Flight path complaints continue to mount in Santa Cruz County
As more and more planes fly directly over Santa Cruz County residents, complaints are racking up into the thousands about the noise. The Federal Aviation Administration regulates the planes flying into San Francisco International Airport and this year they changed the flight path to give the aircraft a more efficient route to the runway.
Congressman Sam Farr agrees with residents that planes are too loud. During a town hall Thursday night in Santa Cruz, he laid out a diplomatic approach to help keep residents more informed.
Speaking to a packed crowd, Farr got a big reaction when he said he agreed with his fed up constituents.
“I work from home this has completely destroyed my life. This has become my life, talking,
protesting NextGen has become my life,” Scotts Valley resident Rachel Worrall said.
NextGen is the FAA’s new plan which creates a “superhighway” for planes flying into SFO, citing safety and fuel efficiency. Commercial jets are flying right over counties like Santa Cruz
sometimes below 5,000 feet.
“We don’t mind traipsing to the shops to get milk if we get to live in a peace and quiet but we no longer have the peace and quiet,” Scotts Valley resident Adam Worrall said.
“No one went about informing the public, the residents of Santa Cruz County that there would be a change,” Worrall said.
But at the town hall meeting, Farr vowed for change, by getting the FFA to be more transparent with its moves.
“We are going to sit down and work out a process for them to be in communication with you as much as possible and just keep collecting the facts so we can keep pushing the pressure on them,” Farr said.
It’s that type of pressure the Worralls hope will bring them some kind of relief from constant noise now disrupting their lives.
Farr is referring to residents keeping track of what types of planes fly overhead, at what times and how often. He said he plans to meet with the FAA when Congress is back in session next Tuesday.
