A LAND USE PLAN FOR NOISE COMPATIBILITY NEAR QUONSET STATE AIRPORT NORTH KINGSTOWN, RHODE ISLAND

This study is a land use plan for noise compatibility near Quonset State Airport. The study area includes northeastern North Kingstown and northern Jamestown. The premise of the study is that the future of Quonset State Airport (QSA) will include expanded military, cargo, and general aviation operations that will lead to a subsequent increase in noise in the surrounding community. Airport noise regulation is fragmented between federal , state, and local governments, and airport management. The current users of the airport already follow noise abatement procedures. The Town of North Kingstown is diverse in its land use and economic base. Open space, industrial sites, and water lie immediately next to the airport. Jamestown is a more rural and residential community. Both Towns have residential areas in locations where they can be impacted by excessive noise. The redevelopment of the Quonset Point/Davisville industrial sites, the air traffic in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut, and national defense policy will all have an impact on the future use of the airport. Because existing airport facilities can support large commercial aircraft, because of the other transportation links located in the complex, and because the airport is perceived as a low-impact noise area, Quonset Point/Davisville will become a target for future development. By forecasting the number of daily jet operations through projected based aircraft of civilian and military tenants, the footprint of noise contours can be estimated using the Noise Exposure Forecast method. These contours are adjusted to reflect local flight patterns and then overlaid on land use and zoning maps. The overlays show residential land and undeveloped land that is zoned for residential use in areas that are not suitable for noise sensitive uses. As a preventive measure to avoid more costly noise mitigation in the future, an Airport Overlay District is recommended for the area with certain residential zones within the district changed to non-residential. The study also makes recommendations on mitigation strategies and additional airport contributions to noise abatement.


Statement of Subject
Airport noise is a problem that exists throughout the country, however, nobody denies the fact that major airports are necessary to satisfy economic and transportation needs. Noise abatement is a cause which is known to rally the communities surrounding airports. These grassroots organizations are successful in demanding certain restrictions which are intended to reduce noise. In general, airport management is interested in being a good neighbor.
Noise disputes arise because land use surrounding the airport is incompatible. This pattern of land use is exacerbated on both sides of the issue. Residential developments and suburban sprawl have crept into airport zones, while at the same time, airports have expanded to support increased aviation activity. In many states, such as New Jersey, small general aviation airports are being swallowed by residential development. In other states, such as Massachusetts, potential new airports are prevented from being built by neighbors concerned . about noise even though Logan Airport in Boston is severely overcrowded. 1 Aviation is an industry that is subject to international, federal, regional, state, and local regulations; it is a partnership between the public and private sectors; and it is also bound by environmental policies. It is a very complex enterprise, and that is reflected in the airport planning process. Each individual airport that receives federal funds is required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to have a master plan; Rhode Island produces a State Airport System Plan which is part of the FAA Continuous Airport System Planning Process. At the next level in the hierarchy, there is a National Plan oflntegrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) that is produced by the FAA. The NPIAS is produced every ten years and projects future demand at airports and improvements that are eligible for federal funds. The inefficiency in this planning process is that the land surrounding each of these airports is in the jurisdiction of a municipality or other governmental entity, and incompatible land use is the result.
The State of Rhode Island is unique in the fact that all of the public airports are owned and operated by the state. There are six airports altogether, one primary and five general aviation airports. T .F . Green is the primary commercial airport in the state; Quonset, North Central, Newport, Westerly, and Block Island have different levels of use and play different · roles within the state system. Westerly and Block Island even have limited commercial service, but they are considered to be general aviation (GA) airports.
The subject of the study is a land use plan for noise compatibility at Quonset State Airport (QSA). T.F. Green is the most complex airport, but it has already been studied extensively. Quonset currently has a master plan with a section on noise that was completed in 1987, but there are no existing land use controls regarding noise abatement. Of the five GA airports, Quonset appears to be the most interesting and the most challenging. It has the longest runway in Rhode Island, has a higher utility rating than the other GA airports,2 and, other than T.F. Green, has the only other instrument landing system in the state. Two Rhode Island National Guard units are based at QSA.
It is no secret that the potential for the re-development of Quonset Point is unrealized , and its future is still undecided. However, Quonset is a unique facility in New England and an 2 the east coast of the United States and can support a much greater amount of activity than it does now. Some unsubstantiated but reasonable expectations for growth include: I) The Anny National Guard is scheduled to update their fleet of helicopters and receive five new cargo planes in the future. The two National Guard units are not only surviving the base closures, they are likely to expand their operations.
2) Federal Express has maintained contact with the airport over the past few years and continues to express an interest in some level of cargo operations.
3) At least one new potential fixed -base operator, a small plane manufacturer, has expressed interest in establishing a business at Quonset. 4) As other airports in New Eqgland and T.F. Green continue to grow (the new terminal building is a good sign of projected growth), more general aviation may be forced out to Quonset or North Central.
These prospects together with the fact that there is limited overall airport capacity in the Northeast Corridor, lead me to believe that eventually, QSA will be a busy airport.
In a built-up community such as Warwick, where T.F. Green is located, it is realistically too late to employ some planning techniques to mitigate noise, but it is not too late to do so in more rural communities like North Kingstown and Jamestown. If the town and airport can share responsibility for noise planning, and the airport can be established as a good neighbor, they can continue to co-exist and grow with minimal conflict.
There are several different methods of varying costs and degrees of effectiveness that can be used for noise mitigation. They are listed below, grouped by the responsible party and by the nature of the technique:

