11/07/1985 - Airport Relations Commission MINUTES OF THE EAGAN AIRPORT NOISE COMMITTEE
EAGAN, MINNESOTA
NOVEMBER 7, 1985
A regular meeting of the Eagan Airport Noise Committee was held at the
Eagan Municipal Center at 4:30 p.m. at which the following were present: John
Gustin, Carol Dozois and guest, Otto Leightner. Also present were City
Administrative Intern John Hohenstein and Assistant City Attorney Dave Keller.
For lack of a quorum, roll call and approval of the minutes and agenda
were not considered.
NEW NOISE STANDARDS
John Hohenstein advised the group that the MPCA was scheduling public
hearings on new noise standards for aircraft which are even more restrictive
than the present standards which are not being complied with. The City of
Mendota Heights had been in contact with the staff indicating the possibility
of some cooperative effort to accentuate the need for enforcement of present
standards rather than unenforceable stricter standards. It also appeared that
a law change had been proposed whereby a City may be responsible for allowing
incompatible land use within a noise corridor. Discussion centered around the
problem that flights do not stay within the designated corridors. A public
hearing had been scheduled for November 19, 1985 in Minneapolis. Mr.
Hohenstein would provide further information including the possibility of a
written statement to be submitted 20 or 30 days after the public hearing.
At approximately 4:45, City Councilman Tom Egan arrived as discussion
centered around Mr. Leightner's experience whereby he had direct contact with
the airport tower from his home and managed to have the tower redirect the
routes so that they were no longer flying south of the described noise
corridors.
REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE
The group then discussed letters which had been drafted to Mr. Walter
Rockenstein, Mr. Les Case and Mr. Ray Glumack, by City staff. It was noted
that the following people were to be copied in those letters: Senator Rudy
Boschwitz, Senator Dave Durenberger, Representative William Frenzel, Governor
Rudy Perpich, Senator Howard Knutson, Representative Art Seaberg, Airport
Noise Committee Members, Linda Barton -City of Burnsville, and Kevin
Frazell -City of Mendota Heights.
As Carolyn Braun arrived at approximately 5:10, John Gustin suggested that
Congressmen Oberstar and Stangeland also receive copies of the staff letters.
Noise Committee Minutes
November 7, 1985
180 DEGREE HEADING DECISION
The group then discussed the process by which the 180 degree heading had
been denied by the FAA. It was pointed out that the lobbying efforts of Mayor
Bea Blomquist, who had just arrived at the meeting, in addition to Councilman
Egan, had been instrumental in this desirable result. It was also indicated
that a fanning of flights increased the number of flights possible by 40% as a
15% degree spread would allow flights to be 3 miles apart, on leaving the
runway as opposed to 5 miles.
GOVERNOR'S TASK FORCE
Mayor Bea Blomquist then described the Governor's Task Force on Airport
Noise Committee which she had just attended, and described discussion by
attorneys representing MAC and MPCA. It was the Mayor's understanding that
the EPA had very little control over FAA standards which had to do with the
operation of the airport. It appeared that no one had control over keeping
flights within the noise corridors other than the FAA and their pilot to
control tower operations.
Discussion then centered around stages I through IV discussed by Mr.
Rockenstein and the "Islip "? plan. It was pointed out that the committee had
to consider the benefits of the airport and its employment to the City. It
was supported that it may be possible to eliminate small planes from using the
runway which would reduce the need for fanning. The differential landing fee
might be used. However, there may be a negative impact in that the reduction
in smaller aircraft would actually increase the ability of the airport to
handle larger aircraft.
It was indicated by the Mayor that the Governor's Task Force on Airport
Noise had pretty much superceded the Committee of Committees regarding airport
noise and was in the process of making lists of goals, including compliance
with noise corridors.
ENVIRONMENTAL SOUND LEVEL ANALYZER
Discussion then centered around the use of the DB -604 Environmental Sound
Level Analyzer. Mr. Hohenstein pointed out that this was the same unit used
by the MPCA and MAC and that it is a very expensive piece of equipment which
the Committee may or may not wish to use, depending on its ability to provide
valid data to prove that flights were not staying within the noise corridor.
The chairman (Carol Dozois) did direct staff to arrange for the demonstration
on December 9 as proposed, which would be the date for the next meeting,
although the Committee was making no committment to buy or rent the unit.
The group discussed the letter dated November 4, 1985 to Les Case in which
City Administrator Tom Hedges asked for the location of the "localizers" used
as guides to aircraft departing from runways 11L and 11R. This appeared to be
the most significant progress made in some time as the group was not aware of
the existence of these localizers. It was felt that their location might be
very informative as to compliance with noise corridors.
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Noise Committee Minutes
November 7, 1985
PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
The group then discussed a public awareness program, including the notice
attached to the last page of the packet, which might be used in revolving
press releases, in addition to programs presented on Cable Channel 10.
MEMBER RECOMMENDATION
Chairperson, Carol Dozois, recommended that Mr. Otto Leightner be
considered by the City Council as a potential member to the Airport Noise
Committee.
ADJOURNMENT
The group adjourned at 6:10 p.m.
DGK
Secretary
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