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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. 2 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 3