Airport management or administration
Operationalairport operating hours, limits on aircraft maintenance testing, types of permitted aircraft, engine thrust level during landings and take-offs, and profile of landings and take-ofis Site improvements-On-site: site design, landscaping, and sound barriers Off-site: soundproofing and building insulation Municipality planning department Land use planningzoning, comprehensive planning, land acqws1hon, acoustic clustering, land banking, avigation or noise easements, purchase or transfer of development rights, plat map notices Building codemore stringent building codes, noise disclosure by real estate agents Industry and airlines (source reduction) Development of new aircraftquieter engines, short take-off and landing, and vertical take-off and landing aircraft Modifying exi'lting aircraftretrofitting with noise reduction equipment (hush kits) The project will be a land use planning study with specific recommendations for land use controls and noise mitigation in the short term and long term.

Objectives of the Study
The study has several objectives throughout the course of the project; these are: l) To explore the history of noise regulation and the airport planning process; 2) To understand the scientific and technical nature of noise; 3) To develop a means of presenting the existing conditions of two very different towns, North Kingstown and Jamestown; 4) To assess current airport use and the impact of noise on the community; 5) To present expected future conditions of North Kingstown and Jamestown; 6) To predict future airport use and number of operations; 4 7) To project the future impact of noise with respect to local flight patterns; 8) To analyze the impact of future noise on the community with existing land use controls in place ; · 9) To identify land at risk of incompatible developmen t; and 10) To recommend land use controls that ensure compatible development in the future.

Significance of the Subject
The federal government supports noise reduction projects through the Airport Improvement Program which is administered by the FAA. Ten percent of all airport improvement monies are set aside specifically for noise abatement. To qualify for these funds, airports must have a comprehensive noise compatibility plan prepared with public input and approved by the FAA. A noise plan is therefore necessary to satisfy community goals and the federal government, and to receive noise abatement funds.
Quonset State Airport is the best-equipped of the five GA airports to relieve any traffic other than general aviation from T.F. Green. Quonset has the only other control tower and instrument landing system, and the longest runway in the state. In the event that Green becomes over-crowded, Quonset is the only airport that can accommodate large commercial aircraft.
This plan will be prepared with the assumption that the most likely future use of QSA will be a cargo, military, and general aviation airport in an industrial park setting. Commercial passenger service will remain at T.F. Green. It is important to realize that land use planning now will prevent a more fragmented and costly noise abatement program later. Restrictions 5 on operating hours and types of aircraft are examples of rules that may reduce the capacity of the airport, impede future growth, and discourage businesses and fixed-base operators from locating at Quonset. These rules can not be used exclusively to control noise because the FAA maintains final authority on grounds of interference with interstate commerce.
Airports should be regarded as assets to the community. They can play a key role in its economic development by attracting industry and tourism. Quonset Point is a good example of industrial park development, but there are still many vacant and underutilized parcels.
Airports and their surroundings need to be thoughtfully planned so that they can continue to provide air transportation service, be good neighbors, and be minimally disruptive to the environment. Further, to maintain the integrity of the airport system, noise programs should be conceived in cooperation with the municipality and with other state airports.
Twenty years ago, when the Navy occupied Quonset, the town was forced to tolerate high noise levels. At the present time, noise is not a top priority problem. However, airport space is at a premium on the national level, especially in the northeast. At some point in the future, it is safe to say that Quonset could once again become a busy airport. This is a rare opportunity and a second chance to implement preventive strategies for noise mitigation. Noise is the primary reason why communities oppose airports as neighbors. If measures are taken now, Quonset will become an attractive site for air transportation industry expansion.

