Proposed Housing Development Deemed A Hazard

Here's the other side of the age-old homeowners-against-those-noisy-airplanes debate. Officials with Florida's Gainesville Regional Airport are making their own noise, about a 1,200-home development planned at the end of its main runway.

The development falls within the airport's hazard zone -- thus opening the possibility of future residents complaining about noise. This would interfere with airport operations. This concerns airport officials.

"This could cause some serious problems for the airport down the road," said Allan Penksa, the airport's interim CEO.

The project puts 1,199 homes on 500 acres around Gainesville's municipal Ironwood Golf Course, according to The Gainesville Sun. It is scheduled to be an "active adult community" for residents 55-years-old or older.

Rob Simensky, manager of the group developing the project, said the development and airport can "co-exist."

"I don't think it's going to cause any problems," he said. "I think people move there voluntarily and it's common to have residential developments near airports."

Penksa disagrees, saying the development is across Waldo Road from the end of the busiest runway at the airport.  Annually, 130,000 planes go through the airport, primarily on this particular runway.

Many of these flights would come within 100 feet of proposed homes -- including late night medical flights.

Putting residents there would lead to noise complaints, forcing the airport to change operations, said Penska.

Other airport authority members are also worried. Jim Stringfellow notes the age restriction factor will only compound the problem because "older residents are more likely to complain. Being older people, that's an even worse part of the formula," he said.

Penksa even went so far as to shoot a video from a future homeowner's point of view, to illustrate how homes on the site would have planes frequently roaring overhead. He wants to show the video to the City Commission and plead the airport's concerns.

Noise complaints about airports frequently lead to legal issues, said authority member Mac MacEachern.

"No amount of warnings ... have an effect," he said. "The noise complaints still come on and the lawsuits still come later on."

City planning staff members are reviewing the issue.

FMI: www.gra-gnv.com