Banner planes are noise pollution I...

Banner planes are noise pollution

I applaud the City Council for considering a ban of banner-towing

airplanes over our homes.

My family lives due north of the beach and about four blocks from

the Hilton. We have lived here in this area since 1976 and before. My

home has been in my family since 1959.

For years we have endured the noise on the weekends and during the

special events at the beach, such as the surf contest. The noise and

planes have gotten worse in the past two years. I take exception to

the businesses who think they have the right to penetrate the peace

and quiet of my home.

If you think these planes are cute and do a service, then you had

better spend the weekend in our neighborhood year after year and

count the number of times they fly over and how many there are. And

while you are at it, take a noise test.

My family goes to the beach often and finds the noise of the

planes just as bad. The noise of the older planes is awful. We cannot

hear to talk on the phone inside our own homes. We cannot enjoy our

backyards. We who work at home on weekends cannot concentrate. We who

sleep during the days go without sleep. We who are sick are being

made sicker by the noise. Noise is also pollution. There is a church

in my neighborhood and others in the area.

These planes fly a circle directly over my house and then head

back to the beach. They also fly over Main Street.

One day this past month, we witnessed a plane stall his engine

over Main Street and the yellow banner dropped down. I don’t think

this is safe or good advertising. Do you wish to see a banner with an

aborted fetus? What will it take -- a plane crash in our neighborhood

or on Main Street -- for someone to listen to our cries for help. I

hope not. I have spent the weekend taking a count of them in the past

years and noting the banners -- all to no avail.

On May 28, I spoke to the [Federal Aviation Administration] and

found out that we can request, under the Freedom of Information Act,

a copy of the FAA authorizations of these banner-towing planes. One

would have to write the Long Beach Flight Standards District Office.

I urge all to boycott the businesses that advertise until some

sort of sanity reigns. I urge the City Council to do the right thing.

CHARLOTTE MELSON

Huntington Beach

It is Sunday at approximately 2:30 p.m. Sunday. I am attempting to

nap in my patio in the Downtown Huntington Beach area. At this time I

have been unable to nap because a yellow airplane, towing a blue

banner; a white airplane towing a Banana Boat banner and a white

airplane towing a Pro-surfer banner have constantly been in the air

near and over my home for the past hour.

This has been going on since 11 a.m. I am not against any type of

advertising; I do resent the noise pollution and disturbance caused

by these advertisers. What can I do? I wrote a letter on Labor Day

2001 regarding this problem. I finally received an answer from the

city in July 2002. At that time, I was told to contact (via mail) the

FAA to voice my complaint.

I did not believe that statement, because we as a city control our

airspace to a certain extent.

What can a normal citizen do, when you do not receive proper

information from your city policymaker? I have had enough of the

continuing noise. I am ready to do what it takes to return our city

to less noise pollution. It is now 3:10 p.m., and there is a lull in

the flight activity -- until the next onslaught of noise.

I hope this will bring the public attention this situation

deserves.

GILBERT FIGUEROA

Huntington Beach

Businesses should

advertise as they like

I support the use of airplane-banner advertising. What A Lot A

Pizza and the other businesses have a right to advertise their

products without the heavy hand of government restrictions. Wayne

LaVigne’s business is providing a service to Huntington Beach, and

he’s trying to make a living by selling his product. I’m sure

Councilwoman Connie Boardman likes the tax revenue generated by

LaVigne and the other businesses using airplane-banner advertising.

Of course I am not surprised Boardman introduced this ordinance as

she is no friend of business or taxpaying residents. She worked very

hard to prohibit Wal-Mart from establishing its tax-generating

business in Huntington Beach and supports wasting tax money on paying

higher-than-market prevailing wages to street sweepers. Boardman

needs to take an economics class where she might learn that on one

hand you cannot propose legislation that hinders tax-generating

businesses, while the other hand dole out inflated wages for

government contracts. Or maybe she just doesn’t care when it is not

her money she is playing with.

J. R. WILLIAMS

Huntington Beach

City needs to fix

pump-out stations

Councilman [Ralph] Bauer is quick to blame pollution of Huntington

Beach Harbour on those of us who own boats and live or own in the

harbor. The majority of our vessels have holding tanks. Frequently

when we go to use one of the two pump-out docks, they are out of

order. For the third time in the last few months, both were out of

order (one of them more frequently than the other is in front of the

Huntington Harbour Yacht Club, of which Bauer is a member).

Neither the fireman at the Warner Avenue Station or the harbor

patrol at Sunset Marina know who is responsible for keeping the

pump-out stations maintained. If Bauer is serious about having a

clean harbor, he ought to make certain that the equipment is properly

maintained and notices posted as to whom we can call when service is

required.

ROBERT B. CUMMINGS

Huntington Beach

Bravo Tom Harmon for refusing money

Assemblyman Tom Harman was right to refuse the money for Bolsa

Chica in exchange for his vote on the budget. The budget is a bad one

with new tax increases and not enough spending cuts. Harman is to be

commended for protecting the taxpayers of his district.

MARK COHEN

Huntington Beach