Procedures and Methods
The first step is to collect data, review reports, and become familiar with policies and programs. [will investigate the extent to which noise abatement techniques are currently utilized and where formal noise complaints typically come from. In addition to some areas in North Kingstown. the island Town of Jamestown also is impacted by noise to some degree.
Land use and population forecasts for the towns will be assessed. The most important procedure that will be performed is an overlay of a noise contour map with zoning and land use maps. I will map the noise contours myself, using the Noise Exposure Forecast method of noise contour approximation that is used by the Federal Aviation Administration. This method requires the forecasting the number of daily jet operations at the airport. According to the literature, the shape of a noise contour is roughly parallel to the runway, but the width and iength is impacted by the type of aircraft and the surface of the ground. From this overlay, I will identify non-compatible uses and undeveloped land that is zoned for an non-compatible use.
Using the impacted and at-risk locations, land use controls will be applied to the parcels in question to come up with an overall strategy for noise mitigation. The degree to which the land is developed, the sensitivity of the use to the noise, and the cost of the improvement are criteria that I will be using to generate recommendations. Airport land needs will also be considered. I will suggest modifications to the zoning ordinance and building code for the two towns.

Scope of the Study
The study area will include the northeastern portion of North Kingstown and the 7 northern portion of Jamestown. Although a small potion of East Greenwich lies in the study area, it is not included in the study because that town is impacted by noise from T.F. Green also, and any noise mitigation strategy prepared for East Greenwich should be completed with respect to both airports.
Recommendations include land use controls and noise mitigation strategies applying to landowners. Airport and aircraft operating procedures can be modified only in conjunction with the FAA, and current airport noise policy already encompasses these techniques. Noise measuring are not used in the plotting of the noise contours, and time constraints preclude the solicitation of community participation.
1. Fort Devens in Massachusetts is a military base and airfield scheduled for closure that is in an ideal location to serve as a second major airport in the Boston metropolitan area. Residents in the four surrounding communities have vehemently protested aviation reuse.
2. Utility rating is determined by the length of the runway and the size of aircraft that can be accommodated.

CHAPTER TWO AIRPORT NOISE REGULATION
Airport noise became a serious problem in the 1960's when the first generation of jet aircraft began to replace the piston-engine aircraft, and the air transportation industry blossomed.
1 Jet aircraft are faster, more fuel-efficient, and can be operated more cost-\ effectively; unfortunately, they are also louder than most of the older planes. 2 Noisier planes, coupled with an increase in the number of operations, has led to noise complaints at airports.
ln the past thirty years, the need for the regulation of noise has been publicized by people living near airports, and that need has been recognized by the air transportation industry and governing agencies. The results have been piecemeal and fragmented due to the multitude of agencies and rule-making authorities at all levels of government that have contributed to the existing "patchwork" state of noise regulation. This chapter highlights the most important rules, policies, and programs relating to noise abatement at the federal, state, and local levels of government. A history of litigation over airport noise follows, as well as a brief discussion of the hierarchy of airport planning.   2) standard noise units, methods and analytic techniques for use in airport assessments;

The Federal Government
3) identification ofland uses that are normally compatible (or noncompatible) with various levels of noise around the airport; and 4) procedures and criteria for FAA approval or disapproval of noise compatibility programs by the Administrator. 7 It is through the Noise Compatibility Planning Program that airports become eligible for federal funds. These monies are a dedicated portion of Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds. The AIP was established by the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982 (P.L. 97-248) and provides funds for projects such as runway construction, land acqisition, and navigation equipment. This act set up a trust fund, 10 percent of which is reserved for noise compatibility planning and implementation. 8 In 1991, $180 million was spent by the FAA in this category. Projects are funded at 90 percent of the total cost; the remaining 10 percent is provided by the airport. 9 Quonset State Airport may be eligible for federal funds through this program.
In the late l 980's and early l 990's there was a movement at the national level to phase  January I, 1989. This section also endorses the development of a landing fee schedule that encourages aircraft operations between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and midnight, to minimize the intensified impact of nighttime noise. Noise and emrnission directives (Section 16), is even more explicit. It directs pilots using T.F. Green to "minimize the use of reverse engine thrust employed to slow an aircraft as it lands," to the greatest extent possible without compromising safety . 16 Chapter Three, Airport Zoning, is of interest. This law grants municipalities the authority to zone land around the airport in a way that protects airport approach and hazard areas. The primary concern is to limit the height of structures and trees. Section 5 specically mentions the authority to specify permitted land uses, but it does not state any particular reason except to control the height of objects in hazard areas.
It is state policy to encourage and support military activities at state airports. 17 There economic benefits to having military facilities, but there are environmental consequences as well, noise being only one of them. This, coupled with the fact that the existing state noise regulations apply only to Green, makes the area surrounding QSA particularly vulnerable to noise problems.

