PUBLICATION: Los Angeles Times
DATE: June 7, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 14; Zones Desk
DATELINE: Van Nuys, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Stop the Noise
The Los Angeles Times printed the following letter-to-the-editor from Sal Del Valle, a resident of North Hills, California, regarding jet noise and residential development near the Van Nuys Airport:
Your editorial, "Noise, Needs Must Balance," May 17, fails to mention what I consider to be the other half of the equation. While transportation officials look for solutions to minimize the noise impact on communities surrounding Van Nuys Airport, including the implementation of more restrictions on airport operations, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission has given the green light to a proposed high-density project located under the airport's flight path.
Ted Stein, former city planning commissioner and airport commissioner, has received the zoning variance necessary to start his development of 23 condominiums only 1.3 miles from the end of the longest and busiest runway at Van Nuys Airport. The Nakada Nursery site where these condominiums will be erected is not only in a noise-sensitive area, according to the Van Nuys Airport Part 150 Study, but in a "noise alley," according to the anti-airport group, "Stop the Noise. "
If we are looking for ways to extract more concessions and impose more limitations on the airport's tenants and users, why are we not imposing similar restrictions and the like on developers and their continued encroachment upon the airport?
Once again the leaders of the city to the south have shown us that common sense has taken a back seat to politics as usual, in decisions concerning the Valley.
PUBLICATION: The Indianapolis Star
DATE: June 13, 1998
SECTION: Metro North; Pg. N01
BYLINE: Scott Miley
DATELINE: Noblesville, Indiana
The Indianapolis Star reports that residents in Noblesville, Indiana who will be affected by the proposed widening of 146th Street, questioned Hamilton County highway officials this week about the noise, safety, and necessity of the project. The article notes that the county will hold four more public meetings next week to discuss the proposed project.
The article reports that the plans call for widening 146th from Spring Mill Road to Indiana Highway 37. In general, the road needs to be widened from two to four lanes, officials said, but some intersections need to be expanded to six lanes. According to Les Locke, a county highway engineer, the current rush-hour travel time from Greyhound Pass to Allisonville Road is 23 minutes, and that time would be 82 minutes by 2020 if the road is not widened. If the road is widened, Locke said, the ride would be 12 minutes. He went on to point out that an 82-minute trip would cost $30 million a year in lost wages. "Obviously at that point, this project becomes very beneficial and a good use of taxpayers' dollars," Locke added.
In the public meetings held this week, some residents said they want protection from traffic noise if the road is widened. One resident who lives near the road said, "People fly on that road. It's the tire noise that raises the decibels. Common sense will tell you that the noise will get higher." Highway officials said they would investigate the possibility of building noise barriers. Locke also said that softer asphalt, which is probably quieter, will be used instead of concrete. A report by American Consulting Engineers in 1996 found that the noise level would rise four to eight decibels for residents in 10 subdivisions, to a level comparable to the sound of a vacuum cleaner at 10 feet away, the article notes.
Residents also said they were worried that their property values would fall if the road is widened. Other concerns included a proposed median in the road, and safety issues for kids crossing the street.
The article explains the highway department is holding seven public presentations to gather input on the project. On Monday, the public hearing will cover the route from 1,600 feet east of River Road to Indiana Highway 37. That route is expected to attract the most opponents, the article says, because at least three homes would be demolished under the project.
PUBLICATION: The Kansas City Star
DATE: June 13, 1998
SECTION: Zone/Olathe; Pg. 1; City Beat
BYLINE: Stacy Range
DATELINE: Kansas City, Missouri
The Kansas City Star reports that residents of the Foxridge subdivision in Kansas City, Missouri met earlier this week with developers of Olathe Station, a proposed shopping and entertainment complex at 119th Street and Strang Line Road, to discuss details of the development. The article explains that when the project was first proposed two years ago, residents and developers quickly took sides against each other. Now, they are trying to resolve their differences and mitigate potential noise pollution and other problems for residents.
According to the article, residents are concerned about many of the details of the development. They want developers to sod the ground behind the complex, mow the grass, make trucks turn off their engines while unloading stock, set reasonable weekend hours for trash pickup and parking lot sweeping, and build a noise barrier. Roy Harris, a resident near the proposed development, said residents thought they had agreement from the developers on a number of issues, but the developers didn't come through. Right now, he said, residents don't trust the developers to be good neighbors, but if the developers show a willingness to work with the residents, that trust might be restored.
The article explains that the developers already have complied with all city codes and ordinances, according to city staff members. But John Martin, a representative of the developers, AIG Baker Shopping Center Properties, said the company wants to have a prosperous commercial outlet and to please nearby residents. He said, "We don't want to be bad neighbors, and we will do whatever it takes to correct what's happened." The article says this week Martin said the company will take measures to correct the issues residents are concerned about, as well as to cancel plans for ten outdoor speakers for the complex's restaurants and AMC 30 theater. Residents had complained that the speakers would cause more unnecessary noise.
The article notes that residents also are concerned about other issues, such as signage and the presence of a Goodyear tire store.
PUBLICATION: The Tampa Tribune
DATE: June 13, 1998
SECTION: Northwest, Pg. 2
BYLINE: Sherri Ackerman
DATELINE: Tampa, Florida
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Paul Ross Guarino, resident and past vice president of Dana Shores Civic Association; Joyce Smith, resident and secretary of Town 'N Country Alliance
The Tampa Tribune reports that county planners in Tampa, Florida will discuss building another runway and other growth issues at Tampa International Airport on Monday night. Members of the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority will present a master plan at the meeting that includes adding a third north-south runway sometime after 2008, the article says. Residents living near the airport oppose a third runway, but according to airport officials, a third runway would reduce noise.
According to the article, the proposed runway would be built 700 feet west of the existing runway. An additional east-west runway is used by small airplanes, and by larger planes during certain wind conditions.
Residents who live near the airport say the noise is already bad enough, the article reports. Paul Ross Guarino, a Dana Shores resident whose waterfront home is wedged among an airport, a high-speed expressway, and a busy bridge, said, "We have to go inside and run the air conditioner to escape the noise." Guarino added, "We've always frowned upon the airport expanding. They never should have put an airport there to begin with. It's right in the middle of town." Another resident, Joyce Smith, who lives to the northwest of the airport, said, "You can't open your windows during the cool weather. Sometimes you can't hear who you're talking to on the phone."
The article explains that Louis Miller, the Executive Director of the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, said the airport has long received noise complaints from residents about noise living north and south of the airport. He said a third runway would help alleviate noise by allowing airplanes to reach the bay much faster. Some residents, however, have questioned how a third runway would impact traffic and homes to the east of the airport.
The article says for more information, call Joyce Smith, the secretary of the Town 'N Country Alliance (a community organization made up of homeowners' groups, businesses, churches and the chamber of commerce) at 885-4444; president Mark Fogarty at 404-6731; or the Town 'N Country Chamber of Commerce at 884-5344.
PUBLICATION: Ventura County Star
DATE: June 13, 1998
SECTION: News; Pg. A01
BYLINE: Gregg Mansfield
DATELINE: Camarillo, California
The Ventura County Star reports that a sub-committee of the Aviation Advisory Commission in Camarillo, California reviewed a proposal Thursday to allow additional Boeing 727 planes to land at the Camarillo Airport. Channel Islands Aviation wants to land one or two Boeing 727s per week in order to refurbish them and increase their cargo capacity. In addition, the company wants to build a large hangar to perform the retrofitting work. The plan must be approved by the Board of Supervisors and the city of Camarillo, and now will move to the full Aviation Advisory Commission, the article notes.
According to the article, Bob Fowler, president of the Camarillo Airport Hangar Association, said jet noise should be a major concern to nearby residents. Although the association hasn't taken a formal position on the proposal, Fowler said he doesn't believe the planes will always fly over farmland, as Channel Islands has suggested, before touching down at the airport. "There are no guide rails in the sky," he said. "They're flown by humans who are going to deviate. When the plane strays over Leisure Village, the city and county are going to get a lot of calls." Fowler added that the Boeing 727s tend to be older and noisier than most commercial planes. And if one business is allowed to do retrofitting work, Fowler said, the county won't be able to prevent other businesses from doing the same work. "I'm worried about the precedence it would set," he said.
Meanwhile, Camarillo City Councilor Bill Liebmann said the city wants to take a wait-and-see approach. Liebmann said he supports a test landing to monitor airplane noise and other potential problems. "I have said let's bring one of these things in and we can see what the noise is," Liebmann said.
The article says that Rod Murphy, director of airports, said the aircraft might be able to land under the current agreement between the city and county, because the jets will weigh less than the weight limit at the airport.
PUBLICATION: AP Worldstream
DATE: June 12, 1998
SECTION: Washington - General News
DATELINE: Malaysia
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: S. Gabriel, committee chair, Taman NLFCS Residents' Association
AP Worldstream reports that according to an article in The New Straits Times, Malaysia's State Department of Environment has been asked to submit a detailed report on the alleged noise pollution and vibration from a power plant. Residents of Taman NLFCS in Tanjong Gemuk, Port Dickson, say the noise and vibration have caused cracks in the roads of their housing development. According to Menteri Besar Tan Sri Mohamad Isa Abdul Samad, the State Public Works Department also will conduct tests to determine the cause of the problem in the roads.
According to the article, about 60 families living near the power plant said the noise and vibration problem was becoming worse. S. Gabriel, the committee chair of the Taman NLFCS Residents' Association, said residents have made numerous appeals to the authorities, but no steps have been taken to solve the problem. Gabriel said residents moved into their homes in 1992, and. the plant opened in 1994.
The article reports that Mohamed Isa said the issue was raised at a recent State Development Committee meeting, after complaints from members of the Taman NLFCS Residents' Association. Officials from the Department of Environment said in a preliminary report that the vibration was within the permissible level, but Mohamad Isa said department officials were asked to investigate the complaint again and create a more detailed report. Meanwhile, the article says, a spokesperson for the Port Dickson Power Sdn Bhd said the company was arranging a meeting with the irate residents and wanted to solve any problems as soon as possible.
But Gabriel of the residents' association said residents want to be compensated for their past losses and then want to be relocated, the article explains. He said residents had been suffering for five years, and compensation would not end the problem. Gabriel added that residents would not be able to sell their houses now because everyone knows about the problems with the power plant.
PUBLICATION: The Arizona Republic
DATE: June 12, 1998
SECTION: Valley And State; Pg. B1
BYLINE: Mary Jo Pitzl
DATELINE: Phoenix, Arizona
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Mary Vrizuela, Arnold Ramirez, residents
The Arizona Republic reports that 86 percent of planes at the Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona have achieved stricter federal standards for noise, according to airport officials. By the end of 1999, all commercial jets are required by federal law to be equipped with the quieter engines, the article notes. But some residents who live in the airport's flight path say they don't notice any difference.
According to the article, residents in north Tempe, central Phoenix, and elsewhere have complained for years about loud jets taking off and landing at Sky Harbor. Mary Vrizuela, a resident of north Tempe, said she hasn't noticed planes getting quieter. She said, "I think the noise levels are louder. They're just too close to the house. They need to go down the river bottom." In the Sunset neighborhood, resident Arnold Ramirez said engines may be getting quieter, but it doesn't do a lot of good if planes fly off course. He said, "There's times you have to keep the door closed because you can't hear the TV."
The article explains that airport officials said they are taking steps to make sure planes stay in their proper flight paths when the land and take off. John Solomon, the assistant aviation director, said planes departing to the east are supposed to follow the Salt River bed until they reach Price Road. Solomon said during the past four months, 95 percent of the flights departing to the east stayed on course. To boost that number, Solomon said the airport will send notices to pilots who deviate from the flight path. In addition, signs will be put up at the runways' eastern ends to remind pilots of the flight path. Airport officials said that these steps, combined with the quieter plane engines, should reduce the area around the airport where noise is loudest.
The article notes that the airport is ahead of the national average in getting quieter jets. At the end of 1997, 80 percent of planes operating in the U.S. were equipped with quieter engines, according to Mitch Barker, a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration.
Meanwhile, Ron Aramini, senior vice president of operations at America West Airlines, said 83 percent of the company's fleet already meets the new noise requirements. On Monday, the airline will start retrofitting 14 of its jets with "hush kits," which are designed to make older jets comply with the new standards. Aramani said four other older planes will be retired before the deadline, and the rest of the company's fleet is relatively new and already has the quieter engines.
