PDK WATCH NEWSLETTER
March 1998
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.
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Compatible Growth, Not Airport Expansion
On January 14 the
Airport Advisory Board approved a recommendation and forwarded it
to the Board of Commissioners to develop a comprehensive plan for
the land being acquired between the airport and Clairmont as part
of a noise abatement buy out program. This recommendation
was submitted by the Drew Valley Civic Association whose members
are concerned about plans to expand the airport boundaries.
Rather than move aviation operations into an area acquired
through a noise abatement program, nearby residents want
development that is compatible with residential and commercial
areas as well as with the airport. This provides the county
an opportunity to act with a vision toward the future, and we are
still waiting for this action.
Noise Abatement, An Airport Obligation
Last fall the staff
at the airport tested a process for identifying and notifying the
owners of aircraft violating the voluntary night curfew. When
problems arose in the process, rather than make the necessary
corrections in the procedure, the entire process was tossed -- a
classic example of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
If you want to have
the voluntary nighttime curfew observed, write a letter to CEO
Liane Levetan (who also wants it) requesting the airport staff to
reinstitute this noise abatement procedure. Be sure to send a
copy of your letter to the county commissioners. The
address for CEO Levetan and the commissioners is 1300 Commerce
Drive, Decatur GA 30030.
PDK Airport’s
boast of being a good neighbor rings hollow as long as it does
not fulfill all of its obligations to the surrounding community.
Comprehensive Plan Amendments from PDK
DeKalb County won
an award for citizen participation when it developed its
Comprehensive Plan two years ago. More than thirty public
meetings were held which involved citizens in contributing to a
twenty-year vision for the growth of the county.
Currently the
county is in the annual process of amending the Comprehensive
Plan. Mr. Lee Remmel, PDK Airport Director, has proposed
four amendments. Although these changes were required to be
submitted to the commissioners by January 1, they were not
presented publicly by the director until hearings on February 3
and 4, despite a meeting of the Airport Advisory Board on January
14. While the two hearings did allow for public comment,
there was not enough time to make a careful study of the
proposals before providing comment.
Two of the proposed
amendments call for the replacement of entire portions of text
about PDK Airport. This is text that was written during the
original thirty-plus meetings where citizens had ample
opportunity to respond. The proposed changes from Mr.
Remmel expand the scope of the Airport from being one to serve
DeKalb County to one that is defined in the context of a State
resource. The radical changes the director has proposed are his
views and have not been before the public in the manner intended
for such an important document. Here is another example of
how the airport is not living up to its claim as a good neighbor.
If you wish to
voice your opinion about these proposed changes, attend the next
public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan. The Planning
Commission is currently scheduled to conduct this hearing on
Wednesday, April 29, at 7:00 P.M. in the Maloof Auditorium in
Decatur.
Unreliable, Incomplete Study Goes to
Board of Commissioners
The cost/benefit
study of PDK Airport, which was just presented at a public
hearing, focused on existing economic benefits without giving
cost a thorough investigation. An initial review of the
study concludes that it presents unreliable policy data for our
commissioners, and it shows contempt for all citizens of DeKalb
County, especially those in the neighborhoods affected by PDK
Airport operations.
Even though this
assessment is supported by many statements, consider these three
points:
1) The consultant valued the airport
property at $60,000 per acre. Three years ago our county
paid over $200,000 per acre for land adjoining the airport.
Did the county overpay, or did the consultant devalue the airport
property to preclude “highest and best use” discussion?
2) Our county commission has agreed to
remove residences and soundproof others at a remaining estimated
cost of $75,000,000. The report ignored this cost. Why?
3) In considering alternative uses, the
consultant did not suggest any commercial use of land at the
airport despite the widely touted International Village and the
2000-employee IRS building now under construction. Since
commercial land is the most valuable tax generator, we can only
assume the consultant opted to fool our commission for the
benefit of airport users.
It was also noted
that the consultant accepted expansion of airport activity as
part of the findings.
PDK Watch had hoped
for a fair and honest cost-benefit study of the airport. Since
this did not happen, we urge the commissioners not to accept the
results until they are revised to give a balanced assessment
detailing both costs and benefits.
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.
Please copy and distribute this
newsletter, but remember that no copy goes into a mailbox without
the proper postage.