Town Board Hopes Conditions Won't Preclude Noise Control

The town board of East Hampton, New York has voted unanimously to set aside concerns about grant obligations, and apply for an FAA grant to build a deer fence around its municipal airport. The votes in favor by two Democrats who campaigned for their offices on a platform of opposing FAA involvement has ruffled some local voters.

The East Hampton Patch reports the vote came Tuesday following a public hearing on the matter at which 50 resident spoke. It's not clear the town board understands the FAA's priorities. Airport attorney Peter Kirsch talks of a need to professionalize operations at the airport, including passing a local ordinance prohibiting getting out of a helicopter with the rotor still spinning.

Councilman Peter Hammerle, whose term will end December 31, said the vote to accept an FAA grant puts the council "on a good course here. I just hope that in the coming year you continue to aggressively identify and pursue helicopter restrictions ... so we can grant some relief for the people that are adversely affected."

The FAA is normally more likely to use the leverage of grant assurances to prevent NIMBYs and local lawmakers from restricting legitimate aviation activities, such as helicopter flight training, at airports which have received federal funding.

Based on a consultant's estimate, building the fence would cost as much as $700,000. The airport (KHTO) has two runways, the 4,255' runway 10/28, and the 2,060' runway 16/34.

FMI: http://easthampton.patch.com/listings/east-hampton-airport