The Little River Airport Advisory Committee minutes 1/15/99 meeting A meeting of The Little River Airport Advisory Committee was held at the Woods Clubhouse on Friday, January 15, 1999, at 9:00 am. The agenda had been posted at the Little River Airport and at the Little River Post Office. Present at the meeting were committee members: Tim Scully, Dave Brewer, Willow Trent, Susan Winding, Lee Edmundson, Trey Loy and Joel Bornstein. Also participating in the meeting were: Dick Ahrens, Naomi Jarvie, Richard Gallagher, Marilee Pence, Wayne Dahl and Ig and Mary Yakoushkin. The meeting was opened with a short statement by Merrily Pence, concerning her feelings against the creation of a place for motorcycles to operate on the Little River Airport. She spoke of the nature of the Pygmy soil and the manner in which sound travels. The letter that she read is appended below. Joel Bornstein asked her if she is able to hear the motorcycles presently? She said she is. She then departed the meeting as she had to go to work. Trey Loy presented a letter from Scott Welsh, the president of the Coast Dirt Riders. Scott wrote that his group is very interested in developing a place for local riders to go. Tim Scully read Scott's letter. It is also appended below. Trey said that he is now against the possible motorcycle area on airport land. The minutes of the last meeting were approved. Tim Scully read a letter of resignation from Lee Edmundson, effective at the close of today's meeting. He expressed the committee's appreciation to Lee for his hard work on airport issues. There were several other communications that Tim Scully read. They are appended below. Susan Winding said she had spoken with Fourth District Supervisor Patti Campbell, who informed her that all members of the Airport Advisory Committee have been reappointed. Lee Edmundson said there are some people who applied to become members of the committee last year who are still available. He specifically mentioned Bill Bottrel's name. We unanimously passed a motion to ask Tim Scully to write the County how we should proceed in the matter of replacing Lee Edmundson. Susan Winding mentioned that there are trespassers entering the airport property via an access between The Woods and her house. She doesn't know if they are homeless squatters or mushroom pickers. Trees are being dropped across the access road in an apparent attempt to stop them. Willow Trent said that there are people trucking in motorcycles, for the purpose of riding on airport land. Joel Bornstein said he thought that we were considering access for the riders to practice, but not to hold races. Susan Winding thinks that if we approve any riding, we must expect that the area will expand to include racing and more. Tim Scully said he had once again invited Fifth District Supervisor David Colfax to our meeting. Susan Winding said that the Health, Welfare, Planning and Transportation Committee of the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors has been renamed the "Public Resources Committee." It will consist of Fourth District Supervisor Patti Campbell and Third District Supervisor Tom Lucier. Regarding the Little River Airport fuel system, Tim Scully said he had stopped by at the airport on the way to the meeting to get the latest information. There is still no fuel. There is no fuel truck. It seems that there are too many obstacles to getting the truck here, so Chuck Boyer has referred the matter to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors. There are many airports where fuel is no longer available. Someone mentioned that this is causing a significant loss of revenue to the County. Joel Bornstein said that it is also causing hardship for Coast Flyers. Every time an airplane has to be flown to Ukiah for fuel, the cost is close to $100. Trey Loy said the tank is a 10,000 gallon unit. Where will it go? He asked if we want to become involved in the placement issue? He said he is concerned with the safety aspect of an above ground system. Tim Scully explained that the above ground system is safe. It is used at many, many airports. The Dept. of Transportation has considered the location for the new tank system. Airport Supervisor Les Proctor has another possible site for the system. Lee Edmundson suggested that we write a letter to Chuck Boyer, asking confirmation of the status of the new system. His suggestion was approved. Dave Brewer made a brief report of his progress in summarizing the Little River Airport traffic reports. His latest report is appended below. Trey Loy spoke for the Hangar subcommittee. He described some of the locations which have been considered. The master plan has designated the area across the drainage ditch as the area for additional hangars. The ditch was proposed to be bridged with railroad flatcars. Tim Scully mentioned that he had spoken with the FAA in Burlingame, some time ago. They said there are grants available, but not for the construction of new hangars. However, they said, if a grant was received for new pavement, it might be possible to make it include paving the taxiways associated with the new area. Someone asked why we couldn't extend the existing line of hangars? Joel replied that we have spoken of that, as well as the use of