Meeting Notes
Date: Thursday, July 29, 1999
Location: Fourth Presbyterian Church, Louisville, Kentucky
Attendees: Following is a list of project participants in attendance at the Noise Compatibility Study Group (the Study Group) meeting:
Jim DeLong, Regional Airport Authority of Louisville and Jefferson County
J. Michael Brown, Regional Airport Authority of Louisville and Jefferson County, Chairman, Board of Directors
Robert Brown, Regional Airport Authority of Louisville and Jefferson County
Rande Swann, Regional Airport Authority of Louisville and Jefferson County
Dorn Crawford, Outgoing Study Group Chair, Regional Airport Authority of Louisville and Jefferson County, Board of Directors
Bill Simpson, UPS, Presiding Study Group Chair
Eric Bernhardt, Leigh Fisher Associates
Bill Willkie, Leigh Fisher Associates
Richard Letty, KM Chng Environmental
Dan Bevarly, Mo’ Better Marketing Communications
Pamela Schott, Mo’ Better Marketing Communications
Lyndsay Tabler, Mo’ Better Marketing Communications
DISCUSSION SYNOPSIS—PRE-MEETING BRIEFING
The pre-briefing to the Study Group meeting was delivered by Jim DeLong, General Manager, Regional Airport Authority of Louisville and Jefferson County (RAA). Mr. DeLong discussed the goals and objectives of this Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study (the Study). He emphasized the importance of the Airport to the Louisville area, and the need for community members to become active in the Study process.
DISCUSSION SYNOPSIS—STUDY GROUP MEETING #2
Mr. DeLong turned the floor over to Presiding Study Group Chair, Mr. Bill Simpson, who called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Mr. Simpson introduced himself to the Study Group as an employee of the UPS Planning Department. He then gave a brief overview of the information to be covered by the Leigh Fisher Associates consultant team.
Mr. Simpson provided the names and contact numbers of all seven Study Group Chairs, and encouraged Study Group members to contact any Chair, throughout the course of the Study, with comments, concerns, and/or questions.
Mr. Simpson requested approval and/or changes to the notes for Study Group Meeting 1A, held on May 26, 1999. As there were no changes, Mr. Simpson pronounced the notes approved as final.
At this point in the meeting, Mr. Simpson introduced Mr. Bill Willkie of Leigh Fisher Associates, who introduced the other members of the consultant team (see Attendees). Mr. Willkie then presented the technical information obtained and analyzed since Study Group meeting #1 held on April 16, 1999 (the consultant team presentation is provided on the Project Website at www.sdfnoisestudy.com).
At the beginning of the consultant team presentation, Mr. Willkie provided an overview of the Study schedule and noted that some elements had been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. Mr. Willkie stated that the overall Study schedule would be maintained.
Following his presentation, Mr. Willkie provided Study Group members with the name and contact numbers of Committee Liaisons, and encouraged Study Group Committee Chairs to contact these individuals regarding questions and/or comments as necessary.
Mr. Willkie requested that Study Group Committees identify and prioritize input relating to aircraft noise issues in the study area for the consultant team. He explained that this request is intended to (1) focus the analysis of potential solutions on those issues of greatest concern to the community, and (2) identify solutions that provide the most benefit to the greatest number of people affected by aircraft noise.
Mr. Willkie then turned the meeting over to Mr. Richard Letty of KM Chng Environmental, who presented preliminary results of the noise monitoring program (preliminary results of the noise monitoring program are included in the consultant team presentation on the Project Website). Mr. Letty reiterated the goals and objectives of the noise monitoring program, and explained that the Noise Monitoring Committee helped select 10 of the 20 noise monitoring sites. At the conclusion of his presentation, Mr. Letty assured Study Group members that in upcoming weeks additional analyses on the preliminary noise monitoring data would be conducted. The final results of the noise monitoring program will be summarized at the next Study Group meeting and included on the Project Website when complete.
Mr. Letty then turned the meeting over to Mr. Willkie, who presented data on existing land uses and noise sensitive facilities in the study area (existing land use and noise sensitive facility data presented at the meeting is provided on the Project Website). Mr. Willkie explained that the study area defined for this Study includes all jurisdictions that are affected by aircraft noise, including portions of Bullitt County and southern Indiana.
Mr. Willkie then turned the meeting over to Mr. Eric Bernhardt of Leigh Fisher Associates, who presented preliminary automated radar terminal system (ARTS)/flight track data for four (4) sample days in June 1999 (ARTS flight track data presented at the meeting is provided on the Project Website). Mr. Bernhardt explained that the presented information is preliminary and was only recently processed by the consultant team. Detailed analysis had not yet been completed. Mr. Bernhardt concluded the presentation of ARTS data by explaining that the information will be processed in upcoming weeks to determine average annual runway use and generalized flight tracks for noise modeling purposes.
