Noise News for Week of October 6, 1996


California Residents Fight Over Who Gets Airport Noise

PUBLICATION: Los Angeles Times
DATE: October 6, 1996
SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 1; Zones Desk; Orange County Edition
BYLINE: Rene Lynch
DATELINE: Newport Beach, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Barbara Lichman, executive director, Airport Working Group (El Toro proponents); Bill Kogerman, founder, Taxpayers for Responsible Planning (El Toro opponents)

As reported in the Los Angeles Times recently, two citizens groups are taking opposite sides in the debate over whether to reuse the El Toro Marines Base as a commercial airport. Many residents of Newport Beach -- whose community rallied for the El Toro airport to ease pressure at John Wayne Airport in the first place -- are pushing for approval of the El Toro plan. The other group doesn't want the airport plan to be approved.

The article reports that the Newport Beach residents originally organized as the Airport Working Group (AWG) in 1982, and managed to push for 20-year noise and expansion restrictions at John Wayne Airport that took effect in 1985. In 1993, when the Marines said they would close El Toro, the group pushed Measure A which supported an El Toro airport, and fought Measure S which would have stopped it. Measure A won in late 1994 while S lost.

According to the article, AWG says that resisdents around John Wayne are already tolerating noise for the whole county, while most of the real growth in demand has come from the south: closer to the El Toro site than to John Wayne. Also, El Toro would have a much larger buffer zone without residences that would lower the impact of noise on people.

The article conlcudes by noting that those opposed to the airport at El Toro are residents who live under proposed flight paths. They are worried that noise and traffic will become problems for them. One group called Taxpayers for Responsible Planning believes that El Toro would be a waste of money when John Wayne could just be expanded.

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Residents Asked to Give up Right to Sue for Free Soundproofing

PUBLICATION: Los Angeles Times
DATE: October 6, 1996
SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 1; Zones Desk; Valley Edition
BYLINE: Efrain Hernandez Jr.
DATELINE: Burbank, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Margie Gee, commissioner, Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority, concerned for homeowners; Rep. Howard Berman (D-Panorama City), opposed to airport terminal expansion

The Los Angeles Times reported that Burbank Airport plans to offer noise insulation treatment to as many as 2,300 residences if the residents agree never to sue the airport for reasons that relate to noise.

According to the Times, the airport's passenger counts -- which are 5 million now -- could double by 2010, and a proposed tripling of the terminal size could worsen noise for surrounding residents. Burbank and Los Angeles are already suing over the proposed expansion. Many people have begun using the airport to avoid Los Angeles International Airport.

The article reports that the homes eligible for soundproofing experience at least 65 decibels of noise averaged over a year. The level is termed a CNEL: community noise equivalent level. Homeowners don't want to give up their right to sue over noise, but they feel compelled not to miss their chance to get free soundproofing. Airport officials point out that they would be able to sue over non-noise-related matters.

The article goes on to say that it costs about $37,000 to soundproof the homes that experience the worst noise levels. The costs cover new windows, doors, and ventilation systems. Homes may be worked on as early as next year.

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