the opposite end of the taxiway. There are State loans available which might help with the construction of the new hangars. Lee Edmundson asked if there is a time line on the pavement? Tim replied no, but there is a finite life on a slurry seal, should it be applied. Trey maintained that there might be two entries required, to access the new area. Susan Winding questioned that? Tim said he wasn't sure that more than one access was required. Responding to Trey's comment that there is apparently enough room to place as many as 20 hangars in the area, Willow asked why the Firemen's Park was relocated? Tim responded that the FAA wants adequate separation to assure the unlikelihood of picnickers wandering into the aircraft operating areas. Richard Gallagher suggested that we should circulate a hangar survey to determine demand, before launching any project to build more hangars. Lee Edmundson said he feels that if we are going to build new hangars and their associated utilities, we should consider the overall utility needs of the airport. Susan Winding reminded us that any disturbance of the ground will affect the water quality downstream. Joel said he thinks it possible to present a draft survey to the committee at the next meeting. Trey Loy is reluctant to commit to even getting Richard Gallagher's draft survey read before that time. Richard suggested that his draft survey might be presented to the committee. Trey was unwilling to do that. As the hangar subcommittee report was concluded, Richard Gallagher left the meeting. Ig Yakoushkin, a neighbor of the airport arrived to speak against the proposed motorcycle facility on the airport property. He enumerated his objections: 1- Noise; 2 - Environmental damage such as the removal of trees and ruining the area for the animals which once lived there; 3 - The depreciation of the real estate values as a result of the conditions created by the motorcycles. Trey Loy stated that he agrees with Ig's concerns, but he wants to see the issue settled through a democratic process. Lee Edmundson said that no location has been selected for the motorcycle area. We are only considering possibilities. Wayne said he sees no support for the development. He said that the old bark dump is a possibility. The area might be shared with the proposed golf course. Trey Loy then moved on to the report of the Flight Training Subcommittee. He said that he has spoken with Joel Bornstein, who is willing to consider restricting the times for multiple landings to 8am until 2 hours after dark. The numbers of such landings could be limited to 4-5 consecutively, followed by a break and followed by 4-5 more. Trey said that he has found that some airports have restrictions. The Airport Facilities Directory shows 12 California airports with such restrictions. Oxnard has different restrictions, depending on the specific type of operation. Many airports make a polite request, such as "Use quiet procedures." Willow Trent said she had called Healdsburg airport and spoke with Barry Holloway. Barry said that the operations cannot be legally restricted. The signs seem to work. They lowered the pattern altitude recently, as it was felt that a lower pattern will encourage the airplanes to fly closer to the airport, thereby affecting fewer people. Dave Brewer confirmed that he seems to hear more noise now than before, when the pattern here was lower. Trey said he is in favor of a request, rather that trying to require the pilots to comply. Joel agrees with Trey. Lee Edmundson agreed that a polite request might yield more positive results. Four committee members feel that restrictions should be published. Someone noticed that the Little River Airport noise abatement policy is not in the Airport/Faclility Directory. The committee agreed that Tim Scully should write to Chuck Boyer and let him know, asking if the noise policy could be re-sent to the publishers of pilot guides. The A/FD also has the wrong hours of operation for Little River Airport. Our next meeting will be on Feb 19th at 9am at The Woods. The March meeting will also be on the 19th at the same time and place. We agreed to carry the agenda of this meeting to the February meeting. As our allotted time had ended, the meeting was unanimously declared concluded. Joel Bornstein, Secretary The agenda for the 2/19/99 meeting is: Approve the minutes of the last meeting Communications (letters, FAXes, etc, sent/received since last meeting) Brief history & current status for David Colfax Reach helicopter - can they install an Automated Weather Observing System? Airport Master Plan Update - and environmental report for Master Plan, should we start work? Should flight training activity (including touch and go landings) at Little River be restricted in some way? Fuel system replacement: status report The airport budget, actual income and expenses Logging of traffic at the airport Airport erosion control, grass planting Additional hangars at the airport Non-aviation uses of the airport Dirt bikes on the airport and related liability issue Reports from subcommittees Public comment Report on finances (contributions received, expenses incurred) Agree on a date, time and place for the next meeting Agree on agenda for next meeting Members of the Little River Airport Advisory Committee ------------------------------------------------------ Joel Bornstein pilot, flight instructor lives near airport Dave Brewer pilot, lives near airport Trey Loy non-pilot, lives near airport Tim Scully pilot, computer programmer, lives near airport commutes by air to Oakland weekly Willow Trent airport neighbor, non-pilot Susan Winding airport neighbor, non-pilot, business owner The committee is seeking another non-pilot member. