SUBJECT: Noise Abatement Protocols for Hawthorne and Torrance Municipal Airports

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1 City Hall 1400 Highland Avenue Manhattan Beach, CA Telephone (310) FAX (310) TDD (310) TO: FROM: Honorable Mayor Burton and Members of the City Council Matthew Cuevas, Management Analyst SUBJECT: Noise Abatement Protocols for Hawthorne and Torrance Municipal Airports DATE: March 1, Recommended Action INFORMATION MEMO At the February 2, 2016 City Council meeting, City Council requested a brief report on the status of aircraft noise over the eastern part of Manhattan Beach from Hawthorne and Torrance Municipal Airports. This Information Memo seeks to provide an update on noise abatement protocols for Hawthorne and Torrance Municipal Airports, the formal process to register complaints concerning excessive aircraft noise exposure, and the actions the City of Manhattan Beach has taken to help remediate the issue of low flying aircraft. INTRODUCTION: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) establishes that individual airports are responsible for their noise impact on surrounding communities. Any noise issues or complaints should be first addressed with the appropriate staff at the particular airport. Additionally, the FAA controls and regulates all airspace in the country. Any change in departure or arrival flight paths must be approved and implemented by the FAA. The City of Manhattan Beach has no jurisdiction or control over flight paths, or airspace over the City. HAWTHORNE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT: The airport is owned and operated by the City of Hawthorne and has instituted a Noise Compatibility Program. A component of this program is the Hawthorne Airport Fly Quietly pilot education program. This component was instituted in 1994 and provides pilots with detailed handouts on existing departure, arrival and pattern procedures to reduce the noise impact of airport operations on surrounding communities. The airport s Noise Compatibility Program also established a formalized system to address noise complaints regarding low flying aircraft. Hawthorne Municipal Airport staff can be contacted at (310) or (310) to file a noise complaint. All complaints should be as detailed as possible and include the date, the time, location of the aircraft, a description of the aircraft or tail number if legible, and any additional relevant information. TORRANCE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT: The airport is owned and operated by the City of Torrance. The City of Torrance has an Airport Commission that advises the Torrance City Council on airport related issues including airport noise. In addition, the Torrance Municipal Airport has a Noise Abatement Office which provides enforcement of Torrance Municipal codes regarding noise during

2 take-offs, landings, curfew times and other aircraft training operations. Torrance Municipal Airport staff can be contacted at (310) to file a noise complaint. All complaints should be as detailed as possible and include the date, the time, location of the aircraft, a description of the aircraft or tail number if legible, and any additional relevant information. The Torrance Municipal Airport also has an online system titled WebTrak to register noise complaints. This internet based flight tracking system allows for the public to view real-time noise readings generated by flights on surrounding noise monitors and submit complaints directly into the noise system. To view real-time flight data and submit a noise complaint please visit ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE CITY OF MANHATTAN BEACH: The City of Manhattan Beach has sent official correspondence to both Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in March 2015 and Hawthorne Municipal Airport in September 2015 regarding aircraft noise concerns, and their impacts on the Manhattan Beach community. In addition, the City has two Councilmembers who serve on Los Angeles World Airports LAX/Community Noise Roundtable. The roundtable is intended to reduce and mitigate the adverse noise impacts on the communities surrounding LAX. ADDITIONAL ALTERNATIVES: The City of Manhattan Beach will continue to work collaboratively with the cities of Hawthorne and Torrance to reduce the noise-impacted areas around Manhattan Beach. In addition, the FAA offers Aviation Noise Ombudsman services if efforts to resolve noise complaints at local airports are unsuccessful. The Aviation Noise Ombudsman s office can be reached by at 9-AWA-NoiseOmbudsman@faa.gov, by phone at (202) , or at the mailing address below: Federal Aviation Administration, Aviation Noise Ombudsman, AEE Independence Ave. S.W. Washington, DC Attachments: 1. Letter to Los Angeles International Airport - March 19, Letter to Hawthorne Municipal Airport September 23, 2015

3 City of Manhattan Beach CITY COUNCIL Wayne Powell Mayor Mark Burton Mayor Pro Tem Tony D Errico Councilmember David J. Lesser Councilmember Amy Thomas Howorth Councilmember CITY TREASURER Tim Lilligren, C.P.A. Treasurer March 19, 2015 Mr. Glen Martin Regional Administrator Federal Aviation Administration Western-Pacific Region AWP-1 P.O. Box Los Angeles, CA Mr. Scott Tatro Airport Environmental Manager Los Angeles World Airports P.O. Box Los Angeles, CA Re: Expanded Hours for the LAX LOOP Departure Dear Messrs. Martin and Tatro: The City of Manhattan Beach appreciates the opportunity to comment on the proposed expanded hours of the LAX LOOP Departure test program. On behalf of the City Council of Manhattan Beach and our residents, we would like to express our strong opposition to the proposed expanded hours of the LAX Loop Departure. As we understand it, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently performing a test of expanded hours for the LOOP Departure. The FAA is conducting this test to evaluate the feasibility of operating the existing LOOP departure procedure during the expanded hours of 9:00 p.m. to midnight. During the 9:00 p.m. to midnight hours, the test procedure requires that aircraft cross the shoreline at 12,000 ft. rather than 10,000 ft. which is used during normal hours. The FAA has issued a Categorical Exclusion to perform this 6-month test only. It is also the understanding of the City, that should the FAA decide to implement this as a permanent change, they will need to conduct a separate environmental review and analysis. City Hall 1400 Highland Avenue Manhattan Beach, California (310) Visit us on the Web:

4 Mr. Glen Martin Mr. Scott Tatro March 19, 2015 Page Two Although the FAA has established a minimum altitude of 12,000 ft. for aircraft operating the LOOP procedure between 9:00 p.m. and midnight, many of our residents have expressed numerous noise and safety complaints over the number of aircraft that appear to be flying at extremely low levels, well below the 12,000 ft. requirement, directly over our City The City does not support the proposal of expanded hours for the LOOP Departure and urges you not to move forward with this proposal as a permanent change to airport operations. Sincerely, Wayne Powell Mayor cc: Manhattan Beach City Council U.S. Congressman Ted Lieu California State Senator Ben Allen California State Assemblyman David Hadley Gina Marie Lindsey, Executive Director Los Angeles World Airports Mayor Eric Garcetti, City of Los Angeles City Hall Council Member Mike Bonin, City of Los Angeles President Sean O. Burton, Office of Airport Commissioners Vice President Valeria C. Velasco, Office of Airport Commissioners Gabriel L. Eshaghian, Office of Airport Commissioners Jackie Goldberg, Office of Airport Commissioners Beatrice C. Hsu, Office of Airport Commissioners Matthew M. Johnson, Office of Airport Commissioners City Hall 1400 Highland Avenue Manhattan Beach, California (310) Visit us on the Web:

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