TITLE
Recommendation to receive and file the monthly Airport activities reports. (District 5)
DISCUSSION
As requested, the following is a report on various activities at the Long Beach Airport.
Airport Passenger, General Aviation (GA) and Cargo Activity - The February 2006 Monthly Airport Activity Report (Attachment 1) provides monthly and year-to-date statistics for airline passengers (total and enplaned), aircraft operations by user category, and cargo carrier tonnage. Total passenger counts for February were 202,456 compared to last year's 218,796, a decrease of 7.5%. Monthly GA operations compared to last year were up 8.2%, (24,861 operations vs. 22,980). Monthly cargo volumes were down 1.9% (4,055 tons vs. 4,136).
Noise Activity - The February 2006 Monthly Airport Noise Statistics Report (Attachment 2) includes four separate reports with current month and year-to-date totals. The four reports are as follows:
. Noise Complaints - Summarizes noise complaint information for commercial (which includes cargo carriers), GA, and other operations.
. Noise Complaint Plot Map - Identifies the origin of the complaint.
. Commercial Late Night Activity - Summarizes activity between 10:00 p.m. to 11 :00 p.m. and
11 :00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. by airline.
. Noise Violations - Summarizes violations for airline and GA operations.
Provides a complete listing of each violation, includes violator's name, date and time of violation, aircraft types, aircraft noise level, and the time specific allowable noise level.
The Airport's Noise Office receives and investigates noise calls and complaints from local residents and residents who live outside of Long Beach. In February, the Noise
Office received 239 complaints from citizens compared to 228 complaints received in the previous month.
Further analysis of the noise complaints revealed the following:
. Total number of complainants: 42
. 74% (176 of 239) of the complaints were related to operations between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.;
. 1.2% (3 of 239) of the complainants reside in Seal Beach or Huntington Beach.
This above referenced information is displayed on the Airport's website (www.lqb.orq).
Other Airport Activity
. Terminal Area Improvements Project - EIR Schedule
The comment period for the DEIR ended on February 30, 2006. The City received 276 comments (oral, written and bye-mail). These comments are currently posted on the City's website. Staff and the City's consultant are now in the process of preparing responses to each of the comments received. It is anticipated that the responses will be completed and made available to the public on April 24, 2006.
The tentative date for the Planning Commission to consider the certification of the EIR is May 4,2006.
. Allocation of Flight Slots & New Service Routes
As a result of American Airlines' recent discontinuation of service from Long Beach Airport, five Air Carrier Flight Slots became available. Per the terms of a prior airline settlement agreement, the first flight slot was allocated to JetBlue Airways.
Through 4:30 PM, April 3, 2006, three applications were received for the four remaining flight slots. Per the guidelines set forth in City of Long Beach Resolution # 28465 (Flight Allocation Procedures), the four remaining Air Carrier Flight Slots were allocated as follows:
Delta Connection/SkyWest has requested and has been allocated one additional commuter flight slot, which brings their total to four. The additional flight, to Salt Lake City, is expected to begin in June 2006.
. Airport Triennial Emergency Exercise
On Saturday, April 22, 2006, the Long Beach Airport will hold a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated live-exercise. Planning for this full-scale exercise began in March 2005. In addition to meeting an FAA requirement the exercise is also meeting a requirement for the City's acceptance of funds under the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant.
The purpose of this full-scale training exercise is for airport and emergency service organizations to provide rescue, fire and emergency medical and related services to victims of a simulated major aircraft disaster. The exercise will provide meaningful, realistic and safe joint training with the agencies involved, under a unified command structure during a controlled airport emergency. The five components of the exercise include law enforcement, aircraft rescue and firefighting, urban search and rescue, public information and family reunification. Approximately 200 safety and airport personnel and 200 volunteers will participate in the exercise.
. Public Affairs Activities
Airport Information and Noise Abatement Center - The Center's, located at 4135 Donald Douglas Drive, is fully operational. The Center's hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
During the first quarter of 2006, the Airport provided 23 tours to 769 individuals.
Public Affairs and Airport Volunteers provided presentations, and/or tours to the following groups:
. Groundhog Job Shadow Day . Hudson Elementary Career Day . Junior Chamber of Commerce Panel Presentation . Clara Barton Elementary School Career Day . Airport Tour, Lil' Cottonwood Play Group of Los Alamitos
. Portraits of Hope - LB Airport Air Traffic Control Tower Project
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted approval for the proposed Long Beach Airport Air Traffic Control Tower Portraits of Hope Project. Portraits of Hope is a non-profit program that conceives and develops educational and artistic collaborative projects for children in hospitals, schools, and after-school programs that culminate in "spectacular, one-of-a-kind, public art works."
Portraits of Hope projects have been featured prominently in national and international television, radio, and print media.
The LB Airport Air Traffic Control Tower Project will lead to in the creation of art banners to install temporarily over the concrete sides of the Long Beach Airport Tower.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is not time critical.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
[Enter Body Here]
Respectfully Submitted,
NAME |
APPROVED: |
TITLE |
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GERALD R. MILLER |
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CITY MANAGER |