Huntington Beach to consider forming commission to address airplane noise

The Huntington Beach City Council on Monday will consider creating a commission to address residents’ concerns about airplane noise.

Proposed by council members Patrick Brenden and Barbara Delgleize, the seven-member commission would collaborate with neighboring cities and airlines on possible solutions.

The council would give the city manager and city attorney 90 days to amend the municipal code to form the commission and craft guidelines.

Residents have increasingly complained about the noise since the Federal Aviation Administration implemented regional flight path alterations in 2017, but city officials said the issue dates as far back as 2007. The FAA says more than two dozen air routes have historically passed over Huntington Beach.

In January, the city created the Air Traffic Noise Working Group, which has 12 members, some of whom are former airline pilots, to examine the issue and begin talks with aviation officials.

City looks to crack down on illegal in-home businesses

In effort to maintain quality of life, council members Erik Peterson and Lyn Semeta want the city attorney to devise a proposal for “increased investigation” of illegal and unlicensed in-home business.

The city, Peterson said, receives “a lot of complaints,” inundating code enforcement officers.

This proposal is one way to cast a “wider net” and target unregulated sober-living homes and illegal short-term vacation rentals, he added.

Facilities with more than seven people are regulated by the state and are licensed, but city officials have said little can be done for unlicensed sober-living dwellings — which often have six or fewer residents, don’t offer treatment and “are classified as regular households.”

Short-term vacation rentals — typically residences rented out for 30 days or less — aren’t allowed in Surf City, but many are listed on online rental sites.

Peterson suggests the city attorney hire an independent contractor to help with investigations and enforcement.

Public hearing on downtown business group’s contract

In other business, the council will hold a public hearing on the Downtown Business Improvement District’s 2018-19 contract.

Businesses pay membership dues that help provide private security, extra cleaning and daily porter services, tree trimming, holiday décor, social media marketing and events in the downtown area.

It’s a routine process but members who want to be excluded from the group — and paying dues — can use the hearing to voice further concerns.

In August, the City Council denied requests from Pacific City tenants, the Pasea Hotel & Spa and the Hilton and Hyatt waterfront hotels — all of which are along Pacific Coast Highway — to modify the district’s boundaries and opt out.

Some council members had said they wanted to give the BID’s new leadership a chance. Councilman Patrick Brenden dissented, saying changing the map would “purify” the group’s vision and make it easier to focus on Main Street.

Days after the vote, BID President Matt Peterson had said he plans to “aggressively court” the reluctant members.

The City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. Monday at the Civic Center, 2000 Main St., Huntington Beach.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella