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HomeMy WebLinkAbout54-18 RESOLUTION 54-15 A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS TO JOIN THE SANTA CLARA/SANTA CRUZ COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLE WHEREAS, a critical need exists in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties for a permanent venue to address aircraft noise concerns and it is essential to include all unrepresented cities in these counties. WHEREAS, In July 2017, the Cities Association of Santa Clara County received a Congressional request by Representatives Eshoo, Khanna, Panetta to take a leadership role in developing an intergovernmental partnership between the cities and counties of Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties, Norman Y. Min6ta San Jose International Airport (SIC), and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) that will serve as a permanent aircraft noise mitigation entity representing all affected communities in the South Bay and Santa Croz County WHEREAS,between May and November 2016, the Select Committee on South Bay Arrivals, a temporary committee of 12 local elected officials (Select Committee) appointed by Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo, Congressman Sam Farr, and Congresswoman Jackie Speier, convened meetings to receive public input and develop regional consensus on recommendations to reduce aircraft noise caused by SFO flights and airspace, and procedural changes related to the Federal Aviation Administration's Next Generation Air Transportation System. WHEREAS, among the many recommendations that received unanimous approval by the Select Committee was the need for a permanent venue to represent currently disenfranchised communities in addressing aircraft noise concerns including, but not limited to SFO. This recommendation stems from the fact that our mutual constituents in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties, do not currently belong to a permanent aircraft noise mitigation entity such as the SFO Airport/Community Roundtable. WHEREAS, on October 3, 2017, the San Jose City Council authorized the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on South Flow Arrivals to explore possible solutions to address the noise impacts on residents when weather conditions over the airfield require the Airport to operate in a "south flow" configuration (when aircraft land from the north of the Airport instead of the usual landing from the south). WHEREAS, both the Select Committee and the South Flow Ad Hoc Roundtable have disbanded, the Santa Clara/Santa Cruz Roundtable envisioned by the Cities Association would likely be viewed as an appropriate surrogate for this function in partnership with the SFO Roundtable, SFO and San Jose Min6ta Airports. WHEREAS, significant demand for an aircraft noise mitigation entity to represent constituents in the South Bay, it is imperative that any potential body not be confined to SJC or SFO related issues and also include representation of all affected and currently unrepresented communities in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties. While participation by elected officials in each affected Resolution 54-I8 Page I city is essential, it is critical that the establishment of such a body should not be unilaterally implemented by one city, but instead be led collectively by the entire affected region. WHEREAS, the FAA's November 2017 Phase Two Report, the FAA reiterates it will not support solutions that result in shifting the problem of noise from one community to another. It also repeatedly identifies increased flying distance as an unacceptable outcome of many community-proposed solutions that conflict with the economic, environmental, and operational efficiency benefits gained from shorter flying distances. WHEREAS, the FAA repeatedly points to the anticipated inevitability of increases in congestion as airports increase their number of flight operations. The report explicitly states it will not move forward on certain feasible recommendations "until issues of congestion, noise shifting and flying distance have been addressed with the airline stakeholders and the affected communities by the Select Committee and/or SFO Roundtable." WHEREAS, each jurisdiction is just one of over 100 municipalities in the Bay Area. The ability of any single community, whether 30,000 or 60,000, to influence the complex operations of a federal agency serving a region of 8 million people is limited. WHEREAS, the impacts of airplane noise must be considered amid the competing interests of the flying public, airline industry priorities, airport operational requirements, broader economic and environmental impacts and, above all else, safety. The successful navigation of these public interest challenges requires effective collaboration. WHEREAS, to ensure equitable regional representation, each city and county should have the opportunity to appoint one Member and one Alternate who are local elected officials to serve on the body, elect their own leadership, and participate in helping to fund the effort just as the SFO Airport/Community Roundtable does. Once it is conceived, the newly formed South Bay Airport Roundtable could also work with the SFO Airport/Community, Roundtable to establish a joint subcommittee to address complex overlapping issues related to the Midpeninsula. WHEREAS, the Cities Association of Santa Clara County is seeking each jurisdiction of Santa Clara County and Santa Cruz County to collaborate with neighboring jurisdictions through the formation of a community roundtables to most effectively address the community impacts of aircraft operations and work with the Federal Aviation Association (FAA). NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town of Los Altos Hills does hereby support formation of an intergovernmental partnership between the cities and counties of Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties, Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SIC), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and the FAA, that will serve as a permanent aircraft noise mitigation entity representing all affected communities in the Santa Clam and Santa Cruz Counties; and directs the City Manager to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the Town of Los Altos Hills. The Town's agreement to join and participate in this intergovernmental partnership is contingent upon participation by other cities which together would fund at least fifty percent of the proposed annual budget and the Town's costs not exceeding$10,000. Resolution 54-18 Page 2 The above and foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted by the City Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills at a regular meeting held on the 21"day of June, 2018 by the following vote: AYES: Spreen, Corrigan, Waldeck, Wu NOES: None ABSTAIN: Radford ABSENT: None BY: ohn Radford, Mayor ATTEST: Deborah Padovan, City Clerk 2994763.1 Resolution 54-18 Page 3