Letters to the Editor 07/06/2016

To the Editor:

When I was a little girl, every time a plane went over our Southern California home, we all ran out to see it. How could that thing stay up there? To this day, I still get a thrill every time I hear a plane or helicopter go over.

I live about five blocks from the airport, at Tamarack Village Apartments. The lawnmowers in the park and nearby neighbors are much more annoying than the planes, but I don't mind because they keep everything looking great.

Right now, at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 1, I have not seen or heard a plane since around 1 p.m. when a green helicopter went over. If I lived in Redmond I could hear and watch planes all day and night.

I will be 88 on July 7. I hope I will never become so narrow-minded that I cannot enjoy seeing a skydiver coming slowly to earth, or hearing the wonder of that beautiful thing defying gravity.

Oops! Gotta go! There's another one going over.

Maggie Bull

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To the Editor:

Re: "The Bunkhouse Chronicle - The big identity party," The Nugget, June 29, page 20).

Amen! Each and every person in the U.S. Congress should read this. Obama too, although he would vehemently deny every truth you just stated.

Christine DeForest

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To the Editor:

A nuisance is defined in the Webster's New World Dictionary as an act, condition, thing or person causing annoyance. Many of the residential developments in the Sisters area have rules and regulations that address the issue of noise and nuisance.

The Ridge at Indian Ford rules and regulations state "Any offensive activity or noise which is disturbing the peace and tranquility" is prohibited.

The noise of the skydiving plane frequently circling over Sisters four days a week has created a disturbing nuisance this summer for those living in and around Sisters as well as for those here on vacation in Sisters Country.

One wonders if the City of Sisters has a noise nuisance prohibition ordinance. If there is a noise nuisance ordinance in Sisters, why is it not being enforced? If there is no noise nuisance ordinance, there needs to be one to deal with the community-wide disturbing

problem.

Byron H. Dudley

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To the Editor:

The City has undertaken measures to preserve the unique qualities that make Sisters Country a desirable place to live and visit: land-use planning, building codes, restrictions for fast food chains and even limitations on light pollution in our night skies.

But what about noise pollution in our dawn-to-dusk skies?

Residents and visitors are raising concerns over negative impacts of the Sisters Eagle Airport, including noise due to the fledgling skydive operation and the expectation of far greater negative impacts in the future due to aggressive plans for expansion.

Adding to increased road and air traffic, the skydive operation is expected to grow. Other operations, such as air tours by plane and/or helicopter could follow.

A good day for the skydive operation, according Stephen Rosier, the drop-zone manager, is 10 or more flights a day. That means hours of roaring takeoffs followed by the droning of aircraft circling Sisters. Contrary to what Mr. Rosier claims, the sound does NOT become inaudible after 10 minutes of climbing. It continues until each diver lands.

The airport manager, Dave Campbell, states that there are no plans to add heli-tours. However, he has submitted yet another application for State Lottery monies through ODOT's Connect Oregon program. This application requests funding for upgrades including installation of a self-service Jet A fuel system and an instrument approach. The application mentions investment by Apex Helicopters, a flight-seeing operation based in Florence.

The annexation by the City should bring oversight, including cost/benefit analyses that weigh possible profit for a few against loss of loyalty and revenue to local eateries and other businesses as quiet-seeking folks take their money elsewhere. There is a cost to losing qualities that make Sisters Country unique.

We appreciate Sisters' starry skies at night. So, too, do we value the peace and quiet of days spent in this beautiful natural setting.

Suzanne Pepin

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To the Editor:

The Sage Meadow neighborhood is in the direct line of flight of Sisters Eagle Airport. So along with the buzz of hummingbirds, the sounds of summer in Sisters have a new and unwelcome addition - the drone of Skydive Awesome from breakfast to sunset.

While many of us here are already concerned about loss of peace and property values, the big concern is what comes next. Expansion plans include adding more parachute planes, more hangars and maybe helicopter tours?

The airport site states it wants to be a "good neighbor" and asks pilots to adhere to noise abatement procedures "to help limit aircraft noise in the city of Sisters and our surrounding communities." These appear to only be nice words since airport manager David Campbell said we would need "to learn to live with it."

Being a good neighbor involves listening and compromise. Please show us that you can truly be an awesome neighbor.

Susan Springer

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To the Editor:

I have been a satisfied reader of The Nugget for more then 20 years. I have found that the newspaper has maintained the fine balance necessary to accommodate a wide range of opinions and political stances within our community.

While I am delighted that Dale Goin enjoys the paper as well, I strenuously oppose his opinion that we, "the readership, would benefit from more Rachel Marsden-types of columnists."

I would NOT.

Keep up the good work.

Karly Lusby

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To the Editor,

It has been interesting reading the (complaint) letters due to "noise pollution" from one single-engine Cessna flying out of Sisters Eagle Airport delivering sport skydivers whose hobby is skydiving. I have pondered this and have some solutions.

First let's petition the FAA and make Sisters a "no fly zone" for commercial planes. Every day there is a number of passenger jets and prop jets traveling to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Reno, Las Vegas and Redmond. They should be restricted to fly the coast route because we do not need the sound of those jet engines! Let's not forget those nasty military jets stationed in Klamath Falls, one of their training routes is from Klamath Falls low over the Cascades through the valley, out to the Pacific Ocean and back; those pilots probably could just do simulator flying and save the taxpayers lots of money.

We should also ground the two air ambulance flight services stationed in Redmond and Bend. Even though they might save lives, we could use land ambulances (no sirens). Sure we might lose a few, but think how serene it would be here. The same goes for the firefighting helicopters and planes; they also make a lot of noise and if we lose a few thousand acres and homes it will be quiet, and won't that be nice.

Unlike you complainers, I have actually met the owners of Skydive Awesome. The Chamber co-hosted with them recently an open house. My take is that they are professional and are interested in Sisters as you and I. It is my suggestion you take the time to get to know these neighbors and maybe you will come away with a better understanding of the flight pattern they have to

maintain.

I'm sure the majority of us chose Sisters because of the beauty and "everything" it has to offer. I am sad that there are a few among us who are so sensitive that this matter even had to come forth. Please take measure and let's get along.

Russ Canaga