Letter to jetairpollution.com regarding the SM Airport Commission Noise Workshop

I was one of many people attending the Santa Monica Airport Commission meeting of Monday, March 22, 2004 at the S.M. City Hall. The emphasis of the meeting was the Airport’s Annual Noise Report Workshop.

First of all, because of the recent plane crash into a home in Mar Vista (March 16) there were more concerned neighbors at the meeting than usual. Still, Council Chambers were not packed. Word was out that had they been packed, the Airport’s agenda could have been changed somewhat to allow concerned airport neighbors to speak first. But, unfortunately there weren’t enough people, so in my opinion, a long, tedious, draining lecture took place about the Airport’s noise monitoring systems. It was somewhat interesting, but way too long and technical, and quite a few people in the audience left who had wanted to speak.

One would believe, after listening to the draining lectures, that there was NO NOISE PROBLEM—things are pretty good at S.M. Airport UNLESS you are a neighbor working at home during the day, UNLESS you like to sleep uninterrupted during the night, UNLESS you have a quality of life issue like experiencing a 60.000 pound jet fly directly over your house on a missed approach to the airport in a THICK FOG COVERING. I had this happen and airport staff told me the jet registered 92.5 decibels (95dB the limit) and that the plane missed the regular approach because of inclement weather. I, and many others, are questioning the accurate monitoring of these monstrous planes on missed approach to the airport. How can a plane register correctly on a noise monitor if it is flying one or even two blocks north of south of that monitor???

Finally, I was displeased with Airport Director Jeff Mathieu’s demeanor at the meeting. From the beginning he gave the appearance to me of being on the defensive. Mr. Mathieu is a paid representative of the City of Santa Monica. Many people in the audience commented to me that they thought his approach, especially to a longtime airport activist neighbor, was quite rude. In fact, it appeared to some that he was apparently encouraging a short, heated, confrontational situation by his defensive and authoritative demeanor. The Noise Workshop item on the Airport Agenda invited PUBLIC COMMENT and a question and answer session. Mr. Mathieu would not let the activist make a comment at this Workshop. He repeatedly and rudely, limited him to just asking questions in the so called interest of time. It was so disturbing that one quick-thinking audience member called out a point of order and mentioned the Brown Act, and then brought up that this was SUPPOSED to be a public comment session as well as a question and answer session.

Joan Winters – Member of Concerned Residents Against Airport Pollution