said. "We weren't expecting to get turned down. We really haven't laid any contingency plans at this point." Cherry Hills Village Councilman Ned Giles said he doesn't expect the setback to delay the pricey project. The subdivision will consist of 109 custom homes built around a mansion that was home to the late Denver-area architect and philanthropist Temple Hoyne Buell. More than 20 lots are under contract with buyers, Witkin said. Perlmutter / Witkin wanted to create a special district that would sell bonds to finance construction of a noise wall, water lines, landscaping and some adjacent street improvements at the 116-acre subdivision site. The bonds would have been paid off over time by taxing owners of homes and lots in the subdivision . The plan projected an average tax levy of 32 mills but allowed for as much as 45 mills. The City Council, which rejected the proposal Tuesday, wasn't convinced that taxing a district was the only way to pay for building and maintaining the improvements, Giles said. The proposed 45-mill cap was "most troubling," he said.
PUBLICATION: The San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA)
DATE: January 23, 1998
SECTION: News; Pg. A13
BYLINE: Christopher Heredia
DATELINE: Brentwood, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Lisa Ellingson, resident; Diane Tebbets, resident
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that residents in a section of southern Brentwood, California, are upset about the noise coming from oil drilling in their backyards.
According to the article, residents in a gated subdivision of Brentwood called Apple Hill Estates can't sleep due to loud banging, bright lights, workers' voices and the roar of trucks. They complained to the city, which ordered the drilling stopped immediately.
The article reports that the halt is only temporary. After a special planning commission meeting on Tuesday, the city decided to allow drilling by Robert Nunn, president of Sunset Exploration Inc. The commissioners, however, told Nunn to stop the drilling for 14 days to give homeowners a chance to appeal.
The article goes on to say some residents feel they were mislead when they moved into the neighborhood. "We didn't move into . . . some low-income community," said Diane Tebbets, who moved from Livermore into her $264,000 home with her husband and 4-year-old son last month. "This is the better end of Brentwood, a quiet neighborhood. To move in and one day find an oil rig practically in our back yard was startling." Homebuyer Lisa Ellingson said she and her husband never would have purchased their home if they knew about the oil well. "It woke me up the other night," Ellingson said of the tall rig, visible through the sliding glass door in her kitchen. "It sounded like a garbage truck pulled up right against our wall. We moved here for the quiet country setting. Now we're not too happy." Developer Rick Kiper said his company, Kiper Development of Blackhawk, never knew there would be drilling so close to homes. He hopes a resolution can be reached quickly. "The first I heard of this was last week," Kiper said. "I saw the tower behind some of our homes, and I thought they were drilling a water well."
The article reports Mayor John Morrill said he would support Sunset Exploration if it follows the terms set by the planning commission -- installing a buffer of trees and keeping noise to a minimum at night and early in the morning. Oil wells operating near homes are not unusual in Brentwood, Morrill said. About 15 oil "donkeys" -- which are not audible -- are visible in the hills near Apple Hill Estates. Nunn said he is trying to be a good neighbor. He has offered residents close to the field accommodations at a hotel during drilling. Nunn said the drilling will only take place over a four- or five- day period. The rig will then be dismantled, and the well will be capped and masked by a barrier of trees. "The bottom line is that this is a pre-existing use," Nunn said. "We've been involved in oil production in the area since the early 1960s. There have been active oil wells in plain view for years. What makes this any different?"
PUBLICATION: The Toronto Star (Toronto, Canada)
DATE: January 23, 1998
SECTION: Entertainment; Pg. C7
BYLINE: Sid Adilman
DATELINE: Toronto, Canada
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Howard Lichtman, executive vice-president of Cineplex Odeon
The Toronto Star reports that increasingly loud noise from Hollywood movie trailers is making movie-goers and theater owners unhappy in the US and in Canada.
The article reports that the ear-shattering, high-decibel sound of trailers cranked much higher than the movie that follows them is drawing complaints from patrons and movie theater owners alike. A Famous Players spokesperson confirmed the sound level for trailers is nine decibels louder than the movies and agreed it was a common complaint from audiences. "Don't blame us," says Howard Lichtman, Cineplex Odeon's executive vice-president of marketing and communications. Blame the Hollywood studios, he says.
According to the article, theater owners don't have control over the volume of these movie previews. "The sound level of trailers is pre-set by the studios which believe the louder they sound the more they sell. We get them that way. It's not within our control." Because they're pre-set, he explains, if theater owners turn the sound down, nothing would be heard. Cinema owners' associations representing Canadian and the US have jointly complained to the studios, Lichtman says, "but there's been no response from them. We've flagged it as a major issue."
The article goes on to point out some movies come with increased volume during scenes with special effects, but viewers don't seem to mind in those cases. Lichtman's advice for those protesting the hyped volume of trailers: "Write the studios." After years of viewer complaints, advertisers who increased the volume of their TV commercials finally relented and turned down the sound.
PUBLICATION: The Capital (Annapolis, MD)
DATE: January 22, 1998
SECTION: Front; Pg. A1
BYLINE: Leslie Gross
DATELINE: Annapolis, Maryland
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Janet Bury, school board member
The Capital of Annapolis, Maryland, reports that the city's proposal to construct walls in 25 "open space" schools would cost $17 million and still may not eliminate noise.
According to the article, plans for 15 of the open space schools call for 5-foot walls, but that would still leave open about 4 feet to the ceiling, according to the proposal by the Timonium-based URS Greiner Engineering and Architectural Services. In that space, sound-absorbing cylindrical objects would hang from the ceiling. In an assortment of colors, they would be designed to look like oversized crayons. School board member Janet Bury of Brooklyn Park asked whether the general classroom banter from either side would still disturb neighboring classes. "I'm just really concerned that it's educationally sound," she said at the board meeting held at Old Mill High School. "If there's interaction between the teacher and student, there's going to be some kind of noise. I'm still worried about noise. "
According to the article, the 5-foot walls would cost $585,540 to $764,340 per school. The cost depends on the school's current design and square footage, said architect Cliff Everett. Building walls from the floor to ceiling is much more expensive and requires adding sprinklers and complying with more fire and safety code regulations, Mr. Luther said. And in many cases full-blown walls would disrupt the mechanical systems already in place and the flow of heat and air conditioning. The other 10 schools need floor-to-ceiling walls because of their design, Mr. Everett said. Such walls would cost about $1 million for four of the schools and $361,940 for the remaining six.
The article goes on to report that school board member Joseph H. Foster of Linthicum was also skeptical of the 5-foot walls. Foster requested studies showing the difference in noise levels between short walls and full-length walls. "It seems like 5-foot walls are wasting money," he said. "This is not a local problem. This is nationwide. There must be some studies out there." Over the years parents and teachers have called the educational fad from the 1960s and '70s a failed experiment because it causes serious disruptions in learning. Wondering if the "prevailing winds of education" will deem open space the way to go someday in the future, Ms. Bury asked about the proposed walls: "Are they going to be expensive to take down? Just in case?"
PUBLICATION: The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas)
DATE: January 22, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Pg. 1
BYLINE: G. Chambers Williams III
DATELINE: Dallas,Texas
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram of Fort Worth, Texas, reports that yesterday when bad weather accompanied the temporary shutdown of a crucial bad-weather landing system at D/FW, noisy jets flew over normally quiet neighborhoods in Grapevine and Southlake, prompting several calls to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport's noise hot line.
According to the article, the electronic equipment that guides planes through clouds was turned off on Runway 36-Left while Federal Aviation Administration employees worked to replace the aging fiberglass building where it is housed, said Ross Schulke, acting air traffic manager at D/FW. "This is the first day since then that we've had this kind of weather," he said. "The clouds went down to 400 feet today, and the wind shifted so that we had to have a northerly traffic flow. This happens very rarely. "
The article reports the bad weather had a re-routing domino effect. The result was that the runway had be closed to landing aircraft for most of the day yesterday, forcing the airport to land aircraft on the adjacent Runway 36-Right, which is usually reserved for takeoffs. That, in turn, pushed jet takeoffs to the so-called west diagonal runway, 31-Left, which is usually reserved for smaller commuter turboprop airplanes. That put large jets - roaring at takeoff power - over neighborhoods that usually enjoy quiet.
The article goes on to say that the temporary re-routing at D/FA also kept Dick Linn busy answering the telephone yesterday in D/FW's noise monitoring center. "They weren't complaining as much as they were asking what was different, why the planes were suddenly over their houses," said Linn, a noise-compatibility planner at D/FW. Once we explained there was an equipment failure and that this was not something that happens often, nobody was yelling and screaming at us," he said.
The article went on to report that the FAA waited until after the busy holiday travel season to replace the small building that houses the instrument landing system for Runway 36-Left. The structure was built before the airport opened in 1974 and was beginning to leak, according to Jo Tarrh, FAA airways facilities manager for D/FW. "We started last Friday, and that work normally would take us two to three weeks," she said. "But we're working hard to have it done in seven days. It should be finished and the equipment back in service by Friday. As long as weather is good, we're in good shape."
PUBLICATION: The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, MO)
DATE: January 22, 1998
SECTION: Zone/Midtown; Pg. 10
BYLINE: Gromer Jeffers Jr.
DATELINE: Kansas City, Missouri
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Joyce Williams, president of Coleman Highlands neighborhood association; Jim Glover, Kansas City Councilman; Scott Murray, resident; Gretchen VanHorn, resident
The Kansas City Star reports that residents of Coleman Highlands in Kansas City, Missouri, oppose a developer's plans to build a business in their quiet neighborhood. Concern about heavy traffic, noise, pollution and decreasing property values have prompted the group to ask the city to condemn the developer's property and turn it into a park.
According to the article, developer Lester Dean Sr. is planning to build on two separate pieces of land in Coleman Highlands, a quiet, diverse neighborhood on Kansas City's west end. Dean plans to build a printing business on one parcel of his land and a 9,000 square-foot home on his other piece of property. Dean's neighbors, along with Kansas City Councilman Jim Glover, want the city to condemn Dean's property and turn it into park land. "This is a small neighborhood with trees and kids playing in the streets," said Joyce Williams, president of Coleman Highlands Inc., the area's neighborhood association. "This kind of thing is not acceptable."
The article states that Dean's attorney, Stephen Crystal, says the fears of Coleman Highlands residents are baseless. He said both Dean and his neighbors can coexist. "We're trying to address a resolution that will allow my client to pursue private enterprise," Crystal said. Dean's property is zoned for industrial use. The Missouri Poster Company is located nearby. There also is an industrial park on the northwest edge of the neighborhood.
According to the article, the existing businesses were present in Coleman Highlands before many residents in the neighborhood moved to the area. Coexisting with the industrial park has become a way of life. But Dean's proposed business on 34th Street is disturbing to residents. They fear it would draw more business than the narrow street can handle, and could lead to a widening of the road, which would disturb neighboring property. That's why residents of Coleman Highlands are supporting a proposal being considered by the City Council that would condemn Dean's two properties and turn those areas into green space. The green space proposal would prevent Dean from constructing his development, but would require the city to reimburse Dean for his losses. Dean argues that the condemnation would prevent him from engaging in legal activities that are within the city's zoning policies.
The article goes on to state the park proposal, sponsored by the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority is a new idea for Kansas City's neighborhoods. Under the proposal, the land would become a natural wildlife area that buffers neighborhood homes from the industrial park. Scott Murray, a resident of Coleman Highlands, said he hopes the city accepts the greenbelt proposal. "We have one of the lowest crimes rates in the city," Murray said. "We have people who have lived here for many years. This is a great neighborhood. This kind of thing right next to our property is not a good idea." Cost is an issue, and the debate is on about who should pay for the park. At a recent Planning and Zoning meeting the possibility of creating a buffer between Dean's industrial park and nearby homes was discussed as a compromise. One option called for a 30-foot limestone wall to be built. But Murray and others say the wall would not solve the noise and pollution problems for residents closest to the industrial park. "It can't keep out everything," Murray said. "You would still have noise and traffic problems."
