HomeMy WebLinkAbout16-011 - ADMIN Resolution - City Council - 2016/01/19RESOLUTION NO. 16-011
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 St. Louis Park is committed to protecting and enhancing the
quality of life of its residents; and,
WHEREAS, the City of St. Louis Park, 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 St. Louis Park 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 St. Louis Park for a period of two weeks made the
following findings:
1. 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 St. Louis Park 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 St. Louis Park 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,
Resolution No. 16-011 -2-
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 St. Louis
Park hereby:
1. 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
�perators
ew PBN flight procedures and to communicate with stakeholders, including airport
and communities, to ensure noise impacts are conveyed and minimized.
Council January 19, 2015
Manager
Attest:
\AM) L" V, �0 �=� ,
Melis a Kenne y, rty Clerk