SOUTH BURLINGTON CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION IN RESPONSE TO

2016 BIA LAND AND RE-USE PLAN

WHEREAS, South Burlington is home to the Burlington International Airport (Airport
or BIA), an important contributor to the local, regional, and statewide economy; and,
WHEREAS, the South Burlington City Council has received the following legacy:
* In 1990, the Airport prepared its first Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part
150 Noise Study, and has periodically updated its component Noise Exposure Maps and
Noise Compatibility Plans through present day.
* The City of South Burlington City Council issued a letter in February 2011 in response
to the Airports 2012 Vision 2030 Master Plan and in it stated, The Council seeks
assurance from BIA that the boundaries of its NCP program will not expand. This is
necessary to protect the adjacent neighborhood from BIA purchase and removal of more
housing units than are currently planned and further, the South Burlington City Council
hereby states that it disapproves of the BIA Vision 2030 Master Plan Update as currently
written due to its lack of a pledge to fund and build noise mitigation devices (such as
blast deflectors, sound walls, and engine run-up enclosures) and/or put in place practices
whose result is that the noise experienced by the adjacent South Burlington residential
neighborhood is no greater than it is today and, concomitantly, the geographic area in the
City of South Burlington covered by the NCP is not enlarged.
* The City of South Burlingtons Comprehensive Plan identifies the development and
preservation of affordable housing within proximity to schools, parks, services, and
amenities and the enhancement of the quality of life of existing neighborhoods among the
top four priorities under the Plans stated Vision & Goals.
* The City of South Burlington City Council has recognized the development and
retention of affordable housing as a top municipal priority and has instituted an
Affordable Housing Trust Fund and an Affordable Housing Committee in addition to
existing land development regulations, such as those governing the Kirby Cottages at 10,
12, and 18 Lily Lane, and foreseen ordinances in order to preserve the Citys affordable
housing stock.
* The FAA released updated Noise Exposure Maps in late 2015 reflective of the then
current operations at the Airport and, using an updated model, identified 951 homes
within the 65+ contours.
* The Chamberlin Neighborhood Airport Planning Committee has identified Chamberlin
Elementary School as integral to the Chamberlin Neighborhoods identity and vitality.
* Enplanements in each of the years 2010 through 2015 have been declining to a figure of
594,034, the City of South Burlington is somewhat skeptical of projections of an increase
to 670,947 in just 4 years and to 781,216 by 2030.
* Based on the 2015 Noise Exposure Map, the Airport identified 39 parcels in the City of
South Burlington within a 73.3+ DNL contour that the FAA and the Airport have

determined are eligible for the noise mitigation home buyout program through the FAAs
Noise Compatibility Program (NCP).
* The City of South Burlington was not notified of the current FAA Noise Land
Acquisition Program grant request for acquiring 39 additional parcels until the FAA had
already approved it and before the program was before the Airports municipal owner for
approval.
* Upon review of the 2016 Airport Land and Re-Use Plan, the South Burlington Planning
Commission prepared a letter reiterating, with regard to short-term use, Land within the
75 dB DNL can also be suitable for Noise Buffer. The City of South Burlington requests
that this option, for passive or constructed Noise Buffer, be added to this area.
Constructed noise buffer may include berming or other landscape improvements to
further reduce noise impacts of the Airport on the adjacent neighborhood. The Planning
Commission further stated, the City of South Burlington does not support a limited
access connector to I-89 and especially one that could have a significant impact on
Kirby Road being used as a cut-through for non-airport related traffic coming from or
headed to Rt 15 in Colchester.
* The December 2016 deployment of the Vermont Air National Guard to the Middle East
has resulted in a substantial decrease if not near absence of Vermont Air National Guard
operations at the Airport from now into the foreseen future until late 2019.
* The decrease in military operations at the Airport indicates that the 39 homes now
deemed eligible for the Land Acquisition Program by the FAA and Airport no longer lie
in the 73.3 DNL contour.
NOW THEREFORE, the City of South Burlington does hereby state the following:
1. The acquisition of homes under the current NCP and Land Acquisition Program is based on
obsolete noise levels and will result in irreparable harm to the City through the loss of affordable
housing, loss of property tax revenue, and loss of peace of mind for our residents; and,
2. We formally request that the FAA rescind its approval of the most recently approved NEM
and NCP due to the current circumstances, including the decline in commercial flights which
accompanies the expansion of a home buyout program that is detrimental to the host City and
residents and the extraordinary decrease of military operations at the Airport until late 2019; and,
3. We formally request that the City of Burlington and the Airport suspend immediately all
activity under the current Part 150 program relating to the purchase and demolition of homes
within the 73.3+ DNL contour on the NEM; and,
4. The City of South Burlington is very concerned that the integrity and quality-of-life of the
most impacted residential neighborhood, including Kirby Road to the north and Chamberlin
Elementary School in its center, be conserved; and,
5. We formally request the assistance of the FAA and Airport in contracting with a qualified
consultant to run the approved FAA noise model substituting F-35 data for the F-16 data that was
used for the current map in order to be able to plan for the arrival of the F-35 in late 2019; and,

6. We formally request that future consideration of noise mitigation programs, prior to the
submittal of grant requests, FAA approval, and notification to eligible residents/property owners,
include the City of South Burlington; and,
7. Since our residents naturally look to the City of South Burlington for answers to their
questions and concerns, we formally request that the implications of future noise mitigation
programs on our residents and our city be carefully explained to the City of South Burlington
prior to submittal of requests to the FAA for approval and Airport implementation of such
programs, whether these implications include buyer/seller agreement terms, avigation easements,
real estate disclosures, or some other possible form of encumbrance. We request, therefore, that a
designated South Burlington City staffer receive copies of all communications, including draft
documents, related to the Airports NEMs, NCP, etc.; and an Airport presentation to the South
Burlington City Council, including sharing of draft documents, regarding Airport NEMs and its
NCP prepared for submission to the FAA. These presentations would take place before these
draft documents are conveyed to the City of Burlingtons Finance Board and City Council.

DATED this ______ day of ______________ 2017,

SOUTH BURLINGTON CITY COUNCIL

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Helen Riehle, Chair

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Meaghan Emery, Vice-Chair

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Tim Barritt, Clerk

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Thomas Chittenden

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Pat Nowak