The article quotes Gretchen VanHorn, who has lived in Coleman Highlands for more than 20 years and is tired of the threats of industry to her neighborhood. "We've been fighting for 15 years to try to get some closure to this," VanHorn said. "Our hope is that this will finally end it so we can get on with our lives; so people can take care of their houses and keep a good strong neighborhood." VanHorn said the city should put priorities on neighborhoods above the wishes of developers.
PUBLICATION: Newsday (New York, NY)
DATE: January 22, 1998
SECTION: News; Page A37
BYLINE: Eda Galeno
DATELINE: New York City, New York
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Kathrina Proscia, resident; Nick Ferrigno, resident; John Fazio, resident
Newsday reports that residents who live around a major airport in the New York City area can request a mobile noise monitor from Port Authority. These monitors measure decibel levels of aircraft noise to determine if airlines are violating noise limits.
According to Newsday, Kathrina Proscia of Howard Beach can tell the difference between an SST Concorde and a 747 without looking. That's not to say she's happy about her ability to distinguish among the sources of noise overhead. Airplane noise drowns out the television, interrupts phone conversations and sometimes wakes her children. "The noise from planes hasn't been that bad lately, but that's only because it's winter and we keep the windows closed," Proscia says. "But sometimes I'm woken from a dead sleep by a plane that seems like it's taking my roof off. That's pretty bad."
Newsday reports that Proscia is not alone in her noise complaints. Courtesy of mobile noise monitors, the FAA is made aware of noise complaints and noise violations. At any given time there are six such monitors recording noise levels at homes around Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Airports. The information is used to alert the FAA to which airlines are violating noise limits. "I volunteered space in my backyard for a mobile monitor," says Nick Ferrigno, a Flushing resident and a member of the Queens Borough President's Aviation Advisory Council. Although Ferrigno, a retired airline employee, doesn't mind the airplane noise, he understands his neighbors' concerns.
According to the article, when the Federal Aviation Administration gets a request from the community for a mobile monitor, the neighborhood is checked to avoid duplication, says Chuck Meara, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. If the location meets acoustical criteria (an area free from other interfering noises) , a monitor is placed. But not everyone can get the mobile noise monitors. When West Hamilton Beach resident John Fazio requested a monitor for his backyard, he said it was denied because he lives "too close to the airport." The mobile noise monitor consists of a highly sensitive microphone, a noiselevel analyzer and a modem hooked up to a telecommunications system that ties into the FAA's aircraft noise abatement monitoring system. It is removed after a week or two, then replaced at a later date. "We like to have it in the same location three or four times a year to track noise during different seasons," Meara says.
The article goes on to report that a decibel reading of 112 PNDB (perceived noise decibels) triggers an aircraft violation. Out of about 355,214 flights at Kennedy Airport in 1996, there were 488 noise complaints and 616 violations. At LaGuardia, with flights totaling 345,647, there were 274 noise complaints and 189 violations. Violators at Kennedy are faced with a $250 supplemental flight fee if they exceed 112 PNDB. No fee is imposed at LaGuardia because the supplemental flight fee agreement reached at Kennedy was not reached with the airlines at LaGuardia. To reach the Port Authority noise complaint hotline, call 718-244-3881.
PUBLICATION: PR Newswire
DATE: January 22, 1998
SECTION: Financial News
DATELINE: Cleveland, Ohio
PR Newswire reports CSX Transportation Inc. (CSXT) announced its plan today for noise berms and attractive landscaping adjacent to the sections of Conrail track it plans to obtain in the Greater Cleveland Metropolitan Area.
Quoted in the article, Carl N. Taylor, executive vice president of operations for CSXT said, "What this plan represents is a framework for addressing noise concerns that have been raised by the City of Cleveland. It's a framework for beautifying areas adjacent to our tracks, in ways that create added value for quality of life and enhance neighborhood property values. As a result, we put our emphasis on 'natural' systems: earthen berms, landscaping with trees and bushes and the like." The article goes on to detail the particular plans for each area adjacent to Conrail track CSX hopes to acquire.
According to the article, CSX's plans will bring decreased noise levels for residents located along the Lakeshore Line as a result of reduced train activity. Residents along the Lakeshore Line are exposed to higher maximum sound levels from train traffic than those residents located along the Short Line because there are no grade crossings on the Short Line, and therefore, no sounding of locomotive horns at every grade crossing. Not only will there be a reduction in horn noise, but the rerouting of traffic to the Short Line from the Lakeshore Line will promote safety for both train operations and motorists because the Short Line's grade- separated track eliminates the risk of grade-crossing accidents. Furthermore, a report, prepared by TranSystems Corporation, based in Schaumburg, Ill., demonstrates that the rerouting of trains from the Lakeshore Line to the Short Line will not result in an increase in noise impact for residents of the Greater Cleveland Metropolitan area. The Conrail acquisition now awaits approval by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.
PUBLICATION: The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA)
DATE: January 22, 1998
SECTION: Local; Pg. B01
BYLINE: Krista Olson
DATELINE: Beaumont, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Ajit Randhawa, resident
The Press-Enterprise reports that while Beaumont officials consider a major Union Pacific rail port for the east edge of the city, residents and officials alike debate the effects on the community. Most would welcome the economic impact while some are cautious about increased noise and traffic.
According to the article, Union Pacific officials have said that Beaumont is on the list as a potential site for such a facility. Beaumont's Economic Development Director Dave Dillon said the city is working to set a meeting for next month with county and rail officials to discuss the concept. The project would be a major transfer center where cargo containers would be transferred by crane between trains and big-rig trucks. The center would employ up to 600 people and potentially transform the area into a bustling industrial hub, serving as the main cargo rail port for Southern California, Dillon said. "It would certainly stimulate the local economy - that's an understatement," said Roger Derda, community development director in neighboring Banning.
The article states that while creating jobs and drawing big business to the area is exciting, city planners want to ensure the project would not overwhelm those living nearby, particularly residents of the Sun Lakes retirement community across Highland Springs and south of the suggested site. Highland Springs Avenue is the boundary between Banning and Beaumont. Dillon said if the port does come to Beaumont, most of the expected truck traffic will be routed west from a First Street entrance to avoid a huge influx on Highland Springs. Beaumont veterinarian Ajit Randhawa, who lives and works on Third Street a few blocks west of where the center could go, said the idea sounds good, so long as careful planning ensures that traffic and noise are controlled and that any businesses that would locate near the rail are environmentally clean. Banning Mayor John Hunt said that if the idea does become reality, people throughout the Pass should work together on planning for it.
PUBLICATION: The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
DATE: January 22, 1998
SECTION: News; Pg. L01
BYLINE: Don Stancavish,
DATELINE: Hackensack, New Jersey
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: James Sheen, Chairman of Freeholders;
The Record of Bergen County, New Jersey, reports that despite noise concerns and other issues, the Board of Freeholders gave their support for a carousel in Van Saun Park.
According to the article, the approval came after Bergen County Parks Director Wolfgang Albrecht delivered a sale pitch to the concerned Board. "This is the attraction that visitors to the park are looking for," Albrecht said. "It's a wonderful amenity for the crown jewel of our parks system." Previously, some members of the board expressed reservations about the carousel. They cited concerns about parking, congestion, and noise, and noted that an amusement ride would alter the park's rustic setting. "My concerns are two: First, it would change the character of the park, and two, I think the park is already congested," said Freeholder Chairman James Sheen, who has opposed the plan. "Those are my concerns." Other freeholders, however, supported the measure.
The article went on to state the concerns and positions of certain members of the Freeholders Board. Richard Mola and J. William Van Dyke both said they favored the project if the noise from the ride were kept to a minimum. Van Dyke expressed concern that calliope music would become a nuisance to park visitors, while Mola said, "The only question I have is how loud the music will be. Other than that I don't have any problems." County Executive William "Pat" Schuber told the freeholders Wednesday that he favored the carousel. Based on anecdotal evidence, he said visitors to the park also favored the idea. "It's further in keeping with the services the county parks system provides," Schuber said.
PUBLICATION: The San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA)
DATE: January 22, 1998
SECTION: News; Pg. A18
BYLINE: Michael Cabanatuan
DATELINE: Walnut Creek, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Leslie Munn, president of Nicholson Neighborhood Club;
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that residents of Walnut Creek, California, are being assaulted by loud noise inside their homes from a temporary viaduct on Interstate 680-Highway 24. Caltrans officials blame the noise on a loose-steel plate in an expansion joint
According to the article, from inside her Walnut Creek home, Leslie Munn can constantly hear the sound of southbound traffic on the towering temporary Interstate 680-Highway 24 viaduct. Each vehicle that crosses the 95-foot-tall concrete and steel structure sends out a sound to people living underneath in the Nicholson Drive neighborhood. The noise began in late summer and has steadily increased in volume and frequency. "I used to sleep with the windows open," Munn said. "That's out of the question now. I keep the windows closed, use inside fans for white noise and earplugs so I can sleep."
The article states that Munn, who heads the Nicholson Neighborhood Club, complained about the noise at a meeting this month with neighborhood representatives and city and Caltrans officials. Caltrans engineers, she said, explained that because it was a nuisance but not a safety hazard, it would be corrected only if enough neighbors complained. Caltrans spokeswoman Brigetta Smith said yesterday that engineers are working with a contractor on a quick fix. "If not, we're looking at a much more costly solution," she said. "But we are definitely working at resolving the problem." Munn worries that the problem will become bogged down in Caltrans bureaucracy, then simply be dismissed as the viaduct's demolition date nears. "Caltrans is very good at delays," she said. Demolition of the temporary flyover is expected to start in the spring of 1999.
PUBLICATION: The San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA)
DATE: January 22, 1998
SECTION: News; Pg. A18
BYLINE: Patricia Jacobus
DATELINE: Dublin, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Donald Krekorian, resident; Leonard DeStefano, resident; David Macpherson, attorney; Dave Burton, councilman
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that some Dublin, California, residents are upset about noise from a nearby daycare center. In a counterattack, the daycare center has brought a suit against two neighbors. Apparently, the contentious battle mirrors other disputes over day care centers moving into residential areas.
According to the article, A Creative Playschool is located on Amador Valley Boulevard, a residential neighborhood. Janet Zupetz, who is the owner, bought the house in April 1995 with plans to convert it to a day care center. Neighborhood opposition was intense from the beginning. Dublin's planning commission unanimously rejected Zupetz's proposal. She appealed to the City Council, and in July 1995 she was granted permission to operate a 20-child center with the condition that only 10 children could be in the back yard at a time.
The article says Donald Krekorian, whose home office overlooks the yard, and Leonard DeStefano, who sleeps during the day because he works nights, almost immediately became disturbed by the noise. "It gets so loud I can't even think," complained Krekorian. He wrote a letter in November 1996 to the City Council complaining the high-pitched shrills and screams coming from the place were "most disturbing." He compared the noise to that "of a child who is hurt or in terror," according to documents in Alameda County Superior Court in Pleasanton. Krekorian said that last August he was growing more irritated by the noise levels, so he notified police that he was planning to take photos to prove that more than 10 children were in the back yard at a time. Krekorian would climb onto his roof and take a photograph.
According to the article, A Creative Playschool has taken Krekorian and the DeStefanos to court alleging harassing and annoying activities. Ralph Hughes, a Pleasanton attorney representing the center, said, "I have never seen such a neighborhood uprising." Hughes is also a Dublin planning commissioner. "Usually people get upset for a period of time, but once the issues are decided they calm down."
The San Francisco Chronicle reports Krekorian and the DeStefanos are trying to get the case dismissed. Krekorian's attorney, David Macpherson, argues that his client's actions are protected under the First Amendment. Krekorian has a right "to freely speak in opposition of the day care without fear of lawsuits," Macpherson said. Meanwhile, Dublin, which is expected to double its population within a few decades, already has a shortage of day care centers, city officials say. After-school care facilities at four elementary schools are either full or nearly full, as are many of the 14 state-licensed centers run out of homes. "This whole thing has turned into a mess," said Councilman Dave Burton, who voted against expansion of A Creative Playschool. "I know there is a shortage of day care, but everybody has to follow the rules."
