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Burbank residents who live in the vicinity of Bob Hope Airport may soon see relief in the nighttime hours from cargo plane flight activity if a proposed mandatory curfew is endorsed by the public and approved by the FAA.
This month, airport officials will consider the curfew that will prohibit air traffic between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. In turn, the airport could potentially save millions in operation costs. In 2002, the second phase of an extensive eight-year study on nighttime noise pollution caused by the airport determined that a curfew would have a positive impact as follows:
1. Improved quality of sleep;
2. Improved property values;
3. Quiet enjoyment of outdoor recreational activities during the early morning and evening hours; and
4. Deferred need for acoustic treatments in some residences.
Because of the rigorous application process the FAA requires airports to undergo, it has taken Burbank Airport the past eight years to reach this phase; they are now ready to hold a public meeting to receive feedback and to complete the application. The FAA's initial reaction to the curfew request was discouraging in 2004, when they told airport officials the ban they sought was inconsistent with their criteria.The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority is scheduled to meet on March 17, and will announce a public comment period that will last 45 days. If you are an area resident who likes their sleep to be airplane noise-free, now's your time to have your say. The plan is likely to be submitted to the FAA for approval in the early summer, reports the Daily News, with the response from them expected in six months. Currently only cargo flights us the airport after 10 p.m.; a voluntary curfew has long kept commercial flights grounded overnight at BUR.
Photo by The Back Alley Tabernacle via Flickr