The article reports that Rick Kennedy, manager of media relations for GE Aircraft Engines, said all new planes are built to the newer Stage 3 standards or higher. He added that Europe may start pushing for even quieter engines, due to intense air congestion in their large cities.
PUBLICATION: Calgary Herald
DATE: June 12, 1998
SECTION: City; Pg. B8
BYLINE: Jim Cunningham
DATELINE: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Tim Tyler, president, community association; Jim Besse, co-chair, community advisory committee of the community association
The Calgary Herald reports that residents in the Hillhurst-Sunnyside area of Calgary, Alberta are appealing a festival permit of the Calgary Folk Festival that allows musicians to perform after 10 p.m. on two nights next month at Prince's Island Park, a festival site. The article says that the city waived its own noise bylaw to allow the music to play until 11 p.m. on Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25. The appeal will be heard before the city's license appeal board next Thursday, the article notes.
According to the article, Hillhurst residents were angered last year when the final act at the festival's Sunday program, the Doobie Brothers, played for nearly a half-hour after the time restriction. About 50 Hillhurst residents complained then, said Jim Besse, co-chair of the community association's community advisory committee. Tim Tyler, the president of the community association, said residents believe if they don't appeal, it will encourage other groups to ask for exemptions to the noise bylaw. Tyler said, "We feel that we have to remind the city that if it has regulations, it should implement them." The article notes that last spring, the city passed an amendment to its master plan for Prince's Island, allowing groups to apply for exemptions to the noise bylaw.
Meanwhile, the article reports, Bruce Cameron, a spokesperson for the festival that last year attracted 30,000, said that if the music is not permitted after 10 p.m. every day of the show, it will create financial hardship. Cameron said the festival is consulting lawyers about launching their own legal action if the residents' appeal succeeds. He said the Folk Festival already has signed contracts with musicians scheduled to perform after 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and might try to hold the city liable if those acts can't perform. In addition, Cameron said, festival volunteers plan to line up support for its plans among residents in Hillhurst-Sunnyside.
PUBLICATION: The Denver Post
DATE: June 12, 1998
SECTION: A Section; Pg. A-18
BYLINE: Mike Soraghan
DATELINE: Commerce City, Colorado
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: George Espinoza, resident
The Denver Post reports that residents in Commerce City, Colorado are opposing the proposed re-zoning of a lot to industrial use due to the noise from early morning trucks at the site. The article notes the land is zoned for agricultural uses, but the owner said he has been used the property for industrial purposes and paying industrial taxes since 1958. County commissioners believe they may have reached a compromise, the article says.
According to the article, the four-acre lot at 8191 Quebec Street is owned by Eugene Aragon. Aragon has asked that the land be re-zoned as a "medium-industrial zone," so he can operate a culvert-making and trucking business. He noted that many of the lots in the area are already zoned for industrial uses.
But residents don't like the plan, the article says. George Espinoza, who lives nearby on Rosemary Street, said, "I'm tired of the trucks coming in at three or four in the morning. I'm sick and tired of it."
The article goes on to explain that the Adams County Planning Commission recommended against the zoning change, saying the change would harm the surrounding neighborhood. In addition, county planners have said Aragon has been repeatedly cited for zoning violations. Aragon denies the allegation. Now, the article says, county commissioners are trying to work out a compromise with Aragon. Commissioners said they will re-zone the land if Aragon agrees to put up a cedar fence, limit operations from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and block trucks from coming and going on Quebec Street. The compromise is expected to be finalized at a July 1 meeting.
PUBLICATION: Deutsche Presse-Agentur
DATE: June 12, 1998
SECTION: International News
DATELINE: Innsbruck, Austria
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Transitforum Austria Tirol
The Deutsche Presse-Agentur reports that hundreds of noise activists in Austria on Friday blocked one of Europe's major alpine highways, the E45 motorway near Innsbruck and the Brenner Pass, in a 28-hour protest against European Union policies that keep all highways open to huge trucks. The article says Austrians are fed up with the noise and fumes in their scenic valleys caused by heavy trucks on their alpine highways en route between Italy and Germany.
According to the article, the protest group Transitforum Austria Tirol led the protest. The group wants heavy taxes levied on foreign trucks to deter them from crossing Austria, but the European Union opposes such restrictions. Switzerland, which is not a European Union member, has banned all trucks weighing over 28 tons, the article notes. The article explains that the Alps are a huge natural barrier between Italy and Germany, and there are only a few ways over them that are snow-free. Traffic over the Brenner Pass, where the protest was held, has increased 50 percent since 1990 and is used by 1.2 million trucks, as trade between countries has increased in line with European Union policies. The article notes that the 1,371-meter-high Brenner Pass is the lowest and most convenient route between Munich, Germany and Verona, Italy.
The article reports that Austrian police erected concrete barriers across on the highway near Innsbruck and the Brenner Pass in order to contain protesters and divert traffic to exit ramps. In addition, radio announcements across Europe asked motorists to avoid the Brenner Pass. Police said the highway would be closed till 3 p.m. Saturday. Protesters also blocked southbound E56 for 15 minutes every hour, the article says. That highway ascends from Salzburg via the Tauern Pass.
The article notes that Austrian federal authorities were dismayed to learn that Wendelin Weingartner, the premier of Tyrol state, said he would take part in the protest. In addition, Alois Kothgasser, the Catholic Bishop of Innsbruck, gave his blessing to the protest, saying it was "a cry of pain." Meanwhile, associations representing hauling companies said they would claim damages in the courts from the protest group and the officials who permitted the blockade.
PUBLICATION: The Press-Enterprise
DATE: June 12, 1998
SECTION: Local; Pg. B03
BYLINE: Jose Arballo Jr.
DATELINE: Riverside, California area
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Allen Packler, advisory board member, Rural Communities United; Bob Buster, county supervisor
The Press-Enterprise reports that opponents of the Owl Rock gravel pit project near Riverside, California have filed suit against Riverside County and its supervisors, alleging officials failed to properly assess the impact of the project when reconsidering it in December. The article says that Rural Communities United, a group of property owners, residents, and business owners, filed suit June 1 in Riverside Superior Court. The group asks that County Supervisors hold new hearings and rescind their approval of the project's environmental impact report. In addition, the article reports, the group is seeking an injunction to prevent any work from being started at the site.
According to the article, New Owl Rock Products, which is owned by Mitsubishi Cement Corporation, wants to mine sand from Wilson Creek off Sage Road near Highway 79 and the Cottonwood School. Supporters of the project say it will bring needed jobs to the area, while opponents say it will hurt the area's rural lifestyle and environment.
The environmental impact report for the project was first approved by county supervisors in 1994, the article reports. In response, Allen Packler, a member of Rural Communities United's advisory board, and Jerry Geller filed a lawsuit, arguing that supervisors violated the California Environmental Quality Act. A Superior Court judge ruled against the plaintiffs, but in March 1997, the Fourth District Court of Appeal ruled that the county must rescind its approval of the environmental impact report and address questions that were raised by the plaintiffs. In December, supervisors again discussed the environmental impact report and voted 4-1 to adopt it. Supervisor Bob Buster voted against the project, the article notes.
The article goes on to explain that Packler of Rural Communities United said the majority of the county board had changed since the report was first approved, which warranted a thorough hearing, but supervisors didn't hold a new hearing as the court's ruling required. Packler said, "We were unable to convince the board to hold proper hearing. They really did not reconsider it. They were not acquainted with the project, but they went ahead and approved it." He added, "They have not listened to our issues. We want the board to hold a proper hearing in which the concerns of the community will be addressed."
But supervisors in December said that the revised environmental report included new, detailed responses to the questions about the potential impact of the project on noise, traffic, and views. Supervisor Jim Venable, whose district includes the Aguanga area, said the court's ruling required the board to consider two specific issues involving the environmental report. He said the county attorney's office gave the board legal direction that it followed. Venable said, "It was a very narrow ruling. The issues were addressed. This was something that was already in placed when I arrived. I did not get too deep into it."
PUBLICATION: The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
DATE: June 12, 1998
SECTION: News; 2 Star P; Pg. L01
BYLINE: Rod Allee
DATELINE: Passaic County, New Jersey
The Record printed an editorial which describes the extensive quarry mining industry in Passaic County, New Jersey, and the long fight between miners and residents over noise, dust, vibration, and other problems. The editorial argues that both the state and local governments regulate facets of quarry mining, and the system is not working. County governments are better suited to regulate the industry, the editorial says.
According to the editorial, the last census found that 200 of Passaic County's 225,555 workers are quarry miners. The columnist says he's heard bitter complaints from residents of nine of the county's 16 towns over the years about the environmental, aesthetic, and quality-of-life impacts of mining. There have been countless meetings, insults, lawsuits, and newspaper stories about the topic. But, the editorial says, despite all the fuss, the score remains tied and no end is in sight to the battle.
The columnist goes on to say that he can understand both sides' points of view. The quarrying companies often were there before neighborhoods were there, and they have to make a living. But, the columnist says, he also can understand why people living near the quarries go crazy over the noise, dust, vibration, ruined scenery, and possible damage to the underground water supply.
The editorial says residents often complain to their local politicians, who get upset over the issue themselves. A few weeks ago, Renate Lampe, the mayor of North Haledon, and Al Marchitto, the mayor of Prospect Park, nearly came to blows over asphalt-recycling at the Tilcon quarry, which is in Prospect Park but is close to North Haledon, Haledon, and Hawthorne. The columnist says he was amazed that the two mayors, with so much in common (both veteran small-town politicians, both Republicans), could be driven so crazy by a tiny business. Mayor Lampe said Thursday, "We have resumed speaking to each other. We just don't speak about that quarry."
The columnist goes on to say that quarry regulation is problematic, because the controls are split between the state and the towns, with the state having most of the power. Even within the state, however, the controls are split between the Department of Labor and the Department of Environmental Protection. The editorial argues that it is abundantly clear that the capital city is too far away to understand the concerns of the quarry owners or the residents. The towns, on the other hand, are too close to the fight. The county governments are the best choice to regulate the quarries, the editorial argues. County governments would have to tailor their regulations to state environmental rules, but they would be closer to the residents and quarry owners. The editorial concludes that the system for regulating quarries isn't working at all, and it's time for a new system.
PUBLICATION: Chicago Tribune
DATE: June 12, 1998
SECTION: Metro Northwest; Pg. 1; Zone: Nw
BYLINE: Rogers Worthington
DATELINE: Chicago, Illinois
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Joseph Karaganis, attorney for the Suburban O'Hare Commission
The Chicago Tribune reports that Kirk Brown, the Illinois Transportation Secretary, said Thursday in a speech to north suburban business executives and transportation officials in Deerfield that without a new runway, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport will continue to lose domestic flights, diminishing its national role and travel options for residents. Brown said later that he wasn't advocating a new runway at O'Hare, which would put him at odds with Governor Jim Edgar. Meanwhile, opponents of O'Hare expansion said Brown's remarks were troubling.
The article reports that Brown said in his speech, "We've lost direct service out of O'Hare to 13 cities since 1992. We've made moves to attract international flights." But because of a lack of runway capacity, he said, "Every time we get one, you have to subtract a domestic flight. ... Airlines are solving the problem by moving flights out of O'Hare."
According to the article, Governor Edgar has said he would be willing to consider a new O'Hare runway, but only if the new runway would be used to avoid takeoff and landing delays, and to improve safety. The article says that Edgar's position was designed to appease O'Hare's suburban opponents, who have long opposed a new runway. Edgar also has said that Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who wants another runway, and suburban opponents must reach agreement on a plan before he will back an airport expansion.
Meanwhile, the article says, O'Hare opponents said Brown's remarks were troubling. They questioned how his comments fit with Edgar's strong support for building a third regional airport in Will County, near Peotone. Joseph Karaganis, a lawyer for the anti-noise Suburban O'Hare Commission, said, "To talk about new runways at O'Hare is nothing new. But for the secretary to say he wants it for additional traffic is something new. The secretary can't have it both ways. He can't talk about added capacity at O'Hare and in the same breath talk about a third airport."
Brown also said during his speech that Edgar continues to believe the area needs a third major airport, the article reports. But he added that the fight over whether to expand O'Hare or build a third airport have paralyzed decisions on other critical transportation issues, such as a proposed western highway bypass around O'Hare.
The article notes that Brown also discussed road transportation issues in his speech.