The Towns of North Kingstown and Jamestown
Quonset State Airport lies entirely within the Town of North Kingstown; however, residents of the northern portion of the island community of Jamestown are impacted by noise generated at QSA. Because the airport is state-owned, the towns have little opportunity to regulate noise.

Town of North Kingstown
The Town of North Kingstown supports future development of Quonset airport for economic reasons. The airport is used as an asset to market industrial sites. Noise was a problem when Quonset was a naval air station; however, at the current level of use, noise is not perceived to be a major problem . If and when the airport is ever used to its fullest potential, noise will most definitely be a consideration. North Kingstown has a Noise Ordinance which reflects the concern for a quiet environment. The Revised Ordinances Sections 8-81 through 8-99 are devoted to the issue of noise.
It is the declared policy of this town to promote an environment free from excessive noise or otherwise properly called "noise pollution," which unnecessarily jeopardizes the health and welfare and degrades the quality of lives of the residents of this community, without unduly prohibiting, limiting or otherwise regulating the function of certain noise-producing equipment which is not amenable to such controls yet is essential to the economy and quality of life of the community. Sec. 8-81 (5) .
The ordinance also explicitly exempts military operations and the airport from compliance in Section 8-85 (6). The following table describing permitted noise levels within different zones is from the ordinance Section 8-87(a).

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This ordinance makes it clear that a quiet community is desirable, but that it also not in the jurisdiction of the town to regulate airport noise. It also is clear that the town does not intend to over-regulate, nor to discourage or inhibit necessary economic activities.

Town of Jamestown
The Town of Jamestown does not have a noise ordinance like North Kingstown does; however, the Town Zoning Ordinance addresses airports. Airports are not a permitted use on the island, presumably because of the potential for noise. The Quonset control tower has reported that there have been sporadic complaints of airplane noise from Jamestown. The Town has expressed an interest in being informed of future development at Quonset State Airport.
To summarize the preceding sections on laws governing noise, Table 2.

4, Noise
Regulation Summary, is a matrix containing the administrative agencies, policies, plans, and programs at three levels of government and at Quonset State Airport. Policies at QSA will be ·discussed in detail in Chapter Five.

Airport Noise Litigation
There are numerous cases involving airport noise regulation, some of which have gone all the way up to the Supreme Court of the United States. For the purposes of this study, they are separated into two categories: 1) cases over the legality of specific airport rules, usually initiated by airlines; and 2) cases of recovery of damages from airport noise, usually initiated by private citizens. This is not a comprehensive analysis of airport litigation, but rather a brief summary of applicable and relevant legal theories.

Airport Rules
Airport rules restricting types of aircraft and hours of operation can be found to be illegal if they are in violation of one or more of three constitutional clauses: the Supremacy

Damage Recovery
These cases are brought on by landowners near airports who feel as if the noise from the airport has caused them damage, and they sue to recover damages. There are three legal theories that have been used, trespass, nuisance, and inverse condemnation; the latter has been the most successful approach.
Trespass. Plaintiffs who have used this cause of action are under the assumption that they own the air rights above their property. The Air Commerce Act of 1926 (P.L. 64-254) declares that the federal government has "compete and and exclusive national sovereignty in the airspace over the entire country." Navigable airspace is the minimum safe flying altitude defined by the FAA. Trespass is difficult to prove unless the property lies directly under the flight path, and aircraft dip below safe levels. 22 Nuisance. This theory has also been used unsuccessfully because aviation is a publicly Although aviation is a federally sponsored activity, the court found a nuisance in the airport's noise, smoke, and vibrations. The airport has the responsibility to acquire adequate noise easements. 23 Inverse condemnation. ln one of the most important cases in aviation, the plaintiff argued that the presence of the airport had devalued his land and interfered with its use.
Therefore, it was a taking of private property for public purposes without just compensation.
The U.S. Supreme Court in Griggs v. County of A/legheny369 U.S. 84 (1962) decided not only that the noise from aircraft passing thirty feet above the property caused a loss in property value, but that the local airport proprietor was liable for damages, not the airlines, manufacturers, or the federal government. This places the bulk of the burden of noise abatement on airport owners, because they in fact decided where to build the airport. It is for this reason that the FAA is reluctant to promulgate stricter noise standards; they do not want to become liable for cases of inverse condemnation. 24 Lawsuits against airports on grounds of damage caused by noise as well as lawsuits by the air transportation industry for excessive noise regulation are very real risks for an airport owner. That is why a comprehensive noise abatement program that spreads the responsibility of noise control over the different levels of government and the industry is important.

