Residents urge Boise Airport commission to address neighborhood noise and safety; commission to follow up

Two neighborhood residents and several former local officials told the Boise Airport Commission Sept. 3 they want a formal, multi-stakeholder process to study noise and safety impacts as the city grows around the airport.

Jan Merlay, who said she has lived 1.7 nautical miles from the airport for 25 years, told the commission early-morning commercial flights and increasing development near flight paths have become a safety concern for her neighborhood. She asked the commission to appoint someone to work with residents and form a committee to assemble facts and ensure consistent, shared information.

Former Boise Mayor Brent Coles, speaking with a small group of retired public-safety officials, told the commission the number-one concern among the group is safety. Coles urged a working group with representatives from the airport, the Federal Aviation Administration, city planning, council members and affected neighborhoods to examine potential impacts as thousands of new housing units are planned in areas near approaches and departures.

The speakers referenced historical steps taken in the region to address zoning around airfields and recounted a past aircraft accident that occurred in a neighborhood near Hilton Street as a reason to plan proactively rather than reactively.

Commission leadership responded that staff would follow up with the attendees and that the airport master plan process includes land-use planning and public comment opportunities. The director said she would provide the commission copies of correspondence and would need more detail about the specific safety concerns to form an appropriate response.

Councilman Morales and other elected officials in the room offered to meet with residents. The commission did not take formal action at the meeting but directed staff to engage with the speakers and make master-plan materials available for public review and comment.