PUBLICATION: The Columbus Dispatch
DATE: June 11, 1998
SECTION: News , Pg. 6C
BYLINE: Ray Crumbley
DATELINE: Hamilton Township and Columbus, Ohio
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Yvette and Leon Blauvelt, residents; Eunice McMullen, member, Save Our Southside
The Columbus Dispatch reports that Yvette and Leon Blauvelt, residents of Hamilton Township, Ohio, have complained about noise from a sand and gravel operation near their home. But after investigating the complaints, Columbus officials have said the quarry doesn't violate any city zoning regulations.
According to the article, Shelley and Sands Aggregates operates the sand-and-gravel quarry on London-Groveport Road on property leased from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus. The quarry is on land that is part of 2,026 acres that were annexed to Columbus in 1995, in a move to bring the Rickenbacker Air Industrial Park into the city.
The article reports that the Blauvelts wanted city officials to curtail the quarrying on the grounds it was not legal in the area, which is zoned for manufacturing. The Blauvelts said the noise from the operation continues into the early-morning hours. Yvette Blauvelt said she is on medication and has not worked for two years because she could not sleep due to the noise. The Blauvelts said the problems started after the land was annexed. They said they were not formally notified about the re-zoning that followed, but Columbus officials said that because the Blauvelts live outside Columbus, notification was not required. The Blauvelts also said that they have tried to get help with the problem from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the quarry company, lawyers, the Catholic diocese, and Hamilton Township trustees. No one seems to be helping, the article says, except Eunice McMullen, a member of the group Save Our Southside. Last year, the group asked the quarry company to reduce their hours of operation last year. The Blauvelts said in recent weeks, they are getting a little more sleep because the quarry has been operating between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. Yvette Blauvelt said, "We'd like reasonable work hours. That's the best we can expect. No one we've talked with from any agency seems to have any power to control that."
Meanwhile, the article says, Dennis Joseph, planning supervisor with the Columbus Department of Trade and Development, said the quarry is operating legally and under the proper zoning. He said, "The land was one of several tracts which comprised an approximate 416-acre rezoning to the Excavating and Quarrying and Manufacturing districts approved by the Columbus City Council in May of 1995." Joseph added that Columbus doesn't have a zoning category that specifically includes quarrying, such as the county's heavy-manufacturing zone, so the city assigned the classification that best represented the activities at the quarry. "The use of this property for quarrying purposes was not lost through rezoning action," he said.
PUBLICATION: The Dallas Morning News
DATE: June 11, 1998
SECTION: Plano; Pg. 1F
BYLINE: Roy Appleton
DATELINE: Wylie, Texas
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Concerned Citizens for Responsible Growth; Roz Garland, resident; Nicki Allen, leader in fight against railroad; John Mondy, mayor
The Dallas Morning News reports that officials with the Kansas City Southern Railway Company said Wednesday they would build a 15-track rail yard in Wylie, Texas. The rail yard was part of a controversial project proposed by the railroad that voters rejected almost a year ago. The railroad company no longer plans to build a business park and truck shipping center, which were part of the earlier project, the article says. City officials fear that building a rail yard will leave the city with more trains and noise, but no economic gain. Residents who fought the earlier proposed project were dismayed at the announcement.
According to the article, the railroad company intends to build a train-switching yard near its railway in north Wylie, in order to improve traffic flow around its North Texas freight hub near Garland Road and LBJ Freeway in Dallas. The company also plans to expand the Dallas hub, officials said. In the first phase of the Wylie project, $9 million to $11 million would be spent to add three to four tracks, a roundhouse for assembling trains, an office building, and parking, said Ken Fairchild, a company spokesperson. The project eventually would be expanded to 15 tracks as rail traffic increases, he said. Fairchild added that the company owns most of the required land and believes it doesn't need city approval to proceed. The company needs about 20 acres east and west of its property to go forward with the project, and plans to make purchase offers to landowners on Wednesday, Fairchild said. The company expects to begin construction soon and to complete the first phase next year, the article notes.
The article goes on to say that Wylie officials learned of the company's plans Wednesday morning, and currently are discussing options with the city attorney, according to City Manager Mike Collins. He said, "They came marching in and said they have federal authority to do what they want in their corridor." Collins added that railroad officials told him they didn't intend to build noise walls around the rail yard, and would take land through their power of eminent domain if necessary to complete the project. Mayor John Mondy said, "I don't know what to think. This isn't exactly how I hoped it would turn out. As this stands, the community gets the train traffic and noise and no economic gain."
The article explains that the railroad originally proposed a $35 million expansion plan last year. Supporters of the plan said the city needed the development, particularly the office park, to spur commercial development. Opponents, who formed Concerned Citizens for Responsible Growth to fight the plan, said the project would cause declining property values, noise, and public safety problems, adding that a rail yard was no way for Wylie to grow. After months of public meetings, the article reports, during which railroad officials said they would pursue development "only if we're wanted," voters went to the polls on the issue in September. The opponents won, 859-796, and the city council told Kansas City Southern in November that it respected the voters' will and opposed the project. Railroad officials left town and didn't return till Wednesday. City Manager Collins said, "They said the citizens rejected ... [the shipping center] and the business park and, in response to the vote, here's what you get."
Meanwhile, the article says, the residents who fought the railroad's earlier plans were dismayed by the news. Resident Roz Garland, who lives on a 16-acre property near the proposed rail yard, got teary talking about it. She said, "I'm sick about it. My husband kept telling me this was going to happen and we should negotiate with them. But I don't think we could have believed a thing they said." Nicki Allen, a leader in the fight against the railroad's plans, said she was repulsed by the news. "KCS has shown its true colors," she said "They said they would respect the wishes of the people, but they've lied to the city of Wylie, and now this is our new corporate partner." Both Allen and Garland said they hope the mayor and city council fight the railroad's plans.
The article says that Mayor Mondy said the city council "followed the will of the people and told KCS we didn't want them." Now its unclear what the city can do, the mayor said.
PUBLICATION: Los Angeles Times
DATE: June 11, 1998
SECTION: Part A; Page 1; Metro Desk
BYLINE: Shelby Grad
DATELINE: Laguna Hills, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Reverend Chris Bennett, senior pastor, First Baptist Church of Laguna Hills; Mark Humphries, member, First Baptist Church; Saddleback Valley Community Church; Jim Shaw, resident; Len Kranser, anti-airport activist and editor of an El Toro-related web-site
The Los Angeles Times reports that Orange County, California religious leaders are debating whether to join together and oppose the proposed El Toro airport. Some say they will because they don't want jets flying over their places of worship, while others say that airport opposition is not in their mission.
The article reports that a high concentration of worship places, termed 'church row', is located three miles south of a runway at El Toro. Military jets have flown over the area for years, but commercial jets will fly more frequently. Noise insulation was required after the middle of the 1970s for any new buildings, but some churches were built before that. Also, large windows and open designs make it noisier for the churches than many other buildings.
According to the article, the county will study the area to see if noise mitigation is needed, but planners suspect the quieter -- though more frequent -- commercial jets won't create a higher need for soundproofing. 50 military jets took off on a typical day in 1994, while the commercial airport would average 500 flights a day by 2020.
The article goes on to say that noise levels will average approximately 60 decibels in the area by 2020. The levels will drop to at least 53 inside, and even further if the doors and windows were shut.
But, the article explains, at least two who worship in the area believe noise will be a problem and are trying to organize churches and their members against the airport. They hope to gain meetings with officials to talk about their worries. One organizer said "United, the congregations would have a stronger voice than if we all act independently."
The article explains that other airport opponents are hopeful that churches, which are considered "noise-sensitive" and are given special attention according to federal rules, will strengthen overall opposition to the airport.
The article notes that one 5,000 member church has already sent representatives to public meetings to oppose the airport. The reverend said "People get distracted during a service when someone gets up to go to the bathroom. Imagine what it would be like each time a plane goes by."
The article notes two places of worship -- a Presbyterian Church and a synagogue -- don't like the idea of an airport but said they "don't see it as our role to get involved."
The article talked to religious experts, who said that "Dealing with political questions is always touchy for religious institutions, whether it's fighting apartheid or taking a stance on a local zoning dispute. It comes down to whether there is a gospel position on the issue." "For a church to become involved in an issue like the airport, it would have to involve more than just that residents don't want to hear jet noise. There would need to be some larger issues at stake, like the environment and way of life."
PUBLICATION: News & Record (Greensboro, NC)
DATE: June 11, 1998
SECTION: Editorial, Pg. A13
BYLINE: Chris Peeler
DATELINE: Greensboro, North Carolina
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Chris Peeler, resident
The News & Record printed an editorial that argues a proposed FedEx cargo hub and new runway in Greensboro, North Carolina would be a disaster for the thousands of residents who live nearby and for the larger community. The writer goes on to give several arguments against a FedEx hub, and suggestions about better locations for the facility.
According to the editorial, county commissioners zoned the area around the airport "residential" twenty-five years ago in order to handle the growing population. Now, the editorial says, there are about 4,000 homes and 12,000 to 18,000 people in about 20 different communities around the airport. Officials made a land-use decision back then, and that commitment can't be changed now. Building a 9,000-foot runway and a cargo hub with associated truck traffic in such a densely populated area is insanity, the writer says.
The editorial says some people think noise from a FedEx hub wouldn't be a problem. But, the writer reports, FedEx expects to have 60 cargo jets taking off and landing between the 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. People who live within three miles of the runway or flight pattern (from Battleground to north High Point) will have their sleep disrupted, the writer says. And, safety is an issue as well; most crashes occur during takeoffs or landings.
The editorial argues that ruining the sleep of thousands of citizens will be detrimental to society. The writer asks whether society wants tired and cranky doctors performing operations, tired and cranky salespeople waiting on customers, tired and cranky bankers and clerks trying to be accurate with customers' finances, and tired and cranky children in classrooms.
If a FedEx hub does go in, the editorial argues, neighborhoods will be bought out and destroyed because of the jet noise. At the Indianapolis Airport, where a FedEx hub is located, officials have bought 258 homes and are buying 700 more. And, the writer says, the homes in Indianapolis were farther away from the airport than many homes in the Greensboro area would be. There are 2,800 homes (10,000 people) within two miles of the proposed third runway in Greensboro, the writer points out.
The editorial also argues that FedEx has said it would bring fifteen hundred mostly part-time, mostly night-time jobs, but Greensboro doesn't need jobs. The writer reports that employers say they are already strapped for labor. Greensboro has other, more important problems: improving its infrastructure to take care of overcrowded schools and sewage facilities, water concerns, congested highways, and clogged emergency rooms.
The writer also suggests that FedEx should move to a place such as the Global TransPark at Kinston. Kinston is only about 30 miles from I-95 and 60 miles from I-40. But, the writer goes on to say, if people insist on putting FedEx here, let's put it out in the boonies where there can be at least a three-mile buffer zone around each end of the runway. Raleigh (North Carolina) has such a three-mile zone around their hub. In addition, the FedEx hub in Memphis (Tennessee) is located about 40 to 45 minutes away from the city.
The writer concludes that any beneficial economic activity from a FedEx hub will be equalized by destroying the quality of life for thousands of residents. The writer recommends that the communities listen and consider the lives of the thousands of residents living near the airport.
PUBLICATION: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
DATE: June 11, 1998
SECTION: Metro, Pg. B1
BYLINE: Carolyn Bower
DATELINE: Berkeley, Missouri
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the St. Louis (Missouri) Airport Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to spend up to $35 million to acquire land from the Ferguson-Florissant School District in Berkeley, near Lambert Field. The money will be used to purchase about 30 acres where Berkeley High School and four other district buildings are located, and will be used to build a new high school and elementary school. The article notes that the offer needs the approval of the city of St. Louis, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration, which have gone along with the proposal so far. The project is part of the airport's long-range plan to buy property because of airport noise, the article says, but is not related to the proposed airport expansion, according to Leonard Griggs, the airport director.
The article reports that the Ferguson-Florissant School District has about 11,200 students, with about 200 to 250 new students entering the schools every year, according to Stan Scheer, superintendent of the schools. The deal with the airport would allow the district to build new schools without placing an additional burden on taxpayers, he said. With a new high school, the district could spread students more evenly throughout its three high schools. Only 350 students attend Berkeley High School, the article notes, while 1,700 and 1,250 attend the other two. Scheer said Thursday, "This is fantastic for us. It gives us the opportunity to do things we want to do with our high school program and to have a new elementary school to respond to growth." Scheer also said that school officials have several potential sites in mind for schools, but would not offer details. He added that new schools would be a soundproof as possible.