PUBLICATION: The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA)
DATE: January 22, 1998
SECTION: North Side Voice, Pg. N8
BYLINE: Kathy Mulady
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Jane Salnick, resident; Kristy Smith, resident; Dr. Elizabeth DeNiro, resident; Dennis Duerr, resident
The Spokesman-Review of Spokane, Washington, reports that a dozen Green Bluff residents argued Friday against a Spokane County Division of Engineering proposal to expand a gravel mine and crushing operation near their homes.
According to the article, the engineers are asking to have about 100 acres of land east of Sands Road rezoned to allow mining. Residents fear the noise, dust, potential damage to wells and heavy truck traffic will destroy the tranquil quality of life that drew them to the farm community. They argued the mining proposal is a non-compatible and inappropriate land use. Residents also argue that the additional 100 acres of land to expand the mine is unnecessary and a waste of taxpayer money.
The article states that county engineers say the mine will save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars by reducing the number of long trips trucks would have to make to haul gravel to the Green Bluff area. Vern Scoggin, with the county division of engineering, said about 1.5 million tons of rock will be produced at the Green Bluff mine and could save taxpayers $2.2 million. But opponents questioned the county's arithmetic. The county is buying the land for about $500,000. They've spent much more on environmental studies and attorneys, neighbors argued. Opponents say the Pat Kehn Mine, which the county bought for $50,000 a few years ago in the Colbert area, should provide plenty of gravel for road projects in both areas. However, some Green Bluff residents support the county mining operation, saying it's been going on for years with little impact on the surrounding community. At least one resident said he was concerned that without the expanded mine, roads in Green Bluff would never be improved.
The article goes on to report the specific opposition of The Friends of Green Bluff, who testified about noise, water, roads, and potential ruin of Green Bluff as a cultural resource. Kristy Smith urged the hearing examiner to give the Green Bluff the same consideration he would give the county courthouse and "preserve the essence and presence of a county cultural resource." Dr. Elizabeth DeNiro, who lives a half-mile from the mine, noted that constant noise, especially the type created by a rock crushers, causes devastating stress. She described a family picnic during one of the past mining operations and not being able to hear standard dinner conversation. "I live there, I know it's loud," she said. Both sides offered experts, testifying to the impact of noise from the crushing, grinding, mixing, and trucks. Dennis Duerr has lived next door to the proposed mine for 12 years. He said he not only heard the noise, but felt vibrations shake his house during past mining work. He believes blasting in 1986 damaged his well. He also worries about the safety of children on school buses, people walking on the roads and damage to pavement from the hundreds of truck trips along the two-lane country roads.
The article says attorney Craig Trueblood who represents The Friends of Green Bluff asked for a procedure that will allow residents to effectively report excessive noise and get a response, and to provide financial assurance in case wells run dry because of blasting, or roads are destroyed by hundreds of truck trips. Spokane County Hearing Examiner Michael Dempsey is expected to announce his decision on the rezoning request in about a month.
PUBLICATION: The Times-Picayune(New Orleans, LA)
DATE: January 22, 1998
SECTION: Picayune; Pg. 1H2
BYLINE: Carol Wolfram
DATELINE: New Orleans, Louisiana
In a column called Tammany Talk, The Times-Picayune of New Orleans printed writer Carol Wolfram's peaceful canoeing experience through the Cane Bayou in Louisiana, part of the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge. In the Bayou, Wolfram enjoys the beautiful sounds of silence.
In her Tammany Talk column, Wolfram says outside Lacombe, the noise of civilization disappeared. With Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge environmental educator Becky Kipp at the stern, the author helped power the canoe along the surface of the bayou that led to Lake Pontchartrain. "Ours was one of five canoes - four tandem and one solo - that made mostly silent progress along Cane Bayou, which marks the line between Fontainebleau State Park and the Big Branch refuge," wrote Wolfman.
The column states that after the sound of passing cars had disappeared, the only sounds that filled the air were those of paddles pulling through the bayou water, the occasional greeting from fishermen, and comments of those on the Cane Bayou adventure. The author reports seeing egrets, osprey nests, and bard owls as well as turtles and lizards. As the canoers approached Lake Pontchartrain, she says, the tranquillity of the bayou was broken, but only by the sound of surf as lake water poured over a sandbar just outside the mouth of the bayou.
In the Times Picayune, Wolfman says even though she knew the sounds of civilization would be there when she returned, she was still surprised when as the group passed under the Tammany Trace trestle, their paddling was no longer discernible above the sounds of passing traffic. "That was great exercise - for the mind and the body," said fellow paddler Bill Gilbert of Ft. Myers, Fla. Wolfman says by the time they had packed away the life jackets, paddles and canoes, she didn't even notice the traffic noise anymore. "Isn't it interesting how quickly your ears can screen out the white noise of civilization? But somehow it didn't bother me, knowing tranquillity was still there, nestled safely just around the bend," writes Wolfman. To register for a free canoe trip along the Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge or the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, call (504) 254-4490 or 646-7544. They provide the canoes, you provide the power. For information on the Bayou Haystackers Canoe Club, contact Clifton at (504) 626-3628.
PUBLICATION: The Vancouver Sun (Vancouver, Canada)
DATE: January 22, 1998
SECTION: Editorial; Pg. A14
BYLINE: Peter Hiebert
DATELINE: Coquitlam, Vancouver
The Vancouver Sun printed an editorial by Peter Hiebert, a resident of Coquitlam, Vancouver, in which he expresses his displeasure at the closing of the rifle ranges on Barnet Highway. Mr. Hiebert writes:
The rifle ranges on the Barnet Highway have provided a service to both the public and the police forces of the Lower Mainland for many years (Burnaby puts end to shooting ranges, Jan. 20). Isn't it curious that the Barnet Marine Park was created directly across the road from the ranges? Then, after all the trees were removed between the park and the road, thereby removing the sound screening, the park board began to complain about the noise. Isn't this like moving into a house at the end of a runway and then complaining about the planes?
Now there just happens to be a negative environmental report concerning the rifle ranges to support the council's position -- interesting timing.
Where does Burnaby council expect the shooting public to continue its sport? Or don't we have enough votes to matter? Where are the police forces expected to train? An indoor training range will cost a lot of money. Who pays?
It will be a sad day in June when these ranges close their doors forever.
PUBLICATION: Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL)
DATE: January 22, 1998
SECTION: Commentary; Pg. 20; Zone: N; Voice Of The People (Letter).
BYLINE: Dennis Culloton
DATELINE: Chicago, Illinois
The Chicago Tribune printed a letter from Dennis Culloton, member of the city's Department of Aviation. In the following letter, Culloton defends the noise reduction efforts of the city of Chicago and O'Hare Airport. Culloton writes:
If the Chicago Tribune is going to assess the success of the noise -reduction efforts of the City of Chicago and the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission, then it has an obligation to review these efforts in their entirety and not just air the predictable, critical comments from longtime airport opponents.
The harsh criticism in the Dec. 23 editorial "Daley and the din at dawn" is undeserved. Chicago has been innovative and aggressive in dealing with aircraft noise. Mayor Richard M. Daley has committed more money than any other mayor in the country--$300 million--to noise -reduction efforts such as the Fly Quiet program, home and school soundproofing and the "Hush House." Unlike any other U.S. mayor, Mayor Daley has shared the decision-making about how to spend those funds with the 25 regional leaders who are now members of the Noise Compatibility Commission.
A comprehensive review would show that the Fly Quiet program, though in its infancy, is already delivering results. Fly Quiet is an aggressive program to direct nighttime aircraft operations over more compatible land areas--such as industrial corridors and forest preserves--to minimize the impact on residential neighborhoods.
Already, 90 percent of flights between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. are adhering to the Fly Quiet program and flying along the recommended tracks. The "Aviator's Guide to Noise Abatement" manuals are clearly in the hands of the FAA controllers, who determine where the planes taking off or landing at O'Hare will go.
We are not resting on our laurels, and we have never backed away from addressing operational issues. The O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission is now working with the airlines to address the so-called "shoulder hours" of operation from 10 to 11 p.m. and 6 to 7 a.m.
While there was an increase in telephone complaints during the summer months, there was also a huge decrease in November (2,000 fewer calls) from the 3,500 that were received during October. This statistic went unreported, and the coverage of the telephone calls lacked proper perspective. This year's complaints, despite the publicity and best efforts of anti-airport activists, fall short of the 18,000 in one year we received on the noise hotline about 12 years ago.
Fly Quiet is a true regional partnership to make the airport more compatible with neighboring communities while preserving the economic engine of the Midwest region. Mayor Daley's efforts to work with regional leaders stands in great contrast to the opponents of the airport, who have been bringing lawsuits rather than working on meaningful solutions.
In just one year, the city and the Noise Compatibility Commission have accomplished more than any litigation ever would. It is a fresh and effective approach and one that should be fully described to your readers.
PUBLICATION: WorldSources Online, Inc.
DATE: January 21, 1998
SECTION: Washington - General News
DATELINE: Malaysia
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Allen Teoh, secretary of action committee;
WorldSources Online reports residents of Kampung Satu in Malaysia want Kuala Lumpur City Hall to halt operations at a cement batching plant which they claim has caused noise pollution as well as the pollution of their food and drinking water.
According to WorldSources Online, residents' action committee secretary Allen Teoh said dust from the plant is polluting food and drinking water. He said noise from the plant, owned by Tru-Mix Concrete and operating round the clock, deprives residents of sleep. The plant is located very close to the village. Speaking to the New Straits Times after a press conference last Monday, Teoh also claimed that some children were suffering from rashes, which a skin specialist had confirmed was caused by polluted air. The press conference was attended by residents' representatives and City Hall Advisory Board member Yew Teong Look.
WorldSources Online reports residents claim a flood in the village last November was caused by silting of the main water channel in the village by cement residue. It was then that residents took their complaints to the Federal Territory Department of Environment. Teoh said the DOE responded fast to the complaint by carrying out an investigation and had issued two compound notices to the company under the Environment Quality Act (Clean Air), 1978. "The DOE action, however, does not seem to have much effect on the factory as it still operates as usual," Teoh said, adding that City Hall should intervene as it had the power to stop operations. He also said from the committee's investigation, the plant had been operating without a City Hall permit for the past two years. Yew said he would try his best to arrange for a meeting between residents, City Hall, and company officials on the problem.
Copyright 1998 New Straits Times all rights reserved as distributed by WorldSources Online, Inc.
PUBLICATION: Asbury Park Press (Neptune, NJ)
DATE: January 21, 1998
SECTION: B, Pg. 1
BYLINE: Stephanie Hoo
DATELINE: Stafford Township, New Jersey
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Herbert Smith, resident
The Asbury Park Press reports that the Stafford Township Council in New Jersey last night delayed a vote on whether to limit ice cream vendors' noise. Members want time to consider the hotly argued viewpoints expressed during last night's public session.
According to the Asbury Park Press, a few individual council members made clear their opinions of the proposed ordinance, but the council voted unanimously to table their vote to a future meeting. The proposed ordinance would forbid ice cream vendors from playing electronically amplified or mechanical music. Instead, vendors would only be allowed to ring hand-held bells.
The Asbury Park Press states the proposed ordinance was drafted in response to complaints from residents tired of hearing the continuous loops of recorded music that some vendors blare for hours on summer days, explained Mayor Carl W. Block. Resident Herbert Smith, for one, thinks the music is disruptive. "Sometimes it can be heard for hours and miles away," he said. Advocates of the sounds from ice cream vendors spoke out too. According to Todd Parillo, "It's all a part of summer, in my opinion." And from Mark McCollum, "The music does not bother me. It's become a tradition for kids to listen for the ice cream music."
According to the article, Smith and other residents insisted that hand-held bells are adequate. Vendor Jim Raylman of Bun-Jim Ice Cream agreed, saying his drivers only ring hand bells, and customers know to look for them because they always drive the same routes. But "a hand bell simply will not be loud enough for you to hear in your houses with your windows closed and your air conditioning on," said vendor Jeffrey S. Cabaniss of Jef-Freeze Treats. He said he needs to play his music to distinguish himself from competitors.
