2026-06-23; City Council; 13; Carlsbad Palomar Airport Advisory Committee Representatives Update

CA Review CKM
Meeting Date: June 23, 2026
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Geoff Patnoe, City Manager
Staff Contact: Jason Haber, Intergovernmental Affairs Director [email protected], 442-339-2958
Subject: Carlsbad Palomar Airport Advisory Committee Representatives Update Districts: All
Recommended Action
Receive an update from the Carlsbad resident representatives serving on the County of San Diego Palomar Airport Advisory Committee.

Executive Summary
This item is an informational update from Shirley Anderson and Gary Greening, the Carlsbad resident representatives serving on the County of San Diego’s Palomar Airport Advisory Committee, on matters pertaining to Palomar Airport. The update will also include a discussion of the findings and recommendations of the Palomar Airport Voluntary Noise Abatement Procedures (VNAP) Subcommittee.

Explanation & Analysis
The San Diego County Palomar Airport Advisory Committee advises the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and the County’s Chief Administrative Officer on matters related to Palomar Airport, in accordance with the following committee duties and responsibilities:

1. To review and make recommendations on issues pertaining to noise control at Palomar Airport

2. To review and make recommendations regarding land use within the Palomar Airport influence area

3. To review and make recommendations regarding issues pertaining to the development and operations of Palomar Airport

4. To provide an open forum between the Communities and the County on matters pertaining to Palomar Airport

5. Any other items as may be assigned to the Committee by the Board of Supervisors.

The Palomar Airport Advisory Committee consists of nine members. Four members are nominated by the Third District Supervisor, four are nominated by the Fifth District Supervisor, June 23, 2026
Item #13 Page 1 of 2
and the remaining member is nominated by the County’s Chief Administrative Officer.

Appointments of nominated candidates are made by the Board of Supervisors.

Two of the Third District nominees must reside in the city of Carlsbad and two must reside in the Third District. Three of the Fifth District nominees must each reside in the cities of Oceanside, San Marcos and Vista and one must reside in the Fifth District. The Chief Administrative Officer’s nominee shall be an industry representative with expertise and experience at Palomar Airport in aviation and/or aeronautical airport business operations and have a demonstrated interest in the economic viability of the airport.

For nominees residing in a city, the cities may identify one resident candidate each for the applicable Supervisorial District to consider for nomination to the Board of Supervisors.

The City Council named Carlsbad residents Shirley Anderson and Gary Greening as the city's primary and alternate candidates for nomination and appointment to the committee on July 11, 2023. In accordance with the County’s committee membership and selection framework in place at the time, Ms. Anderson was then nominated by Fifth District Supervisor Jim Desmond and appointed by the Board of Supervisors for a term to expire Jan. 4, 2027.

After the County Board of Supervisors’ adoption of the new committee membership and selection framework described above, the City Council passed a minute motion on Feb. 13, 2024, recommending that Gary Greening be appointed to a second Palomar Airport Advisory Committee seat reserved for a Carlsbad resident. Following his nomination by Third District Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, the County Board of Supervisors then appointed Mr. Greening for a term to expire Jan. 6, 2025.

The County Board of Supervisors re-appointed Mr. Greening and extended Ms. Anderson’s term following their nominations by Supervisor Lawson-Remer on Dec. 10, 2024, with both terms set to expire Jan. 8, 2029.

Fiscal Analysis
There is no fiscal impact.

Next Steps
The remaining 2026 meetings of the Palomar Airport Advisory Committee are scheduled for August 20, September 17, October 15 and November 19.

Environmental Evaluation
The proposed action is not a “project” as defined by California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, Section 21065 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5) and does not require environmental review under CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) and 15061(b)(3), because the proposed action to receive an update from the Carlsbad representatives serving on the County of San Diego Palomar Airport Advisory Committee is an organizational or administrative government activity that does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. Any subsequent action or direction stemming from the proposed action may require preparation of an environmental document in accordance with CEQA or the CEQA Guidelines.

Exhibits
None.

