1

~~~

oMARYLAND DEPARTMENTOF TRANSPORTATION

Beverley Swaim-StaleyActing Executive DirectorMaryland Aviation Administration

A public hearing will be held onThursday, November 1, 2001.Public comments on MAA'sproposed 2000 Martin StateAirport Noise Zone and NoiseAbatement Plan may be submittedusing the forms provided at thepublic hearing or by writing to:

Maryland Aviation AdministrationDirector, Aviation Noise andAbatementPost Office Box 8766BWI Airport, MD 21240-0766

Written comments must be

received by 5:00 p.m. onNovember 5, 2001 to be consid-ered. After consideration of alloral and written comments, MAAwill formally adopt the AirportNoise Zone and Noise AbatementPlan with notification in theMaryland Register. MAA will thencertify and submit the adoptedAirport Noise Zone to theBaltimore County Land RecordOfficer for use in land-use

planning and development.

2000 Airport Noise Zoneand Noise Abatement Plan

Purpose of MeetingThe public hearing affords all interestedpersons with an opportunity to commenton proposed revisions to the Martin StateAirport Noise Zone and Noise Abate-ment Plan. Maryland State law requiresthe Maryland AviationAdministration(MAA) to revise the Airport Noise Zoneand Noise Abatement Plan at MartinState Airport every five years to accountfor changes in total annual aircraftoperations, aircraft types, and aircraftflight paths, which may result in changesin overall aircraft noise levels.

MAA monitors airport-related noise atspecific locations near the airport todetermine any significant changes innoise exposure. The latest assessment ofaircraft noise levels indicates that overallnoise levels have decreased near Martin

State Airport in the last five years. Thisis primarily due to a change to quietertypes of civil (corporatejets) and military(C 130) aircraft. Aircraft noise levels areprojected to remain fairly constant overthe next 10 years, despite the projectedincrease in the number of flights.

BackgroundThe Maryland Environmental Noise Actof 1974provides for the protection ofcitizens from the impact oftransporta-tion-related noise. The aviation portionof the Act requires MAA to adopt anAirport Noise Zone and Noise Abate-ment Plan that minimizes the impact ofaircraft noise on people living nearMartin State Airport and preventsincompatible land developmentaroundthe airport.

MAA established an Airport Noise Zone

and Noise Abatement Plan for Martin

State Airport in 1977, following publichearings. The Airport Noise Zone waslast updated in 1995. The Noise Abate-ment Plan was last updated in 1987. Thisbrochure presents the 2000 Airport NoiseZone and Noise Abatement Plan.

Airport Noise ZoneThe Airport Noise Zone is based on anassessment of aircraft noise levels atMartin State Airport during 1998 andaircraft noise levels anticipated in theyears 2005 and 2010. MAA conducted

Martin State Airport

Total Annual Aircraft Operations

~ 160,000

'Iii 5 140,000t; i 120,000

:.i~ 100,000

'0 ~ 80,000~ c 60,000

~: 40,000~n; 20,000z.~ 0

:;; 1993 1998 2005 2010

Year

this assessment during 1999-2000.Total annual aircraft operations (thenumber of aircraft arriving and departing)decreased from 1993, which was the baseyear of the last Airport Noise Zoneupdate. Total annual operations for 1998were 123,247. Total annual aircraftoperations are forecast to be 138,583 inthe year 2005 and 150,073 in the year2010. The proposed Airport Noise Zonerepresents the outer limit of exposure forall three analysis years (1998,2005, and2010).

The A-I0 aircraft operated by the Mary-land Air National Guard (MANG) accountfor a large portion of the aircraft noise atMartin State Airport. MANG also

1

operates C-130 aircraft; during the last two years, MANGreplaced its C 130E model aircraft with newer, quieterC 130J aircraft. This change has contributed to decreasednoise around the airport. Currently, MANG plans nofurther fleet changes at Martin State Airport.

