Newspaper Articles:
This is a section of articles written and submitted to the Herald (Editor) for print, they may or may not have made it in the paper. I also post these in the comment secton at the Herald web site. I will keep writing them either way. Some of these have been issued as letters to the local officials.
Enjoy!
Why is safety important for the City and not the residents? - submitted 7/19
The City and County keep stating that this Overlay District is a zoning overlay that is designed for safety concerns. The safety of the pilots/operators that use the airport and the residents that live around the airport, I am not sure this is an accurate statement but it is what the City and County are saying the AOD is for.
Let’s look at this issue and restrictions of the AOD:
• Radio and Television Broadcasting Studios; Wireless Communication Towers except as authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration
• Above‐ground storage of explosive, hazardous, flammable, or combustible materials, and related facilities or operations that could pose a threat to the welfare of the public in the event of an aircraft crash or other mishap
• Petroleum refining and other related uses that may be susceptible to explosion or fire
• Landfills and incinerators
• Outdoor storage of minerals, coal, ores, oxides, produce, furniture, building supplies, junk or salvage yards
• Wildlife sanctuaries or refuges
• Building restrictions for new construction to better sound proof NEW homes
• Space restrictions for the number of people per acre to limit density of homes
How does any of this protect me as a home owner in the City? I cannot do any of the above in the City limits now with out the permission of the City. What protections does this afford me?
It does not address my insulation, the density of my neighborhood that is already built out or afford me any protections for noise, aircraft flight operations or activities that can and will happen 24 hours per day.
It does not provide protection for the schools, hospitals, daycares or nursing homes that all operate within 2 miles of this airport.
California, Utah and Minnesota have all established airport protection acts and zoning policies that diminish exposure for schools, daycares, hospitals and homes. They have implemented at least a 6000 foot protection zone around airports in order to minimize this exposure to noise and aircraft. This zone was established by the National Transportation and Safety Board.
The National Transportation and Safety Board has stated that 50% of all aircraft accidents and crashes happen within 5 miles of an airport and the closer you get to the runway the higher the probability that a crash can occur.
We currently have 3 schools and a hospital that are within 6000 feet of the runway. We have 6 more schools that are with in 2.5 miles of the runway. Not to mention the countless daycares, nursing homes and houses within 6000 feet of the runway. The states listed above established this safety zone so in the event of an emergency the pilot will have open space to land the plane without injuring those on the ground and possibly save his aircraft and life. The City did not take this into consideration when developing around this airport. Densely populated housing developments are everywhere. The overlay district that they are proposing was developed to establish open space and restrict development. Too little too late and now it will only aid the City in receiving funding in order to expand an airport that does not need to grow, does not have the numbers to qualify for the federal funding and will only server to damage the residents that live around this airport with the potential impact of many jet aircraft coming in at all hours of the day and night.
Noise is one of the many factors for all of these schools and residents. No one has ever or will ever say we are going to have planes falling out of the sky and killing our kids. But we will have jets flying over the schools disrupting class. The longer the runway the more jets we will have coming over the schools and the larger the jets will be.
We must have concern for the safety of the residents, schools, daycares, hospital, and nursing homes that are in close proximity to this airport.
Safety has been discussed by the City and County time and time again. Why is it when the Citizens ask that if you are to implement the Overlay District why are you not putting in safety restrictions on the airport operations in order to protect those on the ground from noise and hazards? Why are you not putting in assistance for noise protection inside the safety zone? Why does the City and County get to use the word safety but not the residents?
Scott Ball
NoAOD.com
Rock Hill, SC
Airport Double Talk: submitted 7/16 and 7/19
The City and County want all of us to believe that we will only have the same type of aircraft on a day to day operational basis. That nothing larger will use this airport because of the 60,000 lb weight restriction. That is not an accurate statement. The FAA has a provision (AC-150/5320‐6D) that will account for much larger aircraft being able to use this airport, up to and including aircraft weighing over 90,000 lbs. Once the City and County accept the grant funding they become beholden to the FAA and the FAA will dictate all aspects of operations including weight based access and hours of operation.
The City wants us to believe that we will not have additional aircraft coming into our airport right away once the expansion is complete. Mr. Ramsdell (Airport Administrator) stated on a local radio show that we will not see an influx of aircraft once the runway is extended. I don’t feel this is an accurate statement either.
The Stage length is the amount of space an aircraft needs to land or take off. During bad weather or hot days that distance gets longer. Manufactures set the stage lengths for all aircraft but some corporation set artificial numbers that exceed that of the manufacture in order to account for safety. Mr. Ramsdell confirmed this on the radio and stated that these aircraft will be able to use this runway once we have it lengthened. He also stated that they will take this type of aircraft into account when submitting for funding. Mr. Ramsdell, are we to believe you when you state we will not have an influx of aircraft to our airport once the runway is completed but at the same time you are counting these additional aircraft (that can’t use this runway currently due to self imposed stage lengths) in order to qualify for funding? How does this work? By your own admission you are using this type of aircraft to potentially qualify your operations for funding and therefore you are telling the FAA and South Carolina Department of Aviation that you will have that many additional aircraft coming into our airport once the extension is complete. Again, how does this work?
Someone needs to explain to me how an airport that is not maxed out in its operations, does not sustain itself, and has had 10’s of millions of dollars in upgrades to entice business, yet lacks the operational numbers to qualify for more improvements; needs to grow?
It would appear that Mr. Smith (City Manager) and Mr. Ramsdell appearing on the local radio show was to answer all of our questions and calm our concerns. It has only aided in generating more questions and concerns about why the City is determined to grow this airport!
Scott Ball
NoAOD.com
Rock Hill, SC