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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFlying Cloud Airport Advisory Commission - 09/04/1996 APPROVED MINUTES FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION SEPTEMBER 4, 1996 7:00 P.M. City Center Prairie Rooms A& B 8080 Mitchell Road, Eden Prairie COMMISSION MEMBERS: Carlo Amato, Tom Heffelfinger, Rob Kilpatrick,Alan Nitchman, Gary Schmidt VISITORS: Roy Furhman, MAC Chad Leqve, MAC STAFF: Scott A. Kipp, Senior Planner CALL TO ORDER Acting Chairman Kilpatrick called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. Commissioners Kent Barker and Marge Bundgaard were absent. I. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was unanimously approved as submitted. II. ELECTION OF OFFICERS This item was unanimously approved to be deferred until the next meeting. III. APPROVAL OF JUNE 5, 1996 MINUTES The minutes were unanimously approved as submitted. IV. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. Topics for September 17, 1996 Joint meeting with the City Council Kipp went over a preliminary list of items that should be discussed at the September 17 meeting with the City Council, including: 1. 1995 Noise Monitoring Summary 2. Noise Abatement Program Implementation 3. Flying Cloud Airport Design Framework Manual 4. Environmental Impact Statement process at MAC 5. Ordinance 51 update A general discussion took place regarding these issues, and the order in which they should be presented. All commissioners agreed that these were the topics that should be part of the joint meeting. Roy Furhman and Chad Leqve of MAC went over the 1995 Noise Monitoring FCAAC Minutes September 4, 1996 Summary for the commission. The sections of the report follow last years report format. Furhman indicated that he sees more cooperation from the control tower personnel. He said that he has heard tower personnel suggest the southerly parallel runway for noise abatement. He also stated that the noise abatement program continues to be implemented, indicating that the noise abatement signs have been installed at the airport requesting pilots to avoid noise sensitive areas and to request specific runways. Leqve went over the findings of the 1995 Noise Summary, indicating that over 300 hours of monitoring took place from June to September 1995. Of that time, 57 jet operations were recorded. State noise standards were exceeded only one hour during the 300 hours of the monitoring period. The bulk of the loudest aircraft continue to be the simple and complex single engine aircraft. In addition, during the monitoring period, 690 jet and commuter overflight operations from MSP were recorded with decibel readings similar to the FCM aircraft. Rob Kilpatrick noted that it is important to acknowledge MAC's efforts in time and money for providing the noise summary each year. Tom Heffelfinger said that the joint meeting needs a status report regarding the EIS process at MAC, including property acquisition timing, and Ordinance 51. Alan Nitchman said these issues will be the topic of discussion at a luncheon to be held on September 6 at Elliott Aviation with the Minnesota Business Aircraft Association. Mayor Harris, Jeff Hamiel from MAC, and Curt Johnson from the Met Council will be on hand to discuss the reliever system and the EIS process. He said that the Advisory Commission is welcome to attend. Nitchman asked about the status of Ordinance 51, and why the City and MAC can't get together to resolve the issue of the weight restriction. Kipp said that is exactly what the last two meetings with the MAC staff was working to achieve. The tentative agreement to leave Ordinance 51 in place while the two parties seek changes to the Ordinance was fully endorsed. The City Council gave conceptual approval to the idea, but MAC's Commission has not taken any action on the matter. Until MAC gives some indication as to the merits of the agreement, it is difficult to proceed. A general discussion took place regarding Ordinance 51, including how other airports around the country address noise and jet concerns by other means rather than a weight restriction. MAC feels that the weight restriction is base on an arbitrary weight, and if challenged, would most likely be thrown out by a court. Nitchman said he would be willing to volunteer to obtain as much information on noise and weight restrictions from around the country. This could be the start of some discussion toward an acceptable alternative to Ordinance 51. FCAAC Minutes September 4, 1996 Heffelfinger said the residents of the community have had Ordinance 51 in place for over 20 years, and to simply remove any weight restriction element from an alternative form of control will likely face opposition. He said any alternative form of control must maintain some level of weight restriction, together with a noise restriction based on year round monitoring. It will also need to have enforceable penalty provisions. MOTION: Nitchman moved, seconded by Heffelfinger to create a Task Force to review an alternative approach to Ordinance 51. That the Task Force provide a quarterly report to the Flying Cloud Advisory Commission on any alternatives. That Ordinance 51 remain in place until such time that an alternative is established and adopted by the City of Eden Prairie and MAC. Motion carried 4-0-1 with Schmidt abstaining. B. Environmental Impact Statement Process Schmidt gave an update on the EIS process for the commission. He indicated that the Draft Scoping Document, the prelude to the EIS, has been completed and should be available within the next two weeks. Kipp asked if MAC intends on using an EIS review team made up from various review agencies, together with a city representative and a member of the Zero Expansion group. This team would review the Draft Scoping Document prior to release to assure an adequate level of scope. This approach was discussed during the MAC consultant selection process. Schmidt said MAC would keep the same people involved in the consultant selection process in the loop. Nitchman said Mark Ryan of MAC told him that the committee will remain together. Heffelfinger asked if the EIS would be based on the entire airport, or only the extended portion of runway. Schmidt said only on the expanded portion of runway. C. Design Framework Manual for Flying Cloud Airport Kipp updated the commission on the schedule for review of the Design Framework Manual. He said that the Planning Commission should be reviewing the document at its September 23, 1996 meeting, with Council review in early October. D. Ordinance 51 Update This discussion took place earlier in the meeting during the joint meeting with the City Council item. FCAAC Minutes September 4, 1996 It was agreed that Alan Nitchman and Tom Heffelfinger would be the Task Force to review alternatives to the Ordinance, with technical assistance from Roy Furhman and Chad Leqve of MAC. V. NOISE ABATEMENT PLAN/AIRCRAFT INCIDENTS A. Noise Complaints for March through July, 1996 Leqve handed out the reports for noise complaints received at MAC for those months, which identified a total of 26 complaints. VI. OTHER BUSINESS Nitchman reminded the commission of the luncheon at Elliott Aviation with the Minnesota Business Aircraft Association to be held Friday, September 6, 1996 at 10 a.m. He said all the commission members were welcome to attend. VII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business of the Commission, the meeting was unanimously adjourned at 8:50 p.m.