PUBLICATION: Business Wire
DATE: January 21, 1998
DATELINE: Van Nuys, California
Press Release to News Editors/City Desks from Stacy Geere at Van Nuys Airport:
Van Nuys Airport officials are notifying pilots of a new noise restriction that will take effect on Feb. 12, 1998. Van Nuys Airport Manager Ronald J. Kochevar said the existing 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. partial curfew will be extended by one hour, prohibiting departures of Stage II aircraft with noise levels equal to or exceeding 74 decibels between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Takeoff levels are measured per Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 36-3 and the additional curfew hour does not apply to Stage III aircraft.
"Van Nuys Airport is currently regulated by a Noise Abatement and Curfew Ordinance adopted by the Los Angeles City Council in 1981," Kochevar said. "In response to community noise concerns, the ordinance has been amended to roll back the existing curfew by one hour. We hope this new noise restriction will help balance the needs of the aviation and residential communities while maintaining the economic vitality of the airport."
Medical emergency flights, military aircraft and any government owned or operated aircraft involved in law enforcement, emergency, fire or rescue operations are exempt from the curfew. The airport is open 24 hours per day and there are no restrictions on landings. Helicopters are not regulated by the ordinance. Civil penalties for violation of the ordinance range from $750 for the first violation to $3,500 for the third violation. Any person or aircraft involved in three or more violations within a three-year period is denied use of the airport.
PUBLICATION: The Capital (Annapolis, MD)
DATE: January 21, 1998
SECTION: West County; Pg. A12
BYLINE: Stacey Danzuso
DATELINE: West County, Maryland
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Matthew Dillon, resident; Bob and Meg Pasquerella, resident; Mark Tieting, resident
The Capital of Annapolis, Maryland, reports Middle River Racing officials failed to convince West County residents opposed to a proposed speedway that it would be a good neighbor.
According to the Capital, conflicting information and too few answers kept the racing association from alleviating residents' concerns about a 60,000-seat speedway that would be located west of Fort George G. Meade. "There's no meat and potatoes backing the proposal," Russett resident Matthew Dillon said. "I was warned they would wow me, but after what I saw tonight I am much less impressed and even more against the track." Bob and Meg Pasquerella and dozens of others from Russett wore black ribbons symbolizing their opposition to the track. "(MRRA) didn't do a good job selling to us tonight," Mr. Pasquerella said. "They didn't win me over."
According to the Capital, at Monday's meeting, racing association officials presented information on noise, traffic and the overall effect the track would have on nearby communities. Chris Lencheski, general manager, said the studies show the noise level on the property line would not climb above the 65-decibel limit set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He compared the noise level to the ringing of a telephone 2 feet away. But Mark Tieting of Russett said he didn't buy the association's promises. "If I'm sitting 2 feet from my phone and it rings, I'll pick it up and end the noise, " he told the crowd. Many at Monday's meeting said they moved to Russett because it was a quiet neighborhood, but it wouldn't stay that way if there was a constant drone from a racetrack 30 weekends a year.
The Capital reports officials also could not provide a clear plan of where fans at the 60,000-seat motorsports complex would park and did not clear up audience confusion over how close the nearest house is to the site. Mike Alfinito, MRRA spokesman, said the nearest home is 2,500 feet from the grandstand. However, throughout the presentation and question-and-answer session various measurements were used interchangeably, leaving many confused about what is the true distance. Racetrack opponents also said County Council Chairman Bert L. Rice, R-Odenton, whose district the track falls in, and County Executive John G. Gary Jr. needed to "stop sitting on the fence" and take a stand. But not all of the 700 people who attended the meeting were opposed to the track. About 100 supporters, predominantly from areas outside Russett and Maryland City, cheered MRRA's proposal.
PUBLICATION: Chicago Daily Herald (Chicago, IL)
DATE: January 21, 1998
SECTION: News; Pg. 6
BYLINE: Timothy S. Rooney
DATELINE: Elk Grove Village, Illinois
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Tammy Goodman, resident
The Chicago Daily Herald reports that residents in a Chicago suburb are willing to take dog owners to court to put a stop to incessant barking.
According to The Chicago Daily Herald, dog disturbance calls from Elk Grove Village frequently lead to the Schubitz family's door. The Schubitzes have had to deal with numerous tickets, court fines, ongoing hearings and wrangling with neighbors over their family pets. They have been ticketed 15 times in a little more than a year for excessive dog barking. The tickets have come in response to neighbor complaints, police and village officials said.
The Chicago Daily Herald reports the Schubitzes own two dogs. Neighbors have complained that the dogs bark endlessly when they are outside. "They're an annoyance. They keep us up," said neighbor Tammy Goodman, whose back yard borders the Schubitz's. "It's made it like living hell actually. You can't use your yard." In the 15 months since the Schubitzes moved into their home, the Goodmans have documented 35 excessive dog barking incidents at all hours. Goodman, who has a dog for a family pet, says "It just gets so frustrating after a while." Enjoyable use of the outdoor hot tub is out of the question for the Goodmans, they say, because the Schubitzes' dogs bark at bathers.
The article states the Schubitzes are scheduled to appear for a court hearing next month after a continuance last week. They plan to appear armed with petitions signed by neighbors saying the dogs are not a disturbance. The Schubitzes believed they are being targeted while the cause may be other neighbor's dogs. "It's very stressful. Sometimes we're woken up at 10:30 or 11 p.m. for tickets when our dogs were inside," said Robin Schubitz, a Schaumburg Realtor. "I think there is another dog in the neighborhood they can't decipher. When it barks, maybe they don't understand it."
According to the article, many of the court cases against the Schubitzes have been dismissed. However, three tickets brought a $200 fine from a judge last year. "The police don't go to the Schubitzes' house unless they're called," Elk Grove Village attorney George Knickerbocker said. "It's not just one person (complaining)." Knickerbocker finds this case unique. "I've prosecuted for over 17 years and I've never seen an incidence of a neighbor documenting the dog's noise and other neighbors are complaining," Knickerbocker said. The Schubitzes' have asked the Elk Grove Village board to interpret the excessive noise ordinance in an attempt to stop being ticketed. "We're trying to ask, 'What is an excessive dog barker?' " Robin Schubitz said. As for the Schubitzes getting rid of their dogs, that is unlikely. "How are you going to get rid of your dogs, they're your babies," said Robin Schubitz.
PUBLICATION: Times Newspapers Limited (London, England)
DATE: January 21, 1998
SECTION: Features
DATELINE: Ilminster, England
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Mrs. Ann Murdoch and Mr. Duncan Murdoch, residents
Times Newspapers Limited of London reports on the outcome of a Court of Appeal: Murdoch and Another v Glacier Metal Co Ltd., in which the plaintiffs were overruled in a noise case.
According to the Times, Lord Justice Nourse, Lord Justice Pill, and Lord Justice Thorpe ruled night time factory noise that was marginally greater than the World Health Organization's recommended level above which the restorative value of sleep could be affected, did not constitute an actionable nuisance to a family living close by when all the surrounding circumstances were taken into account. The Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by the plaintiffs, Mrs. Ann Murdoch and Mr. Duncan Murdoch, from their previously dismissed action against Glacier Metal Co. Ltd.
The article states the initial case brought into question operations at Glacier Metal factory in Winterhay, Ilminster, which is close to the property where the Murdochs have lived since 1988. The noise, of a fluctuating nature, was described by Mrs. Murdoch as a low droning noise from which they could not escape. Expert evidence giving noise level readings had been called by both parties.
According to the article, the judges concluded that the factory noise did not constitute an actionable nuisance by taking into account the character of the neighborhood and whether the noise was at a serious level. Reference was made to the World Health Organization report Environmental Health Criteria 12: Noise, published in 1980 which stated: "Studies have indicated that the disturbance of sleep becomes increasingly apparent as ambient noise levels exceed about 35 dBA." The judge, having stated that the WHO report was the evidence that had most assisted him, concluded that the evidence showed that the agreed measurement of the noise level at night in the plaintiffs' house was the same, or marginally above, the WHO recommended level.
The Times reports, Mr. Wadsley, representing the Murdochs, submitted that the judge had misunderstood the effect of that recommendation and the report's emphasis on the importance of undisturbed sleep to human life. Agreeing that sleep was a matter of importance, the judge said other considerations had to be borne in mind. In his dismissal, the judge took into account the overall situation, including the proximity of the A303 Ilminster bypass to the Murdoch property and the absence of complaints from others living nearby. The three judges concurred on the ruling.
PUBLICATION: The Daily News of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
DATE: January 21, 1998
SECTION: News, Pg. N4
BYLINE: Lee Condon
DATELINE: Triunfor Canyon, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Zev Yaroslavsky, member of Board of Supervisors
The Daily News of Los Angeles reports Triunfo Canyon, California, zoning laws are being reviewed after residents complained of late night noise from a banquet facility.
According to the Daily News of Los Angeles, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday asked for a review of zoning laws throughout the Santa Monica Mountains as a result of complaints from Triunfo Canyon residents about a banquet facility called Fantasy Island. The board directed the Regional Planning Board to hold hearings on whether the county's "resort and recreation" zone should be changed to limit commercial development in rural mountain areas. The current "R-R" zone allows for a wide range of uses in rural areas of the mountains. Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky proposed the changes because residents said there is too much late-night noise and traffic in their neighborhood coming from Fantasy Island, where owner Avu Datner hosts events such as bar mitzvahs and weddings. "I want to be more specific about what we will allow," said Yaroslavsky. "I don't think nighttime rock concerts were anticipated in the Santa Monica Mountains when the framers created this zone decades ago." The article states Datner is negotiating with residents about how to operate Fantasy Island.
PUBLICATION: Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA)
DATE: January 21, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 4; Zones Desk
BYLINE: Chris Chi
DATELINE: Camarillo, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Dennis Ralph, resident
The Los Angeles Times reports that the Pacific Suns -- a minor league team that wants to play at Oxnard College -- will have to deal with lawsuits that say noise and traffic will be worsened by their presence. College trustees have already approved their request to play there.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the lawsuit says that the city didn't perform a careful enough environmental review of the proposal. Team officials said the lawsuit was "frivolous," and college trustees voted -- as the city legal department told them they could -- for the plan in spite of the pending lawsuit. Residents fear noise and traffic problems.
The Los Angeles Times goes on to state that team officials first appeared at a City Council meeting this fall, after they spent a year trying to sell the idea in the community. The City Council was convinced, voting unanimously to allow their relocation. The trustees of the college approved the plan once they saw the environmental review. The review says noise and traffic problems can be mitigated.
The article reports that with 45 home games, which could draw as many as 2,000 people, many residents think there will be problems with noise and traffic, as well as pollution and lighting. The lawsuit was brought by a single resident.
According to the article, the lawsuit will seek to force the city to consider other sites, including several vacant lots along the Ventura Freeway. The environmental review will have to be done in a more painstaking manner, if the lawsuit wins and places an injunction on the team's relocation.
PUBLICATION: News & Record (Greensboro, NC)
DATE: January 21, 1998
SECTION: Triad/State, Pg. B2a
BYLINE: Taft Wireback
DATELINE: Greensboro, North Carolina
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Michael Decker, resident;
The News & Record (Greensboro, NC) reports that residents have complained to Greensboro City Council about the noise and disorderly patrons at a local nightclub and an all-night convenience store. The residents asked the council to close down Jokers 3 and force the Crown station to close at midnight.
According to the News & Record, residents living near a popular nightclub and an all-night convenience store near UNCG complained to the Greensboro City Council that the loud noise and unruly behavior from the two businesses is ruining their neighborhood. Jokers 3 nightclub at 1204 Oakland Ave. attracts crowds of people, some of whom loiter noisily in the parking lot and walk or drive through the nearby neighborhood at all hours, the neighbors said. It was the scene of a shooting earlier this month. Meanwhile, the nearby Crown gas station on Spring Garden Street has become a gathering spot for loud groups of people as late as 4 a.m., neighbors complained. "We can't get to sleep," said neighborhood resident Michael Decker.
