HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 15-058 - FAA airplane noiseRESOLUTION 15-057
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA
REQUESTING THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ADDRESS
INCREASED AIRCRAFT NOISE IN SARATOGA AND SANT CLARA COUNTY
WHEREAS, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is implementing a planned
transition to the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) to standardize arrival and
departure routes through the use of GPS -based technologies in 21 identified metroplexes,
including the Northern California Metroplex of San Francisco International Airport (SFO),
Oakland International Airport (OAK), Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), and
Sacramento International Airport (SMF); and
WHEREAS, as part of the transition to NextGen, the FAA recently changed the flight
paths followed by commercial aircraft flying into and out of SFO, OAK, and SJC, as well as
other airports in the Northern California Metroplex under a project the FAA calls the Northern
California Optimization of Airspace and Procedures in the Metroplex (NorCal OAPM); and
WHEREAS, on July 31, 2014, the FAA issued a Finding of No Significant impact that
NorCal OAPM would NOT have any significant noise impact on communities and surrounding
areas; and
WHEREAS, due to the considerable increase in the number of flights overhead every
day and lower flight altitudes, there is a significant increase in the amount of aircraft noise
experienced on the ground and is impacting the residents of Saratoga, as well as Los Gatos, Palo
Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and Mountain View; and
WHEREAS, as evidenced by the number of complaints received by Saratoga City Hall,
the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, and the SFO Noise Abatement Office, the new
routes have created noise impacts that appear to be far more adverse than those of the former
routes for our residents; and
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that the City Council of Saratoga requests the FAA to
immediately mitigate the increased aircraft noise at ground level in Saratoga and Santa Clara
County caused by the NorCal OAPM project by identifying all short -and long-term solutions and
the expected timetable for the implementation;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of Saratoga requests the FAA, as part of
the above analysis of aircraft noise mitigation measures, immediately raise the altitude of all
flight paths over the city and surrounding hillsides, reduce the number of night time flights into
SFO, and as part of the longer-term solutions, redesign the flight paths within the Northern
California Metroplex so that the noise burden is borne equitably by all communities that benefit
from air travel, and reconfigure the final approach paths so that descent over the bay is
maximized;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of Saratoga requests that the Congress of
the United States implement statutory changes to the FAA that require more robust community
engagement before flight paths are changed, more accurate measures of noise experienced on the
ground, and independent research on the health impacts of aviation noise.
The above and foregoing resolution was passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Saratoga
City Council held on the 16th day of September 2015 by the following vote:
AYES: Mayor Howard A. Miller, Vice Mayor Manny Cappello, Council Member Emily
Lo, Mary -Lynne Bernald, Rishi Kumar
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
ebbie Bretsc eider, Acting City
Clerk
Howard A. Miller, Mayo
DATE: 9//S1 5