Item 20A - Proposed Realignment of Miramar Air Station
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Betty Rexford, Councilmember1;?q... I
DATE: December 12, 1995
SUBJECT: Proposed Realignment of Miramar Air Station
On October 31, 1995, poway City Council adopted a resolution expressing
opposition to the proposed realignment of Miramar Air Station. Subsequently,
this position was communicated to appropriate Federal, State, and local
elected officials. By means of a resolution adopted November 7, 1995, the
City Council reaffirmed its strong support for continued military presence in
the region.
I have been the Council's representative at public hearings and meetings of
community leaders concerned with the proposed realignment of Miramar from
a Naval Air Station to a Marine Corps Air Station. Recently, an ad hoc
committee was formed comprised of persons opposed to the move of
helicopters to Miramar and who serve as representatives from the
communities of Rancho Bernardo, Mira Mesa, Tierrasanta, and La Jolla.
The objective of the Committee is to consolidate and publicize the extent of
community opposition to the transfer of Marine helicopter operations from
Orange County.
A member of the Committee (who is a consultant and lobbyist) met recently
with high-level Marine Corps officials in Washington, D. C. and learned that
serious safety concerns exist regarding the combination of fixed-wing and
rotary-wing operations at Miramar. The original recommendation of the Corps
was for the relocation of Tustin operations to March AFB. He was told that
local congressmen intervened and caused the change to Miramar. The
Congressional delegation from Riverside County is aggressively promoting a
reversal of that decision in favor of moving the helicopters to March AFB.
They have authorized a study, currently underway, to evaluate the economics
of a switch of the helicopters from Miramar to March AFB, employing the
foremost military consulting organization in Washington.
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Proposed Realignmer' 1f Miramar Air Station
December 12, 1995
Page 2
The Committee has adopted the name MARCH (Move Against Relocating
Choppers Here) to identify a coalition of cities and community organizations
seeking to move the helicopters to March AFB instead of Miramar. As the first
step toward achieving its objective, the MARCH committee is soliciting
support of the attached resolution by cities and community organizations
throughout the affected region.
After obtaining authorized support of the resolution from an initial group of
cities and community organizations, the Committee will publicly announce the
formation of the MARCH coalition and the names and populations of those
community organizations which have signed the resolution. The Committee
will transmit this information to influential elected representatives at various
levels of government.
The Poway City Council has already approved a resolution opposing the
proposed realignment of Tustin and EI Toro Marine Corps operations (fixed-
wing and helicopter aircraft) to Miramar. Although the MARCH resolution
opposes only the move of the helicopters and supports the transfer of the
Marine Corps fixed-wing jets to Miramar, information I have obtained recently
leads me to conclude that there is little hope of stopping the transfer of the
flxed.wlng aircraft to Miramar. However, the principal source of noise
problems will be the helicopters. These factors, coupled with my belief that
the only hope for stopping the helicopters is to demonstrate to our elected
representatives that large numbers of their constituents in the region are
strongly opposed, lead me to conclude that the City of poway should Join with
the other communities in signing on to the MARCH resolution.
Accordingly, I am herewith requesting that the Council authorize me to sign
the attached resolution on behalf of the City of Poway.
Attachment
cc: Stephen M. Eckis
miramar .doe
2 of 4
DEe 1 2 1995 ITEM 20A
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RESOLUTION NO. 95.
A RESOLUTION OF THE MARCH COALITION (Move Against Relocating Choppers
Here) SUPPORTING RELOCATION OF HELICOPTERS FROM MARINE CORPS
AIR STATION TUSTIN TO MARCH AIR FORCE BASE, RIVERSIDE
WHEREAS, the MARCH Coalition is comprised of the following cities and community
organizations (List subject to change depending upon signatories in hand at time of public
release.), and
1) City of Del Mar
2) Del Mar Heights
3) City of Escondido
4) La Jolla
5) Mira Mesa
6) City of Poway
7) Rancho Bernardo
8) Rancho Peiiasquitos
9) Scripps Ranch
10) Tierrasanta
11) University City
WHEREAS, the above-named cities and conununity organizations believe their
citizenry will be adversely impacted by reduced real estate valucs, due to noise generated by
the proposed helicopter operations transferred from MCAS Tustin to NAS Miramar as set forth
in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), and
WHEREAS, the populace in the above.named communities, estimated at .470,000, will
further suffer a reduction in quality of life due to noise generated by the proposed helicopter
operations at Miramar MCAS, and
WHEREAS, active-duty fixed-wing and rotary-wing pilots have expressed the opinion
that simultaneous operation of hoth types of aircraft from the same base, is inefficient and
relatively unsafe, and
WHEREAS. the purchasers of homes and businesses in the adversely influenced areas
did not anticipate the change in Miramar land use which will occur with helicopter air
operations, at the tinle of their respective purchases, and
WHEREAS, the above-named communities continue to be supportive of USMC fixed-
- wing operations being relocated to NAS Miramar, and
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MARCH Coalition Resolution Page 2
WHEREAS, the above-named communities are totally supportive of the U.S. Marine
Corps mission; however, not at the expense of their quality of life and property values when
viable alternatives BIe available which are operationally superior and less dangerous to military
and civilian personnel, and
WHEREAS, there exists evidence that March AFB is a viable and desirable alternative
to Miramar for USMC hclicoptcr opcratiol!~ from the standpoint of mission, safety, and
community impacts, and
NOW THEREFORE. BE IT RESOLVED. that the MARCH Coalition, representing the
citizenry of cities and communities affected by MiramBI flight operations and listed above, is
opposed to USMC helicopter flight operations in and proximate to MiramBI Air Station and
respectfully requests that the Navy Department initiate serious study and planning for the
relocation of the Tustin helicopters to MBIch AFB.
