Emergency Preparedness Event: Map Your Neighborhood
NECN Office, 4815 NE 7th Ave
February 22, 6:30pm
Join the Safety and Livability Team on a FREE hands-on workshop to map and identify your neighborhood’s risks, hazards, and assets. We’ll kick off the event with a showing of the documentary “Unprepared”, and then move straight to learning about how to think about and identify hazards and assets in your area.
Major Runway Improvements Resume May 17 at PDX
Portland International Airport neighbors should expect some changes as the second year of a three year runway rehabilitation program resumes May 17.
The major improvements to the airport’s two primary runways will rehabilitate both the north and south runways as well as extending the north runway. The first year of the project, which occurred in 2009, rehabilitated the north runway. The second year of the project will continue with the extension of the north runway which is needed to accommodate larger aircraft that require the extra length for takeoff at PDX when the longer south runway closes for rehabilitation in 2011.
Construction activities are scheduled to conclude around mid-October 2010 and will resume in the spring of 2011 for the final year of the program. Because of varying runway closures during construction, more propeller aircraft are expected to use the airport’s north-south (crosswind) runway, meaning airport neighbors may notice a temporary change in flight patterns and aircraft noise.
Related Link:
North Runway Extension
Contacts:
Brooke Berglund, Community Affairs, 503.415.6532
Noise Management Hotline, 503.460.4100/800.938.6647
Jerry Gerspach noise analyst, representatives of the Port of Portland as well as members of the Community Noise Advisory will be on hand at the CNA general meeting at the Kennedy School, Tuesday, October 6th at 7:00 p.m. A report will be given detailing the progress of the North Runway Extension project and to address neighborhood concerns about air traffic and noise. Everyone is encouraged to attend and ask questions at this important presentation.
Tuesday, October 6, 7:00pm
The Kennedy School Community Room
For more information about the project go to the Port of Portland website: http://www.portofportland.com/Prj_PDX_NREX_Home.aspx
To report noise or low flying planes:
http://www.portofportland.com/Noise_Mgmt_Home.aspx
or call 503-460-4100 between 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m
Vancouver, WA
Thursday, June 4, 2009 / 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Harney Elementary School Cafeteria
3212 E. Evergreen Blvd
Vancouver, WA
Portland, OR
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 / 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Portland Fire & Rescue Training Center
4800 NE 122nd Ave
Portland, OR
Airport Futures is a collaborative effort between the City of Portland, the Port of Portland and the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan community to create a long-range development plan for Portland International Airport (PDX). This process is being guided by a diverse 30-member, regional Planning Advisory Group, and input from key stakeholders. Your organization or neighborhood has been identified as one of these stakeholder groups.
Three major draft products from this planning effort will be released in late May 2009 and available for review and comment at the upcoming Airport Futures public meetings.
1. The Airport Master Plan will outline the preferred development alternative for PDX, including future terminal, airfield, runway, roadway and parking facility needs;
2. The Long-range Land Use Plan will incorporate land use, transportation and natural resource systems in the area surrounding the airport and address community concerns regarding growth at PDX; and
3. The Ongoing Public Involvement Strategy will provide a mechanism for regular input on planning efforts and development at PDX after Airport Futures has concluded.
Please join us at these public meetings to learn more about Airport Futures, ask questions and provide your comments on these draft documents. There will also be an opportunity to learn more about PDX Noise Management, Deicing Enhancement System, and the North Runway Expansion.
Contact: For more information and accessibility information, please call the Port of Portland at (503) 460-4839 or (800) 547-8411, ext. 4839.
Related Links:
www.pdxairportfutures.com
www.portlandonline.com/planning/
www.portofportland.com
Sponsored by City of Portland and Port of Portland.
This event is not sponsored or endorsed by the Vancouver School District.
Residents may notice a change in aircraft flight activity as construction work will require a six-month closure of the north parallel runway effective May 1st through October 31st. During this closure, jet aircraft will use the south runway, and will follow noise abatement procedures that direct them over the Columbia River corridor, minimizing overflights of residential areas. Smaller aircraft including cargo feeders and commuter turboprops may be required to use the crosswind runway, which is oriented north/south.
During the closure, the runway will undergo major rehabilitation and preparations will be made to extend the runway in 2010. The extension is needed to accommodate larger aircraft that require the extra length for takeoff at PDX when the longer south runway closes for rehabilitation in 2011.
The following link will provide detailed information about the North Runway Extension Project:http://www.portofportland.com/Prj_PDX_NREX_Home.aspx
For further information please contact: Port of Portland, Noise Management Department Phone: 503.460.4100 / 800.938.6647
Web Site: http://www.portofportland.com/Noise_Mgmt_Home.aspx
CNA has recently met with the Port of Portland’s Noise Management team to discuss concerns about the safety of increase F-15 travel over nearby residential areas as part of their present “test”. One outcome of those discussions has been a reminder that anytime – day or night – any resident has a concern about aircraft noise of any kind can call the Port of Portland’s noise hotline: 503-460-4100. But now you can also report your concerns – and view flight patterns – on-line using WebTrak.
WebTrak is an online flight tracking system covering the greater Portland/Vancouver area. WebTrak offers a wealth of information about each flight, ranging from altitude and direction to aircraft type and airline to flight or tail number. For security purposes, the system is delayed 90 minutes and does not show government, military or law enforcement flights.
I took WebTrak for a whirl. You pick a location and time period and then you watch plane icons move across an area map. Basically this gives you the option to clearly identify the flight that was causing you grief and you can report the problem using an on-line form in WebTrak. Try it out yourself by logging on at http://www.portofportland.com/Noise_Mgmt_Home.aspx, you definitely need a high speed connection to use it.
