CARLSBAD — The Carlsbad City Council is seeking more information and flight data to help address local concerns over noisy aircraft operating out of McClellan-Palomar Airport.
The council voted to delay approval of a resolution that would expand upon the county’s Voluntary Noise Abatement Program by allowing the mayor to send quarterly batches of advisory notices reminding pilots about the negative impacts of taking off and landing at the county-owned airport during nighttime quiet hours.
The county currently sends noise abatement advisory letters to pilots in violation of the voluntary quiet hours, but the council is looking at other factors that can cause disruptions in neighborhoods.
Mayor Keith Blackburn, who has been working on airport noise issues for 15 years, pushed to have the city letters also address pilot deviations from recommended flight paths and altitudes.
“The biggest concern I’m hearing is that the pilots are not following the (Voluntary Noise Abatement Program) and they’re turning kind of quickly, accelerating and gaining altitude over residential areas,” Blackburn said. “Probably the biggest complaint I hear is those little engines making so much noise as they are trying to gain altitude. I see it all the time and I agree with them.”
Jason Haber, the city’s intergovernmental affairs director, said staff would work to determine if information on deviations could be obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration and included in future letters.
“We don’t have certainty that we’re able to obtain that information at this point,” Haber said, noting that multiple agencies make obtaining information related to flight patterns and altitudes more complicated.
The city estimated the cost of sending approximately 900 noise abatement advisory letters each year at approximately $750. The letters will be sent in addition to the county’s noise abatement advisory notices and will also encourage compliance.
Aside from locally-based pilots, approximately 62,606 California resident pilots and thousands more across the country could fly at McClellan-Palomar on any given day, according to the city.
Over the years, the county, which owns and operates the regional airport in Carlsbad, has implemented several programs and tools to help reduce the negative impact of planes flying near and over local neighborhoods consisting of homes, schools and churches.
These programs include creating voluntary nighttime quiet hours between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. for arrivals and departures, arrival and departure patterns and suggested altitudes, identification of residential areas for pilot awareness, techniques and procedures for quieter aircraft operation, a full-time Noise Officer to work with pilots and address community complaints and inquiries, education and outreach for pilots and flight schools on noise abatement procedures, and monitoring and analyzing noise data.
The county has also installed two additional noise monitoring locations to cover all four sides of the airport. Under federal law, neither the city nor the county may levy fines against pilots in conjunction with the voluntary program. The Federal Aviation Administration also requires the voluntary noise abatement program to remain voluntary, according to the staff report.
Public speakers at the meeting, including Hope Nelson, president of the local group Citizens for a Friendly Airport, thanked the council for its efforts.
“Thank you for listening to the community, which for many, many years has had to live with early morning and late-night flights outside the (quiet hours),” Nelson said. “If you can get pilots to comply with noise abatement; if a letter from our mayor makes a difference and it helps, then yay. I just want you to know your effort is really appreciated.”
Don Petro, a resident near the airport, said compliance with the entire voluntary noise abatement program was needed.
“It is airplanes going over our schools, going over our homes, creating health and safety issues,” Petro said.
The council directed staff to return within 60 days with an expanded plan that could help address community concerns about aircraft noise.
Track flight activity at McClellan-Palomar Airport here.