June 23, 2026
Item #13 Page 2 of 2
From: Sheila Cobian
To: Faviola Medina; Morgen Fry
Subject: FW: Palomar Airport Advisory Committee Meeting Update June 18, 2026 Date: Monday, June 22, 2026 3:57:17 PM
From: Shirley <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, 22 June 2026 09:54:51
To: Keith Blackburn <[email protected]>; Priya Bhat-Patel <priya.bhat- [email protected]>; Teresa Acosta <[email protected]>; Melanie Burkholder <[email protected]>; Kevin Shin <[email protected]>; Jason Haber <[email protected]>; Mike Strong <[email protected]> Cc: [email protected] <[email protected]>; Jamie Fox <[email protected]>; Cipriano Vargas <[email protected]> Subject: Palomar Airport Advisory Committee Meeting Update June 18, 2026 The Palomar Airport Advisory Committee decided at the May PAAC meeting that meetings will be held every month, except in July and December. This was the first meeting on the new schedule. The change was made to shorten the duration of each meeting.

Palomar Airport Advisory Committee Meeting Summary, June 18, 2026.

In Attendance: Cliff Kaiser – General Public Rep/Chair, Shirley Anderson - Carlsbad Rep/Vice Chair, Gary Greening - Carlsbad Rep,
Gordon Nesbitt - Oceanside Rep,
Dr. Howard Krausz - General Public and Armen Kurdian - Vista Rep. (Mr. Kurdian returned to the PAAC with no explanation of absence for the last 2 meetings.

He is a
candidate for the 49th U.S. Congressional Race.)

Absent: Kevin Karpe - San Marcos Rep and Clayton Lackey - Industry Rep - Carlsbad Jet Center
District 3, General Public seat vacated by Larry Cohen, who resigned in November 2025.

There is still no word as to when County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer will fill the District 3 vacant seat.

APPROVAL Minutes: Minutes were not approved. Shirley Anderson requested corrections and additions to the Minutes. PAAC members Gordon Nesbitt and Dr.

Howard Krausz also requested changes to the May Minutes. PAAC Secretary, Yadira Aguilar, requested that PAAC members with any corrections or additions email them to her for revision.

Minutes were tabled for the August PAAC meeting.

Public Comments:

Vickey Syage addressed the Committee with concerns about the lack of decorum coming from PAAC Chair Cliff Kaiser. She was concerned about Chair Kaiser's recent behavior directed towards community speakers and Vice PAAC Chair Shirley Anderson. Mrs. Syage shared an email from Supervisor Jim Desmond's office.

The
email from Desmond staff member Hunter McDonald stated, "The Supervisor is not All Receive - Agenda Item #_____
For the Information of the:

CITY COUNCIL
Date: ___________ CA ____ CC____
CM ____ ACM ____ DCM (3) ____
13 6/23/2026 x x
x x x
going to request that the Chair step down. Selection of the PAAC Chair is the responsibility of the committee members, and any change in leadership must come through them. Public participation is important, and I encourage you to continue attending meetings, offering public comment, and advocating for your position with committee members." Mrs. Syage encouraged the PAAC committee members to remove Chair Kaiser from his position. She voiced her concern regarding the speakers during public comment. Chair Kaiser interrupted Mrs. Syage with a rebuttal, and she said she did not want to hear it and left the meeting.

Alan Baldus, President of the Airport Pilots' Association, announced that Youth Aviation Day will be held on September 12, 2026, at 10 AM. This event will, again, be hosted by the Carlsbad Jet Center.

Mr. Atwater was a first-time attendee and stated he was unsure about protocol when addressing the PAAC. Mr. Atwater informed the Committee that his neighborhood had 271 incidents of low-flying aircraft in the last month. He stated that he had reported them, but heard nothing back from the Airport. PAAC Member Shirley Anderson advised Mr. Atwater that low flying and dangerous aviation activity is best reported to the FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) in Kearney Mesa. County Airport Staff only processes noise complaints. Contact for FSDO is 8525 Gibbs Drive, Suite 120, San Diego, CA 92123, email [email protected] , Phone
(858) 502-9882.

Cynthia Trevino stated that the airport's use of CNEL as a metric when measuring noise is inaccurate. Mrs. Trevino informed the Committee that her community had installed a "Get Noisy" noise monitor, and she would be happy to share the data they are collecting.

Agenda Items:

Item 4. PAAC Rules and Procedures - Chair Kaiser: Chair Kaiser made a motion to update the "Rules and Procedures" to reflect the change in the PAAC meeting schedule.