APPROVED BY:
FOR:
DATE:
ATTESTED TO on this Day of ,199_ by:
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John W. Karcher
Coalition Chaimlan
WITNESSED BY:
Jeff Frederick
Vice Chairman
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DEe 1 2 1995 ITEM 201\
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14150 Arbolitos Drive
Poway, CA 92064
December 11, 1995
Timarie Seneca, Code 03A
Southwest Division
Naval Facilities Engineering Command
1220 Pacific Highway
San Diego, CA 92132-5190
Dear Sir:
This letter is to protest the relocation of the Marine Helicopters to Miramar
Airbase from the Tustin Airbase. In addition, the flight pattern for the Instrument
Approach, which flies directly over Poway and my home, is unacceptable due to
the noise as demonstrated by the trial "f1yovers" on December 7th and 8th,
My reasons for this complaint are as follows:
1. I previously lived in EI Toro, CA and had witnessed first hand the jet noise
from that airbase. In addition, I witnessed the helicopter noise from the Tustin
base and this is one reason I moved from that area. When I moved to Poway,
CA 8 years ago, I fully understood that I might be subject to the Miramar jet
noise, I specifically listened to the jet noise prior to purchasing my home in
poway and determined that it would not be a major problem, although I am
continually annoyed by the jets using their afterburners on the Miramar Airbase
late in the evenings. I find it unacceptable that Miramar would now accept
helicopters to their airbase and that my home is in a direct Instrument Approach
pattern for the helicopters.
2. On December 7th and 8th, I observed the test flights from 3-5PM and from 7-
10PM. The flights came directly over my home in Poway at 5 to 10 minute
intervals and at different heights. I first observed that the flights appeared to not
be over poway Road as shown in a map in the San Diego Union-Tribune on
December 6th, but were further North over Ted Williams Parkway and Camino
Del Norte(Twin Peaks) roads. These flights seemed in violation of the proposed
Poway Road f1yover. In either case, the noise was unacceptable at both the
lower levels of flight and the higher levels. When I stood in my back yard and
tried to have a discussion with someone standing only a few feet away, I could
not converse without shouting. My two cats were annoyed and ran for the inside
of the house and the birds in the trees on our property scattered quickly. In
addition, I went inside to hear the noise levels and they were also unacceptable,
even with double pane insulated windows and all doors and windows closed. I
find that this noise level is an invasion of peace and quiet in our Poway
neighborhood and should not be tolerated.
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~ 3. I believe that the addition of the helicopter noise would depreciate my
property values as I would now have to disclose, on a Real Estate sales
agreement, that I live in a helicopter flight pattem. From my previous living
experience in the EI Toro area and being a Real Estate Agent in the area, I
personally know that property values are depreciated and potential purchasing
clients are reduced, as well as reluctant to purchase a property due to airplane
noise. I do not believe I should be subject to an economic loss on my property
due to a condition that was not present when I purchased my property 8 years
ago.
4. I also observed some of the flights which flew over the 1-15 corridor, The noise
from these flights was not as prominent but still disturbing. Since my home is on
a ridge in Poway, and is approximately 300-400 feet above the general ground
level in Poway, the noise level is more pronounced. I believe any helicopter
flights in the Poway/North County area will cause serious noise and health
related problems for the residents and should not be allowed.
In conclusion, I support the military presence in Miramar of the present jet
training facility. I can not support the helicopter additions to Miramar due to the
demonstrated noise and health related issues, the fact that the noise will
depreciate my property value and the fact that helicopter flights over my home
were not known when I purchased my property. Therefore, I recommend that the
helicopters not be moved to the Miramar Airbase,
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Lawre~ W. Leyking /
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cc: Poway Councilwoman: Betty Rexford
California Assemblyman: Jan Goldsmith
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