TagStan Shepherd(17)

A Burien Airport Committee member named Sharyn argues that Sea-Tac Airport's 2013 Part 150 noise study is dangerously outdated, as actual flight operations have been growing at roughly 9% per year — far outpacing the Port's own projections. Her analysis suggests Sea-Tac will reach its 2034 capacity forecast as early as 2020, meaning real noise impacts on surrounding communities like Seahurst are already well beyond what official noise maps show. She calls on the City of Burien to demand that the Port update its noise modeling immediately rather than waiting until after 2021.

This Port of Seattle briefing, presented by Noise Programs Manager Stan Shepherd, covers key topics related to aircraft noise management at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including flight procedures, noise contours, and mitigation programs. It highlights a steady rise in noise complaints received through the Noise Information Hotline and online forms, growing from 2,172 inquiries in 2014 to 2,959 in 2016, with a small number of repeat callers accounting for the majority of contacts each year.

The Port of Seattle's SEA Sound Insulation Programs presentation, led by Sr. Manager Stan Shepherd, outlines efforts to reduce aircraft noise impacts on nearby residents. Following Commission Motion 2020-4, the Port committed to accelerating its Sound Insulation Program with a completion target of 2026, supported by newly hired staff, over 70 additional Port employees, and two consulting firms for construction services. The update also covers program status and funding considerations.

This presentation by Stan Shepherd, Senior Manager of Airport Noise Programs at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, provides an overview of SEA's key noise management initiatives. The programs covered include Noise Abatement (such as flight procedure monitoring and the Fly Quiet program), the StART stakeholder roundtable, noise monitoring, noise mitigation, and community outreach. Together, these efforts reflect the airport's commitment to reducing the impact of aircraft noise on surrounding communities.

The Highline Forum held a meeting on September 22, 2021, hosted by the City of Tukwila, focused on three main topics: an overview of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's noise reduction program, an update on the Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART), and a status report on the South King County Fund. The virtual meeting, conducted via Microsoft Teams, featured presentations by Port of Seattle staff including Aviation Director Lance Lyttle. The forum is a recurring regional body that meets bimonthly, bringing together South King County communities affected by Sea-Tac Airport operations.

The Highline Forum held its end-of-year meeting on November 20, 2019, at Des Moines Beach Park Event Center, featuring updates on airport noise mitigation from the Port of Seattle's StART program, a SR 518 Corridor Study presentation by WSDOT, and planning discussions for 2020 meeting topics. The forum, co-chaired by Commissioner Felleman, brings together regional stakeholders to address issues related to Sea-Tac Airport's impact on surrounding communities. Six bimonthly meetings were scheduled for 2020, each running from 2:30pm to 4:30pm.

The Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) met on February 27, 2019 to discuss ongoing efforts to reduce aircraft noise around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including a recommended adjustment to Runway 34R's glideslope and a proposed new taxiing approach to minimize engine noise from arriving aircraft. The group also reviewed the status of the Late Night Noise Limitation Program, a draft updated Runway Use Agreement, and efforts to address the A-320 whistling noise issue. Members held small group discussions to identify StART's priorities for 2019, with the next public meeting scheduled for April 24 at the airport's Conference Center.

In a June 2018 email, acoustics consultant Ben Sharp contacts Sharyn Ward, former manager of King County's Sound Insulation (SI) program, while researching aging airport sound insulation treatments for an FAA report responding to a Congressional inquiry. Sharp notes that SFO is the only airport he has found planning a replacement/repair program for homeowners within the DNL 65 noise contour, funded without FAA assistance. He specifically asks Ward about known aging problems with windows installed during the early years of the Sea-Tac (SEA) sound insulation program, noting that the program is not currently planning to offer any assistance to affected homeowners.

The Highline Forum held a public meeting on May 24, 2017, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, hosted by the Port of Seattle. The two-hour session covered an overview of the airport's noise programs and a NextGen briefing presented by Noise Programs Manager Stan Shepherd, followed by a discussion of potential structural changes to the Forum itself, including membership rules, meeting format, and communication practices. The meeting was open to public comment and concluded with planning for the next Forum session in July.