Meanwhile, Airport Director Griggs said of the proposal, "We need the land, they need a new school. It is important for the schoolchildren of this North County area to be allowed to go to a school system that has a functional school" unaffected by noise. The article also notes that airport officials are considering purchasing the school buildings according to replacement cost instead of fair market value. The federal government allows this type of purchasing for schools and other public buildings.
PUBLICATION: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
DATE: June 11, 1998
SECTION: St. Charles Post, Pg. 1
BYLINE: Ralph Dummit
DATELINE: St. Charles County, Missouri
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: St. Charles County Citizens Against Airport Noise; Conrad Bowers, Bridgeton Mayor; People Building Communities
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that officials in St. Charles County and Bridgeton, Missouri will meet Tuesday with Susan Kurland, the associate administrator for airports at the Federal Aviation Administration, over plans to expand Lambert Field. According to Joe Ortwerth, a St. Charles County Executive, the meeting should resolve whether the FAA will conduct a "real time" simulation study that would produce data about the noise levels of the proposed expansion.
The article explains that the city of St. Louis and airport officials favor an expansion plan known as W-1W, which would site a runway close to St. Charles and would require the demolition of about 2,000 homes and businesses in Bridgeton. That plan is opposed by Ortwerth, members of St. Charles County Citizens Against Airport Noise, Bridgeton Mayor Conrad Bowers, and Bridgeton's People Building Communities organization. The W-1W plan is expected to cost $2.6 billion, but according to Ortwerth, the plan would increase Lambert's capacity by only 6 percent. At that price, he said, the plan is "just a boondoggle" that will increase costs for passengers at the airport. But Airport Director Leonard Griggs, officials of the St. Louis Regional Growth and Commerce Association, and others say that W-1W is the best plan and that it is important for the region's economy.
The article notes that Ortwerth will attend the meeting along with St. Charles Mayor Bob Moeller, St. Charles City Council President Rose Kasper, St. Charles City Administrator Mike Miller, and others. Moeller does not oppose W-1W, but he has insisted that St. Louis officials sign a noise abatement agreement which imposes penalties if aircraft noise increases over St. Charles. The St. Charles County Council has adopted a similar position. But Ortwerth, Bridgeton Mayor Bowers, and members of St. Charles County Citizens Against Airport Noise have said they will file a lawsuit if W-1W is approved by the FAA.
According to the article, Representative Jim Talent (R-Chesterfield) has sought to have a simulation study done at the airport for months. The article explains that Talent wrote to FAA Administrator Jane Garvey in January, after the FAA released the final environmental impact statement claiming the W-1W plan is environmentally and operationally sound. Talent said in his letter that "numerous aviation experts disagree with this assessment," including the Air Line Pilots Association, air traffic controllers, and other independent aviation consultants. These experts, Talent wrote, believe the capacity estimates for W-1W were "significantly overstated," and because of this, other data also may be wrong, such as the cost-to-benefit ratio and estimates on how long airplanes will take to get to the terminal after landing. Talent wrote, "Simply put, these experts do not believe that a fully operational W-1W expansion will provide what its master plan claims in terms of capacity. I feel that the FAA must verify which numbers are correct by conducting a 'real time' simulation study at the FAA Technical Center." Talent reminded Garvey that a similar study was conducted by the FAA for the New Orleans airport. In late April, Talent repeated his request to Garvey in a second letter. In mid-May, Ortwerth and others delivered a similar message to Garvey, the article says.
The article reports that according to Ortwerth, Garvey's staff has contacted Talent, saying they are interested in a follow-up meeting. Ortwerth said, "Once this meeting is held, we'll find out for sure if the FAA will do the real-time simulation that Talent has requested. If they do, that will be good news. If not, we can expect a record of decision to be forthcoming quickly." The article notes that a record of decision is the FAA's final decision on the W-1W proposal. Ortwerth also said that this likely would be the last opportunity that local officials and residents would have to raise questions about the validity of W-1W.
According to the article, the meeting will involve a dialogue on the shortcomings of W-1W. Ortwerth said that technical experts will make most of the presentation to the FAA. Members of the Air Line Pilots Association and the Air Traffic Controllers Association are expected to tell the FAA that the W-1W plan is flawed. The article notes that the two organizations have been reluctant to attract attention to their opposition, and Talent's office declined to identify the representatives who would attend the meeting.
PUBLICATION: Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
DATE: June 11, 1998
SECTION: Pg. 3B
BYLINE: Laurie Blake
DATELINE: Richfield, Minnesota
The Star Tribune reports that the city of Richfield, Minnesota is suing the Metropolitan Airports Commission in the U.S. Court of Appeals for shifting jet noise from the Minneapolis - St. Paul International Airport to their community. City officials are suing to stop the daily use of the airport's crosswind runway that has shifted flights away from south Minneapolis and sent them over Richfield and Bloomington instead. The court case is expected to last at least two months, the article says.
According to the article, in 1996 the crosswind runway was lengthened from 8,250 to 11,100 feet so that heavily loaded flights could take off. The Federal Aviation Administration has estimated that the runway could be used to handle 17 percent of daily departures. This would reduce the jet noise impact for 1,000 homes on the northwest side of the airport, the article says, but would put 3,000 homes southwest of the airport into a higher noise-impact area.
The article reports that Steven Pflaum, an attorney for Richfield, said using the crosswind runway in that way would result in the need for $30 million of home soundproofing on the southwest side of the airport. That money would be better spent on homes to the northwest, he said, where soundproofing is already underway. But Tom Anderson, an attorney for the Metropolitan Airports Commission, said most soundproofing money still would be spend on homes on the northwest side. Anderson added that the crosswind runway was used for 40 percent of airport traffic in the 1970s, and the airport wants to move back toward that use in order to more equitably distribute jet noise over surrounding communities.
PUBLICATION: The Daily Oklahoman
DATE: June 10, 1998
SECTION: The Norman Oklahoman; Pg. 1
BYLINE: Chip Minty
DATELINE: Norman, Oklahoma
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Kristen Holzer, manager, Guest Inn
The Daily Oklahoman reports that the City Council in Norman, Oklahoma will decide later this month whether to grant requests to Wal-Mart to build super-centers in east and west Norman. Meanwhile, some retailers near the proposed stores are complaining that the super-centers would increase rents at their locations and would increase noise.
The article reports that if the east-side super-center is built, Hemphill Drive will be widened and extended to 26th Avenue NW, making the road a primary route for the estimated 15,500 vehicles expected to visit the super-center each day. The west-side store would be located northeast of Interstate 35 and W Main Street in the 300 block of Interstate Drive East, and the project is approved, a one-way street will be built leading to the store from Interstate Drive.
According to the article, Jim Doull, owner of an auto repair shop in west Norman, said a Wal-Mart could force him to move because property values could rise and his rent could increase. Kristen Holzer, manager of the Guest Inn at 2543 W. Main Street, said the 24-hour traffic at a west-side Wal-Mart would increase noise and safety problems for her guests. She said many of her motel's guests are people traveling with little league baseball teams for tournaments. The new street built to accommodate the Wal-Mart would be on the edge of the motel parking lot, which is a popular place for the players to spend time, she said.
Meanwhile, the article says, other retailers said they believed the Wal-Marts would increase their own business. Commercial Realtors also said the stores would increase development in the area.
PUBLICATION: Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
DATE: June 10, 1998
SECTION: Community Close-Up, Pg. 3
BYLINE: Joan Spencer Durbin
DATELINE: Fort Lauderdale and Tamarac, Florida
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Jay Sabio, Ellen Tomas, residents
The Sun-Sentinel reports that residents in Tamarac, Florida living near the Zephyrhills Spring Water distribution center have raised complaints about the noise from the company's delivery trucks. The article explains that the border between Tamarac and Fort Lauderdale is located between the neighborhood and the plant, creating jurisdictional difficulties in addressing the problem.
According to the article, resident Jay Sabio moved into his home on Northwest 55th Street about eight years ago, when the plant and their trucks were small. Since then, Sabio said, the plant, the trucks, and the noise has grown. He said, "In the last two years, it's just been so intense. There are times I can't wait to get out of my house in the mornings and get away. That's how bad it is." Ellen Tomas, another nearby resident, said that trucks are lined up throughout the day, sometimes until midnight, with engines running and exhaust fumes belching. A wall is located between the plant and the neighborhood, but this isn't a good enough buffer, residents say. Sabio said, "The trucks taxi like planes on a runway. My back yard is 30 feet, maximum, from that wall. The sound and vibrations are unbearable." Tomas said, "There are a lot of working people and retirees living here, and they can't even open their windows for the noise and fumes." Tomas added that more commercially zoned buildings will be built next to the plant, and there is no way to predict what type of businesses will locate there.
The article goes on to report that Joe Schreiber, Tamarac's Mayor, said he sympathizes with the residents, but he has little power to provide a solution because the plant is located outside the city's jurisdiction. The wall between the water distribution center and the neighborhood is the boundary between Tamarac and Fort Lauderdale, the article notes. Schreiber said, "This problem dates back many years. The people in the Boulevards were here before Zephyrhills. It's just poor planning to allow this type of commercial construction right on top of a residential community. We should have foreseen this problem before construction permits were issued. Tamarac should have gotten into the picture back then. But now we have no control except to ask our good neighbor Fort Lauderdale to help our beleaguered citizens."
Schreiber went on to say that the residents have appealed to Pete Witschen, Fort Lauderdale's assistant city manager, about their problem. Witschen has asked police to monitor the plant for excessive noise, and Schreiber said at least one violation was issued early in the year. Witschen recently visited the Zephyrhills site, and said he hadn't realized how close the trucks drive to the homes. He said, "I'm really sympathetic [to the Tamarac homeowners]. It's really inconvenient to live so close to a commercial operation. If a site plan for that use came before us today, it wouldn't be allowed." Witschen also said he would review the site plan for the distribution center to determine whether more area had been paved for the truck traffic than city code allows.
Meanwhile, the article reports, Jane Lazgin, a spokesperson for Zephyrhills, said the company is aware of residents' complaints and have made some changes. She said, "They have attempted to curtail the hours the trucks are there, but the hours are still long." The company has banned trucks before 6 a.m., and is trying to finish loading trucks by 8 p.m., according to Lazgin. And, there is an effort to limit trucks' idling times in the morning. But, Lazgin said, there won't be a reduction of the number of trucks in the next few months, because summer is the company's busiest time.
PUBLICATION: Asbury Park Press (Neptune, NJ)
DATE: June 9, 1998
SECTION: B, Pg. 1
BYLINE: Nancy Kearney
DATELINE: Spring Lake, New Jersey
The Asbury Park Press reports that the Borough Council in Spring Lake, New Jersey introduced a noise ordinance last night that would restrict lawn mowing, leaf blowing, construction, and other activities to certain hours. The article notes that a public hearing is scheduled on the proposed ordinance for June 22.
According to the article, the proposed ordinance would ban private and commercial lawn mowing and leaf blowing from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. weekdays; from 6 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday; and from 4 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Monday. In addition, commercial construction would be prohibited between 5 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Monday, and construction or repairs by private homeowners would be prohibited between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. weekdays, between 5 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday, and between 4 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Monday morning. The rules apply to activities involving any power tools, garden equipment, power model vehicles, and residential or commercial construction, repairs, or demolition.
The article notes that the proposed ordinance drew an objection from one resident, Thomas Farece. Farece said the restrictions would be difficult for working people, because they wouldn't be allowed to mow their lawns in the evening. He said, "I can understand people's concern about lawn mowers making noise but sometimes I don't have other alternatives. If you adopted a restrictive ordinance, it would force me to consider getting a lawn service."
PUBLICATION: Bangor Daily News
DATE: June 9, 1998
BYLINE: Dawn Gagnon
DATELINE: Bangor, Maine
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Representative Christina Baker; Senator Robert "Buddy" Murray
The Bangor Daily News reports that officials with the Maine Department of Transportation announced Monday that they will spend $200,000 for a noise barrier along the Interstate 95 Broadway exit in Bangor, Maine. The article says that the noise wall would be the first such wall in Maine. Previously, state policy didn't allow the state to construct noise mitigation projects on existing highways, the article notes.
According to the article, residents complained last fall about the traffic noise, telling state officials that the noise forced them to keep their windows closed, prevented them from enjoying their yards, porches and decks, affected their health, and caused their property values to drop. The state Department of Transportation (DOT) conducted noise tests last summer and found that noise levels in the neighborhood were about 70 decibels, slightly quieter than the limit set by the federal government for building a noise barrier on a new road project.