Plannin& Process
There are three levels in the airport planning hierarchy, individual airport, state system, 26 and national system. Each level will be described briefly as it relates to noise compatibility planning. Noise planning should be a fundamental element of state and airport plans, even in airports where noise is not considered a major problem. Within the space of a few years, residential developement can creep closer to the airfield while airport use is increasing; this seemingly unanticipated growth can be planned for at the local level through coordination with municipalities.
The National Plan oflntegrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) is produced every ten years by the FAA as required by the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982. The NPIAS is a summary of all airports in the country by state which are considered to be important to the

Measurement of Noise
Different noises have different characteristics that make them more or less annoying than other noises. The cumulative effect of several noises together is discussed to obtain a more realistic understanding of the noise environment. Noise measurement techniques have been _ adapted to account for different characteristics of noise and to more accurately reflect how people perceive them. Noise contours are a graphic representation of sound levels generated from a single source, such as an airport.
The Nature of Noise Sound is a form of energy. It is the essence of some activities such as music and speech, and a by-product of other activities such as manufacturing and transportation. When so und becomes excessive, it is disruptive to quiet activities and annoying to the listener. This is when sound is treated as noise. Sound travels in waves through the air; it can be absorbed or reflected, and it weakens over distance. There are three characteristics of noise that impact the way in which the person who hears the sound, responds to it: loudness, duration, and pitch.
The loudness of the sound is described as the sound pressure and can be measured in decibels . Because sound becomes weaker over distance, the closer one is to a sound source, the louder it is. Louder sounds mask quieter sounds. For instance, two people walking on a sidewalk may converse with normal traffic passing by, but conversation is interrupted when motorcycles go by.
The duration of a sound is simply how long it lasts. A noise is considered to be more severe if it lasts a long time. For example, if one listens to a rock band for a few minutes, there are not likely to be any after eff ect.s, but if one listens for several hours, there is likely to be a ringing sensation in the ears several hours afterward.
The pitch of a sound is the frequency of the sound waves and can be measured in Hertz (Hz). Higher pitch noises within the hearing range are more disturbing to humans than lower pitches because human hearing is less sensitive to lower frequencies. The range of frequencies perceived by humans is 20 Hz to 15,000 Hz. A sound that is twice the the frequency of another is one octave higher. Most noises are a combination of actual frequencies. Some noises contain frequencies that are pure tones, such as that emitted by a tuning fork. Pure tones, like high pitched sounds, are more disturbing to the listener. An example of noise that is not necessarily loud, but that is extremely annoying is the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard. The "whine" of a turbofan jet engine is a combination of several pure tones, and is not only loud, but also ul . l tr y annoymg.

