RESOLUTION No. 36381

Accept recommendations to address noise impacts generated by low flying cargo feeder aircraft that use the Portland International Airport (Resolution)

WHEREAS,  Citizens have expressed concern that noise from cargo low flying feeder aircraft negatively affects the livability of their homes and residential neighborhoods;

WHEREAS,  The City of Portland has a long history of finding cooperative solutions to noise issues, including adoption of the one of the nation’s first comprehensive noise codes, which was written in the mid-1970s by the City’s first noise control officer, Dr. Paul Herman;

WHEREAS,  The Port of Portland (Port) has a Noise Management Office which works collaboratively with the community, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), air carriers and other jurisdictions to address aircraft noise issues;

WHEREAS,  The City of Portland, in cooperation with the Port, FAA, and others, helped form a bi-state Regional Cargo Feeder Ad Hoc Committee (Ad Hoc Committee) in 2005 to examine possible solutions to noise impacts from cargo feeder flights to/from the Portland International Airport (PDX);

WHEREAS,  The Port organized a flight test date in June 2005 to help the Ad Hoc Committee better understand the noise impacts from alternate cargo flight paths;

WHEREAS,  The Port provided the Ad Hoc Committee with information on cargo flight history, volumes, runway usage and flight altitudes to help the committee evaluate ways to minimize residential noise impacts;

WHEREAS,  The cities of Portland and Vancouver, the Port, FAA, cargo operators, Ad Hoc Committee, and neighborhood representatives have worked cooperatively on seeking a regional solution to cargo feeder aircraft noise impacts and have sought a solution that does not disproportionately affect a single neighborhood or city; and

WHEREAS,  Commissioner Sam Adams’ Office, with assistance from the Noise Control Office and the Office of Neighborhood Involvement, has coordinated the City of Portland’s participation in efforts to address the cargo feeder noise impact issue;

WHEREAS,  The Ad Hoc Committee adopted principles and recommendations (Exhibit A) to the FAA for making changes to cargo flight procedures and asked the PDX Citizen Noise Advisory Committee (CNAC) - which includes citizen appointments by the City of Portland and other regional jurisdictions - to work with the FAA to implement these recommendations.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the City Council supports:

1.  The FAA in testing, analyzing, and implementing viable alternative flight paths listed in Exhibit A recommended by PDX CNAC;

2.  The efforts of the PDX CNAC to oversee the FAA’s testing of new air cargo feeder procedures over the summer 2006 and to report back on results from this test in fall 2006;

3.  Public meetings in spring 2006 to gain citizen input regarding proposed cargo flight procedure changes; and

4.  The continued efforts of the City of Portland, through Commissioner Sam Adams’ Office, the City of Vancouver, Port, FAA, cargo operators, and neighborhood representatives to ensure cooperative and effective solutions to the noise impacts generated by cargo feeder aircraft flights to/from the PDX.

BACKING SHEET INFORMATION

AGENDA NO. 226-2006

ORDINANCE/RESOLUTION/COUNCIL DOCUMENT NO. 36381