Specifically: Rule 1. Time and Place of Meetings of the Advisory Committee - Motion Passed Unanimously
Regular meetings of the San Diego County Palomar Airport Advisory Committee ("Advisory Committee") shall be held on the third Thursday of the months of January, February, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, and November or at such alternative time as the Advisory Committee may from time to time establish. Regular meetings shall be held within the County of San Diego in the vicinity of McClellan-Palomar Airport. The time and location of regular meetings shall be specified in an agenda posted at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting in accordance with Government Code section 54954.2.

Item 5. VNAP Subcommittee Reimbursement Request, PAAC Member Gary Greening: VNAP Subcommittee Chair, Gary Greening, is formally requesting reimbursement for administrative costs from the 2025 VNAP Subcommittee. Mr. Greening noted that he has spent over $500 developing a new "Fly Friendly Flyer" and other related material that the Airport Staff refused to help with. Mr. Greening had to personally print the 12 separate packets of handout materials that were used in the presentation to the PAAC committee.

These packets were provided to PAAC members and Airport Staff. Airport Manager Cathe Johnson provided Mr. Greening with a reimbursement form to complete and submit to the County. Ms. Johnson stated there was no guarantee the County would accept the reimbursement request.

Item 6. Airport Monthly Performance Report/FAA Airplane Design Group (ADG)- Assistant Airport Manager, Mark Reiner. Mr. Reiner did not give his report as the Chair led a discussion on how noise at Palomar Airport is calculated. What was not discussed was the FAA Airplane Design Group and why this is important. The FAA Airplane Design Group is a classification system that groups aircraft primarily based on their physical dimensions, specifically their wingspan and tail height. The FAA uses these groupings in airport planning and geometric design to ensure runways, taxiways, aprons, and storage hangars can safely accommodate the aircraft that use them. Taxiways and Clearances: Wider wingspans require wider taxiways, larger curved corners at intersections, and greater distances between taxiways and parallel runways to prevent collisions. The clearance zones around runways and the size of holding bays depend directly on the size of the aircraft operating at the airport.

Airports use these design groups to determine whether passenger jet bridges, terminal gates, and maintenance hangars are sized properly for arriving aircraft. To update an airport for changes in operation, the FAA looks at related ADG classifications. To provide a complete picture of an aircraft design, the FAA combines the ADG and the Aircraft Approach Category (AAC), which categorizes planes by their approach speed. Remember when community members warned the County was creating a safety hazard at Palomar Airport of their own design? Go back to the information on Hot Zones. Palomar Airport is currently classified as a B-II General Aviation Airport, but is operating as a D-III Commercial Airport. The County Board of Supervisors has never voted to reclassify McClellan Palomar Airport.

As Chairman, Kaiser focused the discussion on noise metrics, and we moved on to discussing the difference between CNEL and SNEL. The concerns became about outdated noise reporting and which metric was more beneficial for the community. We have a community member who appears very knowledgeable and stated in comments that the County has the ability and should be using SNEL when reporting noise data to the community.

Item 7. Committee Member Comments: Nothing to report
Item 8. Set Agenda for Next Meeting: Dr. Howard Krausz requested that the "Rules of Procedure" be placed on the August Agenda for further revision.

Shirley Anderson requested that a discussion for a Subcommittee of the PAAC be placed on the August Agenda to review the Monthly Airport Performance Report.

Item 8. Meeting Adjourned at 7:43 PM, Next PAAC meeting will be August 20, 2026, at 6 PM.

Wishing everyone a happy summer,
Shirley Anderson, Vice Chair PAAC
Carlsbad Representative
CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

From: Mary Lucid
To: Geoff Patnoe; City Clerk; Sheila Cobian; Mary Lucid; Council Internet Email Subject: Item 13, Carlsbad city council meeting 06-23-2026 Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026 11:34:51 AM
Your Honors:

Thank you for supporting all efforts to control the noise and pollution caused by all aircrafts using the Palomar airport. What was Jim Desmond, a pilot, thinking ? Isn't it time to mitigate the damage to our friends and neighbors from overuse of all airplanes at the Palomar airport? Please do your best to control the use of the airport except in emergencies. Respectfully submitted, Mary Lucid
CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

All Receive - Agenda Item #_____
For the Information of the:

CITY COUNCIL
Date: ___________ CA ____ CC____
CM ____ ACM ____ DCM (3) ____
13 6/23/2026 x x
x x x
From: [email protected]
To: City Clerk
Subject: Comments to the City Council Meeting June 23, 2026 Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026 12:42:08 PM
Attachments: City Council Meeting 23June2026.pdf
Greetings City Council Representative,
I am planning on presenting the following comments at today’s session and wanted to include a copy of my prepared proposal for your review and records. I’ve pasted the text below and have attached a .pdf for your convenience.

