Noise Hearing Targets Airport
City Council seeks to put monitoring equipment in place
By Mike White, STAFF WRITER
Inside Bay Area 7/10/2005 09:31 AM
LIVERMORE ? Additional staff members are required to handle the influx of complaints about noise at Livermore Municipal Airport. This is just one conclusion of a new 25-page report about the city’s noise reduction efforts. The city began the program in February when council members disbanded work on the airport master plan update and focused time on efforts to monitor and reduce noise.
The council’s action came on the heels of crowded public hearings in which residents who live near the airport spoke out about rising noise levels. They were especially worried over the master plan update’s projection of a 44 percent increase in air traffic over the next 20 years. Pilots and some officials responded that the airport was in place long before most of the homes and that modern planes are quieter than older models.
As part of the new monitoring program, a position could be created at the airport titled airport noise/operations coordinator, according to the new report prepared by airport manager Leander Hauri. This person would be responsible for handling noise complaints from the public, working with pilots to voluntarily reduce noise and also assist with day-to-day airport operations.
Staff members also are suggesting accelerating the construction of a new office building at an estimated $3 million. The current building, constructed in 1969, lacks space for noise monitoring equipment and personnel.
The city also in the midst of hiring an acoustical consultant to help de sign a noise monitoring program.
This program, when implemented possibly by July 2006, could involve the placement of monitoring equipment in west Livermore, east Pleasanton and east Dublin. The estimated cost at $150,000. Plans are to fund the program through airport revenues.
However, staff members said another option would be to ask Pleasanton and Dublin to fund part of the program, at least the monitors that would be in their cities. This funding could generate about $60,000.
A group opposed to expanding the airport, Livermore Airport Citizens Group, is planning to attend the meeting and speak out about what they described as a lack of consequences for ?noise abusers.?
In a statement issued Friday, the group said it opposed any attempt to get Pleasanton and Dublin to pay for part of the noise monitoring program. ? . . . these people do not create the noise,? the group said.
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Monday (7/11/05) at 3575 Pacific Ave., Livermore, CA.
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Editor’s Note: Interesting math. You build a $3,000,000 building to house $150,000 in noise monitoring equipment that isn’t required……..Talk about a waste of taxpayers money.
