I don’t normally post political nonsense to my website just because you can get that information from any number of other worthless local websites but I feel it is very important to bring more attention to the lack of representation that Apple Valley has in the Metropolitan Airports Commission Noise Oversight Committee (MAC’s NOC).
I had written about the airport noise in Apple Valley, MN that started following the opening of Runway 17/35 back in late November. At that time I had written:
(I) have never been terribly annoyed with the limited noise that they have created for my home. Granted, I do live right off of County Rd 46 on the edge of Lakeville and am at the southern most point of Apple Valley so my distance from MSP is fairly decent.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m paying more attention to the issue or if the noise is really increasing but recently I have been noticing the airplane noise more and more. It’s still not enough for me to consider it a major nuisance and certainly not enough for me to make any sort of verbal complaint to the City of Apple Valley as I know they have enough things to deal with.
According to an article written in the MN Sun Newspaper (Apple Valley/Rosemount edition) NOC Chair, Vern Wilcox, said “the odds of (Apple Valley, MN) getting a permanent seat on that board (the MAC’s NOC) are nothing“. Apple Valley officials are concerned that more open windows and more outside activity in the coming months will lead to ever increasing noise complaints. Ignoring Apple Valley and its residents might not be the best course of action for the NOC. So, instead of a permanent seat, Wilcox is proposing that a “rotating seat” be created for the cities of Apple Valley, Farmington, Lakeville, and Rosemount. He is convinced that while a permanent seat for Apple Valley will not pass that his proposed resolution will.
Dakota Complaints Map
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February 22nd, 2006 at 2:47 pm
It seems that I notice the noise from the new runway a lot more on cold days, such as the ones we’ve had recently. I don’t recall the exact physics behind it, but it has something to do with sound traveling farther through cold air. I seem to noice more highway noise at these times as well.
For the record, I live near Nicols and Diffley in Eagan, so I’m pretty much straight south of the runway. I’ve definitely noticed the increase, but so far I’ve gotten used to it. I imagine the northern edge of Apple Valley gets a fair amount of noise, since they’re only a little farther south than I am. For that reason, I think Apple Valley getting a permanent seat is a good idea, but I don’t think that, say, Lakeville or Farmington need one.
February 22nd, 2006 at 4:15 pm
According to a comment posted about sound travelling further on cold days on Steve Eck’s site:
For several minutes last night I actually heard an airplane (possibly taking off?) over the TV! This was the first time that the airplane noise was actually at an uncomfortable level for any length of time. It wasn’t even that cold last night…
February 23rd, 2006 at 1:11 pm
I’ve been getting referrers from quite a few people searching google for Apple Valley’s airport noise issues. I’ve included some links to other information available here:
June 19th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
I have a comment about airport noise. I live in Northern Apple Valley just off Cedar Ave. Basically right off the approach path to the new runway. I’ll admit, there is some noise from approaching aircraft on occasion. But it is really that bad to complain about? NO. What does the noise really hurt? NOTHING. Everyone wants to complain about airport noise, but no one likes to be delayed at airports. There is a reason the new runway was opened. It has to do with airport capacity. Air traffic at MSP has increased greatly in the last few years, and will continue to do so. People need to understand that the minor inconvenience of a little extra noise is nothing compared to the massive inconvenience of being stuck at the airport for hours waiting for a flight that is stacked up on approach to the old, overloaded runways. Even if you don’t fly much, do you want everyone else in the US that does to say “I hate flying into or out of Minneapolis because the flights are always delayed.”? The new runway also makes the skies more safe by relieving airborne congestion. Personally, safety is the most important thing, followed by system efficiency. Noise to surrounding areas is not part of that equation. Air travel through our airport is very important to the local economy. Without the level of service MSP airport provides, many of the local businesses and home-based major corporations would be in a lot of trouble. Lets all just accept the extra noise as a sign of a booming local economy.