Aircraft Noise
Airport noise, or aircraft noise can be described in two ways: I) the engine that makes the noise, or 2) the operation of the aircraft at the airport. The first method relies on the technological aspects of engine design and propulsion systems. The second method refers to the way in which the aircraft is used, e.g. takeoffs, taxiing, engine run-ups.
Aircraft en~ine. Jet aircraft were invented in the l 950's and are the major contributors to airport noise. A jet engine is powered by the compression of air and the combustion of fuel.
The other type of engine is the traditional piston engine that is used by automobiles and general aviation aircraft. In airplanes, jet engines are used in combination with turbines, or fans, which convert engine power to drive moving parts.
There are three types of jet aircraft: turbojet, turbofan, and turboprop. The first generation jet aircraft are turbojets, such as the DC-8. The noise from turbojets comes from the high velocity exhaust gases which range from high to low frequencies. The turbofans have replaced turbojets. They are more efficient and expel exhaust at lower velocities. While this improvement makes the engine quieter, the sound of other moving parts, like the fans, is more prominent. The fan noise is the "whine" that is characteristic of this type of aircraft. 2 The turboprop is an aircraft that has a jet engine, but turbines are used to power propellors or rotors. Certain helicopters and airplanes are in this category. Helicopter noise comes from the tail rotor which spins very fast, and from the main rotor which spins more slowly, but produces a "blade slap." The general aviation aircraft utilize the piston engine to drive the propellors. The moving parts and the engine exhaust contribute to noise.
Noise berms or barriers are effective in containing this type of noise. Once the aircraft is in the air, however, noise emanates downward, and noise barriers are ineffective.
Some air operations have distinct sounds. During a takeoff, the primary noise is from the jet exhaust, but during a landing, noise comes from machinery parts. The whine from the exhaust is high-pitched and more annoying, but dissipates more quickly . The roar or rumble is low-pitched and less annoying, but lasts longer. Training flights contribute to a high number of operations and increased noise.
Engine run-ups on the ground required for maintenance or before takeoff is a serious problem at some airports. The noise impact is less severe directly behind the aircraft. Reverse thrust on the landing roll and taxiing movements are other sources of ground noise.

Cumulative Noise
The decibel (dB) is the basic unit used to measure the loudness of a sound. The decibel scale is not an algebraic scale; it is a logarithmic scale, similar to the Richter scale used for measuring earthquakes. A sound that is 10 dB higher than another sound is twice as loud. The 34 decibel values of two simultaneous sounds can not be added together to get a total sound level.
The louder sound has the efTec~ of overpowering or drowning out the quieter sound. ln reality, several sounds occur simultaneously. For example, one airplane may be taking off while another is taxiing to a runway. The following table shows how to add two sounds together to quantify the cumulative effect. In other words, if there are two equal sounds, a louder sound is the result, but if there are two · unequal sounds, the louder sound is the dominating one and masks the other sound.
When there are multiple sound sources, for example, one airplane circling in the traffic pattern, one landing, two taxiing, and several ground vehicles moving, there is another method used to add them all together. When adding more than two sounds, start by adding the two lowest values using the above method; use that sum with the next higher value and continue upward.  SEL -Sound Exposure Level in relation to one event.
dB(A) -Decibel scale with A-weighted sound level. The lower frequencies are deemphasized to emulate human hearing.
Leq -Equivalent sound level. This is the cumulative SEL measured in dB( A) for varying time periods. For example, it may be an 8-hour period that is representative of a work day.
PNdB or PNL -Perceived Noise Level. This measures a single noise event and is adjusted for pitch or frequency.

CNR -Composite Noise
Rating. This is a cumulative noise measure using PNL and adjusted for number of aircraft operations, time of day, and runway usage.
EPNdB or EPNL -Effective Perceived Noise Level. This measures a single noise event and is adjusted for the frequency and duration of the sound. (One event, such as an airplane landing, can have different frequencies for varying periods of time.) This is the measurement used as the standard by the FAA and the lCAO. It is 12 dB higher than the dB(A) scale at a point in time. 4 NEF -Noise Exposure Forecast. This is a cwnulative 24-hour noise level using the EPNL scale and adding 12 dB to noise events between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. This measurement replaces the CNR.
Ldn -Day/night sound level. This is the average noise level over a 24-hour period measured in dB( A). Nighttime sounds, between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. are increased by 10 dB because they are perceived to be louder when the ambient noise level is lower. It is not corrected for frequency. This measurement has been adopted by the FAA, partly because it easier to measure than NEF. 5 CNEL -Community Noise Equivalent Level. This is California's version of Ldn with an additional correction of 5 dB for sounds between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
There are many scales used for measuring noise. The NEF is the most accurate measure of perceived noise over time, but it is also the most difficult to measure. The Ldn is the method used by the FAA because of its simplicity in measurement and reflection of community values.
Standards within this measurement have been adopted, although they may not depict the actual extent of the noise problem. Residences lying outside of noise contours are affected by noise in reality but not on paper. Sound levels for events and typical ambient noise are shown in f) Airport elevation, wind conditions and average temperatures. 6 The noise contours that are generated by this data may be affected by local topography and vegetation that is not accounted for in the model. Noise measuring and monitoring systems are available so that site-specific data can be verified or updated.
The alternative to simulating a noise contour through the use of a computer is actual 40 r-, ,, ,-,  This method is relatively simple and allows for error in the estimate because the range of operations is large.