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/2/99 email to DPW from Tim Scully ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From tim.scully Sat Jan 2 06:49:24 1999 To: townsens Cc: tim Subject: questions from Little River Airport Advisory Committee The Little River Airport Advisory committee asked me to write to you about three things. I was asked to check on the status of the renewal of the Fireman's Park lease. I was asked to check on the status of getting us a copy of the actual income and expense figures for the last fiscal year. As you may recall, there has been an ongoing problem with unauthorized use of the airport by motocycles, with concerns expressed over the County's liability. Three motorcycle/motorbike riders and their parents came to the December AAC meeting and made a good presentation, asking the committee to look into establishing an official motocross track on the airport. The committee voted to research this, and specifically asked me to write to inquire about the liability issues. Can you help me find the right person (perhaps Risk Management?) and tell me how to contact them? My goal is to bring some information to our January 15 meeting about the possible cost of liability coverage and possible limitations the insurance would be likely to require. ------ 12/18/98 letter from motorcross riders to AAC ------------ December 18, 1998 TO THE LITTLE RIVER AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE: We are writing this letter to request permission to build a motorcross track and riding area at the Little River Airport. There is not a safe place in this area for us to safely ride our bikes. We would like to build a motorcross track on a Portion of the property adjacent to the airport. We understand the issues of liability, safety, maintenance and the noise disruption. We acknowledge our responsibility to ride safely and be considerate of the those who live in the neighborhood. We would like to present the following proposal to you for discussion. The proposal is as follows: 1. We will work with this Advisory Committee to plan and build a track for motorbikes. 2. We will respect the property. 3. The motorcross riders will be responsible for maintenance of the track We will maintain the track, keep it free of hazards and trash. We will bring a trash can to the site to reduce litter in the area. 4. We will work out an agreement with the neighbors to establish reasonable riding hours so as not to create an additional noise problem. We understand there are liability issues surrounding this sport. We take a lot of time to make sure our bikes are in good condition. For our personal safety we always wear protective gear, helmets, chest protectors, foot gear and padded clothing. We will encourage those who use the track to do the same. We will help put up a sign that informs users of the necessity of safety, protective gear and courtesy to others. Motorcross riding is important to us. This is our recreational choice. We do not drink, use drugs, cause damage or destruction to other people's property. We are committed to doing what it may take to have a place for us to ride. We love this sport and want to have a safe riding area. We hope there is a way for us to work together. Thank you for your time and consideration. Joel Blocksom Will Groham Sam Ruczak --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/11/99 reply from DPW --------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stanley Townsend [townsens] Sent: Monday, January 11, 1999 4:13 PM To: tim.scully Cc: H. Peter Klein; Bruce Mordhorst; Chuck Boyer Subject: RE: questions from Little River Airport Advisory Committee Tim, In answer to your questions of 2 January 1999: Firemans' Picnic and Recreation Area Land Lease Agreement: Has not been renewed. The lease needs to be re-written, a project we are just now beginning. This has not been a high priority, due partly to other workload considerations, and because the leasee has done little to address our concerns expressed in our 31 July 1998 letter (copied to LRAAC). Of particular concern, they have failed to provide proof of insurance as required by the old agreement. FY 97/98 Income and Expense figures: These figures have been provided to LRAAC for FY 94/95, 95/96, 96/97, and 97/98 through April 1998. Chuck will send the figures for the full FY 97/98 to you. Motorcycle - Unauthorized use of Airport property: This has been a continual problem, with the trespassers using earth-moving equipment to circumvent our efforts to exclude the unauthorized activity as well as to modify the terrain of airport property to their liking, obviously without permit. We don't know the identity of the violators (whether any of the current proposers were involved), but the violators have certainly not done