The article reports that the noise wall will run between I-95 and Fowler Avenue, from Lemist Street to Nowell Road, although the exact location has not yet been determined. Michael Burns, a DOT highway engineer, said the agency wants to get consensus from the neighborhood on building the noise wall. Burns said, "The DOT won't build something the neighborhood doesn't want." The article notes that the DOT's John Devin, who has been assigned to manage the project, also attended Monday's meeting.
The article explains that neighborhood residents need to agree on the type of noise wall they want, and its height and color, according to Devin. If funding permits, residents also may have to make decisions about landscaping. Devin showed residents sketches and blueprints he received from the Connecticut Department of Transportation, which has extensive experience in building noise walls. Devin suggested that the neighborhood consider a 20-foot-high timber wall composed of tongue and groove planking, similar to those used in Connecticut. The article reports that if residents come to a decision in July, the DOT will be able to complete the barrier by late fall. The DOT is planning to conduct a geotechnical or soil survey to determine if there is any ledge in the fence route, chart a route for the wall through a tangle of underground utility lines, and research rights of way and other legal issues.
The article also says that according to Devin and Burns, this is the DOT's first attempt at building a noise wall. Devin noted that the fence won't completely eliminate the noise problem, but will help residents in varying degrees depending on elevation. Meanwhile, Representative Christina Baker, who along with Senator Robert "Buddy" Murray helped residents get the project funded, said, "I'm impressed to know that this is the first noise barrier to be built in Maine."
PUBLICATION: Omaha World-Herald
DATE: June 9, 1998
SECTION: Sports; Pg. 21Sf
BYLINE: Stu Pospisil
DATELINE: Omaha, Nebraska
The Omaha World-Herald reports that developers of the Deer Creek subdivision in Omaha, Nebraska have purchased the Sunset Speedway at 114th and State Streets so that the presence of the track wouldn't deter residents from purchasing the upscale homes. The racetrack will close after its racing season in 2000, and owners expect to relocate the track to a new site.
According to the article, the Deer Creek subdivision is a 600-acre proposed development with 626 housing lots, most of them bordering an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course. Developer Dan Livingston of CBS Real Estate said, "We felt it was very important to the future of our development that everyone looking at a lot ... would know that an agreement had been made. The upscale housing and the noise on Sunday nights would not have mixed." Livingston added, "I also wanted to be sure, of course, because Sunset Speedway has been so important to racing in this area for such a long time, that Sunset Speedway would continue. That was very, very important to our agreement to get that done."
The article reports that neither Livingston or Sunset Speedway owners Craig Kelley and his mother Sharon would disclose the settlement price. The Kelleys will retain their ownership of the 40-acre site for future development or sale, and also will retain the track's equipment for use at a new site. Craig Kelley said, "[Deer Creek] is very good for our land values and for the residents of northwest Omaha who are adjacent to our facility. They have been very, very patient over the years with our three to four hours a week of noise. This benefits not only my family, but the residents out here and the future residents of Deer Creek."
The article says that Sharon Kelley plans to retire as Sunset's president after the 2000 season, and Craig Kelley said, "I fully intend, if everything works out, to move Sunset Speedway, our NASCAR sanction, and our Sunday night race night to another location to continue our tradition." Kelley said he wants to relocate the racetrack to a 150-acre site "that's fairly secluded and away from future homeowner problems," and within a 15- to 20-mile radius of Omaha.
PUBLICATION: The Tennessean
DATE: June 9, 1998
SECTION: Local, Pg. 1B
BYLINE: Leon Alligood
DATELINE: Clarksville, Tennessee
The Tennessean reports that plans for a subdivision near the Fort Campbell Military Reservation near Clarksville, Tennessee have been scuttled due to concerns about noise from the Sabre Army Heliport and other reasons. Developers say that Army officials did not raise noise concerns until they already had invested money in roads and other infrastructure for the subdivision. Now, developers believe they have no alternative but to sell the land to the Army, but say they stand to lose millions on the deal.
According to the article, Billy Hughes, Jessie Burney, and Bric McIntosh, whose company is called Synergy Group, wanted to build a subdivision with 282 homes on the southeastern edge of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). According to Hughes, the company proceeded cautiously with their plans, getting preliminary approval from the Clarksville-Montgomery County Regional Planning Commission, Realtors, bankers, and the Army. The article says that although the final approval from the planning commission was several months away, Synergy Group proceeded with building roads, a bridge, and more than two miles of sewer and water lines.
But in October, the article reports, the planning commission turned down Synergy's request for final approval, saying that an expansion of nearby Sabre Army Heliport would produce noise levels that would be disruptive in a residential area. The article notes that later, Army officials would give other reasons why they opposed the project.
The article says that the developers now rue the day they got involved in the project. Hughes said, "We've got roads that go nowhere, lots that nobody will ever live on, and we're paying $12,000 in interest to the bank each month for land that is worthless to us." According to the developers, Army officials at Fort Campbell had second thoughts about the subdivision's proximity to Sabre Army Heliport, one of the busiest aviation sites in the state. There were 76,800 chopper operations at the heliport in 1997, the article notes. But, developers say, only after the site had been under development for seven months did Fort Campbell officials raise concerns about excessive helicopter noise levels, a proposed expansion of the heliport, and whether lights from the subdivision would interfere with night-vision goggle training for pilots.
Meanwhile, Major Bill Buckner, a spokesperson for Fort Campbell, said in a written statement, "Fort Campbell officials discussed with the Synergy Group the proposed expansion of Sabre Army Heliport and the potential impact on any developments in the area. Fort Campbell has always been concerned with potential development and its compatibility with training."
The article reports that Synergy developers say the Army post's strategic planning office did inform them that the proposed subdivision fell into a moderate noise zone, requiring the developers to install insulated windows in the homes. And, developers agreed not to build on three lots closest to the post boundary in case the land would be in the path of one of the heliport's landing zones. But otherwise, developers say, Fort Campbell officials said nothing negative about the development. Developers point to a July 1997 article in Clarksville's The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper in which Larry Martin, of the post's strategic planning office, said that establishing a dialogue with Synergy early in the planning "helped us to be able to look to the future and solve things before they become problems."
The article goes on to explain that according to Hughes, noise from a proposed new runway was not raised as an issue until the planning commission's decision in October. David Riggans, the planning commission's chair, said in a letter to Synergy that high noise levels from a new heliport runway would probably affect much of the proposed subdivision. Consequently, the final plat approval on the project was denied. The article notes that in December 1997, Army specialists conducted noise tests that determined noise levels in the proposed subdivision would be moderate. But, they determined, homeowners probably would complain about the constant noise. Then, in February, the project earned final plat approval from the planning commission, but by then the developers had learned that the Department of Veterans Affairs mortgage program would not extend loans to prospective residents because of the helicopter noise. Hughes said, "That pretty much killed it right there, because the whole subdivision was aimed at building homes for families on the base. Plus every Realtor in the county knows the kinds of problems that have come up and they wouldn't touch it."
But developers say that the Army's greatest slip-up was not realizing initially how the subdivision could effect night-vision training. The article explains that pilots at the post routinely train for flying night-vision goggle missions, which involve using low light levels to see at night and fly close to the ground. Samuel Johnson, the deputy garrison commander, sent a February 19 letter to the planning commission saying there were "serious concerns about night-vision goggle training that had not previously been considered." Johnson also noted that studies showed "the impact of light generated from the proposed development of 282 homes would most likely preclude any NVG training at Sabre Army Heliport. Continued encroachment by the community could result in the airfield only being used during hours when it doesn't interfere with community activities, effectively reducing mission-essential helicopter training."
The article goes on to say that the developers now are stuck with interest payments on their $1.48 million construction loan. The Army has said it will buy the land, but according to Lloyd Foe, head of the real estate division for the Louisville District of the Corps of Engineers which acts as the real estate agent for the Army, the government would pay only for the land and infrastructure investments, not for the income Synergy wouldn't realize from lot sales. Hughes said his company will lose more than $7 million on the deal. He said, "It was their mistake and they should pay for it. All we're saying is these concerns should have come up long before we spent one dime."
PUBLICATION: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
DATE: June 8, 1998
SECTION: West Post, Pg. 1
BYLINE: Barb Depalma
DATELINE: Wildwood, Missouri
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Planning and Zoning Commission in Wildwood, Missouri is considering a plan to re-zone 18 acres of land from residential to commercial use, paving the way for a shopping center at Highways 100 and 109. But residents attending a meeting of the commission said they opposed the project because it would increase noise and traffic, and destroy the green space and rural atmosphere of the town.
According to the article, residents said the plan for a shopping center would not comply with the comprehensive Town Center plan, which was designed to create a balance between growth and lifestyles. One of residents' key concerns, the article says, was the potential for a sharp increase in traffic and noise along Highways 109 and 100. In response to residents' concerns, planning commission members agreed to have noise and traffic studies conducted to determine what the project's effect would be on nearby neighborhoods. Residents also said they didn't want to sacrifice the rural feeling of their homes and were willing to drive a few extra miles to other towns for shopping areas. Resident Jim Sapp said, "I bought a home in Wildwood because it was an area filled with a lot of trees and green spaces. I've made a big investment in my home, and I based my buying decision on the fact that I was told the area would retain its natural beauty." Resident Tom Mulhall said, "I moved to Wildwood because it was a different suburb. It was a place to get away from the hectic, commercialized type of living we see in some other municipalities. For the Planning and Zoning Commission to pursue this plan is going contrary to what I thought Wildwood stood for, and I am totally against this development." Another resident, Patty Presnell, said that she didn't believe the developer's promise to build a shopping center that was compatible with the neighborhood's atmosphere. She said, "How can you create a neighborhood environment while you are destroying our neighborhoods with two-story buildings?"
Meanwhile, Randy Gadell of Paramount Environments Inc., the developers, said developers wanted to build a shopping center that made both residents and customers happy. He said, "Our intent is to do a quality job and create something that Wildwood will be proud of. Since this is one of the first developments Wildwood is considering, we want to make sure it meets the Town Center plan. Most of the people involved in this project live out here, so we also want it to be high quality." Don Bowers, of Bowers Property Ltd., argued that the site had been slated for commercial development for more than 20 years. He said, "We are committed to bring forward a quality project, and we are making a financial commitment to allow a classy development to come to your area. For the Town Center plan to be successful, someone has to build the infrastructure. The developers will do that. For Town Center to succeed, developers will have to come."
The article reports that Barbara Foy, a City Councilor, said she was concerned about the current proposed plan because several buildings did not comply with the guidelines of the Town Center plan. Foy also said that because this was the first large commercial development being considered in Wildwood, officials should ensure that it met all requirements of the master plan and the residents. She said, "While the plan calls for some commercial development on this corner, I feel strongly that because of the sheer size and scale of this development, we should ask that it strictly conform to the Town Center plan." Planning Commission member Richard Archeski said that there would be many public hearings scheduled on the project, and encouraged residents to stay involved. He said, "This is at a major intersection. If you look at the other two corners, this development will be massive. Perhaps this developer should come in with a plan for a more subtle development. However, this will be high-quality development, and we need to look at possible alternatives...."
PUBLICATION: The Daily News of Los Angeles
DATE: June 7, 1998
SECTION: News, Pg. N1
BYLINE: Terri Hardy
DATELINE: Los Angeles, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Kim Gustovich, audiologist, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
The Daily News of Los Angeles reports that the Los Angeles (California) Unified School District is using funds from Proposition BB to install air conditioners in schools that exceed the maximum noise levels set by the district. According to the article, the school district resisted efforts to allow experienced companies do the work, approved purchasing air conditioning units that exceed noise limits, and insisted that units be mounted rigidly against walls, which increases noise. Officials from the school district acknowledge the problem, but said they overlooked the noise issues in order to get air conditioning in the schools as soon as possible. So far, about 3,300 air conditioning units have been installed, most of them in San Fernando Valley schools. The district is not yet taking steps to remediate the situation, and installation of the noisy units continues.