THOUSANDS OF FE ET
--the centerline of each end of the runway, and side of runway measurements are taken from the centerline of the runway and run parallel to it. This is the method that will be used in the noise contour map for Quonset State Airport because the number of future operations can only be estimated. The author also does not have access to FAA computer models. NEF contours are easily converted to Lein contours by the Land Use Guidance Chart in the previous chapter. One drawback of this method is that it lacks an approximate distance to the NEF 20 contour.

Noise in the Community
The noise from the airport that becomes problematic can be discussed in two ways.
Noise control can be addressed as a function ofland use or activities that occur in a given place; or, it can be described as a function of the people who are impacted. Land use is appropriate · when designing a zoning ordinance or other remedy, but it is important to remember that people, not houses and land, suffer from noise.
Land Use Sensitivity to Noise Some land uses are more sensitive to noise than others. Inevitably, to describe this situation, land use must be quantified and categorized. The FAA has devised a Land Use Guidance Chart for Land Use Noise Sensitivity Interpolation. It is quite detailed and breaks down generic land use categories into more specific activities. The entire chart appears in Appendix A. This chart references the Land Use Guidance Chart that appeared in the previous chapter to categorize acceptable land uses into zones of increasing noise. It is shown here again 44 in Table 3.4 to supplement the discussion on land use. CNR (Composite Noise Rating) is not used in this discussion because. it is not a standard measurement used by the FAA, and CNEL (Community Noise Exposure Level) is not discussed either because it is used only in the State of California. Zone A is depicted as having minimal noise impact and is acceptable for all land uses.
Zone B has moderate noise exposure, and all land uses may not be acceptable without soundproofing added to buildings. Zone C is increasingly noisy, and some uses such as residential are unacceptable, while uses such as manufacturing are. Zone Dis an area of severe noise exposure and should be contained within the boundary of the airport.
A summary of the Land Use Guidance Chart for Land Use Noise Sensitivity 45 Interpolation appears in Table 3.5. T he full chart in Appendix A is more detailed and may give a range of acceptable zones for certain uses or state exceptions if certain so undproofing techniques are used. Single-family residential , schools, and cultural activities are considered the most sensitive uses, and require the quietest environment using normal construction. Indoor sound levels are usually 20 dB lower than outside, and can be 30 dB lower in a tight masonry building.
Because soundproofing can be effective, some uses may be permitted in a higher noise zone.

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The majority of noise complaints come from residential areas, because the decreased ambient noise at night, especially in quiet neighborhoods, causes airport noise to seem even louder.-

Community Reaction to Noise
People  According to the literature, annoyance is the term used most often to describe how people feel about airport noise. That is a somewhat vague and subjective term and difficult to quantify. A study done in Illinois concluded that relative annoyance to noise was highly correlated to the computer generated contour lines. Another conclusion was that people who were "highly annoyed" with aircraft noise were three to four times more likely to be highly annoyed with other noises. 9 A study was done in Georgia to compare the annoyance levels of residents in homes that had been acoustically treated with those that were not. The conclusion was that people in soundproofed homes were equally as annoyed with aircraft noise as everyone 48 else. This supports the idea that psychological factors are as important as physical factors in noise disturbance.
There have been no cases of hearing loss in communities adjoining airports. Hearing impairment is an obvious result of severe prolonged noise exposure, but are there other health related problems that could be caused by noise? None of the studies that have been done have been able to show any correlation. Nor is there any correlation between noise exposure and cognitive ability. 10 A very difficult aspect of trying to accommodate airport neighbors is the nature of the quantitative noise measurement. A 65 L dn contour line may fall between two houses; the house on the inside may receive free soundproofing and air conditioning from the airport, while the house just outside may not receive anything even though there may be no perceivable difference in the noise environment to the residents. It would be desirable to treat a neighborhood as a whole, even if a contour Line bisects it, but soundproofing and other noise mitigation methods are costly.