The State of Maryland uses the Day-Night AverageSound Level (Ldn) as the measure of cumulative noiseexposure in developing an Airport Noise Zone. Ldndescribes the total noise exposure produced by aircraftoperations during a 24-hour period. The aircraft opera-tions used to calculate the Ldn are those of an averageday during a particular year, in this case 1998. The Ldnmeasurement includes a 10-decibel (dB) penalty for noisegenerated between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. becausestudies have shown that human response to sound isintensified during nighttime hours. DNL is an alternativeabbreviation for Day-Night Average Sound level and issynonymous with the abbreviation Ldn, which is used inMAA regulations.

The proposed Martin State Airport Noise Zone (see page3) is depicted by a series of lines (noise contours) sur-rounding Martin State Airport. These lines connectpoints of equal noise exposure and represent Ldn 65 dB,70 dB, and 75 dB noise contours. These contours repre-sent the boundaries for determining incompatible activitiesor land uses established by the State in 1974. The Stateuses the noise contours adopted in the Airport Noise Zoneto restrict new development that would be incompatiblewith the cumulative noise exposure level acceptable for anarea. The noise compatibility or land use standards areshown in the chart on page 3.

The proposed Airport Noise Zone encompasses 0.7square mile (441 acres). This is a reduction compared tothe 1995 Airport Noise Zone that encompassed 1.09square miles (698 acres). No residential land use is withinthe proposed Airport Noise Zone.

The Noise Abatement PlanIn 1984 Martin State Airport adopted a Noise AbatementPlan (hereafter referred to as the Plan) that is designed tominimize the noise of aircraft operations within theconstraints of the Federal Air Traffic Control System andaircraft safety. The Plan was developed with the coopera-tion ofMANG, airport users, the aviation industry, andlocal governments. It was most recently updated in 1987.

The Plan includes the following Visual Flight Rules (VFR)or "good weather" abatement procedures:

2

Departures

-J.. Piston-engine aircraft shall fly runway headingfor 1mile prior to turning to the tower-approved, on-course heading.

-J.. Turbine-poweredaircraftshallclimbon runwayheading for 1 mile or above 1,500 feet Mean Sea Level(MSL) prior to turning to the tower-approved, on-courseheading.

-J.. Helicoptersshallclimbto 500 feetMSLondeparture heading before turning on course, unlessoperating under a Letter of Agreement specifying other-wise.

-J.. Instrumentdeparturesshallbe accomplishedinaccordance with Air Traffic Control direction or clear-ance.

Arrivals

-J.. Aircraftconductinga visualapproachshould,tothe maximum extent feasible, remain at or above the glideslope. Aircraft should intercept the glide slope at thehighest feasible altitude, commensurate with flight and airtraffic procedures, to minimize aircraft noise exposure tocommunities underlying the final approach course.

-J.. A left-handtrafficpatternshallbe usedat MartinState Airport unless otherwise directed by Air TrafficControl. Traffic pattern altitudes are 1,000 feet aboveMSL for piston engines, 1,500 feet above MSL for civilturbine and military turboprops, 2,000 feet above MSL formilitary jets, and 500 feet above MSL for rotary wingaircraft.

Closed Traffic Patterns-J.. Aircraftremainingin closedtrafficunderVFR

conditions will not turn crosswind until reaching the airportboundary unless cleared otherwise by Martin Tower (leftclosed traffic Runway 15 excepted).

-J.. Fixed Wing aircraft remaining in left closedtraffic Runway 15 (VFR) shall fly runway heading for 1mile, turning crosswind at the western shore of GallowayCreek, and fly crosswind leg until abeam the westernshore of Seneca Creek prior to beginning a turn todownwind. The downwind leg should be entered level atthe appropriate pattern altitude for aircraft type. Thedownwind leg should be flown until north of the largegovernment warehouse, prior to turning base leg.