The article reports that the $2.4 billion Proposition BB bond issue won support last year partly because the school district promised to quickly air condition the schools, particularly in the hot San Fernando Valley. Officials from the school district insisted that they should control the air conditioning installation program instead of an experienced management company hired to oversee the work. At the same time, the school district resisted efforts by major utilities to do the project quickly. Steve Soboroff, a senior aide to Mayor Richard Riordan and chair of the Proposition BB Citizens Oversight Committee, said committee members long predicted that the school district was ensuring poor work in its hurry to get the work done. Soboroff said, "My worst fears have been confirmed. We are not going to tolerate children sitting in classrooms that are too noisy, with air conditioning that is inefficient." He added, "People should be outraged that this was allowed to happen. The Valley has every right to be upset -- they got stuck with an inferior product."
Meanwhile, the article says, Eric Nasarenko, a spokesperson for the school district, said of the district's actions, "We had to think of the kids." He added that the school district bought the best units available at the time. "There was nothing that was quieter," he said. Officials are considering several ways to quiet the classrooms, he said. Julie Korenstein, the Board of Education President, said she wants an investigation, adding, "whatever we have to do to correct the problem, we'll do."
According to the article, school district officials have known about the problem since April, but school board members and Proposition BB committee members didn't learn about the problem until a contractor blew the whistle on the situation. Keith Henderson, president of Crow Creek Construction, said although the school district likely will never hire him again, he was concerned about the school district's lack of effort to solve the problem. He said, "The bottom line is, I wouldn't want my own kid in one of those classrooms with that excessive noise." Meanwhile, officials with the school district said since they learned about the problem in April, they have been meeting with manufacturers to discuss remedies. Still, the article says, the installation project continues.
The article explains that most of the noisy air conditioners were installed in San Fernando Valley schools. Work at 18 schools in the Valley has been completed and is under way at an additional 81.
On Wednesday, the Proposition BB committee is expected to vote on a resolution calling for an investigation into the quality and efficiency of the units, how problems happened, and what needs to be done to correct them, according to Soboroff. He added that he has asked Beth Louargand, general manager of facilities for the school district, to attend the meeting, because she is responsible for the air conditioning work that has gone on to date. Louargand refused to be interviewed for this story, the article notes. Soboroff said he hopes that the revelations with the problems will help finalize a deal with Pacific Gas & Electric and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to install central air conditioning on a fast track.
Although school district officials said they purchased the quietest wall unit air conditioners available, industry experts say there are quieter options, including roof units that meet district noise standards but cost about as much as wall units, and central air, which is quieter but can be more expensive. Nasarenko of the school district said officials rejected roof units because they wanted to avoid possible problems with roof leaks or asbestos removal, but he admitted that the wall units were chosen mainly because they could be installed speedily. He said, "All the alternatives were unacceptable, given the onset of summer and the hot months."
The article goes on to explain that the school district's own noise standards are set at 52 decibels for classrooms. The wall unit air conditioners purchased by the school district operated at 58 decibels and above, which officials were aware of, but contractors were instructed to make the units function at no louder than 50 decibels.
In April, educators at some schools started to complain. The article reports that noise tests taken May 13 at Knollwood Elementary School in Northridge found that noise levels from Sun Manufacturing air conditioners reached 62 decibels in one room. Howard Wells, chief executive officer of Sun Manufacturing, said that about a month ago he tested his units in six Valley schools and found levels of between 54.2 and 58 decibels. He said, "The district was not happy with the results." But Nasarenko of the school district downplayed the test results, saying initially high readings often can be lowered when air flow is adjusted.
The article points out that according to Kim Gustovich, an audiologist at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, noise levels such as those found in the classrooms would not be physically damaging, but would make learning difficult. Gustovich said, "There would be problems with understanding what the teacher is saying. It could definitely interfere with learning."
According to Henderson of Crow Creek Construction, the school district's hurry to get the job done has led to poor design. Henderson said when his crew looked at plans for work at Knollwood and Sepulveda Middle School in North Hills, they knew there would be major problems. The article says that the plans called for the air conditioners to be installed rigidly against the wall, instead of using a rubber buffer. Henderson said, "We said again and again that there was going to be a sound problem but the district said this is what we want. We had no control." Henderson said he purchased rubber buffers anyway, but was told he couldn't use them by an official from CRSS Constructors Inc., a construction management company overseeing the work. But Jon Danielson, a CRSS project manager, said Friday that no one from his company told Henderson he could not use the buffers. Wells of Sun Manufacturing said he too suggested to school district officials that they should use rubber buffers months ago, but Wells said, "They told me that the use of isolators had not been approved by some committee." Nasarenko of the school district said that top district officials did not remember Wells making any recommendation about the buffers.
Henderson also said that there were design problems with the projects because engineers who drew up the plans apparently didn't visit the sites. The article says that according to Henderson, at Sepulveda Middle School, a duct to be installed was much too large for the space available, and the plans did not reflect the earthquake retrofitting work done at the school. At Knollwood Elementary School, air conditioning units to be installed in a two-story building were the wrong size. In addition to such design problems, Henderson and others say that the units installed are too large for the space. Henderson said each unit alone could cool an average-size house. Because of this, the units probably will continuously cycle on and off, causing "huge" electricity bills, maintenance problems, and additional noise.
Meanwhile, the article says, Nasarenko of the school district said manufacturers' contracts stipulated that they would return and install insulation if the units were too loud, without additional cost to the school district. Later, Nasarenko said that the contract was not specific, but that manufacturers were expected to return and "do whatever they could to bring decibel levels to 50" at their expense. But Wells of Sun Manufacturing said there was no such agreement, and that any remediation work would have to be paid for by the school district. Wells also warned that the solution cannot rely too heavily on sound insulation, because too much insulation would stifle air flow and create a potential for carbon monoxide poisoning.
PUBLICATION: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
DATE: June 7, 1998
SECTION: Real Estate Pg. 11
BYLINE: Paul Zielbauer
DATELINE: U.S.
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Donna Wayner, director, Hearing Center at Albany Medical Center
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that this year, Americans will purchase more than 22 million gas-powered lawn and garden tools -- a record number, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The article says large lawn tools, purchased and used by men, has become a social phenomenon of the 1990s suburbs. But, the article says, the large lawn tools produce excessive noise and air pollution.
According to the article, only a few years ago, a 4.5-horsepower lawnmower seemed good enough for many. But not anymore, the article says. Now, suburban men want mowers with 8 horsepower engines and up to six gears. Bill Redmond, president and chief executive of Garden Way Inc., the manufacturer of Troy-Bilt lawn mowers, admitted, "This is a very testosterone-driven business." Most lawn mower customers are men, he said, and most like to brag about the size and power of their lawn tools. "To some people," Redmond said, "this is almost recreational and a toy."
But, the article says, the macho lawn tools are creating ear-battering noise and noxious smog. The article notes that the two-stroke leaf-blowers and the $6,000, Buick-size riding mowers have transformed some suburbs into noise theaters. Leaf-blowers are the biggest problem, the article says, and some cities and towns have banned them. In Los Angeles, the article says, police get 21 complaints a day, and leaf blowing can get you a $271 fine.
Donna Wayner, director of the Hearing Center at Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York, said that people who mow enough lawns without ear protection will damage their hearing. She said, "Many times, people won't know that they're doing damage. Then all of a sudden they realize, 'Gee, I'm not hearing as well as I had been.' The tragic part is you can't undo it." Wayner studied college students in Chicago and found that a full summer of lawn mowing noticeably damaged their high-frequency hearing. According to Wayner, exposure to noise at or above 110 decibels, slightly louder than a 22cc weed whacker at full throttle, for more than one minute may cause hearing loss. In addition, prolonged exposure to 90 decibels or higher can damage hearing. An average lawn mower produces about 97 decibels, the article notes.
The article goes on to say that in addition to hearing loss, lawn tools contribute significantly to smog. Last year, America's lawn mowers, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers, weed cutters, and chain saws emitted 492,811 tons of ozone-forming hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, according to the EPA. Overall, these tools produced about 10% of the nation's airborne pollution, EPA officials said. Last September, EPA officials started enforcing the nation's first limits on emissions that are estimated to reduce small-engine hydrocarbons levels by 32%. Stricter measures, cutting the emissions by another 30%, will begin in 2001. Chain saws are the most polluting, the article notes, and lawn mowers aren't much better. An average new lawn mower will, after two years, create 34 times as many hydrocarbons as an average passenger car, according to the EPA. Instruction manuals for most new lawn tools warn customers: "Engine exhaust from this product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm."
But, the article concludes, none of the drawbacks of lawn tools have dissuaded Americans from purchasing bigger, noisier, and more polluting ones.
PUBLICATION: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
DATE: June 7, 1998
SECTION: Metro, Pg. W-5
BYLINE: Lynda Guydon Taylor
DATELINE: Peters Township, Pennsylvania
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: William and Chris Kail, Nick Nardine, residents
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that residents are objecting to a 24-hour gas station proposed for Route 19 in Peters Township, Pennsylvania, saying the development will create constant noise, traffic, and bright lighting near their homes.
According to the article, an Amoco gas station-convenience store-car wash is proposed by developer Khalid Chatta for the Route 19 commercial district. The gas station would be surrounded by other commercial uses. But behind the gas station are single-family homes, filled mostly with families, the article notes.
A similar conflict between a developer and residents occurred almost three years ago, the article says, when a developer wanted to build a 24-hour car wash at Route 19 and Maple Lane. In that case, the article reports, the developer abandoned his project because he was a local resident sensitive to the residents' complaints.
The article explains that the planning commission already has considered the development, and the council will not have to review it because it's a permitted use. But at a May 26 council meeting, residents complained about the development. Residents William and Chris Kail said additional traffic should not be added to Route 19. In addition, they said they were worried about all-night lighting and vacuum cleaner noise, adding that it would be difficult for police to monitor noise at 1 a.m. Another resident, Nick Nardine, said, "I too object to a gas station. Those 24-hour gas stations are bad news." He said the noise and lighting probably can't be controlled to the degree township officials say it can.
According to the article, Township Manager Michael Silvestri said township employees would have to monitor noise levels. Ed Zuk, the Planning Director, said the enclosed car wash wouldn't be able to be heard when the doors are closed, and vacuum cleaners would be barely audible from a distance of 70 feet, the distance of the nearest house. Zuk said township employees visited a similar site in Seven Fields to draw their conclusions. In addition, the article says, landscaping in back of the proposed development is intended to buffer noise.
Meanwhile, developer Chatta said he wants to be a good neighbor. He said, "As far as vacuum cleaners are concerned, who vacuums in the middle of the night?" Chatta also said he was "kind of shocked" to hear residents' concerns about additional traffic, because Route 19 already is full of traffic and the area is full of commercial uses. He said people would not go out of their way to go to the gas station, adding, "Whatever the traffic patterns are, I'm sure they're going to continue."
Zuk, the Planning Director, said in a related matter that the township intends to revise its comprehensive plan, which should give direction about how Route 19 should continue to develop. A map in the plan would lay out future land use, taking into consideration residential areas, environmental and farm preservation, and other factors. Zuk said strategies to reduce Route 19's impact on nearby residential areas will be an important part of the plan. Zuk added that the township hopes to hire a consultant to start the process in July, and that a residents' committee would be formed to assist in the plan revision process.
PUBLICATION: St. Petersburg Times
DATE: June 7, 1998
SECTION: Neighborhood Times; Pg. 1
BYLINE: Christina Headrick
DATELINE: St. Petersburg Beach, Florida
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Jim Myers, City Commissioner; Terence White, resident
The St. Petersburg Times reports that the City Commission in St. Petersburg Beach, Florida voted unanimously last week to toughen rules restricting nighttime noise. The ordinance changes were prompted by residents' complaints about noisy bars. The new ordinance is scheduled for final approval at the commission's June 16 meeting.
According to the article, conflicts over noise are common on the beaches where businesses and residential neighbors live close to each other. But the conflict has been especially lengthy between residents at the Silver Sands condominiums and the open-air Swigwam Beach Bar at Colonial Gateway Inn on Gulf Blvd. The article notes that since the beginning of 1997, the bar has been cited seven times for noise, most recently on May 25 at 6:30 p.m. Each citation carries a $500 fine, the article says. City Commissioner Jim Myers, who lives in Silver Sands condominiums, lobbied for the stronger noise rules. He said, "We hope that this is going to solve the problem" without being too restrictive to businesses. "If it doesn't work, then we could make it tougher."
The article says that the previous ordinance banned noise measuring 55 decibels or greater between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. that can be heard at residential property. The new ordinance stipulates that noise cannot measure more than 50 decibels at residential property between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. Violators who get four or more citations in two years will be fined $500 for each offense, and will lose their permit for outdoor entertainment for 30 days.
