More airplanes create conflict

"Justin*" wrote in message
...
More airplanes create conflict
Livermore Municipal Airport's plans to expand have many residents upset

By Mike White, STAFF WRITER (ANGNEWSPAPERS)
The ANG is not exactly the most dependable of papers. It's a paper that has
called a single engine Cessna a twin engined aircraft. It constantly has
typos in the paper (at least its Daily Review paper in Hayward; in fact,
there's a typo in this article).


Officials say many of the claims by the newly organized critics are based
on incorrect data. For instance, a flier distributed by the Livermore
Airport Community Group states that airplane traffic will increase by 90
percent and there is "nothing the city can do to prevent a larger amount
of large jets."

Leander Hauri, airport manager, says that statements like these are
untrue, that the airport master plan does say flights may increase to
370,000 a year, but that these are high-end numbers that probably will
never be reached.
Try a 85% increase instead of 90% the LACG mentions

Today, the airport usually has more than 200,000 flights a year. The plan
will allow the airport to respond to existing demands from local
customers, including the 180 people who are on a waiting list for a
hangar, Hauri said.

"The airport plan is not about turning this airport into a huge commercial
enterprise," he said.

Nevertheless, that was the impression shared by many of the more than 150
people who attended an informal organizing meeting Tuesday night in
Livermore. Those attending included members of the newly formed Livermore
Airport Community Group and Westside Pride, which represents residents of
west Livermore, where the airport is located.

The airport has been working with Shutt Moen Associates since August 1999
on the master-plan update and business plan. At least four public
workshops and two City Council briefings have been held on the plans.

The final adoption has been held up by environmental reviews and the
public review period ends Thursday. The Planning Com-mission is scheduled
to review the plan May 4, with possible final adoption by the City Council
on June 7.

The plan would allow extending the shorter of two runways and leasing
space on land surrounding the airport to businesses, especially those that
cater to the flight industry. The city has no plans to allow scheduled
commercial airlines to fly into Livermore, Hauri said.
Good on the first point (leasing space), too bad on the second point
(allowing scheduled airlines)

Greg Takemura of Livermore said the increased air traffic means that
people from throughout the region will hear the planes, not just those in
west Livermore and east Pleasanton. "Property values will go down and we
will have a lower quality of life," he said.

No it doesn't, Greg. The same areas will receive noise, not necessarily
additional areas.

Several years ago, Tom Hagen moved out of Livermore because of the heavy
traffic on Interstate 580. But he said he traded one problem for another.
Now, living near downtown Pleasanton, Hagen said planes fly over his home.

Tom must have really good hearing. By the time the aircraft get to downtown
Pleasanton, the aircraft are over 1000 feet up, and many aircraft make a
turn to the north before even reaching downtonw Pleasanton.

"I say there is a noise problem right now. I think the noise problem will
be worse if they double the amount of aircraft in the air. The noise will
be worse and the safety issues will be worse.

"Basically, what these people are doing is putting their enjoyment over
the quality of life of the tens of thousands who are affected by that
noise," Hagen said.

Residents are concerned not just by what might happen in the future but
what transpires today. Several opponents said pilots are flying too late.
They also said airport workers have been slow or non-responsive to their
complaints.
So because they don't fly they don't want others to be afforded the freedom
of being able to go where they want to go when they want to go. Dont' buy
near an airport or under the flight path. Pay attention when you buy or
rent a place.

The airport has been vigilant in responding to coaplaints, and has
instituted numerous changes, including a voluntary ban on flying late at
night, Hauri said.
Coaplaints? See what I mean about the paper having typos? (I'm assuming
this article was forwarded to the group and not retyped.)
David R