According to the article, in an interview last May, owner Bill Kennedy agreed that the club that opened in August 1996 has had problems with crowds. It was last May when the night club's neighbors requested the Greensboro council shut down Jokers 3. But council members said they did not have the authority to close the nightclub or restrict Crown's hours of operation, but they urged the police department to begin building a case for shutting down the nightclub as a public nuisance. Deputy Police Chief Dave Williams told the council that to close a lounge as a public nuisance, police have to show that it is a continual problem. Police records show that nearby residents have filed only a limited number of complaints against Jokers 3 in recent months, Williams said. But the residents said they had been calling the police department regularly to ask for help in dealing with patrons of the bar and Crown station. Williams said he did not know why those complaints had not been logged, but he plans to look into it. Council members advised police to meet with the Guilford County District Attorney's office to determine whether they have enough evidence to proceed against the nightclub.
PUBLICATION: The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA)
DATE: January 21, 1998
SECTION: Local; Pg. B02
BYLINE: The Press-Enterprise
DATELINE: Pedley, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Curt Hummel, resident; Robert Massey, president of Southern California Association for the Preservation of Game Fowl
The Press-Enterprise of Riverside, California, reports that a Pedley resident who planned to petition the Riverside County Board of Supervisors Tuesday seeking restriction on crowing fowl kept by residents in the unincorporated communities decided to delay action.
According to the Press-Enterprise, Curt Hummel said he plans to wait before turning in the 700 signatures to see if a solution outside of seeking a new ordinance can be worked out that is satisfactory to all sides. Thursday, members of the Southern California Association for the Preservation of Game Fowl will meet with Hummel at his Pedley home. Robert Massey, president of the group, said his organization is opposed to laws mandating how many fowl people can keep on the property but promotes responsible ownership.
The article states Hummel has been urging county officials for more than two years to do something about the noise coming from neighbors who keep 199 roosters - the maximum allowed under county ordinances - on their property. Massey said there are methods that can be used to cut the noise.
PUBLICATION: The Santa Fe New Mexican (Santa Fe, NM)
DATE: January 21, 1998
SECTION: Local; Pg. B-1
BYLINE: Ben Neary
DATELINE: Santa Fe, New Mexico
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the city of Santa Fe has asked a state district judge to sanction the owner of the Santa Fe Car Wash. City officials contend that neighbors of the business suffer noise levels comparable to airplanes taking off at an airport.
According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, the city claims that owner Cliff DeWent has failed to abide by an agreement he entered last May to make the car wash less noisy. As a result, the city wants Judge Stephen Pfeffer to order DeWent to limit the hours of his operation to between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., or declare the business a nuisance and shut it down entirely. But DeWent's lawyer, Joe Canepa, filed a response last Friday accusing the city's lawyers of feeding the judge a line of "hyperbole, exaggeration and out-dated information." Canepa asked Pfeffer to impose sanctions against the city and its lawyers for filing "such false and slanderous pleadings." The judge has not held a hearing on the matter yet.
The article states DeWent last May agreed to stop night operations of the dryers at the business. Under the court-filed agreement, DeWent assented to not run the dryers from 9 p.m. through 6 a.m. during daylight savings time, and from 8 p.m. through 7 a.m. the rest of the year. He also was willing to construct sound-reducing walls around one of the wash bays and to increase the height of the wall along the northern edge of the property. But Lidia Garza Morales, assistant city attorney, filed a request charging that DeWent hasn't abided by the agreement and asking the judge to set it aside. "Defendant Cliff DeWent has failed to take appropriate measures to reduce or eliminate the extreme noise levels, constant filthy water runoff in the adjacent street, dangerous driving surrounding the use of his business and other objectionable aspects of the Santa Fe Car Wash," Morales wrote. But Canepa said DeWent has acted in good faith in dealing with the city and the neighborhood under the agreement. He charged that city officials, on the other hand, have worked "in concert with neighborhood opponents with relatives working in city employment to harass (DeWent) and to file false and slanderous claims unsupported by fact or law in these proceedings."
PUBLICATION: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, MO)
DATE: January 21, 1998
SECTION: News, Pg. A9
BYLINE: Arizona Republic
DATELINE: Grand Canyon, Arizona
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Senator John McCain, R-Arizona
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Grand Canyon Park employees say it's noisier than ever at the top of rim in spite of aircraft and flight restrictions. Renewed hopes for natural quiet rest on a new helicopter.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch article, National Park Service officials hope the Boeing MD-900 will put an end to one of the most troublesome environmental problems in recent years: fostering a viable air-tour industry while abiding by a federal law mandating the natural quiet of the Grand Canyon and other national parks. The number of annual flights over the Canyon has tripled, to just more than 100,000 during the past decade, officials say. The number of passengers has risen to 1 million during the same period.
The article states the new quieter aircraft technology is expensive. While the Boeing MD-900 measures 73 decibels, compared with the average tour chopper's 85, each helicopter costs $3.6 million, three times the price of the noisier models. At present, buying one of the new copters is voluntary for air-tour operators. "For this to work for our industry, we have to get some kind of tax break from Congress. We're talking $40 million to $50 million more to change our fleet," said Elling Halvorson, chairman of Papillon Airways Inc. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said he also feels that the tour operators who get on board with the quieter aircraft should be rewarded. But he didn't say how. "This is a marvelous technological advance. There's a place for their tours in the park," McCain said. "It's about two-thirds less noisy. At a distance, it reduces the noise significantly."
PUBLICATION: Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL)
DATE: January 21, 1998
SECTION: Metro Du Page; Pg. 3; Zone: Df
BYLINE: Linda Young.
DATELINE: Plano, Illinois
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Citizens Against the Racetrack
The Chicago Tribune reports that a citizens group who oppose a motor speedway that would be built in Kendall County has scheduled a meeting Monday to discuss its opposition to the proposal.
The article states Citizens Against the Racetrack will meet at 7 p.m. at Plano Middle School. Organizers say they will share information about several issues, including potential noise, traffic and the detrimental economic impact a track would have on the area.
According to the article, a group called Motorsports Alliance has proposed building a 70,000-seat, 1.5-mile oval on an 800-acre site near Plano. Supporters say the racetrack would add $95 million a year to the local economy. But opponents charge the facility would only bring noise, pollution and rapid development that would put an end to their small-town way of life.
PUBLICATION: The Daily News of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
DATE: January 20, 1998
SECTION: Editorial, Pg. N10
DATELINE: Burbank, California
The Daily News of Los Angeles published an editorial that urged officials of Los Angeles and of the Burbank Airport to settle their differences.
In the Daily News of Los Angeles, the editorial said that while another court battle is possible between Burbank Airport and the city of Burbank, it supports the two sides settling their disputes. "Ending this protracted, bitter and very expensive fight is way overdue," states the piece. The editorial alleges that the millions of public dollars spent in the battle has done nothing to benefit the taxpayers of Burbank or the people in the region who rely on the airport. "It is time to cut a deal that balances the competing interests of air service and the community that feels the brunt of the noise and traffic problems," says the newspaper.
According to the editorial, an agreement might include the airport dropping its opposition to a city parking tax in exchange for city approval of plans to tear down the current 14-gate terminal and replace it with a new, $250 million, 19-gate terminal. Both sides are due in court at the end of the month. The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority has made some concessions, such as agreeing to conduct any FAA-approved studies on flight controls such as mandatory curfews and caps on flights and that it would implement any measures approved. But the city has long maintained that the airport can impose these restrictions, perhaps even without prior approval of the Federal Aviation Administration. "That's just not the case. The airport receives federal money, and the federal government never gives something for nothing," states the newspaper. Burbank officials have legitimate concerns over noise, traffic and pollution from the airport expansion. The airport authority needs to respect those and work with the city.
PUBLICATION: The Hartford Courant (Hartford, CT)
DATE: January 20, 1998
SECTION: Town News; Pg. B1
BYLINE: Stephen Ohlemacher
DATELINE: East Hartford, Connecticut
The Hartford Courant reports that the mayor and city officials of East Hartford, Connecticut, will recommend a giant amusement park for their town.
Acccording to The Hartford Courant, Mayor Timothy D. Larson and two town officials said they are convinced the giant amusement park would be a good fit in East Hartford. When they recently visited a Six Flags theme park in Gurnee, Illinois, the officials said they did not engage in substantive talks with Six Flags about opening a theme park in East Hartford. Rather, they wanted to investigate the effects of a big amusement park on a community. "I am very comfortable with the way they present themselves in the community," Mayor Larson said. "I was really impressed with it."
The article reports Larson flew to Gurnee Thursday afternoon with council Chairman Richard F. Kehoe and John Shemo, vice president of the Capitol Region Growth Council. Larson and Kehoe said the trip gave them a better understanding of how a large theme park in East Hartford would affect traffic, crime, noise and economic development. While they were in Gurnee, they met with town officials and the manager of the theme park, Kehoe said. They also talked with local business people and neighbors of the park, including the managers of a supermarket and an apartment complex that are across the street from the park. Larson and Kehoe said they heard few complaints. "What this trip really did was give me the personal, direct information on which I could address some of the [East Hartford] residents' concerns," Kehoe said. "I think [East Hartford] people raised some very legitimate issues, but they don't seem to be a problem [in Gurnee]." The location of the park in Gurnee, which is midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, is a lot more like the former airfield site in East Hartford, they said.
According to the article, the East Hartford mayor has been a vocal proponent of bringing a Six Flags theme park to town. Kehoe said he likes the idea of opening a park in town, but he wants to make sure that traffic and noise issues are adequately addressed before committing his support.
PUBLICATION: Los Angeles Times
DATE: January 20, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 1; Metro Desk
BYLINE: Frank Messina
DATELINE: Lake Forest, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Gayle Peters, resident; Tom Holliman, resident; Issa Abu Muhor, resident
The Los Angeles Times reports that a truck route created by a new exit on Southern California's Interstate 5 has exposed residents in Foothill Ranch and Rancho Santa Margarita to high levels of noise that disrupts sleep.
According to the article, only certain neighbors are protected from the noise by concrete wall. One resident in one unprotected neighborhood was regularly disturbed by cement trucks passing at 2 or 3 in the morning, and videotaped the event before he moved away in disgust. Residents are screaming for City Hall to do something.
According to the Los Angeles Times, traffic has increased on some portions of the new truck route from 20,000 each day to 42,400. One plan called for sending some trucks onto other streets to reduce traffic in that section, but neighborhoods that would get the extra trucks opposed the idea One residents said "It was like, 'Excuse me, you want to redirect traffic where?' I'm an advocate of distributing the pain, but we have to come up with a truck flow plan that makes sense." Lake Forest officials asked Mission Viejo and Irvine about such a plan, which would have added traffic in those two cities on less-populated streets, but the two municipalities rejected the idea.
The article says that two major alternatives for easing the problem exist. The first is the construction of sound walls, but the city manager worries about the expense. A second is to wait until 2000 for the completion of Irvine's Alton Parkway, which would take some of the traffic. Officials say that while there are many "pass-through" communities in the area, Lake Forest gets hit quite badly with pass-through traffic.
The article reports that some neighborhoods already have noise problems from rail lines. One resident said "It's gotten to the point where we've had all the energy taken out of us. When we started, we were asking for everything. Now, all we'd like is a few more hours of sleep."
PUBLICATION: The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA)
DATE: January 20, 1998
SECTION: Local; Pg. B01
BYLINE: Sandra Stokley
DATELINE: Pedley, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Curtis Hummel, resident
The Press-Enterprise reports a Pedley resident will try for the third time to convince Riverside County officials to change the ordinance that allows property owners in unincorporated areas to keep up to 199 poultry.