Cheers,
Larry Matteson (concerned resident)
City Council Meeting June 23, 2026
VNAP Recommendations – Larry Matteson

Greetings City Council leaders. My name is Larry Matteson. I have been a Carlsbad resident for more than 40 years and a North County resident for 60. I have also spent 25 years in the Medical Technology industry, using innovation and analytics to help people live their best lives. Additionally, I am a Board Member the Evans Point HOA.

I am speaking today as a resident who is deeply concerned about balancing growth with the quality of life in Carlsbad, today focusing on the topic of airport noise. As I’m sure you are aware, numerous studies have documented the impact of airport noise on human health. Notably, a 2013 U.S. Medicare study involving 6 million residents across 89 airports found that a modest 10 dB increase in airport noise exposure was associated with a 3.5% increase in cardiovascular hospitalization rates.

Data collected from our recently installed “Get Noisy” Monitoring sites from May 2026 show 8,331 noise events above 65 dBA. Within Evans Point north of the airport which is designated as a noise-sensitive area under the current and proposed VNAP, residents experienced 1,556 events above 65 dBA. While additional local analysis would be needed to quantify the precise health impact, these data demonstrate significant health risk for Carlsbad residents affected by increased airport noise.

To limit this risk, I am strongly encouraging the City Council to approve the following:

1. Support and enforce the current practice flight loops northwest of the airport. May 2026 data show 2,828 events in which pilots did not follow the current VNAP guidance.

2. Restore the current VNAP departure instruction for jets. Specifically, reinstate the instruction: “Jets depart on 250-degree track, remain north of Palomar Airport Road until 1 mile offshore.” This guidance should help reduce departures over residential areas near Poinsettia Park and better align traffic with Palomar Airport Road.

To support these actions, I recommend the city leverage processes used by the Van Nuys Airport Fly Friendly program, Montgomery Field, and similar programs across the region. These programs recognize compliance, provide targeted education and fines for repeat offenders, and have contributed to measurable reductions in airport noise levels.

Thank you for the opportunity to share this information. I appreciate your consideration of these recommendations.

Key Findings for May 2026
· 278 flights occurred during quiet hours — more than 9 every night. · 8,331 flights registered above 65 dB — more than 277 every day. · 4,075 flights registered above 75 dB — more than 135 every day. · The busiest day was May 19, 2026, with 491 noise events in a single day. · The worst night was May 18, 2026, with 19 flights during quiet hours.

CAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

City Council Meeting June 23, 2026
VNAP Recommendations – Larry Matteson

Data collected from our recently installed “Get Noisy” Monitoring sites from May 2026 show 8,331 noise events above 65 dBA. Within Evans Point north of the airport which is designated as a noise-sensitive area under the current and proposed VNAP , residents experienced 1,556 events above 65 dBA. While additional local analysis would be needed to quantify the precise health impact, these data demonstrate significant health risk for Carlsbad residents affected by increased airport noise.

To limit this risk, I am strongly encouraging the City Council to approve the following:

1. Support and enforce the current practice flight loops northwest of the airport.

May 2026 data show 2,828 events in which pilots did not follow the current VNAP guidance.

To support these actions, I recommend the city leverage processes used by the Van Nuys Airport Fly Friendly program, Montgomery Field, and similar programs across the region.

These programs recognize compliance, provide targeted education and fines for repeat offenders, and have contributed to measurable reductions in airport noise levels.

Thank you for the opportunity to share this information. I appreciate your consideration of these recommendations.

Carlsbad PAAC
Representatives Update
Jason Haber, Intergovernmental Affairs Director
City Manager’s Office
June 23, 2026
{ City of
Carlsbad
2 PROPOSED ACTION
Receive an update from the Carlsbad resident
representatives serving on the County of San
Diego Palomar Airport Advisory Committee.

