AIRPORT NOISE ADVISORY PANEL (ANAP) 4 th Quarter, December 5, 2016 3:30 P.M. Reno-Tahoe International Airport, River Room, Main Terminal Bldg. MINUTES MEMBERS PRESENT Airport Board of Trustees Airport Board of Trustees Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada FAA/Flight Standards District Office FAA/Air Traffic Control Division City of Sparks Citizen RTIA Airlines Representative Fixed Base Operators Truckee Meadows Regional Planning RENO-TAHOE AIRPORT AUTHORITY STAFF VP, Planning, Engineering & Environmental Mgmt Manager, Planning and Environmental Services Noise Analyst Senior Airport Planner Capital Improvements & Grant Coordinator Administrative Assistant III Jessica Sferrazza, Chair Bill Eck, Vice Chair Frank Lepori Lee Oscar Karl Scribner George Graham Capt. Jon Proehl Patrick Wink Chris Tolley Jamie McCluskie Dan Bartholomew Rick Miller Lissa Butterfield Faith Allen Lacy Glodowski MEMBERS ABSENT The Chamber Lisa Ruggerio Nevada Air National Guard Capt. Erik Brown City of Reno Planning Nathan Gilbert City of Reno Citizen Glenn Graves Washoe County Citizen Yvonne Murphy Washoe County Citizen Allayne Donnelly-Everett Washoe County Department of Comprehensive Planning Chad Giesinger Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority Brian Rivers City of Sparks Community Development Jim Rundle City of Sparks Citizen David Shocket VACANT SEATS (7): City of Reno Citizen (2), City of Sparks Citizen, Washoe County Citizen, Air Cargo Representative, General Aviation Representative 1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL The Airport Noise Advisory Panel (ANAP) met in the River Room in the Main Terminal of the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, Reno, Nevada. Chair Jessica Sferrazza called the meeting to order at 3:34 p.m. and roll was called. 2. PUBLIC COMMENT Public Comment is limited to 3 minutes
Richard Burkhardt provided public comment regarding 4:00 a.m. flights over his home. Chair Sferrazza asked that staff provide a report showing the 4:00 a.m. cargo flight schedule in the next meeting material. 3. INTRODUCTION OF NEW AIRPORT NOISE ADVISORY PANEL CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR Trustee Sferrazza was introduced as the new Chair of the Airport Noise Advisory Panel and Trustee Bill Eck was introduced as the new Vice Chair. 4. INTRODUCTION OF NEW AIRPORT NOISE ADVISORY PANEL MEMBER Chris Tolley was introduced as a new panel member, representing Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR JUNE 20, 2016 MEETING A Motion was made and seconded, and the Panel approved the minutes from the 2nd Quarter meeting of June 20, 2016 with no changes. 6. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE 2017 MEETING SCHEDULE The Panel discussed the dates of March 16, 2017 and September 21, 2017 for potential meeting dates. a. A motion was made and seconded, and the Panel approved March 16, 2017 at 3:30 pm for the next meeting date b. A request was made for alternative October dates, instead of the September 21 date, to be discussed at the March 16, 2017 meeting. 7. QUARTERLY REPORTS Rick Miller, Noise Analyst, presented information on Flight Schedule Changes, Air Cargo Activity, Runway Use, and Noise Complaints. a. Flight Schedule and Operations: The following flight schedule changes have occurred since July 2016. July (65) United Airlines added one (1) non-stop flight to Denver, CO. August (65) JetBlue added one (1) non-stop service to Long Beach, CA and American Airlines discontinued one (1) non-stop flight to Phoenix, AZ. September (61) United added one (1) non-stop flight to Denver, CO, discontinued one (1) non-stop service to Houston, TX, and discontinued one (1) non-stop flight to San Francisco, CA. American Airlines discontinued one (1) non-stop flight to Dallas, TX, discontinued one (1) non-stop flight to Los Angeles, CA, and discontinued one (1) non-stop flight to Chicago, IL (O Hare). Delta Air Lines discontinued one (1) non-stop service to Minneapolis, MN and added one (1) non-stop flight to Salt Lake City, UT. October (60) United Airlines discontinued one (1) non-stop flight to Denver, CO. November (58) United Airlines discontinued one (1) non-stop flight to Denver, CO, and Southwest Airlines discontinued one (1) non-stop service to Chicago, IL (O Hare). Cargo Activity There have been no significant changes to the air cargo schedule since the last quarterly update. Page 2 of 5
Runway Use Runway use at RNO typically follows a 75/25 south flow/north flow split. During the 3 rd Quarter, 64 percent of all departures were on south flow. b. Noise Complaints: 3 rd quarter noise complaints totaled 632 complaints from sixteen (16) households. There were 200 complaints in July, 179 in August, and 253 in September. Northeast Reno complaints were related to north flow departures. The Huffaker Hills complaints were due to north flow arrivals. Jon Proehl asked a series of questions related to the 3 rd quarter noise complaints. First, he queried whether the 432 complaints from Northeast Reno reflect a growing upward trend or an expected increase related to summertime weather. Staff clarified that there is a single household in that area responsible for most of the complaints, and that household is located in the regular flight paths. Identifying a trend line for complaints is difficult because there are many variables effecting why people complain. Second, Mr. Proehl asked for clarification on the number of operations during the early morning hours. Staff confirmed that during those designated hours, there is statistically less than one operation during each of those hours. And finally, Mr. Proehl requested an explanation regarding how winds affect the direction aircraft land. Karl Scribner, Air Traffic Control Tower Manager, indicated that calm winds are defined as less than 5 knots. Based on wind, the tower directs pilots to take off or arrive in