According to the Press-Enterprise, Chris Hummel and his supporters say their lives are made miserable by people who keep up to 199 roosters and other crowing fowl in their yards. "It's like living next door to a factory," he said. "The noise never stops. " Today Hummel expects to present petitions with nearly 700 signatures to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, asking that they limit the number of crowing fowl that residents in unincorporated areas can keep. Under Hummel's latest proposal, residents with a half-acre lot could keep two crowing fowl, while someone with an acre would be allowed up to 10. Residents wanting to keep more than the allowed number would need a county permit. Hummel himself keeps a flock of hens and roosters himself, but in his neighborhood are three people who keep the maximum number of roosters on their property. "After a while the noise gets to be all-encompassing," Hummel said. "All you hear all day and all night long is the crowing of fowl. So much for the peace and quiet of rural living. "
The article states county officials acknowledged that something needs to be done about the growing population of the loud birds in unincorporated Riverside. "One thing that is safe to say is that large numbers of roosters kept on a property is certainly a nuisance," said James Monroe of the county's Code Enforcement Department. "It's an issue that warrants looking into." County Supervisor John Tavaglione said he has heard complaints from residents and code enforcement officers. "They say the roosters are getting out of hand. "
The article goes on to say report a task force, formed two years ago after Hummel first brought the issue to the county, disbanded in the face of stiff opposition from rooster fanciers and animal keepers. They said a limit on roosters might ultimately lead to a ban on all animal-keeping. Tavaglione said he anticipates similar opposition. "There are always going to be protests," he said. "But the way to come to a reasonable solution is to get reasonable minds together." No one, he said, is out to ban animal-keeping.
PUBLICATION: The San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA)
DATE: January 20, 1998
SECTION: News; Pg. A12
BYLINE: Benjamin Pimentel
DATELINE: San Francisco, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Jack Gottsman, member of Uproar;
The San Francisco Chronicle reports a new citizens' organization opposed to noise from San Francisco International Airport is urging Peninsula mayors to exert more pressure on the airport to be a quieter neighbor.
According to the article, Uproar, which has about 150 members, has written to the mayors of Atherton, Belmont and East Palo Alto, charging that SFO has yet to comply with some terms in a 1992 agreement intended to reduce noise from airport operations. "The citizens in these communities have perceived a dramatic increase in the number of flights and noise and the incumbent risk from pollution and other issues," said Jack Gottsman, an Atherton business consultant who helped organize the group. "It's an increasing recognition of the perceived cavalier attitude of the airport management with regard to the noise pollution that's been visited upon these communities." In the December letter sent to the mayors and the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, the group said SFO has failed to track late night noise levels and install additional noise monitors.
The article goes on to say some Uproar members are also critical of the Airport Community Roundtable, the advisory forum composed of representatives from San Francisco and Peninsula cities that works with airport officials on noise concerns. "A number of people who have joined us have been singularly disappointed with the Roundtable's inability to ameliorate the noise, " Gottsman said. The group has yet to get a formal response from the mayors or the county supervisors, he said.
In the article, Burlingame Mayor Mike Spinelli stressed that the noise problem was already being addressed by the Roundtable, which he said has worked well with SFO in coming up with solutions. He mentioned the program to insulate homes directly affected by airport noise and changes in the landing and take-off patterns to reduce noise. He pointed out the airport also has to abide by federal aviation rules and deal with airlines that may have their own policies. "The airport has been pretty good," he said. "In general, they've been pretty cooperative. I still think the proper way to address this stuff is through the Roundtable."
According to the article, SFO spokesman Dan Seaver said the airport is committed to working on noise problems. "It is the airport's intention to increase the number of noise monitors and continue to upgrade our noise monitoring system," he said. "No airport in the country has spent more money to insulate the homes of our neighbors to mitigate out impact on the Peninsula and to support and promote an organization, the Roundtable, specifically designed to address community noise issues."
PUBLICATION: Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA)
DATE: January 20, 1998
SECTION: Local News; Pg. B1
BYLINE: J. P. Ellery
DATELINE: Ware, Massachusetts
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Henry F. Sczygiel, resident; Cecil Bryar, resident
The Telegram & Gazette of Worcester, Massachusetts, reports two residents in Ware, whose homes are close to a gas station, recently complained to selectmen of noise, bright lights and fumes that come from the 24-hour gas station and convenience store.
According to the article, the Chairman of the Planning Board, Robert H. Harper Sr., said the combination Gibbs gas station and convenience store at West and Pulaski streets may not have the required permit to operate 24 hours a day. Harper said he could not recall a request being made to change the conditions contained in the original special permit issued under the town's zoning regulations.
The article reports resident Henry F. Sczygiel told selectmen last week, "This has been going on for a long time and it's gotten to the point where it's not funny anymore. " Sczygiel said, "I dare you to come into my house in the summer when the windows are open, and try and sleep. Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights ... they have beer parties there. " Sczygiel said cars ride around the grounds of the gas station, at all hours, with radios or stereos blasting. Car motors also are left running while people go into the convenience store. Resident Cecil Bryar also asked selectmen for relief from the noise. "They've infringed upon our peace and quiet; they've disturbed us," Bryar said. "I would like something done about it. "
According to the article, Building Inspector Ralph H. Brouillette said the present gas station/convenience store, purchased a few years ago by Gibbs Oil Company, has been open 24 hours for the past five or six years. Complaints about store hours were a surprise to him. Brouillette said in the four years he has been building inspector in Ware, "nobody has said a word. " But Sczygiel said he complained to various boards in town without success. "I've done that for the past five years," he said. Sczygiel believes that when the special permit for the gas station was issued in the 1980s, a sound barrier was discussed. "The statement was made ... if there was a problem with sound ... they would put up a sound barrier," Sczygiel said. "That was 15 to 20 years ago and there is no sound barrier. " Selectmen said they have no direct jurisdiction over the gas station complaints, but they promised to speak with the members of the Planning Board, Board of Health and with Brouillette.
PUBLICATION: The Union Leader (Manchester, NH)
DATE: January 20, 1998
SECTION: Section A Pg. 5
BYLINE: Carol Carter
DATELINE: Wolfeboro, Massachusetts
The Union Leader reports the Wolfeboro Massachusetts Planning Board recently limited the size of a an acoustic concert tent at Great Waters Music Festival citing noise, traffic, and parking concerns as well as the visual impact of the 810-person capacity tent and related equipment.
According to The Union Leader, Great Waters Music Festival will file an appeal today with the local Zoning Board of Adjustment, seeking relief from the recent Planning Board decision. Chip Maxfield, president of the local non-profit group, said the Great Waters board of directors believes the Planning Board decision was wrong. "This has been a very painful process. Without the approval, Great Waters will probably disband," said Maxfield.
The article states that although the Planning Board initially approved the full tent capable of seating 810 patrons, members told Great Waters to erect a half-size tent for the next two summers while the town analyzes the impact of parking, traffic, noise and the visual effect of a 63-by-150-foot white tent, according to Town Planner Rob Houseman. Houseman called the Planning Board action "a sound decision." Approving a scaled-down version will allow those issues to be analyzed and fine-tuned in two years, Houseman explained.
According to the article, Maxfield believes the modified approval was emotional rather than practical. A petition with 40 signatures was submitted opposing the plan and about 10 people spoke out against the tent at a public hearing, he said. He says his group met all the criteria of the Planning Board process. The process included meetings with the police and fire chiefs, town manager, Houseman, an engineer with Great Waters and a noise expert doing decibel level testing. "The committee agreed the town can handle the parking, traffic and noise associated with the concerts," he said. Now the Planning Board has approved a request for 810 people but only 300 can fit under the tent, Maxfield pointed out. Although Great Waters could sell 810 tickets, seating people on the lawn without amplification would be unfair because they won't hear the concert, he added. "We're appealing the Planning Board's right to modify our request. This isn't an issue of public health, safety or welfare," said Maxfield.
PUBLICATION: The Vancouver Sun (Vancouver, BC)
DATE: January 20, 1998
SECTION: News; Pg. B1 / Front
BYLINE: Jeff Lee
DATELINE: Burnaby, British Columbia
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Derek Corrigan, city councilor; Doug Evans, city councilor
The Vancouver Sun reports that the city council of Burnaby, British Columbia, ordered three Burnaby Mountain gun ranges to close by the end of September.
According to the Vancouver Sun, council members decided urban growth, a new park on the mountain and environmental concerns resulting from 50 years of lead deposit on the ranges were convincing reasons to shut down the ranges. More than 400 people attended the meeting in efforts to keep the ranges open along the Barnet Highway. Gun range representatives said they have no other place to go and the loss of the ranges would make it extremely hard for police and security agencies to adequately train their members. But councilors were not swayed in their decision to close down the clubs. The lone holdout, Councilor Doreen Lawson, said the clubs are a valuable place to train sportsmen, Olympic-category shooters and police officers. The council agreed to try to help the gun clubs find an alternative location.
The article reports as urban growth expanded, the city has received more and more complaints from neighbors, hikers and others who say the noise is incompatible with an urban environment. Councilor Derek Corrigan said the clubs have provided valuable service to gun enthusiasts and target shooters, but the city has outgrown the responsibility of having a noisy and environmentally damaging use on its property. "What we are talking about is a serious conflict in land use that we have known about for years," he said. "There is no easy way out of this. We have a serious environmental problem." For several years, Burnaby council has wrestled with the problem of what to do with the three ranges, operated by the Burnaby Fish and Game Club, Barnet Rifle Club, and Coast Marksmen. The three ranges cover 10.5 hectares (26 acres).
According to the article, Jim Schuman, president of the Coast Marksmen club, advised the council before the vote, "You will effectively terminate the existence of the three clubs if you adopt these decisions today. There are no alternatives to the facilities that are available. You get no gain by passing this today." He also warned that the city will face soil-remediation costs of $3 million to $10 million to clean up the tons of lead shooters have poured into the ranges since Burnaby council agreed to establish them in 1947. Councilor Doug Evans said it was difficult to decide to close the ranges, but the time has come for them to find a new home. "We are living in a changing society," he said. "Are these ranges in the right place?" Ultimately, he said, they were not.
PUBLICATION: The Washington Post (Washington, DC)
DATE: January 20, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Pg. B06
BYLINE: Scott Wilson
DATELINE: Anne Arundel, Maryland
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Jeanne Mignon, vice president of the Russett Homeowners Association; Meg Pasquerella, resident
The Washington Post reports that citizens of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, are fighting a proposal to build a $100 million auto speedway near Laurel.
According to The Washington Post, during a community meeting last night, residents warned that they would seek a countywide referendum on the project if an attempt is made to simplify county law to accommodate the project. "We are prepared as a community to do this," said Jeanne Mignon, vice president of the Russett Homeowners Association, which represents 17,000 households. "If they can do this here, they can do it anywhere. "Last night's meeting was the first between the Baltimore partnership hoping to build the 60,000-seat speedway and western Anne Arundel County homeowners. A referendum would place a number of homeowners associations against the track's developers and the popularity of one of the United States' fastest-growing sports.
The article reports during the lengthy meeting, residents frequently shouted out their concerns that noise and traffic associated with a speedway would drive down property values. "It's 1,500 feet from our neighborhood," said Meg Pasquerella, 29, who bought a house in Russett two years ago. "We are going to be the ones affected by the lower property values, by the noise and pollution." Opponents of the track, many of whom wore black ribbons pinned to their lapels, said the project is going to be a tough sell during an election year. They have hired a lawyer, Thomas Dernoga, who helped defeat the Redskins' bid to build a stadium nearby four years ago. A number of supporters of the project tried to assure the community that the project would improve property values by building on land that is a former industrial site. Deep in a bowl of bleacher seating, the track would generate little noise, developers assured the audience.
According to the article, under Anne Arundel's current zoning rules, the Middle River Racing Association would need approval from a hearing officer to proceed with plans to build a NASCAR-caliber racetrack, theme shops, restaurants and hotels on 400 acres near Route 32 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. But the developers are hoping to change those rules to allow the project as a "conditional use," which would not require review by a hearing examiner. The developers have hired Fred Delavan, a prominent Annapolis land-use lawyer and member of the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation board of directors, to draft the bill, which would need a sponsor and County Council approval.