ITEM 13: PAAC Reps Update
{ City of
Carlsbad
3 DUTIES OF THE PAAC
- To review and make recommendations regarding:

1. Issues pertaining to noise control at Palomar Airport

2. Land use within the Palomar Airport influence area

3. Issues pertaining to the development and operations
of Palomar Airport
- To provide an open forum between the Communities and
the County on matters pertaining to Palomar Airport
- Any other items as may be assigned to the Committee by the Board of Supervisors
ITEM 13: PAAC Reps Update
{ City of
Carlsbad
4 District 5 Supervisor’s
Nominees
- One Oceanside Resident
- One Vista Resident (Vacant)
- One San Marcos Resident
- One District 5 Resident
- Terms Expire 1/4/2027
CAO Nominee
- Industry representative:

P
alomar airport aviation or
aeronautical business
operations
- Interest in economic viability
- Term expires 1/8/2029
PAAC Membership
District 3 Supervisor’s
Nominees
- Two Carlsbad Residents
- Two District 3 Residents
(One seat is vacant)
- Terms expire 1/8/2029
Cities identify resident
candidates.

Appointments by County Board
of Supervisors.
( City of
Carlsbad
Palomar Airport Advisory Committee
Update
Carlsbad Resident PAAC Representatives:

Shirley Anderson and Gary Greening
June 23, 2026
PAAC Voluntary Noise Abatement Procedure
(VNAP) Subcommittee
• Findings
• Outdated pilot-education materials
• Noise-complaint system lacks transparency
• No recognition-based incentive program
• Outdated FAA Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study
PAAC Voluntary Noise Abatement Procedure
(VNAP) Subcommittee
• Recommendations
• Modernize all pilot-education materials (In Progress) • Upgrade the noise-complaint system (Approved & In
Development)
• Implement a “Fly Friendly” recognition program (Under Review) • Publish monthly SNEL and noise-contour data (Pending) • Initiate an update to the FAA Part 150 Study (Under Consideration) Why it matters?
• Improves quality of life for residents
• Increases transparency and accountability
• Aligns CRQ with statewide best practices
• Ensures the City has accurate data for future planning • Strengthens trust between the airport, the County, and the community
McClellan-Palomar Airport
Governance Framework
• Federal Aviation Administration
• County of San Diego
• City of Carlsbad
FAA Part-150 Noise Compatibility Program
• Why is it important?
• Assess aircraft noise exposure
• Map noise contours
• Develop measures to mitigate community impacts
Measuring Airport Noise
• Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL)
• Sound Noise Exposure Level (SNEL)
• A new FAA Part-150 Noise Compatibility Study
• New noise exposure maps
• Planning tool for new development
Thank you!
Carlsbad City Council Presentation
Get Noisy Update
PAAN -Palomar Airport Action Network
Presented by Frank Sung, June 23, 2026
WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR ...
• CITY LETTER TO FAA > Instruct the Control Tower
to “Direct take-offs on a 250 degree track, remain
North of Palomar Airport Road until 1 mile
offshore”
• CITY LETTER TO COUNTY > Accept Residents’
Email Noise Complaints
• CITY STAFF > To provide MONTHLY Noise Impact
Report to the City Council
-
PAAN
Palomar Airport Action Network
[email protected]
3 Members Initially
25 HOAs/5 Community Groups
Estimated Reach- 45K residents

KEY ISSUES
3 • Noise Impacts/Monitoring
• Safety Protocols
• Flight Deviations
• Quiet Hour Enforcement
• Runway Expansions
4 • Formed 501C3 on Feb. 20, 2025
• Allows for Tax Deductible Donations
• Pursue Environmental/Noise Issues
• Solutions and Funding
• Support Legal Action (As Necessary)
SDAAA
San Diego Airport Action Advocates
5 Get Noisy Monitor locations - Carlsbad and Other Cities City/Community HOA/Community Groups
City of Carlsbad Nine (9) HOAs
Vista/Oceanside Community Group
Escondido Community Group
San Marcos HOA Group
12 Noise Monitors
Get o tor ocati s
7 VNAP 250 MAGNETIC HEADING

DEVIATIONS
EARY TURNS and TAKE OFF FLIGHT PATH ISSUES
McCLal.AN-PALOMAR AIRPORT

VOLUNTARY NOISE

ABATEMENTPROCEOURE
- SkyVV est 55 1 5
SKvvss, s / ooss, s
ARRIVED OVER 3 DAVS AGO
Gate B70
CRQ

CARLSBAD, CA
le f t GATE 2
.M cC.le .l . .l.a .n cP.a J.o .r:n.a.L ~ ... C .R.O
SU N 3, - IVIAV -2026
1 2:46PIVI PDT
( 6 minut es ea r l y )
DE N