WebTrak is a neat tool but it is a little clunky and if you are experiencing a noise problem, you have to wait at least 90 minutes to identify the issue using WebTrak. It remains easier and quicker to just call the Port at 503-460-4100 when you hear a wayward and/or loud aircraft.
When you call the Port or submit a report on-line via WebTrak, the Port noise management team is required to thoroughly investigate and respond within 48 hours. In some cases, the information provided by citizens or obtained during the investigation, is used to refine the noise abatement program and in discussions with aircraft operators.
The Port of Portland invites you to attend one of the following events to
learn more about the North Runway Extension and South Runway Rehabilitation.
Draft Environmental Assessment.
Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008
5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Brief presentation at 6 p.m.
Meeks High School, 4039 NE Alberta Court, Portland, OR 97211
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008
5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Brief presentation at 6 p.m.
Pearson Air Museum, 1115 E 5th, Vancouver, WA 98661
Refreshments provided.
The Port will provide an opportunity for written or verbal comments about the Draft Environmental Assessment.
Related Links:
North Runway Extension
Contact:
Dennis Sandstrom, Community Affairs, 503.944.7151
· PO Box 3529 · Portland, OR97208 · 503.944.7000
UPDATE: This has been moved to 12/4 at 2:30 pm
From David Soloos, Assistant Director, Office of Cable and Franchise Management, City of Portland, Oregon:
On Wednesday, November 26, 2008 December 4 at 2:30 pm, city staff will be going to Council with the final proposed amendments regarding the manner in which wireless companies may place antennae on utility poles, and replace utility poles with taller ones for wireless purposes.
The proposed amendments are designed to balance the need to retain neighborhood character and livability with the expanding need to provide wireless services in neighborhoods. They were developed over the course of two years. Staff conducted three public forums in March, 2008, followed by an online survey in April-May, 2008 (that was responded to by over 900 people, and over 350 individual comments were also received), followed by a citywide public meeting in October, 2008.
In short, staff is proposing to allow antennae on utility poles in residential areas on residential streets only as a last resort – when no other site or combination of sites for antennae is feasible. Even then, staff proposes to reduce the allowed pole replacement height in residential zones, and increase the replacement height allowance in both commercial, employment and industrial zones and on larger arterial streets to encourage placement there instead. In addition, the poles and equipment must be the smallest possible and must be painted to match the color of the pole. Finally, when a taller pole is proposed in a residential area, we will require the wireless carrier to conduct a meeting in coordination with the neighborhood association and provide notice of the meeting in advance.
We have placed several documents on our website to demonstrate and describe what we are proposing. Each document is numbered, titled and described for ease of reference. The document list can be viewed at http://www.portlandonline.com/cable/index.cfm?c=46289. Examples of specific documents include:
* A summary of the existing requirements, document #15
* A summary of the proposed requirements, document #20
* A comparison of current and proposed pole replacement heights, document #19
* The proposed contract amendment showing the exact edits to the contract language (“redline”), document #17
* A clean version of the proposed contract amendment, document #18
* A new application checklist the wireless carriers must fill out, document #16
* Several other documents, including the survey instrument, summarized survey results and specific survey results, are also on the website.
We encourage you to review these materials and forward this notice to anyone you know who might be interested.
For more information please contact Melvin Riddick at 503-823-0066 or Melvin.Riddick@ci.portland.or.us. If Melvin is unavailable please contact me using my contact information below. Thank you very much,
David Soloos, Assistant Director
Office of Cable and Franchise Management
City of Portland, Oregon
1120 SW 5th Av, Room 1305
Portland, Oregon 97204
Tel 503.823.5359
To help ensure equal access to City programs, services, and activities the City of Portland will reasonably modify policies/procedures and provide auxiliary aids/services to persons with disabilities. Call 503-823-2036 or 503-823-4000 with such requests.
Airport Futures is currently half way through its the planning process. Between now and June 2009, the project’s subcommittees will draft three major products:
You- the noble public – are encouraged to join the drafting process, either by attending the larger Planning Advisory Group meetings or joining one of the project’s subcommittees. Public review of the draft products will begin summer 2009.
Here is the latest update on this project from the Port.
Why is this important? Because this is a key conduit for shaping how the Port of Portland is going to develop. The Port is presently sitting on hundreds of undeveloped acres and, as indicated by the on-going issues surrounding rezoning Colwood National Golf Course, they would like to add even more that that mix.
NECN is represented on this project’s Planning Advisory Group by Patrick Metzger and Denny Stoecklin. However, they always welcome more support and input from local residents and businesses.
That is the sound and sight of F-15 fighter jets roaring over the neighborhood at low altitudes. The Oregon Air National Guard has been practicing combat-style landing patterns in the area as a “test”. Typically, these drills have been practiced outside of residential areas. However, the National Guard is hoping to make the practice of military maneuvers over local residential areas a permanent fixture.
Let me repeat that, although NO public outreach or notification regarding this “test” of military combat training over residential areas occurred, what you are hearing and seeing now could become a permanent experience.
The present “test” will proceed until the end of February, then the Port of Portland will decide whether to allow this to continue ad infinitum or not.
The Cully Association of Neighbors (CAN) has come out formally against this making this testing permanent because of the noise and safety concerns. The Concordia Neighborhood Association intends to take a formal position on this issue at its December Board meeting.
However individual residents and businesses are free to voice their concern about low-level military maneuvers in the area IMMEDIATELY by contacting the Airport Noise Complaint line at 503-460-4100 and/or sending a letter to the Jason Schwartz, Noise Program Manager PO Box 3529, Portland. OR 97208.
As always, it never hurts to also contact the Portland City Council about your concerns. We will keep you posted on this issue in the Concordia News and at concordiapdx.org.