The article states that County Executive John G. Gary (R), who could introduce the bill on behalf of the developers, has indicated that he would support the project if the partnership gained the support of the surrounding communities. The track developers argue that its 30 events each year would generate a tax-revenue bonanza for the county. "People are concerned about property values, but I think it will have a positive effect," said David Larkin, a systems engineer with Northrop Grumman Corp., who was wearing a checkered-flag tie." Not to mention what it would do for local business."
PUBLICATION: The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, TX)
DATE: January 19, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Pg. 1
BYLINE: Jenifer Rogness; Yamil Berard
DATELINE: Grapevine, Texas
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Hayden Chasteen, school trustee; Alan Linford, school trustee
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Grapevine Middle School officials are discussing relocation, saying that a new runway at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport will bring noisy planes over the building.
According to the article, if a runway environmental impact study to begin in the spring confirms a 1992 noise assessment, Grapevine-Colleyville school district will have to take steps to mitigate noise. Rather than wait for the results of the study, Grapevine-Colleyville needs to start planning its response now, school board members said. "Knowing where they've got the runway, Grapevine Middle School is going to be affected," Trustee Hayden Chasteen said. "It'd be nice to have GMS stay where it is, but the real point is, you don't want a school where airplanes are flying over."
The article states an April 1992 environmental study of the proposed runway said the school would need to be sound-proofed or moved because of anticipated noise from the new runway. But that study was valid for only three years. The new study, which will take up to 24 months, will determine whether the school remains eligible for mitigation measures financed by the airport. "Noise contours will define what is mitigated and what isn't," said Mike Pyles, D/FW Airport mitigation program administrator. The noise contours could be different this time, Pyles said. One reason is airlines' increased use of newer jets, which Pyles said are much quieter than older models. "It's feasible that some of the property in the past environmental impact statement may not be afforded mitigation measures when this final environmental impact statement is completed," he said. School officials favor building at another site, and they are open to selling the school building to the airport, Trustee Alan Linford said. The money would be used to build at another site, he said.
PUBLICATION: Lewiston Morning Tribune (Lewiston, ID)
DATE: January 19, 1998
SECTION: Local/Regional; Pg. 5A
BYLINE: Sandra L. Lee
DATELINE: Lewiston, Idaho
The Lewiston Morning Tribune of Lewiston, Idaho, reports that Chapter One Racing is requesting a permit to build a new boat track after noise complaints from a few residents along the Snake River.
According to the article, the sprint racers want to build the new boat track on about 25 acres east of the Port of Entry weigh station at the top of Lewiston Hill. Terry L. Colegrove will present the proposal to the Nez Perce County Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday night. The site is out of sight of the highway, in a natural amphitheater east of an old farm house. The contours of the land, plus planted berms and sloped seating areas should prevent objectionable levels of noise from escaping, Colegrove said.
The article states the sprint boat club also needs to resolve any environmental and sanitation concerns. The Idaho Transportation Department has expressed concerns abut access off the highway and backed up traffic, he said. If the county approves the site, then test holes will be drilled to see if the soil is deep enough to dig a 2- to 3-foot deep channel. Water would come from a well already on the land which is owned by Colegrove's mother. The application says the site would be used for only 10 to 15 events from April through October during daylight hours only.
PUBLICATION: The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, MA )
DATE: January 19, 1998
SECTION: News; Pg. 01
BYLINE: Gary Susswein
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Bernice Mader, Quincy resident; Philip Lemnios, Hull town manager;
The Patriot Ledger of Quincy, Massachusetts reports that a 30-year-old Massport plan to build a new runway at Logan Airport, the nation's fourth-busiest airport, is still alive. While some state leaders say the runway will reduce air traffic over the South Shore, other local leaders are afraid it will have the opposite effect and want the plan killed.
According to the article, talk of adding a sixth runway at the airport has surfaced from time to time over the years, most recently when the Wall Street Journal newspaper reported the plan had been shelved. According to Massport spokesman Jeremy Crockford, the plan was revived in June 1995 and airport officials are still studying the idea. "No decision has been made to go forward, but there is no plan to abandon the idea," Crockford said. "It's something airlines and aviation people have wanted for years."
The article states the runway, which would serve planes that approach and depart the East Boston airport over the Atlantic Ocean and is part of a $64 million plan to reduce flight delays, makes some South Shore officials and activists fearful it would ultimately bring more flights to the airport, more flights over the South Shore and more noise pollution. "It (would) harm communities like Revere, Winthrop, Charlestown and probably the South Shore," said Bernice Mader of Quincy, who headed a regional community advisory committee on the airport for 19 years until 1997. "We really believe it would create new noise." Mader suggested that state officials are now trying to delay the controversial runway plan until after the November election. But a Massport official said the slower pace of community meetings was due to the arrival of former Congressman Peter Blute as Massport's executive director. She said Blute wanted to get community input and focus on noise concerns before moving ahead. "Communities . . . in the South Shore benefit from the runway," Betty Desrosiers, Massport's director of aviation planning and development said. "Noise is a very important part of this environmental process and our goal is to try to distribute noise from the airport in the most equitable way possible." She said the runway will allow air traffic controllers to move flights off the airport's other five runways. Rep. Joseph Sullivan, D-Braintree, who chairs the House Transportation Committee, agrees the plan would help his hometown and "be beneficial to the South Shore in terms of noise reduction."
The article goes on to report that other local officials, however, aren't sold. They are afraid a new runway would result in more flights in the long term and that shifting wind patterns could force some of those flights over their communities. Officials in Hull are especially fearful. Their town is affected by different flight patterns than the rest of the South Shore. In the summer, residents often complain of planes passing overhead on their way to runway 33R at the airport. "Whenever Massport made a presentation as to overflights (over the town) they always had a series of caveats, 'if the wind is going in this direction, we're going to land a little differently,' " Town Manager Philip Lemnios said. "We always viewed it as a little bit suspect." Instead of the new runway, Lemnios said, he supports the peak hour landing fees that might encourage more commercial airlines to take their flights to Providence instead of Boston.
PUBLICATION: The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, CA)
DATE: January 19, 1998
SECTION: News; Pg. A-6
BYLINE: Sandra Ann Harris
DATELINE: Oakland, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Harold Perez, San Leandro resident; Barbara Tuleja, Alameda activist; Citizens League for Airport Safety and Serenity (CLASS); Keep Jets Over The Bay; Walter Hirt, San Leandro resident
The San Francisco Examiner reports thousands of Alameda County residents, civic leaders and educators in the East Bay of California oppose the Metropolitan Oakland International Airport's plan to more than double the number of flights, passengers and cargo passing through Oakland over the next 10 years.
According to the article, four lawsuits were filed last week in Alameda County Superior Court to try to stop the expansion. The plaintiffs accuse airport officials of failing to adequately study the effect the increased noise and pollution will have on residents in Alameda, San Leandro and Berkeley. "We will experience great suffering, which I don't think is necessary," said Alameda activist Barbara Tuleja, who lives in Bay Farm Island just north of the airport. "Jet noise is already disrupting local classrooms, interrupting conversations and keeping people up at night. The noise levels will become unbearable if the airport grows according to the port's plan without effective mitigation." In their lawsuits, residents are demanding new health and noise studies of the project as well as millions of dollars in sound insulation and double-paned windows for their homes and schools. They are also want nighttime halts on flights. "I think human rights ought to come first," said San Leandro resident Walter Hirt, 81, who bought his home in the Davis West neighborhood in 1950. "I'm so close to the airport, they come down so low to land that we're on our toes all the time. You cannot live this way."
The article states the city of Alameda and a group representing about 5,000 households called Citizens League for Airport Safety and Serenity (CLASS), sued the airport. In Berkeley, a 1,000-person citizens group, calling itself Keep Jets Over The Bay, also sued. In San Leandro, the city and the school district filed a joint suit against the Port of Oakland. Harold Perez of San Leandro says he's desperate. He can't sleep because of the roar of airplanes. Cracks are growing in the walls of his San Leandro home. Schoolchildren nearby can't hear their teachers. So Perez has been refining a plan to make airport officials understand his distress and abandon massive plans to enlarge the Metropolitan Oakland International. If Perez was granted his wish, the homes of the Port of Oakland's board of directors, which approved the $600 million expansion plan, would have their homes equipped with a small model airplane, a large vibrator and a speaker that could make a huge roaring sound. "Every time a plane went over my head, I could just activate it with a telephone call or something and the thing would go off," Perez, 60, said. "They would go crazy. I'm going crazy."
The article goes on to say airport officials defend their environmental studies. Steve Grossman, director of aviation for the Port of Oakland, said, "The (Environmental Impact Report) meets all the requirements of the state." Under the expansion, Oakland's airport would include about 12,600 new parking spaces, 12 more passenger gates, 17 new aircraft parking spaces and about 300,000 square feet of more space for Federal Express and U.S. Postal Service distribution centers. The number of passengers using the airport annually would rise from 9.8 million to 13.8 million in 2000 and a projected 22.4 million in 2010. Air cargo shipments would increase from 600,000 tons annually to 1 million in 2000 and 2.1 million in 2010. The Port of Oakland had hoped to start construction on the expansion project in the fall. Lawsuits could bog down the project for up to two years. "The airport is beyond its capacity, so we really need its construction today," said Port of Oakland spokeswoman Cyndy Johnson.
According to the article, critics say they understand that the airport needs to expand and don't really want the project stopped, as long as plans are made to protect their health and safety. For example, they want the planes to take off over the Bay instead of over land to reduce noise. An aviation specialist, hired as a consultant by the Alameda group CLASS to study the plan, says the idea is viable. But airport officials say westerly takeoffs are too dangerous because airplanes from San Francisco already use the airspace over the Bay. "Having aircraft take off toward the San Francisco airport is not feasible from a safety perspective," Grossman said. "The runway itself would also cross acres and acres of wetlands, which is also an issue that would have to be dealt with. It also diverts noise to other areas." As far as insulating the schools and homes, the airport has said it will conduct future studies if the expansion causes too much noise. But residents as far away as in North Berkeley complain that night flights keep them awake, even without the expansion. A study conducted in that city showed that "airplanes are the single largest source of noise, " said attorney John Shordike, a member of Keep Jets Over The Bay.
PUBLICATION: The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL)
DATE: January 18, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Pg. B-1; Bill Foley
BYLINE: Bill Foley
DATELINE: Jacksonville, Florida
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: John Alsop, former mayor of Jacksonville
The Florida Times-Union, in a longer article that makes a bid for a Metropolitan Park amphitheater, recalls the mere fifteen thousand fans who went to the Gator Bowl to hear the Who in 1976. While 15,000 appeared awkward in the Gator Bowl, think how nicely they would fit at a proposed new Metropolitan Park amphitheater, the article suggested A snug audience right up against the riverfront park's new seating capacity of 17,000 would be a compelling picture for all the world to see. The article goes on to suggest that other groups may be enticed by such a comfortable number. It also compares and contrasts the behavior of a larger concert audience to that of a smaller one by citing injury statistics from both small crowd a the 1976 concert and the 70,000 at a concert played by the Rolling Stones.
The article recalls an early crusade for quiet in Jacksonville. In 1937, Mayor John Alsop allowed that the din was unbearable. Alsop called civic leaders together in January 1937 and declared war on noise. 'While autos honked their horns and screeched their brakes just outside the window, Jacksonville's war on noise was started yesterday afternoon,' the Jacksonville Journal reported. 'One civic leader after another, from Alsop on down, came out against noise. Laws were read and new ones thought of. Resolutions were adopted. Everybody was invited to join the army. Getting rid of noise is to be everybody's job. We will try to teach, inspire and lead our people,' the mayor said. 'We will plead with them to make less noise. If that fails, we will see what can be done with a few motorcycle policemen.' The war on noise would target loud radios; bells and whistles; grating, grinding and rasping automobiles; the public beating of drums; shouting and crying of peddlers, hawkers and vendors; and the keeping of 'any animal or bird that makes frequent or long continued noise. ' It should be noted, the article said, that Jaxons at that time did not anticipate the appearance of British rock bands in their fair city, nor on Earth.
