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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2016-014 FAA Noise Impacts CITY OF EDINA RESOLUTION NO. 2016-14 RESOLUTION REGARDING FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION RECOGNITION OF AIRCRAFT NOISE IMPACTS OUTSIDE THE DAY-NIGHT AVERAGE SOUND LEVEL (DNL) 65 DECIBEL THRESHOLD WHEREAS, the City of Edina is committed to protecting and enhancing the quality of life of its residents; and, WHEREAS, the City of Edina, while outside of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) 65 decibel threshold, frequently experiences noise from flights arriving to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP); and, WHEREAS, the City of Edina seeks to reduce the impacts of aircraft noise on the community; and, WHEREAS, a 2014 noise study by the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) to monitor aircraft noise levels in the City of Edina for a period of two weeks made the following findings: I. That 1,413 arriving flights and 188 departing flights registered noise events over 65 decibels; and, 2. The 65 decibel threshold was exceeded for a cumulative total time of 4 hours, 36 minutes and 52 seconds; and, 3. The measured 2-week average aircraft DNL was 54.7 A-weighted decibels; and, WHEREAS, the City of Edina participates in the At-Large Community membership of the MSP Noise Oversight Committee (NOC), which is a balanced forum for the discussion and evaluation of noise impacts around MSP including the identification, study, and analysis of noise issues; and, WHEREAS, the City of Edina recognizes that the FAA noise metric for determining noise exposure— the DNL metric—does not convey the magnitude of high single event noise levels due to the averaging over a 24-hour period and that alternative noise metrics aid in making quantitative assessments for aircraft noise impacts and communicating those impacts to surrounding communities; and. WHEREAS, the NOC's March 2011 letter to the FAA Performance Based Navigation (PBN) Integration Group for developing a set of noise criteria for PBN flight procedure design at MSP includes a criterion to provide a noise analysis using "other noise metrics that evaluate the time above impact and single event noise impacts along a given [Area Navigation] track at MSP"; and, WHEREAS, the monthly NOC Technical Advisor's Report incorporates noise metrics to evaluate single event and threshold noise impacts, such as number of events above decibel thresholds, time above decibel thresholds and top ten maximum sound levels (Lmax); and, WHEREAS, the FAA is currently in the process of surveying residents around many of the largest U.S. airports regarding aircraft noise annoyance levels to take an updated look at its established noise measurement methods; and, CITY OF EDINA 4801 West 50th Street•Edina,Minnesota 55424 www.EdinaMN.gov•952-927-8861 • Fax 952-826-0390 Resolution No. 2016-14 Page Two WHEREAS, the successful implementation of PBN flight procedures, as part of the FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) initiative to modernize the national airspace system, requires engagement with airport operators, communities and other stakeholders to ensure the noise impact from new flight paths are conveyed and minimized. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council that the City of Edina hereby: I. Urges the FAA to recognize the impacts of aircraft noise beyond the current federally established DNL 65 decibel threshold when making policy decisions on the impacts of aircraft noise in communities around U.S. airports and supports the use of alternative noise metrics by the FAA to help quantify aircraft noise impacts; and, 2. Urges the FAA to utilize alternative noise metrics when evaluating noise impacts from new PBN flight procedures and to communicate with stakeholders, including airport operators and communities to ensure noise impacts are conveyed and minimized. Passed and adopted by the Edina City Council this 2nd day of February 2 6 1 Attest: Debra A. Mangen, 6ity Cler Ja'nes B. Hovland, Mayor STATE OF MINNESOTA) COUNTY OF HENNEPIN) SS CITY OF EDINA ) CERTIFICATE OF CITY CLERK I,the undersigned duly appointed and acting City Clerk for the City of Edina do hereby certify that the attached and foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the Edina City Council at its Regular Meeting of February 2, 2016, and as recorded in the Minutes of said Regular Meeting. WITNESS my hand and seal of said City this day of City Clerk