Neutralizing Copter Noise

Your editorial (Aug. 15) advocating noise attenuation for development in the Irvine Co. proposed Village 38 area of Irvine overlooked several important facts and missed the mark on a few points:

1. The only issue under discussion is the impact of helicopter noise. Neither the city of Irvine nor the Marine Corps has suggested that the proposed residential uses are inappropriate in Village 38.

2. City policy and published military guidelines for compatible land planning adjacent to MCAS Tustin do not require special sound attenuation in any part of Village 38.

3. The Irvine Co. has proposed providing sound attenuation in over 40% of the homes in the new village, those homes that will be nearest the most frequently used flight path of the helicopters.

4. The company sponsored a second study to examine possible changes in helicopter arrival patterns to reduce noise impacts on existing and future residents. The Flight Safety Institute identified three alternative patterns: The Marine Corps dismissed all of them without a satisfactory explanation.

Your editorial concludes: “In the unlikely event that the Irvine Co. could demonstrate that any part of the area would not be subject to helicopter noise, the city might have grounds to exempt some homes. . . .”

The fact is that longstanding planning standards require special sound insulation in certain areas where noise levels are excessive. This is not the case in the Village 38 area. The Irvine Co. voluntary proposal to sound attenuate some of the planned homes exceeds city standards and was proposed in the interest of good community planning.

The Marine Corps should be equally responsive to the issue of noise by seriously considering noise abatement procedures which we continue to believe, based upon our consultant’s report, meet documented flight safety criteria.

MICHAEL J. LeBLANC

Vice President--Entitlement

Irvine Community Builders