DENVER, CO
a rriv e d a t GATE 870
.O .e n v. .. L .l.n:tl...c ... D .EN
S UN 3 , - IVIAV -2 026
04: 00PIVI IVIDT
(7 S minut es ea rly)
2 h 7 4- m toto l trovel time
NOT VOUR FLIGHT? SKWSS1 S flight schedule
-
Key Findings for May 2026
278 flights during quiet hours - more than 9 every single night - Worst night: May 18, 2026 with 19 flights during quiet hours 8,331 flights registering over 65dB - more than 277 every day - Busiest day: May 19, 2026 with 491 noise events in a single day 4,075 flights registering over 75dB (twice as loud as 65dB) - more than 135 every day 9 Midnight - 10AM 5/20/26 All Day 5/20/26
3 C
Pu J.OS !l 0
10 Dear San Diego County Airports Administration,
As a resident of Carlsbad, I am writing to formally report a series of early-morning aircraft noise occurrences at McClellan-Palomar Airport on 2026-05-15.
- EJA394 — 83 dBA at 6:11 AM
- ENY4022 — 91 dBA at 6:38 AM
- N393SG — 83 dBA at 7:09 AM
- EJA474 — 85 dBA at 7:32 AM
- LXJ557 — 83 dBA at 7:43 AM
The highest noise level reached was 91 dBA.

Such frequent activity fits neither the needs of the
residential area around Palomar Airport nor constitutes a tolerable disturbance for sleep and daily family
routines. I am asking that the airport's voluntary curfew and noise abatement rules be revisited and properly
enforced.

Sincerely,
Resident Name
Phone #
Email
Sample Resident Complaint
County Refuses to Accept Get Noisy Complaints
• 279 email letters generated and sent by individual
residents
• Printed Paper Complaints delivered by hand to the Airport Manager at last week’s PAAC Meeting. Airport Manager
REFUSED to accept them.
• Some CA Airports That Accept EMAIL Noise Complaints
• Orange County – John Wayne Airport
• Santa Clara County – Reid-Hillview/San Martin
• San Jose Mineta International Airport
• City of San Diego – SD Int’l, Brown Field, Montgomery- Gibbs
WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR ...
• CITY LETTER TO FAA > Instruct the Control Tower
to “Direct take-offs on a 250 degree track, remain
North of Palomar Airport Road until 1 mile
offshore”
• CITY LETTER TO COUNTY > Accept Residents’
Email Noise Complaints
• CITY STAFF > To provide MONTHLY Noise Impact
Report to the City Council
-
Ashton Public Comment
Images for June 23, 2026
Agenda Item #13
Carlsbad Palomar Airport Advisory Committee

VNAP 250 Degree Track
North of PAR
Actual Flight Path
of SW 5519 Too Far South

THERE ARE NO COUNTY

AIRPORT NOISE MONITORS

IN THIS AREA

JET DEPARTURES PRODUCE PEAK NOISE LEVELS HEAVILY IMPACTING

NEIGHBORHOODS SOUTH OF PALOMAR AIRPORT ROAD
Legoland Monitor
Approximate Location
SkyWest 5519
~ SKWS519/ 005519
CRQ

CARLSBAD, CA
lefl GATE 2
.M...c.QI jjaJ:i-.El!IQmar .CRQ
SATURDAY 20-JUN -2026
08:07AM PDT (on t,me)
Noise Report
Location: Solamar Neighborhood • Timeframe: May 2026 • All Events· All hours Summary
Total Events Night Events
3,676 141
10PM-7AM
Noise Distribution
How many measured events were actually loud?
<55 dBA
010%
Insights
55-60 dBA
50/ 1%
Loudest Reading

86.0 dBA
2026-05-18 11 :58
60-65 dBA
945126%
65-70 dBA
1,175 / 32%
Busiest Hour
20 events
2026-05-08 14 00
Above 65 dBA
73%
2,681 noise events
70-75 dBA
1,006/27%
75-80 dBA
444112%
Busiest Day
180 events
2026-05-28
The community cost of Palomar airport outweighs any benefits.

Above 75 dBA
14%
500 noise events
80-85 dBA
52/ 1%
>85 dBA
4/0%
Worst Night
10 events
2026-05-18, 10 PM-7 AM
According to the FAA 65 db DNL(Day-Night Average Sound level) is the threshold for significant aviation noise, anything below this is considered compatible with standard residential living. The EPA recommends a stricter standard of 45 db for indoor and 55 db for outdoor noise. Note that in 75db is actually twice as loud as 65 db. We had 2600 noise events above 65 db in May.