either north or south flow. A pilot can only request to land in a different direction, if that pilot can cite a mechanical issue. Chair Sferrazza inquired as to how the 80/20 south flow/north flow spilt was established and how it relates to safety. Mr. Scribner stated that aircraft land into the wind. Once wind speed exceeds 5 knots, then aircraft will be flying into the wind. At Reno-Tahoe International Airport, given the speed and direction wind typically occurs, that averages out to 80% of all wind blowing from the north and 20% of all wind blowing from the south. Since aircraft are flown into the wind, that results in 80% south flow and 20% north flow. In response to a question as to whether or not pilots can be directed over industrial areas instead of residential areas, staff used the 3 rd quarter noise complaint location map as a visual guide to explain. Pilots use a stabilized approach when landing, essentially keeping the wings level and the nose pointed straight at the runway while the aircraft descends at a constant rate. If a pilot uses the instrument landing system (ILS) to land from the south, that pilot will line the aircraft up with the Spooner way point, located past Carson City and then follow the ILS at a 3-degree constant rate of descent. Referring back to the noise complaint location map, staff demonstrated how the industrial area follows I-580/US-395 which does not run directly south/north but instead curves east/west at times. Following the industrial development would result in an approach that is not stabilized. Mr. Scribner noted that as a resident of south Reno, he sees new residential developments being constructed but is not seeing a matching increase in noise complaints. Mr. Scribner asked if that is because planning commission zoning has been successful. Staff stated that the Airport Authority responds to all proposed noise-sensitive developments located within the established noise contours with condition requests. The majority of recent Page 3 of 5
noise-sensitive developments are occurring within the City of Reno, and the City has proven to be diligent in communicating our concerns and/or requests to the developers. Jamie Stetson provided public comment regarding the airport s noise complaint process including difficulties using the online noise complaint system and ease of access. Staff thanked Ms. Stetson for identifying issues using the Noise & Operations Monitoring System. The system s primary purpose is to provide aircraft and flight data to the public in a transparent manner, allowing the public to research on their own the specifics about an aircraft that flew over their house (e.g. what type, how high, and how loud). The system provides the public all available information on a specific flight, allowing the public to retrieve that information without waiting for a staff response. Staff added that the system s ability to track noise complaints is a feature of the system and not its primary purpose. Staff provided a brief summary of the noise complaint venues to the Panel, which include: 1) a dedicated phone line (775.328.6468), available in Spanish and English, which records verbal complaints and translates them into text, 2) an email address, noiseline@renoairport.com, which accepts email complaints, and 3) the Noise & Operations Monitoring System which allows complaints to be attached to specific flights. In addition, all Airport staff members can take email or phone noise complaints that are then forwarded to Planning staff. All complaints, no matter which medium they arrive in, are included in the quarterly reports. At the request of Chair Sferrazza, staff agreed to review the system and bring back more information to the March 2017 meeting. c. Aircraft Noise Sensitive Developments: Lissa Butterfield, Senior Airport Planner, reported that there were no aircraft noisesensitive developments proposed in the 3 nd Quarter of 2016. Chair Sferrazza complimented staff for their work on reviewing and making comments to the local governing agencies regarding new developments. She further inquired as to whether staff goes back and looks at what was implemented once the development has been approved. Staff responded that proposed projects are tracked through the Planning Commission and City Council, but once the project has been approved by the Council, no additional steps are taken. Chris Tolley asked for more information on typical condition requests. Staff clarified that formal letters are sent, to the appropriate agency, either requesting conditions or making recommendations. Conditions are requested in defined noise-impact areas, while recommendations are requested for consideration in areas outside of the defined noiseimpact areas. For the most part, all Airport Authority requests are accepted by the City or County. 8. AIRPORT AUTHORITY STAFF ITEMS a. Master Plan Update: Dan Bartholomew, Manager of Planning and Environmental Services, provided an update on the Master Plan project at Reno-Tahoe International Airport. Page 4 of 5
In response to a question regarding whether or not air cargo use at Reno-Stead Airport would be discussed in the master plan, staff clarified that this master plan would only address usage at Reno-Tahoe International Airport. Frank Lepori asked for history on the last airport master plan. Staff stated that the last Reno-Stead Airport master plan was completed in 2010, but the last Reno-Tahoe International Airport master plan was completed in 1991. 9. GENERAL COMMITTEE COMMENTS, QUESTIONS & ITEMS FOR FUTURE COMMITTEE MEETINGS The next ANAP meeting will be held on Thursday, March 16, 2017, at 3:30 p.m. in the River Room. There were no other comments or questions. 10. PUBLIC COMMENT Public Comment is limited to 3 minutes None. 11. ADJOURNMENT There being no further questions or business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 4:42 p.m. JS/lg Page 5 of 5