TagPort Of Seattle(1843)

Letter from Port of Seattle to United Airlines Vice President Captain M.E. Volz providing Sea-Tac International Airport’s noise abatement procedures for United’s pilot information centralization effort. Includes information on FAA noise abatement procedures, Standard Instrument Departures, Visual Bay Approach, run-up curfews, and noise sensitive areas within the 65 Ldn noise contour.

This April 1984 working draft, prepared by Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. and the Port of Seattle Planning & Research, outlines a suggested process for assisting property owners in the neighborhoods surrounding Sea-Tac International Airport under a Purchase Assurance Noise Remedy Option. The document details goals, objectives, and policies from the 1976 Sea-Tac Communities Plan, including minimizing aircraft noise, protecting residential neighborhoods, and resolving uncertainty caused by noise impacts. It reflects the Port of Seattle's broader commitment to keeping the airport operational while mitigating its effects on surrounding communities.

In this February 28, 1984 letter, the FAA's Northwest Mountain Region reviewed the Port of Seattle's proposed Noise Remedy Program for Sea-Tac Airport, raising concerns about the criteria used to add 44 homes to an acquisition program and 275 homes to a purchase assurance program. The FAA questioned whether the new criteria of 'buffer for airport-related development' and 'neighborhood continuity' were sufficiently justified, particularly for homes along 24th Avenue South. The agency urged that all criteria be reasonable, clearly documented, and tied to measured noise impacts, and cautioned against finalizing the purchase assurance plan before key federal policy questions were resolved.

In February 1984, the Port of Seattle sent an update to concerned citizens about proposed noise remedy programs near Jackson International Airport (Sea-Tac), including land acquisition, purchase assurance, and sound insulation initiatives. A subcommittee recommended expanding the program boundaries to cover 275 additional residences under purchase assurance and 44 more under land acquisition, with criteria addressing airport-related development buffers and neighborhood continuity. The Port Commission was scheduled to review these recommendations at a Staff Review Session on February 28, 1984.

This 1984 draft document from the Port of Seattle outlines the Noise Remedy Update program for Seattle-Tacoma (Jackson) International Airport, defining geographic boundaries for three types of noise mitigation measures: property acquisition, purchase assurance, and sound insulation. The maps cover areas north through south of the airport, including neighborhoods such as Boulevard Park, Des Moines, Normandy Park, and Zenith, showing which zones qualify for each remedy based on aircraft noise exposure. Sound insulation coverage extends as far north as S. Kenyon Street, while acquisition zones are concentrated in the areas immediately surrounding the airport's runways.

A January 1984 Port of Seattle memorandum notifies the Technical Working Committee of an upcoming meeting on January 25 to review noise remedy programs for Jackson (Sea-Tac) International Airport, including land acquisition, purchase assurance, and sound insulation proposals. Attached is a draft chapter evaluating on-airport and off-airport noise abatement measures against ten criteria, such as airspace compatibility and aircraft safety. The document outlines which measures were recommended for implementation following an initial screening process described in an earlier chapter.

In December 1983, the FAA completed an aeronautical study of a proposal by the Port of Seattle to eliminate the 'right-turn' departure route for eastbound turbojet aircraft leaving Sea-Tac Airport (Runway 34) during daytime hours. The study found that removing this route would simply shift aircraft noise to other communities, increase airline operating costs by an estimated $1.5 million annually, and raise fuel consumption, without providing a net noise reduction benefit. As a result, the Port of Seattle withdrew its proposal and the FAA declined to eliminate the existing noise abatement route.

In December 1983, the Port of Seattle invited community members to review preliminary boundaries for three proposed noise remedy programs near Seattle-Tacoma (Jackson) International Airport: land acquisition, purchase assurance, and sound insulation. Consultant firm Peat Marwick recommended eligibility criteria for sound insulation, targeting single-family homes exposed to noise levels of Ldn 70 or above in 1980, or Ldn 65 or above projected for the year 2000. Residents were encouraged to submit comments on the proposed boundaries and criteria by January 31, 1984.

In a November 1983 letter to the FAA's Northwest Mountain Region Director, Port of Seattle Executive Director Richard D. Ford requested clarification on federal funding eligibility for a purchase assurance program under Henry M. Jackson International Airport's Noise Remedy Program. The Port sought guidance on several key issues, including the level of federal financial assistance available, which types of residential properties and program costs would qualify, and compliance requirements with federal relocation law. The letter noted that while outright property acquisitions had consumed most available noise remedy funds to date, the Port was now ready to consider a purchase assurance program for less noise-impacted areas if additional federal funding could be secured.

This November 1983 document outlines the Master Plan Update for Jackson International Airport (Sea-Tac), prepared by Peat Marwick and TRA for the Port of Seattle. It presents a nine-month project schedule covering 13 elements—ranging from study design and passenger surveys to alternative layout plans and a financial development schedule—along with a project organization chart showing the Port of Seattle's steering committee and staff alongside federal and consulting partners.