Soundproofing Overdue

After more than a decade of frustrating delays, Los Angeles officials this month announced plans to begin soundproofing homes around Van Nuys Airport. Neighbors of the busiest general aviation airfield in the country have long complained that the city cares less about them than about residents who live around Los Angeles International Airport. The actions of the past 11 years certainly support that view.

A study of noise at Van Nuys Airport began in 1987. Since then, though, not a dime has been spent to soundproof any of the 1,000 or so homes identified as having sustained noise levels higher than 65 decibels. Yet in just the past two years, the city has spent $12 million soundproofing 300 homes in Westchester and Playa del Rey--a fraction of the 8,600 structures due to be outfitted with special windows and doors as well as additional insulation. And across the San Fernando Valley, the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority has socked away more than $7 million to pay for soundproofing in Burbank, North Hollywood and Sun Valley.

Some of the delays were outside the control of the Department of Airports. First, the Federal Aviation Administration rejected an early plan that estimated a doubling of jet traffic between 1992 and 1997. In fact, the increase in jet traffic was about half that. Then, neighbors rejected noise mitigation plans that they considered insufficient. Efforts were delayed further when critics who felt they were left out of the process filed a legal challenge claiming the city was not enforcing existing flight rules. Finally, the airport commission was reorganized in a shake-up by Mayor Richard Riordan.

Yet as Van Nuys Airport has grown, its neighbors have endured ever greater levels of noise--from corporate jets to news helicopters. Because the airfield has no master growth plan, neighbors fear operations at Van Nuys Airport will expand without the kinds of limits and safeguards they want--and deserve--to protect themselves from excessive noise. As they point out, completing the noise study is just one step toward making the airport a good neighbor. The city also needs to impose stricter curfews--particularly on late-night and early morning jet and helicopter traffic--and then crack down on pilots who violate them.

In the meantime, the city must follow through on its commitment to finish a noise study and begin soundproofing the first homes by summer. Residents of Van Nuys have waited long enough.

Since a 1987 study at Van Nuys Airport, not a dime has been spent to protect any of the 1,000 or so homes identified as having sustained noise levels higher than 65 decibels.