According to the article, City Commissioners told city staff they wanted to create a stricter noise ordinance about a month ago. But, police chief Charlie Boice tried to convince commissioners that the old ordinance was fair. Police officers played loud music outside City Hall and measured it with a decibel meter to illustrate what the restrictions on noise already were.
Residents of Silver Sands condominiums are happy about the new rules, the article reports. Resident Terence White said, "We've had this aggravation for so long. It's been going on for the last four or five years. It's made it hard to enjoy the privacy of our own homes. But it looks like we may finally get some relief from it."
Meanwhile, Chip Roehl, vice president of marketing for Shell's Seafood Restaurant Inc., which manages Swigwam, said the noise problem needs more research. Roehl had urged the city to hire an expert to determine how sound travels in the area, saying that Swigwam often gets blamed for loud music drifting over to the condominiums from Jimmy B's Beach Bar at the Days Inn. He said, "We've made great strides at controlling our noise levels. Yet, we've got someone just south of us who often has louder music. As sound travels, we don't know who's really the offending party. We generate $200,000 of sales tax for the community, and we try to support the community. We need the community to support us, too."
PUBLICATION: Sunday Telegram (Worcester, MA)
DATE: June 7, 1998
SECTION: Local News; Pg. B5
BYLINE: Karen Nugent
DATELINE: Lancaster, Massachusetts
The Sunday Telegram reports that the Zoning Board of Appeals in Lancaster, Massachusetts has upheld a March ruling by the city Building Inspector that the quarry owned by P.J. Keating Co. is violating town bylaws governing noise from blasting and truck traffic, and must be closed down. A cousin of the quarry owner last year asked the Building Inspector to issue a cease and desist order for noise at the quarry, after the cousin was denied a permit to open a competing quarry in the same area due to noise issues.
According to the article, the P.J. Keating Co.'s quarry on Lunenburg Road is operated and partially owned by John Keating. About 100 people, many of them employees of P.J. Keating Co., spoke in support of the appeal last month. At the hearing, John Keating said that his business depends upon the quarrying operation in Lancaster.
The article reports that Gwendolyn Ashley, chair of the Zoning Board, said the board voted 4-1 to deny granting an appeal of the order. The town's noise bylaw requires that noise, vibration, odor, and flashing are not observable within 40 feet of bordering properties, the article notes.
The article explains that the action against the quarry owners was brought by Paul Keating, a cousin of John Keating. Paul Keating was ousted from the long-time P.J. Keating family company in 1991 during bankruptcy proceedings, and currently the company is owned by John Keating and OldCastle, an Ireland company. OldCastle intends to buy out John Keating next year. But, when Paul Keating, now president of Leominster Materials Corp., attempted to locate a blacktop plant off Lunenburg Road about two miles from the quarry, he was thwarted by the town's noise bylaw. Last year, the Board of Health ruled that the proposal was a "noisome or nuisance trade" under state law. That decision is being appealed in Worcester Superior Court. Paul Keating said, "It was OldCastle's attorneys who recruited the Feens (the abutters who brought the appeal against Paul Keating's plant), and used them to bring this issue before the zoning board in OldCastle's interest. It is only fair that OldCastle should be held to the very same standard they themselves brought before the board."
PUBLICATION: The Orange County Register
DATE: June 11, 1998
SECTION: Community; Pg. 03
BYLINE: John Westcott
DATELINE: Newport Beach, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Don Gregory, member of Environmental Quality Affairs Committee
The Orange County Register reports California's Newport Beach City Council on Monday voted to strengthen code enforcement to monitor noise coming from bayfront eateries, and require acoustical studies for all future bayfront restaurants.
According to the article, the city will pay two police officers a total of $8,500 to $9,500 in overtime to keep noisy patrons in line when they travel between restaurants and bars on weekend nights. The moves followed complaints from Lido Isle and Cannery Village residents about restaurants that get too noisy at night, and late-night patrons who get too boisterous outside the establishments.
The article states one piece of the noise monitoring plan may not happen, however. The recommendations that came from the city's Environmental Quality Affairs Committee (EQAC) also called for restaurants and bars to provide private security on a voluntary basis to help control barhopping customers. But at least one business owner told city staff members he didn't think it would happen. Cannery Restaurant owner Bill Hamilton said that business has slowed, restaurants don't have the extra funds for private security, and fewer customers mean there isn't a need for it. In response, EQAC member Don Gregory said he feared the new measures wouldn't succeed without the private security. "This is an integral part of the program," he said. "I think there's got to be some teeth to this or we're going to revisit this over and over again. " But, city officials said there was no way to force restaurants to provide private security, and the best the city could do was encourage it.
PUBLICATION: The Pantagraph (Bloomington, IL)
DATE: June 10, 1998
SECTION: News; Pg. A4
BYLINE: Greg Stanmar
DATELINE: Streator, Illinois
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Myrna Alberts, resident
The Pantagraph reports that the Plan Commission in Streator, Illinois on Tuesday decided to table a proposed noise ordinance for further study. The decision came after two city councilors said they did not support the ordinance. The city manager drafted the noise ordinance, the article explains, but was held up in traffic in St. Louis and was not able to attend Tuesday's meeting to explain and defend the ordinance.
According to the article, Don Crawford, the City Manager, said the proposed ordinance was based on a similar ordinance in DeKalb. Crawford phoned city attorney Jerry Drendel before Tuesday's meeting and said that the ordinance was only a starting point for commissioners to begin studying a code that would be appropriate for Streator.
Meanwhile, the article says, City Councilor Ray Schmitt said, "I can tell you this is not going to get the support of the council. It's too hard on the industry we're trying to keep." Under the proposed ordinance, he said, factories would not be able to run their exhaust systems. City Councilor Dave Reed said the provision in the ordinance against idling trucks would not impact his snack food delivery job, but it might impact work for drivers of larger trucks that have to stay in one location for a longer period of time. He said, "Courtesy should cover it. But if it doesn't then maybe we need an ordinance."
Bob Haughtigan, the Police Chief, said police officers now use ordinances from several different sources, and he would like to see one comprehensive noise ordinance passed. But, he added, the proposed ordinance should be simplified. Officers could more easily use a two-page ordinance, similar to an ordinance in Kankakee, rather than the current proposed seven-page ordinance. The Police Chief also complained that the proposed ordinance had too many definitions.
The article reports that the most vocal audience member at Tuesday's meeting was resident Myrna Alberts, who said an ordinance was needed to control noise from bars near residential areas. She said when she moved onto Oakley Avenue, she heard chirping birds, but now all she hears is "the dumping of beer bottles into a dumpster."
PUBLICATION: Deutsche Presse-Agentur
DATE: June 13, 1998
SECTION: International News
DATELINE: Innsbruck, Austria
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Transitforum Austria Tirol
The Deutsche Presse-Agentur reports that about 4,000 demonstrators shut down the Brenner Pass Friday, June 10 in protest against European Union policies that keep all highways open to huge trucks. Austrians are fed up with the noise and fumes of 1.2 million trucks using the pass each year. According to the article that number is a 50 percent increase since 1990 and is due to increased cross-border trade that is in line with European Union policies.
According to the article the Alps are a huge natural barrier with only a few gaps for snow-free roads. And the 1,371-metre-high Brenner Pass, is the lowest and most convenient route between Munich, Germany and Verona, Italy.
The article indicated that a few dozen anti-noise demonstrators continued to block the pass into Saturday morning, putting up with the cold night around campfires and in tents.
Approximately 60 campaigners stayed past midnight in protest against the European Union truck policies. A half dozen police were deployed to keep an eye on the overnighters and enforce an alcohol ban.
The article reported that during the earlier action on Friday protestors swarmed onto the highway in pouring rain. The action forced Austrian highway police to place concrete barriers across the E45 motorway to divert traffic to exit ramps and away from protesters. Radio traffic announcements across Europe warned motorists to steer clear of the pass.
The highway remained shut till 3 p.m. Saturday. Further east, protesters blocked the southbound E56 for 15 minutes every hour on the hour where the pass ascends from Salzburg via the Tauern Pass.
According to the article, the protest group, Transitforum Austria Tirol, wants heavy taxes slapped on foreign trucks to deter them from crossing Austria. Switzerland, which is not a European Union member, has banned all trucks weighing over 28 tons, the article said but the European Union opposes such limits.
PUBLICATION: Kennebec Journal
DATE: June 13, 1998
SECTION: Local; Pg. 14
BYLINE: Tom Frey
DATELINE: Readfield, Maine
The Kennebec Journal reports that residents went against their selectmen's recommendation and voted to pass a noise ordinance at a recent town meeting in Readfield. According to the article, the ordinance sets standards for reviewing noise complaints from new development. The selectmen felt the ordinance was unnecessary and further inhibited development in the town.
Planning board members however, disagreed saying the standards are needed because adverse impacts from noise is a mandated part of their review criteria and there are no standards now. Code Enforcement Officer Clifford Buuck is quoted saying, "I'm the one who gets the noise complaints. (The town) either needs to remove the noise (matter) from the planning board criteria or set guidelines for noise."
The article reports on three other ordinances that were altered at the same town meeting. They include the land-use ordinance, ordinances to regulate telecommunication towers and modifications to the waste-disposal and recycling ordinance.
PUBLICATION: Special to the Journal Sentinel
DATE: June 12, 1998
SECTION: Ozaukee Washington Pg. 2
BYLINE: Jacqueline Seibel
DATELINE: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that private property owners have threatened to sue the Town Board for its decision to stop construction of a private go-cart track.
According to the article, three brothers from the Zignego family started the building adventure, which includes a 685-foot concrete oval track on their land on the east side of Highway K. The family, which owns Zignego Ready Mix Inc. and Zignego Co. of Waukesha was told by the town's zoning administrator that the track was permitted last December. They began construction of the track in April until town officials who said the go-cart track wasn't an accepted use for the land and halted it.
The article reports that Zignego family's attorney, Kristin Schelwat, communicated that the family was willing to make concessions. For example, they were willing to put a berm near the track to cut down the noise from the track, which would be 400 feet from Highway K. They also agreed to guarantee that only family members and invited guests would use the track and then only during the daytime.
But Supervisor Don Strobel said the Zignegos' offer of concessions was unreasonable. "To make concessions for something that's illegal to start with give me a break," the paper said quoting Strobel's words.
Other supervisors - Richard Michaels and Ron Okonek - said they would consider allowing the track if it were presented before the plan Commission and done with a conditional use permit.
The article reported that neighbors spoke in opposition to the track at the Thursday meeting. Cheryl Koch, a resident, questioned who would act on noise complaints if the track were allowed. The article quoted Koch anticipating that "It will be my word against theirs. That ain't going to work."
PUBLICATION: The Orange County Register
DATE: June 12, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Pg. B01
BYLINE: David Parrish
DATELINE: Irvine, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Christina Shea, Mayor of Irvine, California
The Orange County Register reports that commercial jetliner flight demonstrations have been scheduled for October at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station to show the public what noise would be like if the military base were converted to an international airport.
Two million dollars has been set aside to pay for the demonstrations which will take place over a period of two days- one on a weekday and one on a weekend. According to Courtney Wiercioch, the manager of the county's El Toro reuse project, the arrangement is intended to allow for takeoff and landing noise levels to be assessed at schools and businesses during the week, and at residences on the weekend.
The article reports that noise is the primary concern of south-county residents who oppose converting the base into a commercial airport when it closes in July 1999.
Irvine Mayor Christina Shea, an El Toro airport opponent, said the communities would welcome fair demonstrations. But a handful of flights over a couple of days won't replicate the frequency expected for takeoffs and landings. "We want exactly what we would experience, and that would be one flight every minute for four to five hours," the article said quoting Shea.
The type of jetliners to be used in the demonstration has not been determined, but would be representative of planes that would use El Toro, Wiercioch said.
The demonstration is supposed to be conducted by planes representative of the different types of aircraft that would be used if the airport were converted, the article says. Wiercicoch is noted saying she would like to use at least three different aircraft for arrivals and departures during the demonstration but doing so would require more extensive tests and would be too expensive. Instead, Wiercicoch is quoted saying, "[t]his [demonstration] will be a snapshot of, for example, what a (Boeing) 757 fully loaded going to New York would sound like."
Approval for the tests must also be secured from the Marine Corps and the Federal Aviation Administration.
