HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09111990 - 2.1 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on September 11, 1990 , by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors McPeak, Torlakson, Fanden
NOES: None
ABSENT: Supervisors Powers, Schroder
ABSTAIN: None
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SUBJECT: Buchanan Field Airport Noise Report
The Board received the attached report dated September
11, 1990 from the Public Works Director summarizing the noise
complaint activity from January through June 1990.
Karen Tramontana, Community Relations and Noise
Abatement Officer, Buchanan Field Airport, commented on the
increased complaint activity due to increased public awareness and
increased media attention to activities at Buchanan Field. She
advised that pilot education efforts are continuing and airport
staff feels that complaint activity will decrease accordingly.
She noted that the FAA grant process is proceeding and staff
expects to receive funding for the airport noise monitoring
equipment in early 1991.
Supervisor Sunne McPeak noted that the Aviation Advisory
Committee members have expressed a desire to become more involved
in airport activities, and recommended that the Committee be
requested to work with airport staff to develop further noise
controls. She further recommended that another noise survey be
distributed after the noise monitoring equipment is in place.
Supervisor Nancy Fanden noted that there are some
Martinez residents impacted by the airport, and commented on the
need for a disclosure policy so that persons purchasing property in
the vicinity of the airport are fully aware of the potential noise '
impacts.
Board members being in agreement, IT IS ORDERED that the
following actions are APPROVED:
1. ACCEPTED the semi-annual noise complaint report for the
Buchanan Field Airport;
2. REQUESTED the Aviation Advisory Committee to work with
the airport staff to make recommendations to the Board
on further actions to control noise;
3 . REQUESTED that another survey be distributed after the
noise monitoring equipment is in place; and
4. DIRECTED that a letter be sent to the City of Martinez
recommending that they adopt a policy requiring
disclosure of potential noise impact for property in the
vicinity of the airport.
cc: Public Works - Airport
County Counsel 1 hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of
an action taken rnd entered on the minutes of the
County Administrator Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: , .cGf/ //,/990--
PHIL
4� 90
PHIL BA CHELOR,Clerk of the Board
of Supervisors and County Administrator
2®®01
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: J. MICHAEL WALFORD, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
DATE: SEPTEMBER 11, 1990
SUBJECT: SEMI-ANNUAL NOISE COMPLAINT REPORT
FOR BUCHANAN FIELD'AIRPORT
Specific Request(s) or Recommendation(s) & Background &
Justification
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ACCEPT the attached report from the Public Works Director relating
to noise complaint activity at Buchanan Field Airport.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
NONE
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND:
The attached report, SEMI-ANNUAL NOISE COMPLAINT REPORT summarizes
the noise complaint activity from January 1990 through June 1990.
It summarizes complaint type, location, number and type of
aircraft.
Cont'd on attachment: yes Signature >✓'
Recommendation of County Administrator
Recommendation of Board Committee
Approve Other:
Sicrnature(s) :
Action of Board on:
proved as Recommended Other
Vote of Supervisors: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A '
TRUE AND CORRECT COPY .OF AN
Unanimous (Absent ) ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE
Ayes: . Noes: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
Absent: Abstain: SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN.
Orig. Div. Public Works - AP ttested
cc: County Administrator '1 Batchelor, Clerk of the
County Counsel Bo d of Supervisors
Aviation Advisory Com. and ty Administrator
By
HEW:dg D uty Clerk
c:\wp5l\doc\bo\noise6mo.bo
Semi-Annual Noise Complaint Report
Jan-June 1990
This report summarizes the noise complaint activity for the first six months of 1990
by nature of complaint,location, aircraft type and time. It also provides a caller analysis
profile.
Total noise complaints for the first six months of 1990 reached 557 and increase of
28 percent over last year for the same time period. This number continues the overall
trend of increasing complaints. Most calls to the airport are concerning Buchanan Field
operations however, a noticeable amount are concerning operations not associated with
Buchanan Field in any way.
Part of the reason for the elevated number of calls is increased public awareness.
The Airport has made a considerable effort to publicize our hotline telephone number in
order to better respond to the community. Increased media attention also played an .
important role in elevating public awareness;during the months of January through June,
sixteen articles were published in the Contra Costa Times featuring airport related issues.
Total Complaints
600
557
500
436
400
400
342
300
200
112
100
0
1986 1987 1988 1969 1990
The Airport held demonstration flights on March 17, 1990 to determine noise levels
of aircraft utilizing noise abatement procedures and to demonstrate noise levels and
aircraft altitudes to nearby residents. The airport also cited ten jet operators for violating
the Noise Ordinance. One of these violations has been referred to County Counsel.
Another reason for elevated complaints is the increase in airport operations. For
the first six months of 1990, airport operations increased 15.6 percent over the same time
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period of last year. With the inclusion of the above-mentioned factors, the number of
operations per complaint remains less than last year.
Type of Complaint- "Noise" continues to generate the largest number of complaints.
Over sixty percent of callers called due to excessive noise. The second highest complaint
category was "Low-Flying Aircraft"which made up almost seventeen percent of total calls.
Calls of this nature are usually directed to the FAA who has sole responsibility for aircraft
in the airspace system. The third highest category was the combined category of "Noise
and Low-Flying Aircraft." Fifteen percent of callers reported this.
