ChasingBlueSky 0 #1 May 29, 2004 http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=11810888&BRD=1817&PAG=461&dept_id=222077&rfi=6 Feeling the effects of skydiving without stepping out of a moving airplane will be possible later this year at the Eloy City Council approved a special use permit for Skydive Arizona to construct a wind tunnel. The wind tunnel is to be used for training as well as recreational purposes. The council also disagreed with the city's staff recommendation when it came to the noise level coming from the project. The staff recommended a 40 dB from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and a 45 dB from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., the levels originally proposed for the new zoning ordinance. The council felt the current reading for commercial would be permissible. The current reading were 90 dB in daytime and 80 dB at night time. The wind tunnel received a positive recommendation from the Eloy Planning and Zoning Commission April 21 with the following stipulations; that the FAA approve the project and provide the city with the approval letter; the applicant provide the correct manufacturing information to staff and a reasonable effort be made so the sound being emitted at the property line be consistent with the levels being proposed at the property line. Loras Rauch, Contract Planning Services principal, said the existing levels are much higher than those proposed. The new proposed ordinance refers to the noise levels established in the Eloy City Code. The Eloy City Code has the noise levels set for residential 70 dB at night and 80 dB at day, commercial 80 dB at night and 90 dB during the day and industrial is set at 90 dB at night and 90 at daytime. Councilman Richard Horton called councilmen Byron Jackson and Jesse Rosel from the wind tunnel in Parris Valley, Calif while he was standing next to the wind tunnel and they were not able to hear it in the background. Can the they put more restrictions on the applicant than those in the city codes, asked Jackson? Rauch said if they wanted they could put the original proposed noise table back into the ordinance. The feeling were expressed by both the planning commission and council they did not want the change because they felt the noise level was higher already, she said. They always have the opportunity to amend the city or zoning codes. Jackson was concern about setting stricter restrictions because 50 dB was pretty quiet especially for the location in which the airport is at. City Manager Jim McFellin said the 40 dB and 45 dB are levels the World Health Organization has set as acceptable levels of pollutions. That is why the city felt setting the same dB at the property line was acceptable. We have vehicles in the street which are greater than that, said Jackson. McFellin said those were not continuous. Rauch said the sound is consistent with what is in the proposed zoning ordinance. Using it for opposition for this project seemed premature to Jackson, he thought they needed to look at the levels. "We're looking to the future and not the past," said McFellin, "we want a city that's livable." McFellin purchased property about a mile from thereto build a home. He will not build it if he has to listen to the sound for 18 hours or more. They have to think about the citizens, he said. If sounds levels are violated in his neighborhood because of the wind tunnel than it violates the city codes, he said. Andy McGregor, Sky Venture product development and support, said the city needs to look at the ambient noise level. The proposed unit is quieter than perceived. During the planning and zoning commission meeting he brought in a dB tester and the air handler in the building was reading at 50 dB. Daily conversation is greater than the levels the city wants the wind tunnel at. The existing codes are acceptable to Larry Hill, Skydive Arizona owner, McGregor said. They don't want to be singled out. If the sound is louder than those listed in the Eloy City Code the have many mitigating techniques they can do such as dampening. Mayor Manuel Salas asked how many hours the tunnel would be running. It would run a lot, but it would not be heard, McGregor said. Hill was not asking for a noise variance, he should live by what everyone else does. Since the first wind tunnel went up in 1998 Hill's business at Skydive Arizona has been going down. In order for his business to survive he has to grow with the industry. It will be difficult for him to survive another season without a wind tunnel. They also had other concerns with the tunnel one of which was getting FAA approval. McFellin said they Hill had a letter from the FAA and they did not have a problem with it. Jackson asked what the typical height of a control tower was? They average from 150 to 200 feet, Hill said. His structure will be roughly 95 feet, about the same height as the flag pole at the Toltec Cafe. Loras Rauch said the site in in a agriculture zoning and requires a conditional use permit. It is in the airport overlay and the heights are referred to in the airport master plan. Hill had no objection to the council restricting the height to the height listed in the FAA letter. During the planning and zoning meeting many area business supported Hill in his venture saying their businesses could not survive if Eloy lost Skydive Arizona. Much of their business is coming from skydivers who frequent their restaurants, bars and hotels. A portable wind tunnel, with no noise buffer, was at Skydive Arizona less than 18 moths ago. The noise was only a problem at less than 200 feet. ©Casa Grande Valley Newspapers Inc. 2004_________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #2 May 29, 2004 I saw the artist reditions of it - it's sweet looking! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bbarnhouse 0 #3 May 29, 2004 The drawing of the wind tunnel can be seen in the June issue of Parachutist. B2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tattoojeff 0 #4 May 29, 2004 betsy what month will the tunnel be up and running? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bbarnhouse 0 #5 May 29, 2004 Quote betsy what month will the tunnel be up and running? I'll let ya'll know just as soon as I do. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjasantos 0 #6 May 29, 2004 Hi Betsy! You should know this one... aren't you at Eloy? According to Skydive Arizona web site - http://www.skydiveaz.com - by looking at the countdown clock for having the brand new Skydive AZ "14 Ft Mega Blaster Wind Tunnel", we find that the tunnel start is scheduled for September 30, 2004, 04:00 pm local time (Eloy, AZ). Blue Skies! ----------------------------- Mario Santos Portugal Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bbarnhouse 0 #7 May 29, 2004 Quote Hi Betsy! You should know this one... aren't you at Eloy? lol My Dearest Mario but of course its listed on the web...but I am not going to be the one that people say..."But you said" if it doesn't open by then I have however, been to the planning and zoning meetings as well as the City Council meetings....heard every word Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjasantos 0 #8 May 29, 2004 OK! ... then, if that happens (a delay ) send them to me ... Now, "out of the record": if you know something, you'd better tell them to stop that countdown clock... . Blue Skies! ----------------------------- Mario Santos Portugal Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bbarnhouse 0 #9 May 29, 2004 Quote then, if that happens (a delay ) send them to me ... I will certainly let you know...but its gonna cost ya Quote Now, "out of the record": if you know something, you'd better tell them to stop that countdown clock... . No way dude! I'm counting on that being the person that people say..."But YOU said!" Bwahhhhhhh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #10 June 1, 2004 great news!!!! but is it just me or does it sound like the 'city staff' has faaaaar to much time on their hands?? well it is Eloy after all 45db?? most lawnmowers are louder than that, the interstate is that loud from the super 8....some people have no clue..... sounds like someone is pissed because their planned desert retirement home isnt going to be absolutely silent?____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bbarnhouse 0 #11 June 1, 2004 Quote great news!!!! Yeppers...I have a standing 3:00am slot Quote 45db?? most lawnmowers are louder than that, the interstate is that loud from the super 8....some people have no clue..... Too true the air fan in the council chambers is louder than that at 55db or just about the same as a hair drier on lowLOL Quote sounds like someone is pissed because their planned desert retirement home isnt going to be absolutely silent? What a conflict of interest? Couldn't be! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouYoung 0 #12 June 1, 2004 You gotta be careful with those conflicts of interest. Take a close look to people who own a LOT of land around Skydive AZ. A 12 million dollar race track opened up in Litchfield Park (just west of Phoenix) last year and was shut down after less than a year of use. The site was chosen because it was right next to an Air Force Base, so noise wouldn't be an issue. The main proponent of shutting down the race track was a real estate developer that owns thousands of acres around the race track and the air base. This company has been lobbying for years to shut down the base. They picked up all the land super cheap with the intent to close down the Air Force base so that they could then chop up the land and sell it for orders of magnitude higher than what they paid. Then the race track opened up and it was easy pickin's. The company literally bussed in the retirees from the community centers and country clubs, gave them lunch, free stays at the local indian casinos in exchange for their voice at the council meetings that were helding at 10am on a weekday, and scheduled just 5 days earlier. Funny that all the local racers are working slobs that race on the weekends and work all week to pay for their hobby. Not a lot representation from all sides. Be careful or the big business will shut down all your fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bbarnhouse 0 #13 June 1, 2004 Quote Be careful or the big business will shut down all your fun A good point! However, Skydive Arizona owns several hundred acres around the current facility, and the run way. Skydvie Arizona also operates the manicipal airport (read Eloy airport). The additional agricultural land has been owned by the same person for the past 20 some years. He supports the wind tunnel project. Interestingly enough, when the Hills moved thier operation from Coolidge some years ago, it was at the behest of the City of Eloy! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #14 June 2, 2004 Quote great news!!!! but is it just me or does it sound like the 'city staff' has faaaaar to much time on their hands?? well it is Eloy after all 45db?? most lawnmowers are louder than that, the interstate is that loud from the super 8....some people have no clue..... sounds like someone is pissed because their planned desert retirement home isnt going to be absolutely silent? I can't say I believe that the Perris tunnel couldn't be heard over the phone with the guy standing next to it. Even at the DZ end of the parking lot the noise is quite noticeable even if it is easy to talk over. At that range I'd be unhappy. But you go just a bit further around to the lawn/packing area in front of the runway and it's not audible at all. So it's a matter of range. I don't know what the distance to the property line is - a mile sounds like quite a lot. Sound does travels further at night - it would be unfortunate to later get hit with restrictions on hours in the evening when the jumpers want to keep at it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