Statistics - There are about 32,000 residences within three-mile radius of Palomar Airport. The average value of these Properties is $1.5 million. Based on average property values there is $48 Billion of Residential value within the 3 mile radius.

MIT/Sloan Study - This study evaluated the impact on real estate in neighborhoods adjacent to three airports: Boston, Seattle, and Chicago. The studies were made from 2011 to 2016 a time period in which these airports experienced like Palomar increased air traffic. The study revealed that each additional db of noise reduced the home values by

0.6% to1%. For example, a home near Boston Logan valued at $450,000 lost $13,000 in value from the noise pollution.

While the aggregate loss to homes within the three-mile radius will be difficult to calculate based on the noise contours it will be very substantial as a 1 % charge to value equals $480,000,000.

Generated Jun 7, 2026, 8:04 PM
Why One Metric Is Not Enough
Core Point
San Diego County should not rely on CNEL alone to claim there is no community impact from McClellan Palomar Airport . CNEL is a useful land-use average, but it is a 24-hour energy average. It does not fully describe the number, loudness, duration, timing, or sleep-disruptive character of individual aircraft events.

The FAA, GAO, Congress, EPA, and WHO all provide reasons to treat CNEUDNL 65 as incomplete or outdated.

What CNEL Does And Does Not Show
CNEL shows: cumulative average noise exposure over a day or longer , with evening and night penalties.

California uses 65 dBA CNEL as the residential compatibility threshold. The federal analog is DNL.

CNEL does not show well: how many loud overflights occurred, how loud the loudest events were, how long noise stayed above disruptive levels, or whether indi vidual events startled or awakened residents .

The GAO's 2021 aircraft-noise report explains the averaging problem : 100 flights per day can produce the same DNL as one flight per day at a higher level. The average can therefore hide repeated intrusions.

FAA-Recognized Supplemental Metrics
FAA Order 1050 .1 F and the FAA Desk Reference recognize supplemental noise analysis alongside DNUCNEL.

Metrics listed in FAA materials include:
• Number-Above: count of events above a threshold, such as N65 , N75, N80, or N85. • Time-Above: total time noise remains above a threshold. • Lmax: peak level of a single event.
• SEL: total sound exposure of a single event .
• Sleep disturbance/ awakenings: especially relevant for night events .

These metrics do not replace CNEL. They explain impacts CNEL can miss.

Local Palomar Evidence
At the Legoland noise monitor, the return of scheduled airline jets shows why a single average is inadequate .

Palomar measurement What the data shows
Scheduled jet flyovers , April 2025 to April 2026
Average jet Lmax vs C172 Lmax
Average jet SEL vs C172 SEL
Acoustic energy per scheduled jet flyover vs C172
57->172
about 80 dBA vs 70 dBA
about 90 dBA vs 79 dBA
about 7x
Interpretation: the individual jet events are much louder, and FAA-recognized single-event metrics show the change that a CNEL-only presentation can dismiss .

The local loud-event metrics tell the same story:

Era at Legoland N75/day N80/day NBS/day
2023, GA-only baseline
2025, American service
April 2026, American + United
28 32
39 5.9

7.1 10.2
Number-Above metrics show the loud-event burden that a CNEL-only summary can miss.

Why The 65 dB Line Is Not Enough
The 65 DNUCNEL framework is not a health-based bright line.

0.85 0.89

1.93 • 1 974 EPA: identified Ldn 55 dB outdoors as protective of public health and welfare with a margin of safety .

Ldn is the same day- night-ave rage family of metric as DNL, not CN EL; EPA presented this as a scientific protective leve l, not an enforceable regulatory standard. • 1976 FAA policy: introduced DNL 65 as significant ; FAA history says the policy did not prov ide additional supporting information for the 65 dB characterization . • 2021 FAA Neighborhood Environmental Survey : found about 65.7 percent highly annoyed at DNL 65, compared with about 12.3 percent on the older Schultz Curve/ FICON dose-response graph used in FAA policy to connect DNL levels to "hig hly annoyed" population and justify the DNL 65 boundary. • 201 8 WHO noise guidelin es: recommend aircraft noise below 45 dB Lden and 40 dB Lnight . • 2021 GAO: recommended that FAA identify supp lemental metrics for noise impact analysis. • 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act: directs assessment of alternative metrics that could supplement or replace DNL, and evaluation of the 65 dB thres hold .

