PDK WATCH NEWSLETTER                              November 1997

 

PDK Watch’s purpose is to protect and assure the future of our established residential neighborhoods and quality of life in the area affected by PDK Airport.

********************************************************************************************

 

Don’t Miss the November Meeting!

 

You are invited to attend the PDK Watch meeting

 Thursday, November 13, at 7:30 P.M. at the Shallowford

 Presbyterian Church on Shallowford Road between I-85

 and Briarcliff  Road.  Mr. Lee Remmel, PDK’s new airport

 director, will share his position on the following:

1.  Definition of a “Good Neighbor Airport”.

2.  Description of how he currently proposes to develop properties under the buy out.

3.  How the airport will generate more revenue.

4. Leadership role the airport will take to improve the immediate residential and commercial

    neighborhoods in the vicinity of the airport.

5. Policy and protocols to address obtrusive noise that affects the surrounding residential

    community.

 

Security  - The Latest Euphemism for Airport Expansion

 

Security has replaced safety as the justification for airport expansion.  The airport wants to move the airport boundary fence to enclose land acquired through a noise abatement program.  Airport Director Lee Remmel suggested building hangars on the newly obtained land at the September Airport Advisory Board meeting.  After some members of the advisory board and meeting attendees objected by saying that building hangars was actually airport expansion, Mr. Remmel switched to security as the reason for moving the fence.

The current airport management’s flip-flop reveals the lack of a public policy or plan by the county for land acquired through a noise abatement  program.  This presents the perfect scenario in which airport expansion can occur -- as homes are slowly purchased, the airport management moves the airport fence out swallowing  property that was once neighborhoods.  The neighborhood shrinks;  the airport grows.  The planes and their accompanying industrial buildings are  now your new neighbors.

 Do you want this to happen to you, your neighbors and  your community?   Don’t let  indifference allow the airport to grow uncontrollably.  Now is the time to speak up to preserve the quality of your neighborhood.

 

A Call for Action

 


As a DeKalb County citizen, act now to let your elected officials know of your opposition to airport expansion using land acquired for noise abatement. The land purchased through this noise abatement program should be used as a buffer between the airport and the surrounding neighborhood.  Otherwise, this buy out program is mislabeled and should be identified accurately as an airport expansion program.

Write CEO Liane Levetan and members of the Board of Commissioners (see list below).  Their address is 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur GA 30030.  Your letter may include:

·                    opposition to airport expansion with land acquired in a noise abatement program,

·                    a request that a plan for land acquisition be devised with community input and made public,

·                    suggestions for use of the acquired land (such as a park, green space, community gardens, offices)

 

Please Accept Our Apologies

 

We apologize to those of you who called our published phone number (770-908-1954) only to get a loud shrill sound.  We have taken care of the problem and that phone number should now function properly.  Thanks to all who took the time to call -- we are disappointed that we missed your call the first time and hope you will try again.  Thanks also to those who alerted us to the problem.

 

Noise Abatement Policy Group

 

If you are interested in being part of the group writing a policy which states how the airport will address noise complaints, please call PDK Watch at 770-908-1954.

 

Support PDK Watch

 

Thanks to those of you who have sent your check to help with the cost of printing and mailing the newsletter.  To contribute to this fund, please make a check payable to Sven O. Lovegren and note on the check that it is for PDK Watch.  Then please mail to:

PDK Watch

c/o Sven Lovegren

2331 Annapolis Court

Atlanta GA 30345

For information contact David Green, PDK Watch Coordinator, at 770-908-1954.

 

Board of Commissioners

 

District 1 Elaine Boyer                          District 5 William Brown

District 2 Gale Walldorff                       District 6 Judy Yates

District 3 Jacqueline Scott                     District 7 Porter Sanford

District 4 Ken Davis

 

Please copy and distribute this newsletter, but remember that no copy goes into a mailbox without the proper postage.