NOISE COMPATIBILITY STANDARDS

LandUse Area of Compatibility(Noise Levels)Up to Ldn 65

Martin State AirportNoise Zone

Residences, schools, hospitals, libraries, churches, auditoriums, rest homes,nursing homes, concert halls.

Transient lodging, hotels, motels, sports arenas, outdoor spectator sports, Up to Ldn 70playgrounds, neighborhood parks, noise sensitive manufacturing.

Ldn Contour

~N

Legend

Golf courses, riding stables, water recreation, cemeteries, office buildings, retail Up to Ldn 75and wholesale establishments, movie theaters, restaurants, industry, manufactur-ing, utilities, livestock farming,animal breeding.

Scale: I00= 2,000 feet

Agriculture (except livestock), mining, fishing, aviation related uses. All3

Taxiing Aircraft-:J:. All taxiing C-130 aircraft shall

perform engine run-up on Taxiway T abeamTaxiway D prior to departing Runway 33.

"Touch-and-Go" and/or PracticeApproach Restrictions.-:J:. No touch-and-go operations are

permitted for aircraft having a maximum grosslanding weight in excess of 12,500poundswithout the permission of the Airport Man-ager. No practice approaches or practicelandings are permitted from 9:45 p.m. to 6:15a.m. local time.

-:J:. Military aircraft shall be limited to

two (2) practice landings/take-offs or ap-proaches unless additional operations areapproved by Airport Management personnel.

Helicopter Special VFR Arrival/Departure ProceduresThe Plan includes a Tenant Directive, revisedin June of 1994,which outlines HelicopterSpecial VFR or "marginal weather" arrival!departure procedures. These proceduresreduce noise exposure in local communities bykeeping helicopter operations over lesspopulated areas. A copy of the TenantDirective is on file in Airport Operations.

Noise ConcernsMAA established a telephone hotline in 1977to enable staff to respond to citizen concernsabout aircraft noise. The Noise Hotlinenumber is410-682-8800.

MANG Noise BarrierIn 1989, MANG erected two noise barriers,both between MANG's engine maintenancearea and homes northeast of the airport.These barriers provide a significant reductionin noise impacts from engine maintenanceactivity at several homes east and northeast ofMartin State Airport.

Zoning Permit and AppealProcedureMAAregulateslandusewithinthe AirportNoiseZone. Anyonedesiringto constructormodifya structureor landuse is requiredto

obtain an Airport Zoning Permit. An applica-tion can be obtained from the Baltimore

County Office of Planning and Zoning or theMAA Office of Noise and Abatement. Either

office will assist the applicant in completingthe application.

1

jII

MAA is required by law to approve or denyzoning permits based on the location relative tothe Airport Noise Zone and the compatibilitystandards listed in the chart on page 3.For example, a person may wish to build anew housing development within the Ldn 65dB noise contour. As the maximum limit fornew residential land use is Ldn 65 dB, (seeNoise Compatibility Standards chart), theapplicant would be denied a permit by MAA.In the event a permit application is denied byMAA, the applicant may appeal to the Boardof Airport Zoning Appeals (BAZA) for avariance. BAZA may deny an appeal orgrant a variance requiring construction stan-dards designed to reduce noise exposure tofuture occupants. BAZA was created in 1974by the Maryland General Assembly and iscomposed of 10citizen members appointed bythe Governor.

Martin Neighbors CommitteeMAA established a permanent committee toserve as liaison between Martin State Airportand the surrounding communities to ensurecontinuing and timely discussion of mutualairport and community matters. The commit-tee consists of a chairman and nine localcommunity representatives and meets periodi-cally to ensure direct communications aremaintained between Martin State Airport andits neighbors.

Questions/Comments

Please direct inquiries on the Martin StateAirport Noise Zone and Noise AbatementPlan to:Maryland AviationAdministrationDirector, Aviation Noise and AbatementPost Office Box 8766

BWIAirport,Maryland21240-0766410-859-7070

4