A map, a chart, and a graph are also included with the publication of this article. The map includes noise contours for the proposed commercial airport at El Toro. The chart shows the approximate distance between the nearest home and a runway of John Wayne Airport, LAX and proposed El Toro. The graph provides the decibel levels for takeoff noise of selected aircraft.
PUBLICATION: Sun-Sentinel
DATE: June 12, 1998
SECTION: Community Close-Up, Pg. 3
BYLINE: Merle Augustin
DATELINE: Boynton, Florida and Ocean Ridge, Florida
The Sun-Sentinel reports that residents living at Ocean Ridge complain they have gotten little sleep for the last 1 1/2 years due to the amplified music that plays at the Banana Boat Restaurant located across from the Intracoastal Waterway in Boynton Beach. Restaurant owners, Tom Blum and John Therien, are looking into the issue and have said they will monitor the noise levels when bands play Thursday through Sunday evenings.
According to the article, residents from the surrounding areas say the noise is "driving them batty". "This noise we are talking about is more than a little music in the background. Even when I am inside my house with the windows and hurricane shutters down, I can still hear it," the article said quoting resident, Korrine Postma.
The popular 20-year-old restaurant did not violate Boynton's noise ordinance the article said. The town's code enforcement supervisor, Scott Blasie, stated that that random monitoring from the Ocean Ridge shows that the restaurant's noise levels at around 55 decibels. However, an Ocean Ridge resident said he gets readings of 55 to 60 decibels. The noise ordinance restricts acceptable noise levels between 55 and 60 decibels.
Attorneys from the towns of Boynton and Ocean Ridge are considering whether the noise level should be measured from another location -such as the Intracoastal - for a more accurate reading.
In the meanwhile Banana Boat's owners will continue to monitor noise at their restaurant and Boynton's code enforcement officers will continue to do random checks.
PUBLICATION: The Orange County Register
DATE: June 10, 1998
SECTION: News; Pg. A01
BYLINE: Brady Rhoades
DATELINE: Orange County, California
The Orange County Register reports that Judge Robert E. Thomas is scheduled to rule on the validity of Orange County's noise restrictions at a hearing June 30. The ruling will be made in relation to Pacific Amphitheater, a 18,500-seat venue owned by the Orange County Fair.
According to the article residents living near the fair have complained about noise at the amphitheater since the first concert featuring Barry Manilow in 1983. The amphitheater at that time was owned by Nederlander Organization. It was sold to the Orange County Fair for $12.5 million in 1993.
The fair realized it would be unable to stage concerts after its purchase due to the noise restrictions, the article said. So the fair filed a civil suit against the seller, Nederlander, in 1995 alleging Nederlander had defrauded them. That matter has now been settled with the Orange County Fair receiving a $16 million settlement. (Fair officials alleged the Nederlander Organization wrote sound restrictions into the sale agreement to eliminate the venue as a competitor of Irvine Meadows, which is operated by Nederlander.)
But for residents living near the amphitheater, nothing is settled, the article says. They complained about head-splitting concerts from 1983 to 1993 and they don't want them to reoccur. The article quoted Ada Kersch, for example, who lives five blocks from the amphitheater, "I would absolutely collapse and die if the noise restrictions are lifted."
According to the article Richard Spix, an attorney who has represented some of the homeowners, said settlement the fair received is twice as much as would be required to cover the amphitheater with a dome.
A dome, however, is not likely, the article said, referring to comments made by Jill Lloyd. "We feel confident we can work out this sound problem," Lloyd said.
The article provides an internet site for viewing a video of the sound system additions made at the amphitheater a few years ago, by the Orange County NewsChannel: www.ocregister.com
PUBLICATION: Orange County Register
DATE: June 10, 1998
SECTION: News; Pg. A11
BYLINE: Brady Rhoades
DATELINE: Orange County, California
Orange County Register reports that residents are worried about the $16 million settlement won by the Orange County Fair in a dispute over its purchase of the Pacific Amphitheater.
The amphitheater was sold to the County Fair by Nederlander. But fair officials said the Nederlander Organization wrote noise restrictions into the sale agreement that rendered the amphitheater useless.
June 30 is the day they are waiting for. That's the day Judge Robert E. Thomas is expected to rule on noise levels for the amphitheater. Fair officials are hoping for leniency, the residents want assurance that noise levels won't exceed 50 decibels.
One of the residents quoted in the article is Ada Kersch, 67. The article states that Kersch remembers when her granddaughter couldn't sleep because the noise was too loud. And she has relished five years of silence in her home on Salvador Street. "It's been heaven," the paper said quoting Kersch.
Chuck Huddleston, a resident who has owned his home at Princeton and Fairview for 14 years, was noted saying that there wouldn't be many complaints if loud entertainers such as heavy metal and rap are not booked. "They had Frank Sinatra there once, and I couldn't hear him," the article said quoting Huddleston.
Fair officials are quoted in the article saying the residents do not need to worry, "If the noise restrictions inside the amphitheater are lifted, the fair will still ensure that noise levels are not too high." Jill Lloyd, a spokesperson for the fair is also quoted saying, "We don't intend to come in and turn up the volume. We don't want to go back to all those problems, and we want to stay out of litigation."
Even if the judge rules in favor of lifting restrictions on June 30, that doesn't mean concerns will resume this summer. According to the article, Lloyd believed that "It's so close to fair time, I don't think anyone's thinking about it."
Neighbors remember times past when artists such as Andrew Dice Clay and Queen Latifah performed, and risqué language echoed through their homes. Neighbors also remember when Nederlander Organization handed over the right to enforce the sound covenant to them in 1993 to avoid further litigation.
Thirty-nine homeowners filed a class-action lawsuit against Nederlander and the fair. Their attorney said the fair should build a dome over the amphitheater at an approximate cost of $8 million. If it doesn't build a dome over the 18,500-seat concert venue, and if noise restrictions are lifted, homeowners will be the ones who suffer, the article said, referring to Spix's remarks.
The class-action law was brought in 1984, seeking relief from concert noise. A judge ruled in 1987 that the amphitheater could not exceed 50 decibels for 30 minutes. More stringent noise restrictions inside the amphitheater were included in the 1993 sale agreement.
PUBLICATION: The Orange County Roster
DATE: June 8, 1998
SECTION: Metro; Pg. B03
BYLINE: Terri Hardy
DATELINE: Los Angeles, California
The Orange County Roster reports that air conditioners installed in classrooms are operating above maximum noise levels set by the school district. The noise problem was caused in part by improper installation by city school officials and may take decades to correct. In the meantime, audiologists say noise levels such as those found recently in LAUSD classrooms may make learning difficult.
According to the article, the air conditioners were purchased from the $2.4 billion Proposition BB bond funds and installed under the supervision of the city school officials. The bond issues won support at least in part because the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) vowed it would quickly cool the schools, especially in the San Fernando Valley, where temperatures can rise above 100 degrees.
But according to the article the LAUSD resisted efforts to allow experienced companies to do the work and ended up approving purchases of units that exceed the district's own maximum noise standards. District officials also insisted that units be mounted rigidly against walls - contrary to the instructions from contractors and manufacturers, the article said. The faulty mounting has caused walls and windows to reverberate loudly in some classrooms and prompted complaints at several schools. The article stated that the problem could be difficult and expensive to correct in the San Fernando Valley, where most of the air conditions were installed and it may linger for decades.
The article reiterated several times that district officials had insisted on controlling the program. They pushed aside an experienced management company hired to oversee work and fended off efforts by major utilities to do the project quickly.
Steve Soboroff, a senior aide to Mayor Richard Riordan and chairman of the Proposition BB Citizens Oversight Committee was quoted extensively in the article. Soboroff said the committee had long predicted that the district's haste to hand out bids would ensure slapdash work. "People should be outraged that this was allowed to happen. The Valley has every right to be upset - they got stuck with an inferior product." "Whoever is responsible should be fired," the article said quoting Soboroff's words.
The article quoted Soboroff further saying, "My worst fears have been confirmed. We are not going to tolerate children sitting in classrooms that are too noisy, with air conditioning that is inefficient."
According to the article LAUSD officials recognize the problems and explained that they overlooked the noise in order to cool the schools as quickly as possible. How many of the 3,300 units installed are too noisy - or how much it will cost to correct is not yet known, the article said.
District spokesperson, Eric Nasarenko is quoted saying, "We had to think of the kids. We're well aware of concerns related to air conditioning." The district is looking at several ways to quiet classrooms the paper said.
An audiologist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Kim Gustovich, said noise levels such as those found recently in LAUSD classrooms, while not physically damaging, "could definitely interfere with learning."
PUBLICATION: Public Record-Palm Desert
DATE: June 12, 1998
SECTION: Vol 22; No 24; Pg 1
BYLINE: Stephanie Slahor
DATELINE: Rancho Mirage; California
The Public Record-Palm Desert reports June 8 marked the start of an expansion project at California's Palm Springs Regional Airport. Palm Springs' Director of Transportation, Al Smoot, explained to a group the benefits the expansion will provide. He also outlined noise mitigation efforts that are included in the expansion.
According to the article, expansion will benefit passengers, airlines, and the airport's coffers, said Smoot. Smoot, the guest speaker at a meeting of the Palm Springs Lions Club at the Spa Hotel, stressed that "no general fund and no taxpayer money" goes to the airport. "It pays its way entirely." The project will have a new concourse with eight gates and bridges to aircraft that will benefit handicapped users of the building, and will create quicker turnover of aircraft for the airlines, saving an average of 12 minutes.
The article reports along with the $20 million terminal construction and a $6 million runway expansion, noise mitigation measures are underway. A portion of north Farrell Drive will be relocated to keep "clear zones" in the neighborhoods close to the airport's north side; the s-curve near the Warner Cable building will be eliminated; and a portion of Farrell Drive will be widened to four lanes and include curbs and gutters. A noise berm will to be placed on Vista Chino and expansion of the existing westerly noise wall will cut airport noise. Federal money is available for noise insulation in homes north of the airport. Smoot reported that 10 homes have already been insulated. When winds are less than three knots, pilots are encouraged to use the southeast approach so that the northwest approach does not bear all the noise, all the time.
The article states the current lineup of airlines will remain about the same, said Smoot, but when the new season begins, more flights will be added. But there are no plans to bring 747s to the airport. "The turning radius is too tight," Smoot assured his listeners. Smoot said the addition of a U.S. Customs Officer at the airport has increased corporate aircraft activity. In the past, such flights had to clear customs San Diego or Los Angeles. Last month, 60 corporate flights were cleared as compared to 20 when the office first began. Smoot said corporate representatives are known to "spend three times what the ordinary tourist spends" in Palm Springs.
PUBLICATION: The Pantagraph
DATE: June 10, 1998
SECTION: News; Pg. A4
BYLINE: Greg Stanmar
DATELINE: Streator, Illinois
The Pantagraph reports that a noise ordinance was introduced to the Plan Commission in Streator, Illinois on Tuesday night. The commission decided to table the measure for further study.
According to the article the ordinance, drafted by City Manager Don Crawford, was modeled after an ordinance in effect in DeKalb, Illinois. The article said that Crawford had delivered the seven-page draft before leaving for Missouri but was unable to attend the meeting when he was held up in St. Louis traffic.
Crawford reportedly phoned city attorney Jerry Drendel before the meeting to clarify that the draft ordinance was only a starting place for the commission to begin its study.
The article quotes several councilpersons and city officials who discussed the draft at the meeting. Councilperson Ray Schmitt was quoted saying, "I can tell you this is not going to get the support of the council. It's too hard on the industry we're trying to keep." He said factories would not be able to run their exhaust systems under the ordinance.
The paper noted that Police Chief Bob Haughtigan believes there is need for one code, as opposed to having several ordinances located in different sources. The proposed ordinance "needs to be simplified, though" the article said, quoting Haughtigan. A two-page ordinance from Kankakee, Illinois was more in line with his expectations.
Haughtigan also complained that the first 3 1/2 pages of the ordinance dealt with definitions. He affirmed that the $75 fine against idling trucks "might get someone's attention," the article said.
Councilman Dave Reed said the ordinance against idling trucks would not affect his snack food delivery job. Larger delivery trucks that may have to stay in one location longer, however, he thought might be affected. "Courtesy should cover it. But if it doesn't then maybe we need an ordinance," the article said quoting Reed.
The most vocal audience member the paper said was Myrna Alberts, who believes an ordinance is needed to regulate taverns located near residential areas.
The article also includes discussion of recent decisions of the zoning board of appeals. Two city councilmen said they could not support the measure.
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