PUBLICATION: Roanoke Times & World News (Roanoke, Virginia)
DATE: January 18, 1998
SECTION: Virginia, Pg. B1
BYLINE: Holly Roberson
DATELINE: Moneta, Virginia
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Roger and Syble Bradley, residents; Dick Hach, resident; Jim Spitz, member of the Smith Mountain Lake Association
The Roanoke Times & World News reports that residents are opposed to a developer's plan to expand a marina along Becky's Creek in Virginia. Residents are concerned about dock damage and noise. A number of lawsuits on both sides have been filed.
According to the article, residents along Becky's Creek say there are too many boats on the 1.6-mile channel, including noisy personal watercraft and large boats. They also contend the channel - between 300 and 500 feet wide - is dangerous. And the noise and the wake damage their docks, they say. Residents blame Shoreline Marina - a 155-slip marina at the head of the creek - and its owner, John Robbins, for all the traffic.
The article states the situation has escalated in recent months. Several lawsuits have been filed on both sides of the issue, public meetings have been held, and new issues like dredging have driven an even larger wedge between the two groups. One local official says the outcome of the dispute could set a precedent for future development at the lake. Jim Spitz, with the Smith Mountain Lake Association, said he and his organization are concerned about several aspects of the project, including Robbins' plans to dredge to make the water deep enough for more docks. Two Becky's Creek residents near the marina - Roger and Syble Bradley - filed a lawsuit against the Board of Zoning Appeals after the board upheld Krawczel's decision to allow the docks.
The article reports Robbins also filed an appeal to Circuit Court because he wasn't going to be allowed to put roofs on the docks. Krawczel said in a July 23, 1997, letter that that constituted a boathouse. Since Krawczel's determination, the county has amended its ordinance to require a special use permit for a community dock. Instead of applying for a special use permit, Robbins said he'd had enough. "First they say 'yes you can,' then they say 'no you can't,'" he said. "Let a judge decide. They told me I could do the project, and I spent all that money getting it prepared." The Philadelphia developer filed a lawsuit in September against the Board of Supervisors claiming his "vested rights" have been violated.
According to the article, Dick Hach has devoted much of his time in the last year to the battle. He has several folders full of letters from local legislators and residents to the Army Corps of Engineers concerning the dredging proposal. Hach said he hopes the residents will be able to keep more boats from coming. Hach said the lake is going to eventually gain an unsafe reputation, noting the death of a Roanoke man last summer after his jet scooter crashed into a Becky's Creek dock. "They are creating a situation where people aren't going to want to come here," he said.
PUBLICATION: The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA)
DATE: January 18, 1998
SECTION: The Region, Pg. B1
BYLINE: Dan Hansen
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Ray Soltero, biology professor and researcher; Tava Bonnell, resident
The Spokesman-Review reports several lakes in the Spokane, Washington, area are critically polluted with silt, weeds, noise and overcrowding.
According to the article, Spokane is loving its lakes to death. Pollution, silt, noise, forests of aquatic weeds and overcrowding are symptoms of a larger problem that is especially apparent on the lakes nearest the city: "I can't think of any lake around here that isn't suffering to some extent from man's use and abuse," said Ray Soltero, a biology professor and researcher from Eastern Washington University. While there have been several successful projects to protect or restore lakes in the Spokane area, Soltero and others expect that as Spokane County's population grows, lakes will suffer from heavy use and development within their watersheds. In addition to development, logging and farming also have contributed to the lake's problems, scientists say. Residents noted that last year's floods were worse than ever, the water isn't getting any clearer, and silt on the lake bottom is getting deeper. From her dock at the east end of Newman Lake, "we can't swim, fish or launch a boat now at all" because the water is so shallow, resident Tava Bonnell wrote in a letter to commissioners. Water there was 4 feet deep in the mid-1970s, she wrote.
The article states other residents suggest abandoning efforts to control floods, pump more oxygen into the water and chemically treat the lake to choke algae. Instead, the money should go toward dredging the silt and building sewers, they said. Either of those projects would be exorbitantly expensive, said Tammie Williams, the county engineer assigned to Newman Lake. There are subtle signs that current efforts to clear the water are working, Williams said. Yet, she compares Newman Lake to "an elderly patient in critical condition. "We've got it hooked up to oxygen and medicines (like aluminum sulfate, which clears the water). And yet the poisons are still coming in." The article details the current condition of several Spokane County lakes including: Eloika Lake, Clear Lake, Liberty Lake, Horseshoe Lake, West Medical Lake, and Williams Lake.
PUBLICATION: The Sun (Baltimore, MD)
DATE: January 18, 1998
SECTION: Local (News), Pg. 4B, Commentary
BYLINE: Brian Sullam
DATELINE: Arundel County, Maryland
The Baltimore Sun recently published an editorial about the questionable future of a 54,000-seat auto racetrack in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Convincing officials in an election year that auto racing should be part of their county's future may be difficult.
According to the article, County Executive John G. Gary and the seven members of the County Council are asking themselves if approving an auto racetrack in Anne Arundel County is worth going out on a political limb. The Middle River Racing Association wants to build in Annapolis Junction, south of Route 32 and west of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. In many ways, the location is ideal. It is next to existing major east-west and north-south thoroughfares. Ingress and egress from the track can be limited to roads that would allow nearby residents to get to and from their houses on race days. The track will not destroy forest or wetlands. In addition, this site has been designated for industrial use.
The article states that winning approval for the racetrack in Anne Arundel still will not be easy. MRRA wants its track ready by the year 2000. MRRA wants assurances that it can wend through the county zoning and permitting process without dealing with appeals and delays. Under industrial zoning, certain uses must go through a special exception process. This process can be time-consuming. The conditional use process is more streamlined. It is basically an administrative process that can impose conditions -- such as setbacks, limiting hours of operation, requiring noise and sight buffers and requiring new access roads. MRRA would like to bypass the special exception process and create a hybrid conditional use process, according to Christopher J. Lencheski, MRRA's general manager. He says his proposal would allow for public input at every step in the process, but it would limit appeals. Appeals could only be made on issues such as the adequacy of traffic and storm-water management plans or the effectiveness of noise -mitigation measures. "Contentions about the ability of cows to produce milk five miles from the track would not be appealable," Mr. Lencheski said.
The article points out that whether the County Council has the desire to create such a process in an election year is open to question. Currently, politicians who are unconditionally pro-development are politically vulnerable. Many voters are hostile to development. Surely, any changes in the zoning or permitting process that seem to limit public participation will not be well-received by many communities. If MRRA goes ahead and presses the council to pass its proposal to create this hybrid conditional use, opposition is likely to arise, even from unexpected places. South County residents are like to oppose any change in the development approval process even though the development is dozens of miles from them. They would fear a developer might ask for the same consideration for a project in their area.
The Sun's editorial states that Anne Arundel County is now in the enviable position of attracting high-quality development. It poses the question: Does an auto racetrack fit into the county's vision of the kind of development it wants to attract? Even though MRRA projects tens of millions of dollars in revenue, no public officials have endorsed the project. Normally, a project of this size attracts early and enthusiastic support. The lukewarm response to this $110 million development indicates elected officials are in no hurry to push for the auto racetrack.
PUBLICATION: The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA)
DATE: January 18, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Pg. B6; Letters
DATELINE: Metairie, Louisiana
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Sarah E. Marcel, resident
The Times-Picayune of New Orleans, Louisiana, published a letter by a resident from Metairie who has a suggestion for a noise barrier on Interstate 10. The letter reads as follows:
The Jan. 4 article by Natalie Pompilio about plans for a noise barrier on Interstate 10 concerned me. I agree with Roslyn Corr that this proposed wall would be a perfect canvas for graffiti. The wall would have to be maintained at the taxpayers' expense.
As an alternative to a wall, trees would act as a sound barrier and provide a source of beauty for commuters and tourists traveling into the city. A well-planned "green barrier" would absorb the sound from the highway. Concrete walls would act as a sounding board, increasing traffic noise. Trees planted in the area would also reduce pollution, like carbon monoxide, caused by highway traffic. Those who would argue that it would be too costly to plant and maintain trees overlook the fact that a wall would have to be maintained, painted and cleaned. A graffiti-filled, deteriorating wall would be an eyesore.
This is a rare opportunity to add a functional aesthetic quality for the people who live in and visit the city. Developers have had their way with clear-cutting and concrete. It would be wonderful to have a tree-lined corridor into the city.
PUBLICATION: Newsday
DATE: January 18, 1998
SECTION: LI Life; Page G15
BYLINE: Emi Endo
DATELINE: Port Washington, New York
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Rick Detris, Willowdale Terrace Concerned Residents
Newsday reports that the Port Washington, New York fire department is being questioned by a local neighborhood organization, the Willowdale Terrace Concerned Residents, concerning the department's need to blare sirens and air horns to alert the town's volunteer firefighters to the presence of a fire. Some residents have been disturbed by the noise of the sirens; others in the neighborhood recognize the need for the firefighters to be alerted in a timely manner. The fire department is willing to try other methods, although they feel that the current system of using sirens is still the most reliable.
The article states that the family of Rick Detris, a member of the Willowdale Terrace Concerned Residents, has been particularly disturbed by the nighttime noise of the fire siren. Detris and his resident group wrote a letter, first published in the group's own newsletter in October 1997, questioning the fire department's need to continue using the intrusive sirens when there are probably quieter, more modern methods of alerting Port Washington's volunteer firefighters to an emergency. When the issue became more pressing to Detris and others, the group sent its letter to the Port Washington News. That's when the real battle began.
According to the Newsday article, others in the neighborhood did not at all agree with the Willowdale Terrace Concerned Residents' position on the siren noise. Some of them also did not seem to respect the group's opinions because the group is made up mainly of neighborhood newcomers rather than those with deeper Port Washington roots. These supporters of the fire department's current alert methods responded to the resident group by writing letters to the newspaper that denounced the group. They also claimed that the group was acting selfishly and ignoring the safety needs of the community.
The article reports that Detris responded to these concerns by maintaining that there must be a better way to alert the firefighters without using the sirens, while still preserving residents' sense of safety. He claims that he moved to the suburban community for the peace and quiet that suburbs provide, and did not realize beforehand that his house was near a siren.
The article states that the fire department realizes that the fifty-year old primary alarm system of using loud sirens is a necessary inconvenience at this point in time. Fire Chief Jim Interdonati explained that an ancillary radio system, introduced in the 1970s, is now outdated. The department is currently slowly switching over to a voice tone pager system, which about one third of the department's 300 volunteers are currently using. The pagers cost about $600 apiece.
The article states that Interdonati explained that the air horns are used for smaller fires such as brush fires or car fires. The much louder sirens, in addition to the horns, are used for structural fires. In that way, he said, nearby volunteers would still be alerted to a fire, even if their pagers were not signaling loudly enough.
According to the article, other area towns have tried pager systems that do not disturb their local neighborhoods, although most still rely on sirens overall. The town of Roslyn, for example, will be testing an alphanumeric pager system. Steve Mockler, chief of the Roslyn Highlands Hook and Ladder Engine and Hose, said that the voice pagers are not reliable in all parts of his district. The volunteer firefighters would wear an alphanumeric pager in addition to their conventional voice pagers. The alphanumeric pager would display a written message that could be used in case the voice tone pager was not functioning properly. Mockler stated that sirens and horns could be used less often if such a pager system were successful.
Newsday states that Peter Meade, the assistant chief fire marshal, said that Nassau County will be installing new equipment that can be used with such pagers in the spring. Nassau County dispatches the calls for Roslyn and for many of the other area fire departments. Meade acknowledged that voice pagers are sometimes difficult to hear, and that sometimes pager vibrations are difficult to detect. Meade stated, "All the pagers in the world can't alert you if it's home and you're somewhere else." Mockler said most fire officials still prefer sirens. Even if they are not the most technologically advanced, they are still the most economical and reliable.
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