CLIPBOARD: Sound Off!

Caltrans’ division of aeronautics has established guidelines to control the amount of noise generated over residential areas by aircraft using the state’s airports. Under those guidelines, any area exposed to an average Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) of more than 65 in a year is considered to be noise-impacted.

To comply with those regulations, John Wayne Airport has set up nine stations at locations in Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Tustin and Irvine to monitor noise levels. Some stations are on private property and others on public land. The locations follow.

MONITOR STATIONS M-1: Golf Course, 3100 Irvine Ave., Newport Beach M-2: 20152 S. Birch St., Santa Ana M-3: 2139 Anniversary Lane, Newport Beach M-4: 1907 Tradewinds Lane, Newport Beach M-5: 2601 Vista del Oro, Newport Beach M-6: 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach M-7: 17952 Beneta Way, Tustin M-8: 1300 S. Grand Ave., Santa Ana M-9: 17372 Eastman St., Irvine

The stations monitor the noise levels on a daily basis. The average daily levels, which are also averaged for each month, are “the result of a computer analysis based on county-provided data including flight tracks, actual traffic counts, average (Single Event Noise Exposure Levels) by aircraft model and recorded CNEL values for each monitor station,” according to the quarterly report from the airport’s noise abatement office.

COMMUNITY NOISE EQUIVALENT LEVELS

Monthly averages: April-June, 1991 *

Month M-1 M-2 M-3 M-4 M-5 M-6 M-7 M-8 M-9 April 64.8 63.9 63.4 56.1 54.3 55.8 57.2 50.2 67.0 May 64.6 63.7 63.0 55.9 53.0 57.4 58.6 52.3 67.2 June 65.1 63.9 63.7 56.2 52.9 56.8 59.1 49.6 67.2

* Most recent data available

TELEPHONE COMPLAINT CALLS

April-June, 1991

The airport’s noise abatement center logs noise complaints from local residents. During the second quarter of 1991, the center received 717 noise complaints, a 25% increase from the number of complaints received the previous quarter and a 2% increase compared to the second quarter of 1990.

Tustin / Orange First quarter: 20 Second quarter: 28 Santa Ana First quarter: 30 Second quarter: 24 Santa Ana Heights First quarter: 29 Second quarter: 33 Costa Mesa First quarter: 6 Second quarter: 43 Westcliff, Newport Beach First quarter: 127 Second quarter: 173 Eastbluff, Newport Beach First quarter: 53 Second quarter: 71 Balboa / Corona del Mar First quarter: 277 Second quarter: 314 Other areas First quarter: 32 Second quarter: 31 Source: John Wayne Airport