Residents and Peninsula community members who were looking for solutions to noise, traffic and development problems around Lindbergh Field convened at the Hervey/Point Loma Library on March 8 to strengthen their leadership roles and purpose.
About 25 people attended the meeting hosted by the grassroots organization SanNoise. The community watchdog group has been meeting semi-regularly since the beginning of the year, according to SanNoise chair Lance Murphy.
Murphy has been looking for volunteers with expertise in various fields to organize SanNoise as they work with San Diego County Regional Airport Authority representatives toward solutions to their concerns.
“We are, at this point, trying to organize the leaders,” Murphy said. “We got some people volunteering, [though] not as many as I would have liked.”
As the group expands, Murphy said it will need volunteers in fields such as finances, law, aviation, communications, development and the Internet. Murphy said the airport’s current plans to add about 10 new gates at Terminal 2 ” in combination with a transportation center and other airport improvements ” lack a long-term plan.
“We’re all going to be victims of whatever misplanning is occurring at the airport today,” Murphy said.
Murphy said he and some community members met with Airport Authority chair Alan Bersin last week to discuss possible noise mitigation for any future development of the airport and other issues.
With Lindbergh Field reaching operational capacity within the next five to 10 years, Murphy said the airport would need a second runway before long. This would increase noise and traffic for Peninsula residents and surrounding communities unless planners mitigate the potential impact.
“Keep [airport planning] out in the open,” Murphy said. “Don’t let it become some backroom activity, because that would screw up San Diego very badly,” he said.
Despite multiple attempts, representatives from the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority could not be reached for comment.
For more information on SanNoise, visit www.sannoise.org.
