TITLE
Recommendation to receive and file the Airport activities report.
(District 5)
DISCUSSION
Included is the Monthly Airport Activity Report for November 2006.
Airport Passenger, General Aviation (GA) and Cargo Activity - The Monthly Airport Activity Report 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 through November were 2,538,276 compared to last year's 2,794,678, a decrease of 9.2%. The decrease in total passengers is attributed primarily to the discontinuance of service by American Airlines. GA operations, year-to-date, compared to last year are up 5.2%, (314,223 operations vs. 298,553). Cargo volumes, year-to-date, are down 8.6% (45,722 tons vs. 50,009).
Noise Activity - The Monthly Airport Noise Statistics Report 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 type, aircraft noise level, and the time specific allowable noise level.
The Airport's Noise Office receives and investigates noise inquiries and complaints from local residents and residents who live outside of Long Beach. For the month of November, the Noise Office received 156 complaints compared to 211 complaints received during the same period in 2005.
Further analysis of the combined noise complaints revealed the following:
· Total number of complainants: 62
· 49% (77 of 156) of the complaints were related to operations between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
· 15.4% (24 of 156) of the complainants reside in Seal Beach or Huntington Beach.
The above referenced information is displayed on the Airport's website (www.lqb.orq).
Other Airport Activity
§ FLIGHT SLOT UPDATES
As of January 1, 2007, 41 commercial slots and 25 commuter slots are allocated accordingly:
Commercial Flight Slots
o JetBlue Airways- 28
o Alaska Airlines- 5
o US Airways/America West - 4
o UPS - 2
o FedEx - 1
o Airborne - 1
Commuter Flight Slots
o Delta/SkyWest - 4
o US Airways/America West - 1
o BAG Aviation Holdings - 17
o Horizon Airlines - 3
§ PORTRAITS OF HOPE - Long Beach Airport Control Tower Project
The kick-off session for the Portraits of Hope, Ameriquest Soaring Dreams Air Tower Project at the Long Beach Airport was held on Wednesday, January 17, 2007. Thirty students from Hughes Middle School, along with Mayor Bob Foster participated in the work session. Additional sessions are scheduled for January 18, 24 and 25, at Daugherty Sky Harbor, 2875 E. Spring Street. A special work session will be held at the Miller Children's Hospital, Pediatric Unit on January 23rd. Additional sessions are planned for February and March and will include youth from a wide variety of Long Beach schools and organizations.
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." The Long Beach Project will create an 8,000 square foot artwork that will be installed over the concrete sides of the Long Beach Airport Control Tower.
§ COMMUNITY OUTREACH
The Airport provided airfield tours to kindergarten students from Minnie Gant Elementary School, 120 students in total, on January 12th.
§ REGIONAL ISSUES
The Southern California Regional Airport Authority, or SCRAA, held a meeting at MTA headquarters on January 11, 2007. The primary purposes of the meeting were to elect officers, and discuss possible changes to SCRAA's mission, powers, membership and governance. In attendance for the City of Long Beach were Councilwoman Rae Gabelich, Assistant City Attorney Mike Mais, and Airport staff Chris Kunze and Lonnie Mitchell.
The newly elected Chair is Bill Rosendahl, L.A. City Councilman, and the Vice Chair is Gary Ovitt, San Bernardino County Supervisor.
There was much discussion about the input received regarding the need to modify SCRAA's powers, mission, makeup, etc., including a letter authored by Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster. During the public comment period, Long Beach 8th District Councilwoman Rae Gabelich addressed the issues of eliminating SCRAA's powers of eminent domain and their ability to operate airports, as well as the need to broaden the voting membership specifically to include the City of Long Beach. Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) also submitted their recommendations, which specifically referenced the need for consideration of the content of Mayor Foster's letter to SCRAA. A representative of the Office of the Mayor of L.A., brought forward a suggestion for including, as voting members, not only airport operating entities, but also municipalities which are exposed to aircraft noise in excess of 65 CNEL.
Due to the scope of issues on the table, and level of public interest, it was decided to not make any decisions regarding SCRAA's future without additional public input, and as such another meeting was scheduled for March 8, 2007. In the meantime, SCRAAstaff (Los Angeles World Airports staff) will send out a list of options/alternatives regarding SCRAA powers, mission, and makeup, for consideration. SCRAA Board members requested that additional comments be received by the end of February, and that additional discussion would take place at the March 8 meeting, along with some possible decisions.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is not time critical.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
CHRISTINE F. ANDERSEN
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
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APPROVED: |
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GERALD R. MILLER |
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CITY MANAGER |