The Montgomery County Council unanimously passed a bill to create the Airpark Community Advisory Committee (ACAC) on Tuesday, which will provide a forum to discuss and propose recommendations to improve Airpark operations, according to a press release.
The ACAC will be composed of residents who live near the airpark, pilots who use the airpark, and nearby aviation-related businesses and flight schools. They will submit an annual report with available data on noise complaints, flight operations and “touch-and-go” flights, as well as recommendations of the Committee regarding anything from operations to safety and community impact.
Councilmember Dawn Luedke originally introduced Bill 24-23 in May in order to provide a platform for people affected by air traffic from the Montgomery County Airpark (MCA), which is a public general aviation airport located in Gaithersburg that has a reported 67,195 flight operations a year. Council President Evan Glass and Councilmembers Will Jawando, Gabe Albornoz, Sidney Katz and Laurie-Anne Sayles co-sponsored the bill.
In 2019, there were 27 complaints from communities near the MCA submitted to the online portal. This number increased to 191 in 2020 and 2,835 in 2021, according to the press release. The purpose of the ACAC is to understand the rapid rise in complaints and give people a chance to offer solutions.
“Creating an Airpark Community Advisory Committee is an important step many communities around the country are taking to provide a platform for residents impacted by air traffic to better understand operations and discuss potential improvements with regulators, most prominently the Federal Aviation Administration,” Councilmember Luedtke said in the press release.
Residents can find information on how to apply to be considered for the ACAC here.
Council Enacts Legislation Led by Councilmember Luedtke to Create Airpark Community Advisory Committee.
📰Read more: https://t.co/px9mc5LC2t pic.twitter.com/TgUZDRGGRs— Montgomery Council (@MoCoCouncilMD) July 18, 2023
