Updated: Navy To Make Plane Noise Presentation Today

Fairhope, Alabama

Update: This meeting was held as planned and was well-attended by citizens of all perspectives; we are preparing another post ... .



Mr. Roy in yellow shirt 

AT TODAY'S 4:30 PUBLIC MEETING

Only announced to the general public yesterday, representatives from Naval Air Station Pensacola and Whiting Field will be on hand at today's Airport Authority meeting to discuss the controversial naval training flights being conducted at the airport and the associated noise pollution problem.

(Correction: The item did appear on a meeting agenda circulated by the city clerk on March 9th to those signed up to receive it. It was posted on the bulletin board at city hall as well but there was no press release to inform the general public about the special Navy agenda item.)

Anyone with concerns about plane noise or any other issues should bring them directly to the military representatives, Randy Roy and Stephanie Oram.

The meeting starts at 4:30PM in the Delchamps room,  but the Navy presentation should be near the end of the meeting, probably well after 5PM.

(The picture is from a similar meeting held in Summerdale several months ago)


PETITION CIRCULATED

Confusion arose at last night's city council meeting after a number of citizens showed up to hear a pre-announced presentation by the Airport Authority about airport expansion plans--  but were disappointed to learn it had been given during the work session prior to the meeting instead.

Several waited and spoke at the end of the two hour meeting about the noise issue anyway.

A flyer was being circulated out in the community about the presentation, and a Facebook page established.



Comments

Anonymous said…
Please attend this meeting and put an end to this noise.
Anonymous said…
I'll attend the meeting and vote for the noise and sound of freedom to continue, or better yet , more and more and more.
Anonymous said…
I don't live by the airport, but experience quite a few fly overs. Doesn't bother me one bit as I know that it stands for our FREEDOM! Need more of it.
Anonymous said…
Music to my ears!!!
Anonymous said…
The public meeting notice and agenda were posted March 4, 2016 (Date stamped). The agenda clearly stated the military representatives would be present. Therefore the public was notified well in advance of the scheduled meeting. To state otherwise is wholly inaccurate.
Anonymous said…
So, if it is truly just "patriotism" why ask for the million dollar federal grants to build their big airport?

No, inviting the planes here is to get the big bucks, another free government handout for a few rich elitists so they can have a place to park their planes.

There is no real need for a big airport here ... only a want of a few.
Anonymous said…
The constant noise from the planes is damaging the housing industry and home values according to my realtor.

Tourism too.

A health issue too, The whole town suffers because of these selfish and arrogant "patriots" who do not care about anyone but themselves..

If our leadership cannot do anything then we need new leaders. where there is a will, there is a way.
Publisher said…
Try not to be repetitive here or resort to personal insults.
Rusty said…
"The constant noise from the planes is damaging the housing industry and home values according to my realtor. Tourism too."

Good.

It seems the people that moved here that are the only ones complaining. I don't know anyone that has lived here their entire lives that are complaining. You can't honestly expect to live in the middle of 4 large military bases, 3 large commercial air ports, and 4 civil air fields, and not have airplane noise. If you moved here for a quiet southern small town, you bought into a lie perpetrated by Southern Living Magazine and a slick realtor. If the planes slow down the "off the rails growth" of my town then so be it. I can't wait to get my pilot's license so I can fly all over my town and enjoy it from the air.

"There is no real need for a big airport here ... only a want of a few."

Same can be said about the fancy tennis courts, the bike lanes, extravagant flowers on every corner, the trees blocking up the medians, a flower clock, etc. I don't see a need for any of this excess. Only that wants of a few, right?

I had a laugh at the folly of someone kicking up a fuss about extra above ground fuel storage tanks being proposed. Environmentally, they are better above ground as leaks can be observed and contained. But since the complainer is not a pilots, it should not bother them to ever have to see them. Why fuss over something that's of no concern to your eyes, right?
Anonymous said…
So, the opinions of people who have not lived here all their lives do not matter as much as yours?

Maybe in Russia or China that is so , but show me where it says that in the U.S. constitution you claim to want to defend.

True patriots would defend the free speech right of fellow citizens, not condemn it by insulting them.

Also, it is you old-timers who are selling your land to the big housing developers like dr horton .... cashin' in sellin' your family farms ...
Anonymous said…
I'm embarrassed to be a Fairhope resident reading some of these comments. When did our community become so intolerant of the ideas and opinions of others? I'm a 15 year resident of Fairhope and I love our military and our town. I have no problem with the airport itself, as it is now.