Following the presentation of ARTS data, Mr. Bernhardt provided a summary of noise complaints and comments received on the Project Website and Project Information Line, as well as those left at the Project Information Centers (responses to all complaints/comments received are provided on the Project Website). Mr. Bernhardt explained that it was important for the consultant team to examine the complaints and comments to understand the issues and concerns of Study Group members. Mr. Bernhardt stated that 76 complaints were received between April 16 and July 14, 1999. He also noted that it is important to leave an address when filing a comment or complaint so that the consultant team can depict the geographic location relative to the comment or complaint. Mr. Bernhardt stated that the consultant team would continue to provide responses to complaints and comments throughout the Study.
Mr. Bernhardt then turned the meeting over to Mr. Simpson. Mr. Simpson opened the floor to questions and comments in regard to the materials presented. Study group members asked questions regarding the following:
Noise levels at specific noise monitoring sites
The potential to conduct additional noise monitoring
Clarification of the terms SEL, Lmax, and ARTS
Airport and/or UPS expansion plans
Potential flight corridors
Individual tolerances to specific noise levels
Correlation between noise complaints and the 20 noise monitoring sites
Aircraft altitudes over specific locations in the study area
Annoyance from aircraft lighting
FAR Part 36 Stage 3 aircraft engines
Potential restrictions to development on residential land uses
The location of Enterprise Zones in the study area
The following comments were provided:
One Study Group member commented that this Study does not take aircraft lighting into consideration. Mr. Willkie replied that aircraft lights are necessary for safety, and recommendations that prohibit aircraft lighting would be unsafe. He did, however, acknowledge that aircraft lighting is a potential source of community annoyance. At this point, a UPS pilot in the Study Group explained that lights on aircraft landing gear could be the cause of this annoyance, and explained that pilots are required to turn their lights on as the aircraft descends through 10,000 feet MSL.
One Study Group member stated that she is a resident of National Turnpike/
Mitchell Hill, and on some nights there is a high volume of aircraft activity in that area. She stated that some aircraft fly over her property. Mr. Willkie replied that actual flight patterns vary in order to maintain FAA required separation standards, and that these variations are not "shortcuts." He went on to state that potential changes to existing flight patterns may increase noise exposure in other areas of the community, and could affect airport capacity.
One Study Group member stated that the Noise Monitoring Committee attempted to locate noise monitoring sites in areas most effected by aircraft noise. Referring to the presented ARTS data, this Study Group member stated that this goal is next to impossible given that aircraft operate in all areas of the study area.
One Study Group member stated that one goal of the Study should be to enforce, rather than change, flight patterns.
One Study Group member commented that the aircraft were turning over her home, and that aircraft are not supposed to make turns until they reach Indiana. This person added that she does not want aircraft to use an I-65 corridor since her residence is located nearby.
One Study Group member stressed the importance of clearly documenting noise complaints. Mr. Bernhardt confirmed this comment and stated noise complaints will be analyzed to better understand problems in the study area.
One Study Group member expressed concern regarding adequate publicity of meetings. Mr. Steve Lambert, Public Information Committee Chair, explained the Committee’s efforts to date, and spoke about an upcoming newsletter for the Study Group.
One Study Group member observed that the community is spending time and money to monitor noise, and asked how such data will help those community members affected by aircraft noise. Mr. Letty acknowledged that noise monitoring data is limited to present conditions, but noise modeling can predict future noise levels. He explained that a correlation will be developed between monitoring data and predicted noise levels to determine the effect of future aircraft operations.
One Study Group member asked how long data from the Study will be relevant. Mr. Willkie replied that Part 150 studies are typically updated every five years, but that significant changes in airport operations or fleet mix may prompt an airport operator to prepare an update sooner than five years.
At 8:50 p.m. Mr. Simpson turned the floor over to the Rules Committee Chair, Mr. Dorn Crawford. Mr. Crawford suggested that the Study Group adopt a proposed addendum to the Study Group Charter regarding communication procedures between Study Group committees and the consultant team. After explaining details of the proposed addendum, Mr. Crawford asked if the procedure was agreeable to all in attendance. Since there were no dissenters, Mr. Crawford stated that the procedure would be drawn up as a formal addendum to the Charter.
Mr. Simpson requested other comments from Study Group committees. No comments were provided.
Mr. Simpson stated that the date and time of the next Study Group meeting would be disseminated using all Study-related public information tools as soon as it is available.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 p.m.