Letter to the Editor - Guilford County Votes To Conceal Crucial Data from Homeowners and Buyers
At their September 12th meeting, the County Commissioners’ were presented with the proposed Airport Area Plan, a land use plan which includes most of Summerfield, Oak Ridge, Colfax, Greensboro and High Point. The FAA requires the endorsement of such a plan by area municipalities before funding the 3rd runway for FedEx.
What is wrong with the plan? The basis of noise measurement is not realistic. There’s no street detail on the map and you cannot determine where you live. It was made to deceive and was accepted on behalf of 400,000 people who will pay for the damages to themselves, while benefit goes beyond our county to Rockingham, Forsyth (Winston-Salem), Davidson, and of course FedEx. Crucial information will be withheld from the public.
The plan uses an outdated model for noise that is universally criticized for its inaccurate portrayal of noise. DNL or Day Night Levels takes one event and dilutes it down over 24 hours per day and 365 days per year, or in other words, averages the noise. The map developed by the Airport Area Plan committee shows only the highest noise levels -- 65 and 60 DNL. As FedEx planes will arrive in a 2-hour window and leave an hour later in a 70-minute period, using DNLs to communicate noise and therefore determine acceptable land uses, is particularly skewed.
The World Health Organization, EPA and other national/international agencies recommend no schools, homes or hospitals be located at or above a 55 DNL area, (not shown on the map), or above a 45 DNL at night. No other civilized country in the world bases their decisions on this contrived and devisive form of measurement. The committee fought within to not reveal the 55 DNL, much less a 45 DNL. Raleigh Durham airport considered the 55 DNL so important it notified surrounding property owners individually by letter of their location within a 55 DNL contour. Guilford County Commissioners (except Commissioners Shaw and Wade), voted to bar this knowledge from the buying and living public. In comparison, Summerfield and Oak Ridge rejected this plan and High Point is still studying it.
Additionally, the public doesn’t understand that the FAA will only buy or mitigate with soundproofing at $25,000 to $50,000 for an average home in the U.S., for homes located in the contour of 65 DNL or greater. So if your home is between the 45 DNL and 65 DNL contours, you will likely have a big problem. You won’t be covered.
This in between contains 4,000 to 5,000 homes that may be in trouble, yet the homeowners have no way of knowing. The FAA, (currently in a severe budget crunch), allocates five million dollars per year per airport location for noise mitigation. Remember it is in the FAA’s keen interest to keep the number of homes to be assisted in noise mitigation to the bare minimum. They do not want to pay a penny more than necessary.
Calculations estimate there could be over a billion dollars worth of home loss/damage. The airport doesn’t have funds to pay, the county doesn’t and neither does the state. And the FAA will only cover a few homes in the greater than 65DNL category. Historically at other U.S. cargo hubs, when the airport couldn’t provide fund relief, costs have been shouldered by counties and states, and therefore increased taxes on residents and businesses. That’s why there are people still waiting for relief after 13 years at some night-time cargo hubs.
FedEx won’t help by paying its share of tax monies for years, not mentioning the millions in incentives it has been given by Guilford County and North Carolina, also paid by your taxes. Worth noting is that just this past month, North Carolina, led by Senator Linda Garrou, (R-Forsyth, Winston-Salem), related by marriage to long standing major partner John Garrou, of Womble Carlyle, Sandridge & Rice, the legal counsel for FedEx, and Rep., Lyons Gray, (R-Forsyth, Winston-Salem), sponsored and helped pass legislation to increase and extend incentives for FedEx.
When asked where the airport would get additional funds to mitigate costs not covered by the FAA, Ted Johnson, (director of Piedmont Triad Airport Authority), answered they’d tack it onto PTIA’s customers’ billings. But remember, FedEx has demanded and been assured it will not pay for any noise mitigation costs. I guess Mr. Johnson means that other customers will agree to pay for FedEx’s noise mitigation costs. That doesn’t make much sense. Many of us who use PTIA for business travel on a weekly basis will have additional monetary costs in addition to the property loss/devaluation.
Think your home is not included? Your home is as close to the airport as the plane is flying over your head. The trouble moves. FedEx has covered that base by also demanding in writing that it will have no flight path restrictions. The homes which will be affected by real noise heard in decibels reaches well into the city limits of Greensboro.
No cost analysis for the plan to bring FedEx has ever been done because then everyone would know it is being done for the benefit of a few well connected developers, with large crumbs for those necessary, and of course for FedEx, and their driving force in Winston-Salem. It is a known fact and was stated by the mayor of Winston-Salem, that well over half of all new businesses locate 10 to 20 miles AWAY from cargo hubs.
The hub and third runway are not a done deal unless one accepts the propaganda and refuses to take action. We all will be more successful by banning together now, rather than fighting the battle individually later. The Alliance for Legal Action has filed suit in federal court to challenge FAA approval of this project. They have made a strong legal case and oral arguments will be heard before a panel of judges in January. You can help support this effort. Now is the time, later is too late. Protect your future. Send donations to the ALA at 2207 Fleming Road, #152, Greensboro, NC 27410.
Find out what effect FedEx will have on your home.
A map with street detail, the 55 DNL contour and true to our ears decibels, along with a brief presentation on historical mitigation costs is available for the asking to your Homeowners’ Association, neighborhood, other group or town management. Call or email with contact information.
Lucy Smith, 420-3281 vess@triad.rr.com