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 and Cargo Activity - The September 2005 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. The statistics in general show a 4.6% increase in year-to-date passenger activity (2,322,029 vs 2,220,608). Total passenger counts for September were 233,153 compared to last year's 227,666, an increase of 2.4%. Monthly general aviation operations compared to last year were up 2.3%, (26,860 operations vs. 26,263). Monthly cargo volumes were down 8.8% (4,581 tons vs. 5,024).
Noise Activity - The September 2005 Monthly Airport Noise Statistics Report (Attachment 2) has been expanded and now includes four separate reports with current month and yearto-date totals. The four reports are a follows:
. Noise Complaints - Summarizes noise complaint information for commercial and non-commercial operations.
. Noise Complaint Plot Map - Identifies the origin of the complaint . Noise Violations - Summarizes violation for airline and non-commercial 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. .
. 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.
The Airport's Noise Office receives and investigates noise calls and complaints from local residents and residents who live outside of Long Beach. In September, the Noise Office received 831 complaints from citizens compared to 408 complaints received in the previous month. It should be noted that 17 individuals, utilizing a duplicate email listing of 30
complaints, generated 510 of the 831 complaints. The 17 email lists, which included complaints for the entire month of September, were received October 1-3, 2005.
In an effort to ensure that complaint activity is processed accurately and in a timely fashion, Airport staff has encouraged complainants to submit complaints as the activity occurs, as opposed to the current batch processing of complaints. Additionally, complainants have been apprised that effective December 1, 2005 they will be able to enter complaints directly into the Airport's database and receive an immediate acknowledgement of their complaint.
. Further analysis of the noise complaints revealed the following:
. Total number of complainants: 124
. 68% (546 of 831) of the complaints were generated by 18 individuals;
. 21 % (176 of 831) of the complaints were related to operations between 10:00 p.m.
and 7:00 a.m.;
. 30% (234 of 831) 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 - Release of the Draft EIR The Airport Terminal Area Improvements Project Draft EIR was released to the public the week of November 7. The Draft EIR is available for review on the City's website www.lonqbeach.qov, the Airport website www.lqb.orq, at each of the City's libraries and in the Environmental Planning office on the 5th floor of City Hall.
Key Dates: Four key dates that have been set at this time.
November 29, 2005 A public meeting will be held at The Grand (4101 E. Willow) from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. to provide the public an overview of the findings of the Draft EIR. The public will have an opportunity to provide comments at this time. Verbal comments made at this meeting will be responded to as part of the Final EIR.
December 3,2005 A second Draft EIR public meeting will be held at the City Council chambers (333 W. Ocean Boulevard) from 9:00 a.m. until 1 :00 p.m.
to provide the public an overview of the findings of the EIR.
December 15, 2005 A joint meeting of the Planning Commission and Cultural Heritage Commission will be held at 11 :00 a.m., in the City Council chambers.
December 22,2005 The EIR is being circulated for a 45-day public review period. The review period closes on December 22, 2005. All comments received by the end of the review period will be responded to as part of the Final EIR.
. Automated Noise Complaint System - Effective December 1, 2005, Internet users will be able to enter complaints directly into the Airport's database. Access to the automated complaint system will be located on the main page of the Airport's website at www.lqb.orq. Complainants will receive an immediate acknowledgement of their complaint.
. Allocation of Commuter Slots - Effective November 8, America West relinquished two of their three allocated commuter slots.
Delta Connection (Skywest) is expected to begin operations of their three daily commuter flights on December 15.
Under the terms of Airport Flight Allocation Resolution, Smooth Flight Holdings has until November 30, to convert the 19 Conditional Flight Slots to Final Slots. If the specified bond and/or other performance guarantee measures are not initiated by November 30, the slots will be forfeited. Once converted, the flight slots must be flown within 180 days.
. Annual Noise Budget Analysis Report - Based upon the findings of the Annual Airport Noise Budget Analysis, conducted for the period of October 1, 2004 through September 30, 2005, the commercial air carriers exceeded their allowable noise budget. Therefore, pursuant to the City's Noise Ordinance, LBMC 16.43.040, no additional commercial supplemental flight slots, beyond the existing 41-flight level, will be allocated for 2006.
. Public Affairs Activities - Principal for a Day, Wednesday, November 3,2005 - Sharon Diggs-Jackson and Sileneka Smith served as Principals for a Day, at Minnie Gant and Whittier Elementary schools, respectively. The LBUSD Principal for a Day program is recognized as one of the largest in the country.
Long Beach Veterans Day Parade was held Saturday, November 5 - The Airport staffed a booth during the celebration, which was held at Houghton Park immediately following the parade. General Airport information, including information regarding the "Long Beach Aviation Legends" was handed out.
. Military Flight Activity - As previously reported, the Airport experienced an increase in F-18 fighter jet activity during the month of October. During the month, there was a total of 18 fighter jet operations. As requested, the operations occurred during daylight hours.
Each incident exceeded the allowable noise limits. However, per the City's Airport Noise Ordinance, military aircraft operations are exempt from violations.
.Holiday Parking - The Airport's customer parking demand forecasts for both the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday period indicate that there will not be adequate capacity to accommodate parking needs. As such, for the Thanksgiving holiday period, the Airport Bureau has entered into a Purchase Order agreement with the Abbey Company to utilize approximately 450 spaces in their parking structure, which are temporarily available due to subtenant vacancies. The Abbey Company, an Airport tenant, owns the Airport One building and parking structure located just north of Donald Douglas Drive.
For the Christmas holiday period, a section of Long Beach City College's Vets Stadium parking lot is available. A lease agreement to permit use of this property will be brought to the City Council for approval.
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