City lawyers to probe powers to curb new runway noise at airport
Coun. Ray Jones says flight paths created by new runway prompting many noise complaints
The city’s legal department is going to look into whether the municipal government has the power to do anything about increased noise associated with the new airport runway.
Coun. Ray Jones asked for the review, saying that planes are now flying over parts of Calgary that never used to have to put up with noisy air traffic,
Jones said in his 37 years living in northeast Calgary, he has never heard as much airplane noise as he does now. At times it's so loud it's hard to hold a conversation on his backyard deck, he said.
Jones said he has been getting many complaints from Calgarians.
“People are upset that they're getting woke up at 5:30 and 6 o'clock in the morning. Is there anything that we can do to enact a bylaw, a noise bylaw, or suggest a noise bylaw to the airport authority in relation to when these planes take off and when they land, such as what Toronto has,” he said.
The city's solicitor says the law department will review whether the city has any jurisdiction to restrict planes from flying over neighbourhoods at certain hours.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi says everyone has been surprised by the amount of new noise over residential areas since the new 4.2-kilometre runway came into service last month.
Nenshi said he wants to see if a small change in operations could alleviate the problem.