The currently proposed airport EXPANSION is the issue. Air traffic in our area has steadily increased over the last three years, and planes have been flying repeated patterns over Fairhope homes at low altitudes. If this expansion goes through the airport will increase by ONE MILE and accommodate more frequent air traffic than we are currently experiencing. If that doesn't bother you, great... so why are you so upset about other tax paying Fairhope residents having an opinion of their own?

Fairhope has long been seen as an idyllic and beautiful small town. We've been repeatedly voted one of the top 10 places in the United States to retire.

Though I fully support free speech, it's disheartening to see such intolerance for the views of others. Walk a mile in the shoes of your neighbors. Your community. Because whether the airport expansion continues or not... We still have to live in the same community with each other.
Anonymous said…
The city is promoting downtown area. Not the outlaying areas. These are the ones that get ignored. I have lived here 40+ years and have never seen such an uproar as is going on in the last 10-15 years. The city promotes Fairhope, but in realality, they don't give a rat's a$$ about the downtown merchants and the existing parking problems, etc. As long as they have the flowers, trees, etc, that is all that matters. Oh yeah, must be getting close to election time - all these street pavings.
Anonymous said…
If you look around you, all areas of Baldwin county that are having rapid growth are having lots of problems and allot of complainers. All newcomers want to change things, the locals want things to stay the same, traffic, crime and taxes go up. All awhile the developers line there pockets and control the unprepared over their head local city goverments.
Rusty said…
" If that doesn't bother you, great... so why are you so upset about other tax paying Fairhope residents having an opinion of their own?"

Well, because I am the little man. I am from a farming family. I am in the Fairhope country, not in the city limits. Born and raised here so I feel I have a vested interest in my town. I don't like what it has become. While men in overall built this town, men in suits ruined it. This town caters to the rich, affluential, the elite. No one that makes a living with their hands, can afford to "Move to Fairhope". People move here from all over, building 3000+ square foot houses, in protected neighborhoods to keep out us "undesireables" with dirt under our fingernails. I feel our politicians are power hungry, and have no spine to stand up for someone like me, that works hard. I feel I don't have a voice, because I have no money or influence to control a politician like some of you do.

So what I honestly see on the table here, is a bunch of elitist rich folks moving to my town, and taking something away that I love. As a child, I loved watching the planes fly in and out of the airport. At night, I'd sit on the front porch, watching the beacon scan across the sky. I love watching the planes practice maneuvers above. I can watch them for hours. This is my peace, my relaxation. I can't afford to go downtown and shop, or sip tea from tiny cups, and show off my money. Fairhope has changed from the small town I was proud to be a part of and now, it doesn't care about me. I don't matter. All you want is my land, so you can build more subdivisions. That's all I am worth to the folks moving here in droves. The airport, and the planes are all I have left of the simple times I've enjoyed here my entire life.

So this cause, is why I seem beligerant, hostile, close-minded. Because it's all that is left of the Fairhope that I once loved.
I mean no ill towards anyone. I'm just too busy working to go to these meetings that others have time to go to. Must be nice to have money to do stuff like that. I just want the voice of the little man that built this town to be heard over the money and political influence.
Anonymous said…
Uh ... but like I said before, it is the old family farmers (and their sons and daughters) themselves enthusiastically selling their land to the big housing developers, not the ones moving here to buy the houses.

Not us destroying Fairhope.

Look in the mirror ... you and your neighbors are responsible ...

it is private property rights and the free market system in action ... what the military planes you love to hear are defending ..
Publisher said…
We want everyone to have their say. Try not to be repetitive here ....
MrsM said…
To Rusty: what you are saying is absolutely right. What the anon. Commenter is saying just affirms what you have stated in that some of the people who have recently moved here seem to complain about many things as if we are not educated like them to make things better. There is freedom of speech, of course we know that! However freedom of speech doesn't mean we are going to take your condescending and personal criticisms without push back. Rusty, I have respect for good folks like yourself and for that matter you and your family have the right to do whatever you want to with your land within the law! God bless the farmers!
Anonymous said…
I support the military and love my country. But I do not think military student aerobatics training directly over our homes, schools and hospitals is appropriate. I do not think dozens of touch and go landings with super noisy T6 trainers at our civilian airport is appropriate. Disruptive super noisy military training operations that go on for hours and hours very close to neighborhoods and over schools and hospitals is not appropriate within Fairhope city limits.

The Airport Authority seems to be primarily concerned with growing commercial business and lining private interest pockets. The Airport Authority treat citizen and environmental concerns about airport noise and expansion as a nuisance. Whenever public concerns and environmental issues are being ignored it is usually because there is big $ involved. Follow the money and who knows what we will find?
Anonymous said…
Please stop the noise.The planes need to find a better place to train.