10/11/2005 - Airport Relations Commission
TO: CHAIR THORKILDSON AND THE EAGAN AIRPORT RELATIONS
COMMISSION
FROM: DIANNE MILLER, ASSISTANT TO THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR
DATE: OCTOBER 5, 2005
SUBJECT: AIRPORT RELATIONS COMMISSION MEETING / TUESDAY,
OCTOBER 11, 2005
A regular meeting of the Eagan Airport Relations Commission will be held on Tuesday, October 11,
2005 at 7:00 p.m. in the Eagan City Council Chambers. In order that we have a quorum present,
please contact Mary Swenson at 651-675-5005 if you are unable to attend this meeting.
I. ROLL CALL AND ADOPTION OF AGENDA
The agenda, as presented or modified, is in order for adoption by the Commission.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the September 12, 2005 Airport Relations Commission meeting are enclosed on
pages _____ through _____. These minutes, as presented or modified, are in order for adoption
by the Commission.
III. VISITORS TO BE HEARD
The Eagan City Council and its Commissions set aside up to ten minutes at the beginning of
public meetings to permit visitors to address items of interest that are not scheduled on the
regular agenda. Items that will take more than ten minutes or that require specific action can be
scheduled for a future agenda.
IV. OLD BUSINESS
A. Communication Subcommittees – Given the priorities the City Council and
Commission have placed on communicating airport issues to the Eagan community, the ARC has
established 3 communication subcommittees for the following subjects: Eagan newsletter
(Experience Eagan), the ARC notebook and Cable TV initiative. Below is a listing of the current
Commissioners that serve on each of the subcommittees.
a. Newsletter Articles – Commissioners Thorkildson, Flanagan and Mencel
b. ARC Notebook – Commissioners Krahn, Dosland and Aljets
c. Cable TV – Commissioners Nierengarten, Haehnel, Bonnett and Prentice
If any members of the subcommittees have recommendations on communication initiatives, they
are invited to share their thoughts with the Commission.
B. Eagan/Mendota Heights Corridor Analysis – Enclosed on pages _____ through _____
is the August 2005 Eagan/Mendota Heights Corridor Analysis. Also enclosed on pages _____
through _____ is the August 2005 Technical Advisory Report. The August reports are the most
current reports available on the MAC website. It is the practice of the Commission to review the
analysis reports and discuss any significant deviations that have occurred or any other
noteworthy occurrences as reported in the analysis.
At the September 12, 2005 meeting, there was an inquiry regarding a corridor excursion that
routinely takes place at approximately 6:00 a.m. over the Highview neighborhood of Eagan.
Enclosed on page _____ is the response received from the Metropolitan Airports Commission to
an inquiry made of the MAC regarding the 6:00 a.m. flight.
C. City Communication Plans Following the Opening of Runway 17-35 – Per the
direction and discussion of the Commission at the September 12 meeting, a recommendation was
made to the City Council at their September 20, 2005 Council meeting regarding communication
strategies the City could initiate following the opening of Runway 17-35. Enclosed on page
_____ is a summary of the communication initiatives outlined by the Commission, which was
provided to the City Council at their September 20th meeting.
The City Council, upon discussing the recommendations of the Commission, also provided
direction to staff to send correspondence to all Eagan households with regard to the opening of
the new runway on October 27, 2005. The Council requested that the letter include a summary
of the various communication initiatives the City has taken to communicate about the opening of
the new runway this October. The letter is currently being prepared, and a copy of the letter will
be provided to the Commission on the 11th.
V. NEW BUSINESS
A. Response from Neighboring School Districts / Schools regarding Airport Noise—Per
the direction of the Commission at the September 12, 2005 ARC meeting, City staff inquired
with neighboring school districts with regard to the impact of airport noise on their schools. In
particular, schools were asked if any specific noise mitigation techniques were used when
constructing their schools. Enclosed on page _____ is a summary of the responses provided by
the various school districts and specific schools.
B November ARC Meeting—As a reminder, the ARC scheduled the November
Commission meeting for Monday, November 14 due to the general election on November 8,
which is the second Tuesday of the month and the date the ARC usually meets. The Commission
is asked to discuss the November 14 date because the Advisory Parks and Recreation
Commission (APrC) will be meeting in the Council Chambers that evening, as the second
Monday of the month is their scheduled meeting date. The ARC is welcome to meet in the Eagan
Room on the 14th, or, if the Commission would prefer, the ARC could be meet on Monday,
November 7 in the Council Chambers. The Commission is asked to provide staff with their
preference for a November meeting date.
VI. STAFF / COMMISSION REPORTS
A. Noise Oversight Committee Update – The Noise Oversight Committee (NOC) last met
on October 4, 2005. At the meeting, the current Co-Chairs, who are Kathleen Nelson of
Northwest Airlines and Vern Wilcox of the City of Bloomington, were both reappointed to two-
year Co-Chair positions. At the October 4 meeting, there was significant discussion regarding
alternative noise metrics used in the aviation industry. Enclosed on pages _____ through _____
is a memo from Chad Leqve, Manager of the Aviation Noise and Satellite Programs for the
MAC, regarding the various alternative noise metrics used by the MAC and those that are
available for use, but not currently used by MAC. Also enclosed on pages ___ through ___ is a
white paper written by Chad Leqve regarding supplemental metrics used by the MAC. There was
significant discussion regarding the study that the City of Eagan did and, in particular, the
alternative metrics used by Wyle Laboratories.
Also enclosed on pages _____ through _____ is a memo from Mr. Leqve regarding the 2007 65
DNL contour mitigation implementation process and progress.
Lastly, Cindy Green, Air Traffic Control (ATC) Operations Manager, provided an update on
ATC activities in preparation for the new runway opening at the end of this month. Assistant to
the City Administrator Miller will provide a summary of Ms. Green’s comments at the ARC
meeting.
B. November 10, 2005 MAC Quarterly Public Input Meeting – On November 10, 2005
the Metropolitan Airports Commission will be hosting their quarterly public input meeting at the
Eagan Community Center. Notice of the November 10 meeting will be included in the next
edition of Experience Eagan. Likewise, the letter being sent to Eagan residents will also include
notice of the meeting. The MAC has slightly changed the format that they use for these quarterly
public input meetings. In the past, residents were invited to make comments and ask questions;
however, residents did not receive a verbal response from MAC staff. Instead, the Metropolitan
Airports Commission sent written responses to all people who issued comments or questions.
Based on feedback from attendees, the MAC now will respond to questions raised at the meeting
in addition to providing a written response. Any Commissioner who is able to attend the
November 10, 2005 meeting is welcome. A few members of the Noise Oversight Committee
will likely be in attendance at this meeting.
VII. ROUNDTABLE
Per the request of the Commission, this agenda item has been added so that Commissioners have
the opportunity to ask questions or make requests for future agenda items.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
Per the request of the Commission, ARC meetings will go no later than 8:30 p.m. unless agreed
upon by the Commission.
___________________________
Assistant to the City Administrator