Recommended Committee Ask
Require every Palomar pub lic noise report to include :

1. CNEL or DNL, for regulatory cont inuity .

2. N65, N75 , N80, and N85 by monitor , month, and aircraft category.

3. Time-Above 75 dBA by monitor and month .

4. Lmax and SEL d istrib utions by aircraft type, especially schedu led jets, business jets , and training aircraft.

5. Nighttime event counts and likely sleep disturbance/ awakenings .

6. Aircraft-only and all-event versions, so non -aircraft artifacts do not distort the aviation conclusion .

7. Clear trend charts before and after major service changes , including scheduled airline service.

Primary Documents
• FAA Order 1050 .1 F / Desk Reference Ch. 11 - DNUCNE L primary metric and supp lementa l noise analysis. • GAO-21 -103933, Aircraft Noise: FAA Could Improve Outreach through Enhanced Noise Metrics , Communication, and Support to Communities - averaging flaw and supp lemental-metr ics recommendation . • FAA DOT/FAA/TC-21/4 , Analysis of the Neighborhood Environmental Survey - modern FAA annoyanc e findings , including about 65.7 percent highly annoyed at DNL 65. • EPA 550/9-74-004 , Information on Levels of Environmental Noise Requisite to Protect Public Health and Welfare - Ldn 55 dB protective level.
• WHO, Noise Guidelines for the European Region (2018) - aircraft noise recommendations of 45 dB Lden and 40 dB Lnight.

Good evening. My name is [name] , and I am asking this committee to stop treating one averaged noise number as if it proves there is no impact from McClellan-Palomar Airport .

The county often points to CNEL and says, in effect, Palomar is below 65, so there is no significant problem. But CNEL is a 24-hour average. It spreads individual noise events across the whole day and turns them into one number.

Residents do not experience aircraft noise as an annual average. We experience the jet that interrupts a conversation, the early or late flight that wakes someone up, and the repeated overflights that change the character of a neighborhood .

This is exact ly what CNEL and DNL are bad at showing . The Government Acco untability Office said in 2021 that because DNL is an average, 100 flights per day can produce the same DNL as one much loud er flight per day.

The FAA's own guidance recognizes this. FAA materials identify supplemental metrics that describe impacts a 24-hour average misses: Number-Above, Time-Above, Lmax, SEL, and sleep disturbance or awakenings. These are FAA-recognized ways to measure what people actually hear.

Palomar's own data shows why this matters .

At the Legoland monitor , scheduled airline jets increased from 57 flyovers in April 2025 to 172 in April 2026. That is roughly a tripling. If CNEL is all you measure, that change is easy to dismiss.

The sing le-event measurements tell a different story . At Legoland, the scheduled jets average about 80 dBA Lmax, compared with about 70 dBA for a typical Cessna 172. Using the event-energy calculation, they carry about seven times the acoustic energy per flyover.

That is the whole problem in one local example : a CNEL-only presentation can miss what residents hear as louder events and more loud events .

The 65 dB line itself is also outdated. It traces back to a 1976 FAA policy . The EPA had already identified 55 dB Ldn outdoors as sufficient to protect public health and welfare; Ldn is the same day-night-average family of metric as DNL, not CNEL. And the FAA's own 2021 Neighborhood Environmental Survey found that at DNL 65, about 66 percent of people were highly annoyed, compared with about 12 percent on the older Schultz Curve, the dose-response graph FAA policy has long used to connect DNL levels to "highly annoyed" population and justify the DNL 65 boundary.

So "below 65 CNEL" does not mean "no impact." It means the impact is being judged by one old averag ing metric that federal research itself has called into question .

I am not asking the committee to throw out CNEL. I am asking the committee to stop treating CNEL as the only metric that counts .

Every Palomar noise report shou ld include CNEL, but also Number-Above, Time-Above, Lmax, SEL, nighttime analysis, and separation of aircraft from non-aircraft no ise.

The county has the data. The FAA recognizes the metrics. The public deserves a noise analys is that matches reality.

One metric is not enough .

Carlsbad City CouncilJune 23, 2026

Carlsbad City Council
June 23, 2026