their sport any favors. We have no objection to your Committee looking into the liability/insurance issues connected with such a possible use, and to that end you are authorized to contact Bruce Mordhorst (Risk Manager) @ 463-4445 and H. Peter Klein (County Counsel) @ 463-4446 with your inquiries. By copy this e-mail, I am making Bruce and Peter of this authorization. While our Department will review any proposal with an open mind, we see potentially serious problems including conflict with airport uses (safety issues), noise and other impacts on the public and Airport neighbors, environmental concerns related to erosion, vegetation, etc. We must say our initial reaction to such a proposal is negative. -- Stanley Townsend, Deputy Director Mendocino County Department of Transportation 340 Lake Mendocino Drive Ukiah CA 95482-9432 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/12/99 email from Tim Scully to Brad Mordhorst, risk management dept ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: tim Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 1999 1:51 PM To: mordhorb Cc: tim.scully Subject: liability and motocross users on the airport The Airport Advisory Committee has asked me to write to you to explore the liability problems of officially allowing some part of the airport land to be used for motocross riding. The committee hasn't yet researched which portion of the airport's 572 acres would be used for this, but let's assume that we could find an area well separated from the operational areas of the airport. We have a number of questions: - Would fencing of the area be required? - Would adult supervision be required? (something analogous to a lifeguard at a beach) - How much coverage would be needed? - What difference would "jumps" make? (Some of the riders like to run up a ramp and fly for some distance before landing.) - What would the incremental cost of this coverage be? (Or a range of costs depending on the variables listed above or other variables you can think of.) Is coverage possible for the "worst case" of an unfenced and unsupervised area, with posted signs stating the rules for use? Since three young people have come forward and made a polite presentation, we'd like to make a real effort to find out if there is any practical way to accomodate their request. The committee recognizes that the liability issue is only one of many issues that would have to be resolved before this could happen, but we imagine it to be the most difficult issue, and hence wanted to research it before investigating the other issues. Thank you for your assistance. A reply via email would be appreciated. Tim Scully Chairman, Airport Advisory Committee --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Email and Spreadsheet from Dave Brewer, summarizing traffic logs --------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Dave Brewer [dmb001] Sent: Thursday, January 14, 1999 1:19 PM To: tim Subject: Action Item Attached are files containing O48 airport operations from 11/1/97 through 7/20/98. traflog is the detail, trafday is a summary by day, and trafmonh is a summary by month including a guess about August, September, and October ops. The result is 4865 ops per year. For comparison, the survey results gave 2506 operations where an operation was defined as one takeoff plus one landing. (I did not look at the survey until I had made the guesses...honest) Dave Little River Airport Summary of Operations by Month* November 219 December 273 January 124 February 103 March 366 April 451 May 434 June 462 July 1-20 491 July 21-31 Estimate 317 July 808 August Guess 700 September Guess 600 October Guess 325 ------ Total 4865 * One operation is one takeoff or one landing ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Email from Dick Ahrens ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Richard W. Ahrens [rnnn] Sent: Thursday, January 14, 1999 6:00 PM To: tim.scully Subject: RE: Address 14 January 1999 Tim - Merrily Pence, a resident of The Woods for 25 years, has written a letter that she would like to read out to the AAC tomorrow. This letter expresses her deeply held views on the motorcycle course at the Airport. She has to go to work early tomorrow, so she has asked me to try to get her on the Committee's agenda very early. I said that I would ask you to let her go first - perhaps from 9:05 to 9:15. Yrs, Dick A ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Letter from Scott Welsh, President Coast Dirt Riders ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROPOSAL The newly formed Coast Dirt Riders is a club of local dirt-bike riding enthusiasts of all ages, The club has been formed in the hope of organizing and making available an area for this activity. Contrary to popular believes, dirt bike riding is a wholesome, family oriented, type of entertainment. In today's world, people 'work to play' and this sport has gained tremendous popularity nationwide. The coastal region is a largely untapped resource for this type of recreation. The riders from this area travel many miles to practice for, and participate in, events held in other parts of our state and other states as well. Because of our mild summer weather, this area could attract riders from various other areas. The