"High Point, N.C., Council Backs Zones to Guide Land-Use near New Airport Hub"

Wednesday, August 6, 2003

High Point, N.C., Council Backs Zones to Guide Land-Use near New Airport Hub
The High Point (NC) Enterprise


A large portion of residential areas south of Skeet Club Road has been
removed from a map intended to guide land-use in areas that may be affected
by noise from the proposed FedEx hub.

Calling it the best projection at the moment, High Point City Council has
agreed to adopt a noise abatement strategy, which includes a new Airport
Overlay District map, at its Thursday meeting.

The map is intended to give realtors, builders and home buyers the direction
they've been waiting for as the city prepares for the controversial hub
project at Piedmont Triad International Airport.

The majority of the Council gathered Tuesday at a meeting of city's Special
and Planning Committee.

The latest airport zoning map comes with yet another revision, removing any
reference of what formerly was called Zone 5, excluding the region south of
Skeet Club Road from the city's noise mitigation area.

All homes and subdivisions along Skeet Club Road east of Johnson Street are
excluded in the new plan. Also, all residences south of Skeet Club Road from
Johnson Street to Eastchester Drive are excluded.

The north side of Skeet Club between Johnson Street and Eastchester is still
included in the map.

The new map extends Zone 4 further west into High Point's future growth area
bordering Kernersville and Forsyth County.

The reasoning behind the map changes hinges on an uncertain plan to alter
FedEx's current proposed flight paths in and out of north High Point.

Council recently acted on the suggestions of several local commercial pilots
to divert planes further north and west of High Point during late hours of
the night.

Mayor Arnold Koonce issued a letter three weeks ago, asking the Piedmont
Triad Airport Authority to consider the altered flight paths.

Planning Director Lee Burnette said in light of those intentions, the
western portion of the city's planning area should be included in the noise
abatement policies since more noise would be shifted west.

"If the city wants to pursue western flights, we need to give some level of
protection for the western zone," Burnette said.

Just as in Zone 3, Zone 4 requires the city to provide a disclosure
statement on aircraft flights, as well as a separate "waiver of claim." The
waiver is a legal document that building companies must sign before they
subdivide property. It basically waives a homeowner's right to file claims
against the city for any damages from airport flights.

Also, potential home buyers in the zones will be made aware of the waiver
when they close on the real estate.

Also, new construction in the zones must adhere to a set of higher standards
that can reduce interior sound levels. An example is air-tight ventilation
systems and central air conditioning.

Those construction standards were developed by the city's noise consultant,
Wyle Laboratories of Arlington, Va.

Burnette said the Wyle team could redraw the noise contours based on
alternate flight paths, but they aren't likely to deviate much from the
current boundaries.

"There's no guarantee any alternate flight tracks will take place," Burnette
said. "This is something the airport will study. We can make the request
(for different flight paths), but I don't think additional study will make
it happen any sooner. That's what I've been told by our consultant."

The Piedmont Triad Airport Authority has agreed to conduct a Part 150 Study,
which is a required process before the airport can apply for federal funds
to compensate homeowners in the extreme noise contours.

The Part 150 study will take at least 18 months, followed by another
environmental assessment. Airport officials have acknowledged that flight
patterns may be considered in the study.

The airport likely won't begin the Part 150 until it receives the full
green-light for the FedEx hub project, including three environmental
permits.

With the removal of Zone 5 from the map, officials are leaving the
development ordinance open to more changes in the future. Burnette said
language can be worded to account for changes either before or after the
Part 150 Study.

Council members said they don't want to delay their policy decision any
longer, with the assurance that it can be tweaked later.

"The whole thing is up in the air enough," Councilman Bill Bencini said.
"This is a projection of what our best estimate is."

Burnette cautioned that High Point's decision affects other jurisdictions,
although he hasn't heard any outcries from Kernersville relating to
council's request to move flights to the west.

Kernersville Town Manager Randy McCaslin did not immediately return calls
for comment.note, he left a message at 5:02; I called back at 5:20 and there
was no answer in the office Hub opponent Mark Warren said he wasn't
surprised the city left their plans open to changes. He blames the timing of
the Part 150 Study.

"The Part 150 Study should have been done two to three years ago, then High
Point would have been in a better position to plan," said Warren, executive
director of the Alliance for Legal Action opposition group. "I think the
city is doing the best with the information they have, but the information
is meaningless. It's all based on assumptions and one set of variables.
There's no worst- or best-case scenario."

The council will meet again at 9 a.m. Thursday in City Hall, 211 S. Hamilton
St.


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