"Who Says You Can't Buy Happiness?: Florida Homeowners Accept Cash for (Their) Silence"

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Dania agrees on deal with homeowners over airport runway
A unique deal was reached with homeowners living near the Fort
Lauderdale-Hollywood International airport to settle a dispute over a new
runway.
By Alysha Khan
The Miami (FL) Herald


The Dania Beach City Commission unanimously approved a unique settlement
Tuesday night that would pay homeowners affected by the development of a new
runway at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. 

It's believed to be the first time in the United States that homeowners will
be given money to help make up for the loss of their property value when a
neighboring airport expands. 

It marks the end of a decades-long fight by Dania Beach residents to stop
the project because of concerns over air and noise pollution. 

At the commission meeting, residents voiced their final complaints and
applauded each other for their efforts over the years.
 
"We've done a great job holding this back," said Rae Sandler, president of
the Melaleuca Gardens Homeowners Association. 

"I am very proud of my part in this."
 
The deal was offered by the Broward County Commission and the Federal
Aviation Administration, and became a serious option for the city after a
federal appeals court late last year upheld Broward's plan to build a new
"main'' runway on the airport's south side. 

The payments will be funded with money from the FAA, Broward County and
revenue from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport. 

"We got a better deal than the minimum we would have gotten," said Mark
LaRocca, a member of the Dania Beach Airport Advisory Board.
 
The deal, which all five commissioners voted to approve, will provide
homeowners with several different options. 

.  The homes most affected by sound pollution, approximately 857, have two
options. They can sign up for sales assistance from the FAA. Approximately
22 homes will be sold each year, depending on the real-estate market, and
homeowners who receive less than the market value will receive the
difference, up to 25 percent.
 
.  They may also accept payment from Broward County amounting to 20 percent
of their home's value in exchange for signing a release saying they won't
take part in any lawsuit
 
.  About 1,700 homes will be eligible for $80,000 to soundproof their homes.


The settlement must now be approved by Broward County Commission and the
Federal Aviation Association. Once signed, affected homeowners will have up
to a year to make their choice from the options.
 
"As far as being through, this is the FAA phase," said Commissioner Anne
Castro. "There is more to be done. There are some holes that need to be
closed."  
 
The $790 million runway is scheduled to be open for bigger, commercial jets
in 2014. It is expected to increase the amount of take-offs and landings
that can occur at the airport, thereby bolstering the local economy. 

The runway would run east-west and parallel to Griffin Road. It would extend
over U.S. 1 and the railroad tracks. 

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