The "Other"category made up four percent of total calls. "Other"calls usually
were complaints stating that aircraft were not flying the proper flight pattern or were not
supposed to be flying over their home. There is great misunderstanding among residents
concerning flight patterns and as a result the Airport is endeavoring to better educate the
community of airport procedures.
Nature of Complaint
Jan—June 1990
350
300
250-
200
150
100 94
85
50
25
17
t
0
Low—Rying - Noise Noise&Low—(tying Otter RecWess RyingToo Many Aircraft
Complaints by Time of Day - Eighty percent of noise events which generated calls to
the airport occurred during the daytime hours. Calls objecting to night operations
increased 18.4 percent over last year to 38 calls. Fifty-eight percent of these calls were
caused by Noise Ordinance violators. (See page 5 for listing of ordinance violators.)
Evening noise events accounted for ten percent of total complaints and almost two percent
of calls were due to activity "all day." (See page 3 for graph.)
Complaints by Location- Aircraft complaints increased in all city categories with the
exception of Pleasant Hill. Aircraft flying over the City of Pleasant Hill continued to
generate the majority of complaints with 222 calls, a decrease of 6.7 percent over last
year's numbers. Pacheco residents registered the second highest number of calls with 146
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calls. Sixty three percent of calls from Pacheco residents were registered by two
households,62 calls were generated by one caller.
Calls from Concord totaled 103; Martinez, 52 and Other cities, 34. The Other
category includes calls concerning operations from other airports such as Oakland or
Byron. (See graph on page 4.)
Complaints by Time of Day
Complaints by Time of Day
Jan—June 1990
500
452
450
400
350
300-
250
200
150
100
56
50 38
71
0
All Times DW Evening Night
Complaints by Location
Complaints by Location
240
222
220
200
180
160 "
146
140
120
103
100
80
60
40
20
0
Concord Martinez Pacheco Pleasant Hill Other
3
Calls by of Aircraft- The highest number of calls were directed toward jet-type
aircraft. These calls totaled 180; 61 of these calls were directed toward USAir activity and
46 were directed toward ordinance violators. During the first half of 1990, USAir
operated over the City of Pleasant Hill 8.75 percent of their total operations. For
Concord, 11.53 percent of USAir's operations took place over the city. Most of the USAir
calls stated "low-flying aircraft"as the nature of their complaint.
Forty-six complaints against jet-type aircraft were directed toward violators to the
Noise Ordinance. Ten violations to the Noise Ordinance occurred during the first six
months of 1990 and are summarized below. Each of the operators were notified of their
violation and advised not to return. One operator returned to Buchanan Field after
having been advised of the ordinance. The airport has referred this matter to County
Counsel.
The Airport is in the process of coordinating a meeting for all based jet operators
to discuss noise abatement procedures. During the past few weeks, the airport has been
monitoring the noise levels of jet departures and will prepare a summary to the operators
at this meeting.
Complaints by Aircraft Type
200
190 180
180
170
160
IS0 139
140
130
120
110 98
100
90
80
70
60 49
SO 47
40
30
20
10
0
All Hall USAir Jet Multi Single Unknown
The second highest number of calls was generated by helicopter activity.
Complaints regarding this type of aircraft totaled 139 calls. Helicopter training activity
generated 101 of these complaints. 72 calls or 70 percent of these complaints were made
by only two callers. One caller registered 62 calls, the second registered 10. Of the
remaining 29 calls, 22 were made by residents of Concord.
In response to the two residents, the Airport and Helicopter Adventures,Inc
developed a new pattern away from their residences to the Concord side of the airport.
The operators used this pattern on a trial basis for a period of two weeks. Unfortunately
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the trial usage generated 15 calls to the airport strongly opposing the new pattern. The
Airport immediately eliminated this option. To date only one Concord resident continues
to register complaints against helicopter training activity.
The Airport and Helicopter Adventures,Inc. (HAI) continue to search for an off-
airport site to relocate the touch-and-go aspect of HAI's operation. Many locations have
been identified but, due to environmental or safety concerns,have been rejected.In the
meantime,HAI has begun an informal program whereby touch-and-go operations are
scheduled Monday through Friday only. All other type activity is scheduled on weekends.
The airport has yet to recieve complaints concerning HAI on weekends.
If the airport resolved the problem with the.Pacheco resident who strongly objects
to helicopter training operations,calls concerning this type activity would account for
approximately seven percent of the total noise complaints rather than the current 18
percent.
Violators to Noise Ordinance- Ten violations to the Noise Ordinance occurred during
the first six months of 1990 and are summarized below. Each of the operators were
Ordinance Violators
01!10!90
-. 1. 25B 93.8
01/18/90 Jet Commande 89.7
03/19190 Lear 2SB 93 8
03/27/90 Lear 25B 93.8
04/56/90 7L
ear2SB 93.8
05/12/90 Lear 25 92.0
06/13/90 Lear 2S 92 0
06/14/90 Gulfstream II 82 6
06!14 .90 Tear 24 NR*
06/30/90 Sabre 40 83.4
not rated
notified of their violation and advised not to return. One operator has returned to
Buchanan Field after having been advised of the ordinance. The Airport has referred this
matter to County Counsel.
Caller Analysis - Ten households made up 41 percent of total complaints with 230 calls.
One-time callers contributed 26 percent and all other callers produced the remaining 32
percent. (See page six)
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