large expanse of unused land in this region leads one to conclude that somewhere in the vicinity there could by a place set aside for dirt-biking-, one that would have minimal environmental impact, and would not be a nuisance to surrounding property owners, This area could benefit from the addition of such a draw and local businesses would certainly profit as well. As long as motorcycles are manufactured, people will purchase and ride them. An organized approach to riding ... having and using proper safety gear and equipment ... riding only in allocated areas ... respecting the rights of others ... are all extremely important. Therefore, responsible, riding devotees are requesting your help in this cause. Coast Dirt Riders is asking for:  An area of land allocated for dirt bike riding. 50+ acres  Accessible by automobile  Appropriate area that would not be a nuisance to surrounding property owners  Suitable area, cleared of enough trees and growth to build an enclosed motocross track of approximately 10 -- 15 acres  Enough surrounding area for parking Coast Dirt Riders is willing to:  Provide liability insurance  Maintain and police any fenced area  Promote responsible and safe riding  Do volunteer work as needed  Advocate property owner's contribution to the community  Respect and uphold property owner's rights and views This request is made with the understanding that there are details that would need to be worked out and agreed upon. There are dirt bike riding locations nationwide, so it appears to be 'do-able'. This area could truly benefit from such a facility. Your consideration in this matter is greatly appreciated, Scott Welsh, President Coast Dirt Riders Fort Bragg, CA 95437 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/10/99 letter from Merrily Pence to Beacon & AAC --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Editor & Citizens: 1-10-99 I can't believe anyone, with any modicum amount of sense, would seriously consider creating a dirt bike facility in the vicinity of the airport. (1) There's no question that a motorcycle course would kill property values in the area. (2) Sound carries like crazy in the pygmy forest. I've lived across from the Airport for 25 years. Just a couple of days a year you notice there's an airport because of a plane going in or out. The other 363 you forget it because it's so quiet. A 2 stroker (bike term) is miserable enough with its muffler on, but when its off, like when you race, or are on a course, it's really nasty with it's screaming high pitch, not to mention (3) the asphyxiating fumes! As for a 4 stroker, they're the ones that rumble and shake like thunder. Being an old T.T. & Motocross racer of myself, the last thing in the world I would ever desire is to live across the street from a track or a race course. Put all the worst sounds you can imagine, rev them up full blast, and you have the reality of dirt biking. With or without mufflers. Don't get me wrong. I love dirt biking. But you have to do it where there is no population! I used to drive 4 to 6 hours just to be able to do my biking, and we had 9, count 'em, 9 bikes! I used to love to go to El Toro and race, but they shut us down when the city began to grow around the track and the residents complained of the fumes and hideous noise. We acquiesced realizing that our bikes were really obnoxious to anyone not riding. How about the new assisted living care unit at The Woods? Would any senior citizen who likes a little nap, care to live in the midst of noise from a motorcycle course? I thought not.......... neither would I. Accept it. We can't do everything we want to do in this life. To live up here in paradise I had to give up ocean racing in sailboats. So I found other interests. If bikers aren't willing to drive to heck and gone for their sport, then they should find a new one. A not so very old biker, who enjoys the peace and quiet of Airport Road..... Merrily Pence, --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Letter from Leee Edmundson to AAC --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEE EDMUNDSON 15 January, 1999 To the Members of the Board-. I herein tender my resignation from the Little River Airport Advisory Committee. My term is scheduled to expire in January, 1999, and I decline to continue on. My resignation is effective as of 11 am, January 15, 1999. During my tenure, we were able to have the LRAAC develop, and subsequently adopt, thorough findings for the airport's application for the GPS service for the airport. Not only did the LRAAC adopt the findings unanimously, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors did as well. This is testament to our ability to work together to achieve common goals. My hope is that this Committee will continue the Sub-Committee system to solve problems and resolve issues, guaranteeing that all Little River Airport issues are aired before the entire committee and before the concerned public before being recommended to the County. My work on other government, civic and private concerns is demanding, and so my time has become more limited. I feel confident that the LRAAC will suggest my replacement in short order, and that they will serve the Committee in equal stead. Respectfully, Lee Edmundson