Airport Neighbors' Alliance

About our association

Airport Neighbors' Alliance History

Airport Neighbors’ Alliance (ANA)

The ANA was conceived in June 1996 at a meeting of leaders from about 6 neighborhoods that were affected by the new growth at Standiford Field through the Louisville Airport Improvement Program (LAIP). These leaders discussed their common problems of lack of information, misinformation, and the perception that their concerns were not being taken seriously by the Regional Airport Authority. At that meeting, it was decided that a stronger position could be achieved from a united front of neighbors. Additional meetings were held and the group adopted by-laws and was incorporated. A Board of Directors was formed with 2 directors appointed by each neighborhood association involved in the ANA.

ANA’s mission statement is, “To protect the quality of life for residents affected by airport operations. The group’s concerns lie in four main areas: noise, relocation, safety, and environmental issues. These issues affect the quality of everyday life for about 80,000 people that live or work near :Louisville International Airport.

ANA had to develop ways to insure that correct information about the LAIP was available to/for its members and to insure that its members concerns were considered as RAA decisions were made. It was decided that the group would not take an adversarial role but would work with the airport authorities, press, and political leaders.

Through working with these groups and others, the ANA, has made many strides towards our goals for airport neighbors.

Lack of information, misinformation, and slow process in relocating residents who lived in extremely high noise areas was causing great concern and frustration for these residents. ANA brought neighborhood and airport leaders together to discuss this situation and to make affected neighbors a part of the decision making process. A Relocation and Innovative Housing Working Group consisting of neighborhood leaders, regional airport authority (RAA) personnel, government leaders, and LAIP representatives was chartered. This work group now meets twice a month. Information is exchanged, concerns are brought to the table, and the relocation process is better understood by both sides.

It was clear to everyone that more money was needed for the relocation process. ANA worked with the RAA, LAIP, and the Jefferson County Legislative Delegation in support of a $20 million appropriation that was made by the General Assembly during the 1998 session for the relocation of residents near the airport. The relocation program has been accelerated due to this appropriation and some families can be moved three years sooner than originally predicted.

Airport neighbors had no voice, no representation on the Regional Airport Authority. ANA went to the three appointing authorities for that board and asked each of them to appoint a neighbors’ representative. When a neighbor was not appointed, ANA went to the state legislature with a bill to amend the KRS section that created the RAA. The bill added an eleventh member to the RAA Board of Directors. This new member is appointed by the governor from the board of directors of an organization of neighbors. With the help of all Jefferson County legislators, who cosponsored the bill with Rep. Jim Wayne,it passed and was signed into law. Dorn Crawford, a resident of Audubon Park and ANA’s Environmental Issues Committee chair was appointed to the new seat. Dorn has worked diligently to reap all possible benefits for neighbors from his position. Having this position has provided neighbors with access to information and given them a voice for their concerns both at RAA meetings and in the working/planning stages of RAA endeavors.

Aircraft noise is an issue for all airport neighbors. This year the RAA is doing the five-year update of its federally required noise study. ANA took the lead in working with RAA personnel to insure that neighbors are meaningfully involved in every part of the study process from the selection of a consultant to representation on the Coordinating Council, which will send recommendations to the RAA Board. The The Noise Compatibility Study Group includes airport users and operators, government officials, business and economic interests, and neighbors. The noise study process (including neighbor participation) is guided by a Charter, to which all participants in the Noise Compatibility Study Group agreed. The noise study will probably last another 15 months, but neighbors already feel cautiously assured of the openness of the process.

Since ANA’s beginning, the organization has grown to include fifteen neighborhood associations and small cities around Louisville International Airport. ANA members have real concerns about the affect of airport operations on their lives, their families and their communities. There are still important issues to be addressed, but working together our united voices are being heard.

Mary Rose Evans
ANA, President
EvansSeven@aol.com

Airport Noise

Louisville Airport Noise Study