Airport Joint Highlights 2006 0501

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® . .. [Tr.l \l B City of San Leandro Airport Committee • Monday, May 1, 2006 • City of San Leandro Questions / Update Requests: • 1. Port's position on construction of noise barrier for Airport's South Field. The Port of Oakland summarized its investigation of a South Field noise barrier in Section 6.6 of the master plan for Oakland International Airport (also see Figures 6.20 and 6.21). The City of San Leandro representatives on the Stakeholder Advisory Committee requested that the Port consider constructing a noise barrier to block aircraft ground noise in the Neptune Drive neighborhood. The Port examined the possible effects of such a noise barrier located either at the Airport or near the residences (in the rear yard of the homes on the west side of Neptune Drive). Section 6.6 provides the details and results of this examination. in summary, the results of this examination showed that the on- Airport noise barrier is of marginal value and may not be worth pursuing as the benefits are limited (approximately 6 dBA noise reduction). The Neptune Drive neighborhood noise barrier would provide a constant 12 dI3A noise reduction of aircraft departing from Runway 29 until the aircraft rotates and climbs high enough to be seen above the barrier. In January 2006, the City of San Leandro hosted a meeting with the Neptune Drive neighborhood so that the Port could present the above analyses on a potential noise barrier either on- Airport or along the rear yards of the homes on the west side of Neptune Drive. All homeowners along the west side of Neptune Drive that expressed an opinion indicated that they did not want a noise barrier constructed in their rear yards despite the potential noise reduction benefit (up to 12 dbA during certain conditions, as described in Section 6.6.4). Instead, they requested that the Port continue to study the costs and benefits of constructing on- Airport noise barriers. Further, the community requested that the City of San Leandro and Port continue to pursue sound insulation as one of the most effective methods of reducing the effects of aircraft noise. An on- Airport noise harrier has the following limitations or issues: • Any noise barrier (on- Airport or along Neptune .Drive) will not block tovw- frequency aircraft noise . (e.g., nimbiing). • Noise barriers are only effective when the wind is very clam (less than 1 knot). If the wind is not clam, wind noise and noise caused by wind would mask aircraft noise and affect propagation in such a way that the potential benefits outlined in the master plan would not be realized. • Noise barriers do not block noise from aircraft in flight. • The only hones that would benefit from a potential noise barrier are those on the west side of Neptune Drive. Homes on the east side of Neptune Drive or anywhere else in the City would receive no benefit from the potential on- Airport noise barrier. • An on- Airport noise barrier might require a permit from the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), and any barrier extending into San Francisco Bay would require a BCDC permit. Given the limitations above, BCDC might not approve such a permit. Therefore, the Port does not believe that an on- Airport noise barrier is practicable and would not likely be a successful project. If constructed, we anticipate that even the residents along the west side of Neptune Drive would report limited or no reduction in aircraft noise. Further, no other homes in the City of San Leandro would benefit at all. Therefore, the Port encourages the City of San Leandro to pursue sound