Residents Give City,Port Their Ideas on Anacortes Airport Perimeter Issues

["Colleen Turner" <turner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

November 19, 2003

Residents Give City, Port Their Ideas on Airport Perimeter Issues
Anacortes American, WA


Some residents of the area east of Anacortes Airport met in small groups
with staffers from the airport and the city on Thursday, Nov. 13, in the
first of three community meetings dealing with perimeter issues at the
airport.

Copper Pond residents told the Port they don't want wilderness areas at
the airport fenced off and they want aircraft run-up areas moved to reduce
noise, among other points.

Some residents also said they don't want final decisions made on what to
do with the perimeter until after new City Council members and Port
Commissioners take office on the first of the new year.

The Port of Anacortes, which operates the airport, scheduled three
meetings to gather input on a new proposal to the city to resolve
long-standing issues with neighbors of the airport.

The proposal includes setback, fencing and screening options that vary at
different portions of the airport's perimeter. The City Council has
imposed more stringent requirements in an interim airport zoning
ordinance.

At this first meeting, the Port set up different areas of the room to deal
with separate subjects, including: setback, fencing and noise screening.
The meeting was more individual conversations as residents moved from one
area to another. Residents had a chance to see large aerial photographs of
the area and could use pushpins to indicate where they live.

Neighbor Vicki Kirkland told Port consultant David Williams, a civil
engineer, "There's no place for wildlife to go if the fence is at the
property line." Williams' retort: "Why should the airport protect wildlife
when the city doesn't?"

In another conversation, Marlene Moore told City Planning Director Ian
Munce, "We're really concerned about protecting the wetlands." Munce
replied that the wetlands on airport property could be protected by the
city.

Moore told Port consultant Pietro Potesta, an urban designer, "We know
there needs to be a fence," adding, "If the airport leaves open space
unfenced, it could go a long way to being a good neighbor."

Meanwhile, neighbor Dawn Jones told another consultant that she and her
husband, Ken, would like to see the run-up areas moved from the ends of
the runway to a location further from homes, such as mid-field.

Craig Stampher, the Port's director of operations, told a reporter "We are
more than reluctant to tell pilots what to do." He indicated pilots tend
to do engine run-ups at the end of the runway because that's the last
opportunity before take-off.

Meanwhile, some residents are pressing both the Port and the City Council
not to make any decisions on the proposal or on a permanent airport zoning
ordinance until new City Council members and Port Commissioners take
office at the first of 2004.

Bob Hodgman suggested, in talking to Stampher, "New perspectives can
sometimes yield new results." He said if new faces review the issue and
come up with the same solutions, he'd go along.

Munce told the City Council on Nov. 10 he things the Port and the city are
close to an agreement. Close enough, he said, that a resolution could be
reached before the Dec. 8 City Council meeting.

The next Community meeting, for residents of Clearidge and Woodridge, is
set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, at the Seafarers Memorial Park
Building, 601 14th St.

The final meeting, primarily for residents of Skyline, is set for 6:30
p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at the Skyline Beach Club.

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