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Representing the Safe Aviation Coalition of Lancaster (SACL) David Hangauer of Nichter Road made a presentation at the Lancaster Town Board work session Monday evening making them aware of facts that pertain to the Lancaster-Buffalo Airport issues that adversely resident quality of life and facts that should have been made clear to the town when the Lancaster Airport requested approvals and endorsements for funding. “Then you can make your own interpretation of the facts,” declared Hangauer.
Having been told at the Lancaster Zoning Board of Appeals May hearing that SACL was at the wrong board, that they should appeal to the town board for relief, they did petition the town board for relief while making the town board aware of critical facts that were not brought forward at previous meetings and or of misstatements, incorrect information and/or misleading information published in the Lancaster Airport master plan and environmental review.
After handing out copies of documents, flight pattern drawings (including FFA regulated airspace), aerials, etc., Hangauer proceeded to review them.
Town Responsibility
Hangauer opened by declaring that there was a lot of confusion last year as to who was in charge; whether it was the FAA or the town. Hangauer found a copy of a document, which he provided to the Board that cleared up that matter. He quoted excerpts from the document:
“The Town (not the FAA) is responsible for insuring that the Lancaster Airport does not reduce the quality of life of its residents.” This excerpt comes from a document on Land Use Compatibility and Airports and was written by the Compatibility Land Use Task Force established by the FFA in 1998.
a. In Section B it is stated that the FAA “has no regulatory authority for controlling land uses to protect airport capacity. The FAA recognizes that state and local governments are responsible for land use planning, zoning, and regulation including that necessary to provide land use compatibility with airport operations.”
b. “Pursuant to the Federal Airport and Airway Development Act, as a condition precedent to approval of an airport development project, the airport sponsor (in our case that would be the Town of Lancaster) must provide the FAA with written assurances that appropriate action, including the adoption of zoning laws have been or will be taken into account, to the extent reasonable, to restrict the use of land adjacent to or in the immediate vicinity of the airport to activities and purposes compatible with normal airport operations including landing and takeoff of aircraft.”
Airport vs.surrounding development
According to Hangauer, the next item was critical to homeowners in the Lorall Lake subdivision on Nichter Road. “There was something that was not brought to your attention, at least Supervisor Giza could not remember it in our private conversation,” said Hangauer. “The flight path has changed since 2006. Prior to 2006 the planes would take off and fly to Cemetery Road, or beyond, where they made their left-hand turns. This is a left-turn airport.” After providing the board members with maps depicting B-LA flight pattern and restricted Buffalo-Niagara International Airport (BNIA) airspace that restricts B-LA aircraft from entering that airspace.
Hangauer defined how since 2006 when the BNIA starting using its crosswinds runway, BLA aircraft are now required to make left turns sooner, at Pavement Road; else the B-LA aircraft are in Class C (BNIA) restricted airspace. The thinking was that the use of the crosswinds runway was going to be temporary, but it is not so. The B-LA aircraft are not allowed to go back to making left turns at Cemetery Road.
“Why this is critical is because when you were approving their documents, this is what has been done for four years,” declared Hangauer. “Why is that a big deal, because the Lorall Lake Subdivision was approved by the Board prior to 2002. The subdivision was already one-half to two-thirds built out by 2002. The planes were not flying over that subdivision then, but are now; and, at low altitude and at full throttle. When they flew to Cemetery Road and made their left turns, the aircraft were much higher and there was not much of an issue. That critical piece of information is missing from the documents presented the Board.
Airport Master Plan
Referring to the B-LA master plan documents, which the town has a copy of, Hangauer read from Section 6.4 that states, “Typically the surrounding lands are compatible consisting of a railroad to the south and commercial use (offices, business, and professional) to the north.”
“There is no mention of the Nichter Road residents one half mile to the south, that they are now flying over at low altitude and full throttle,” declared Hangauer.
Hangauer then referred to Section 6.14 of the airport master plan and read, “Given the nature of the surrounding lands, there is no noise sensitive area that could be a source of complaints.”
“This is obviously not a true statement as they (airport) were receiving complaints as documented from 2006 in their own letters to residents and pilots from then airport manager Eric Wobschall.”
2007 Environmental Assessment Statement
Hangauer also referred to Section 4.03 of the Lancaster Airport Environmental Assessment Statement that states that the nearest residence is located on the north side of Walden Avenue, one-half mile northeast of runway 26. “This is not the direction the planes fly in. The statement is misleading in that the Nichter Road homes that are one-half mile to the south are never mentioned; nor any other subdivisions that are in the flight path. This 2007 environmental impact statement was made after the airport had been receiving homeowner complaints.”
Section 4.04 states, “Since there are no significant impacts from these or other categories (especially noise, land use, or direct social impacts), there is no significant impact anticipated here.”
“Again, there is no mention of the Nichter Road residents and or other homeowners residing south of the airport and where planes are flying over their houses at low altitude and at full throttle,” said Hangauer. Had you (Board) had all this information before you in 2006, I would have to ask what your decision would have been (regarding approval of the airport master plan and environmental review – SEQR)?”
Part II: Right hand turns
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