Posted on 08/26/2007 5:00:52 AM PDT by jsh3180
As another type of fighter jet is about to begin training over the Navy base on Boca Chica Key, little has been done to resolve neighbors' concerns about the current class of fighter jets that pilots fly while training there.
Nearly two months ago, the Navy promised to hold a public meeting to discuss changes to its Air Installation Compatible Use Zones, so-called "AICUZ maps" that show areas of high noise and accident potential, where development is dissuaded.
No meetings have been held.
The Navy in July asked the County Commission to approve the maps and set land-use guidelines that would restrict development in the high noise and accident areas. The board declined at the recommendation of Growth Management Director Andrew Trivette. Instead, County Commissioner Dixie Spehar asked the Property Appraiser's Office to create online maps or tag properties in the offending zones.
That has not been done, either.
Some residents who live around the base are increasingly frustrated by the noise, and the issue has attracted the attention of the Keys-based environmental group Last Stand, which successfully has sued the local, state and federal government on various issues regarding endangered species and quality of life.
An attorney for Paul Caruso, who organized the Lower Keys group Stop The Planes, has been in discussions with attorneys in Virginia who filed a lawsuit to block jet training at the Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach. The suit ended with a settlement and the Navy agreeing to pay $34 million to 2,100 homeowners, who claimed the 1998 arrival of the F/A-18 Hornets had devalued their homes and subjected them to substantially louder noise.
Key West attorney Bob Goldman, who represents Caruso's group, has "not ruled out filing a lawsuit," he said.
The issue also has raised concerns about fairness and socioeconomic discrimination, as jets fly over mobile-home park and blue-collar neighborhoods on Stock Island, but no longer over tony properties in Key Haven. The Navy contends the maps were changed to more accurately reflect where pilots actually fly — having been instructed for decades not to fly over more residential areas, like Key Haven.
The Property Appraiser's technicians have discussed online maps and tagging properties, but are awaiting more information from Navy officials, Computer Department Supervisor Rob Shaw said Friday. If the Navy and county maps line up, the project could take a week to complete, Shaw said. If they don't, the process could take a month.
Retired Navy pilot and Key Largo resident John Hammerstrom last week issued a report that is critical of the Navy's handling of the map changes and questions whether the Navy fulfilled all of its environmental impact requirements before making the changes. Of the 1,000-page report about the F/A-18 Super Hornets — an upgrade that arrived in Key West in 2004 — and their impact on neighborhoods along the East Coast, "Key West was not evaluated," Hammerstrom wrote.
The report calls for better dialogue between the Navy, county and area residents, and asks the Navy to "appoint a well qualified AICUZ officer and launch a sincere community outreach program (expressly not a public relations campaign) to address the very real concerns of their host," the report reads.
"The Navy has not yet done their part to inform the public of the increased noise and what can be done about it," Hammerstrom said. "Anecdotal evidence indicates that the noise is spilling over the published noise zones. Many folks who bought outside of the AICUZ are now effectively inside it. The county and the Navy have a terrific, but short-lived opportunity to seek common ground and defuse this issue."
Last Stand received a copy of Hammerstrom's report and discussed it at its meeting Monday. The group did not vote to formally endorse the report, but it has designated a board member to work with Hammerstrom.
"He has a lot of good analysis of the issue," said Last Stand board member Dennis Henize, who has been tapped to work with Hammerstrom. "The issue certainly has our interest. In concept, we agree with his [Hammerstrom's] points."
After issuing his report, Hammerstrom also questioned why Air Force F-22A Raptor planes were invited to train over Boca Chica without being factored into the noise and danger maps. Pilots from the 94th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia are slated to train at Boca Chica from Sept. 14 through 24.
The scale of Raptor operations is not sufficient to require AICUZ revisions, Naval Air Station Key West spokesman Jim Brooks said.
"The F-22 does not conflict with the AICUZ," Brooks said. "The F-22 is a visiting aircraft and its small number of operations at NAS Key West does not affect the overall average for AICUZ noise contours."
Langley Air Force Base spokeswoman Beth Gosselin maintains the jets are not louder than F-15 Eagle fighter planes. However, Gosselin did not have information on the exact decibel level produced by the F-22 Raptors.
"We've found that the number of noise complaints since the arrival of the F-22s is similar to the number received in previous years concerning the F-15," Gosselin said. "Next week we will release our latest AICUZ findings, which are comparable to the data prior to F-22 operations at Langley."
Everyone should call and or write the navel base and tell them you like the noise. If you do they have to record the call and take tabulations.
At the commissioners meeting it would have to read XYZ so many complaints concerning jet noise.
Then they would HAVE to state how many compliments on the jet noise.
:-)
Until of course its YOUR home’s property values that plummet.
Yep, I remember that.
I'm not sure what you're trying to convey in your message, but I am thankful for the fact that we live in a country that is free.
What's your point?
Shall we join forces? (BTW... I didn't encourage Sherman on his march through Georgia!)
We used to live right in the flight path for Dobbins. We always knew when it was a training weekend. :)
We moved two miles across a main road, and hardly ever hear them anymore.
Shall we join forces? (BTW... I didn't encourage Sherman on his march through Georgia!)
I lived off Atlanta Rd. a few blocks from the NAS entrance. I loved watching the jets fly over the house.
“I didn’t encourage Sherman on his march through Georgia!”
Now you might as well know that it’s not your valuing freedom and liberty that we are doubting, it’s your lack of common sense and foresight in being born a Yankee!!
Just happened to be in an area a few days ago where an F-22 Raptor was taking off and flying over. Now THAT is a loud plane.
It might be stealthy but, in the field, every military person will know where an F-22 is in the sky. Everyone near the airstrip will need ear protection at take-off. My guess would be about 160db within 300 yards.
I remember as a kid going to my first Thunderbirds show. They were flying the F-86 and the show opener was a single ship breaking the sound barrier, and probably some windows besides.
Absolutely awesome. Todays show you have to keep sight of them or you are in for a surprise appearance, but in those days the appearance was almost gone when you heard the boom. Sound of freedom.
My point is that I’m willing to bet that those who are having an orgasim over the roar of these planes would probably be singing a different tune if they were attempting to sell a home in the vicinity and were losing hundreds of thousands of dollars as a result of, lets be honest, the noise pollution.
Doesn’t detract from the reality that those jets keep us free but there are consequences as to where they are based. The military should be cognisant of this and act accordingly.
I was at an airshow where a B-1B did a flyby. On the last pass, it came in low and slow over the runway, then lit the afterburners and swung the wings back.
Man, what a sound! There was this deep rumble, along with a snarl and crackle. You could feel the air pressure beat against your chest. I was totally jazzed!
Maybe the Navy would like to invite a couple of B-1s to visit, and put on an expanded concert of the sounds of freedom.
I lived in Mira Mesa (1 mile north of the Miramar runway) from 1983 to 2001. My scout troop was invited to the tarmac to witness the arrival of the first F14 with the Secretary of the Navy riding in the RIO seat. We were assigned to pass out the air show programs for what became the genesis of the annual Miramar air show. That was 1972...the year I made Eagle Scout and the Republicans almost selected San Diego for the national convention. The air show was part of Pete Wilson's "America's Finest City" campaign to dress the wounds following loss of the Republican's convention.
The return of the Marines and their F/A 18 plus helicopters was less pleasant to observe than the F14s. More noise and new flight patterns that were more disruptive on the ground in Mira Mesa. Watching the F14s was a key reason I moved to Mira Mesa. No big deal now...I'm in Idaho.
Yankees are northerners visiting the South. Damn Yankees are those who don’t leave.
We do need another on the left coast dont we?
“The suit ended with a settlement and the Navy agreeing to pay $34 million to 2,100 homeowners, who claimed the 1998 arrival of the F/A-18 Hornets had devalued their homes and subjected them to substantially louder noise.”
That’s over $16,000 to each homeowner from us, the taxpayers just for griping about some noise. And I can pretty much guarantee the military was there first ... nobody made these homeowners buy and build there.
Having served in the U.S. Air Force, I appreciate what it takes to get those birds in the air. Lots of dedicated men and women.
Most know that buying a house near an air base will bring some of the trappings connected with military flyovers. (You know that going in...) I can understand the housing situation, and appreciate the drawbacks.
Still... I love the sound of freedom.
Cheers!
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