Noise Mitigation TechniQues
There are many techniques available to reduce or mitigate noise in a community. Some measures are more effective than others, and some are more costly than others. They can be categorized in several different ways. One approach describes the end result rather than the actual method: preventive (such as land use planning) stops the problem before it starts, corrective (soundproofmg) reduces noise where it already exists, and compensatory (purchase of a noise easement) does not reduce noise, but pays a landowner for the right to make noise.
Another way of categorizing noise abatement techniques is to describe the actual method: land use planning, source reduction, physical improvements (soundproofing, noise berms), operational procedures (runway preference, curfews). The other way to classify noise mitigation methods is by the agency under whose authority the technique is implemented: federal government, local government, airport owners, air transportation industry. In this section, noise abatement will be discussed according to the agency responsible for the implementation, and secondarily by the nature of the mett1od itself.
The federal and state governments are generally not involved in the actual implementation of noise reduction. (Rhode Island is an exception because it owns all of the public airports.) Federal and state governments formulate policy, set standards, enact enabling legislation, and provide funds. The aircraft manufacturers and the airlines react to standards set by the federal government; they build quieter new aircraft or retrofit existing aircraft with "hushkits" to make them less noisy. When the responsible agency is a regional or metropolitan government, it may act in different capacities; it may set policy and also be responsible for implementation. Because Rhode Island does not have any agencies of this type, they will not be addressed. The two primary agencies that will be discussed are the local governments and the airport administration or management. This is a general discussion of methods, and all of them may not necessarily apply to North Kingstown, Jamestown, or the State of Rhode Island.

Local Government
Local governments have several options by which to control noise, asswning they have jurisdiction over impacted land. They can work through the control ofland use, rights of land ownership, and structures built on the land .
Land use planning. Land use planning is the ideal way of controlling the impact of airport noise because it is preventive; all noise-sensitive uses would be located away from the airport. Future development could be directed away from the airport through a capital improvement program. It can be difficult to implement because many major metropolitan airports are located within already developed urban or suburban areas. Suburban sprawl and jet aircraft were unforeseen when some airports were sited. The following techniques are used in land use planning.
Comprehensive planning. The comprehensive planning process outlines community goals and objectives in many functional areas including the economy, transportation, recreation, the environment, and land use, among others. An airport is a part of the community that has an impact on most of these functional areas. The importance of the airport must be evaluated to establish a effective noise plan that does not compromise the airport's contribution to the community.
Zoning. Zoning is a tool through which comprehensive plans are implemented. Zoning controls many aspects of land including its use, the allowable density of development, and the size and placement of buildings. Height and hazard zoning already exists around most airports.
Land surrounding airports should be zoned for compatible uses such as industrial or agricultural; these uses are not as sensitive to noise as residential areas are, and they tend to require large parcels of land which can act as a buffer around the airport. Less severely noise impacted areas are appropriate for commercial uses, and quiet areas should be reserved for residential and institutional uses. Cumulative zoning, i.e. allowing higher uses such as residential into lower zones such as commercial, should not be allowed. Turnover of land use from residential to commercial occurs frequently in normal land use trends and can be encouraged through zoning. Because zoning is not retroactive, nor is it permanent, it can not be used by itself in a noise program.
Overlay zones. This is a relatively new technique that complements traditional zoning.
An example of a overlay zone is a historic district; many uses may be permitted, but special regulations apply to the appearance of a building. A noise overlay zone could be established that corresponds to the noise contours of the airport; there could be different zones for varying levels of noise. Within this zone, other measures, such as soundproofing, building code amendments, and disclosure could become effective.
Land acquisition. When noise becomes so severe as to interfere with use of the property or reduce its value, the only option may be for the town to purchase the land. The town could then rezone it and sell back the land to support a use that is not sensitive to noise, retain the land for open space, or maintain it in a land banking program for future airport use. This is a permanent but expensive solution. This method is available also to the airport owner which may or may not be the town.
Rights of land. It is possible within the American legal system to separate land 52 ownership into a bundle of distinct rights, e.g. air rights, mineral rights, development rights, etc.
Rights can be bought and sold and restrictions can be placed on property deeds to waive certain rights. The following are applicable to noise abatement. They can be used by any agency with powers of eminent domain, not necessarily the town. Noise or avigation easements. An easement is simply a grant of certain rights to one with regard to the land of another. For example, a power company possesses an easement to ·run power lines across the owner's property. A similar arrangement can be made with respect to airports. The right to make noise over one's property as well as the right to fly in the airspace over one's property can be purchased, granted, or condemned, and a restriction can be placed on the deed to insure the continuity of the easement.
Building techniques. There are several building techniques that contribute to interior noise reduction. They can be used in conjunction with an overlay zone as explained above.
Acoustic clustering. This is a method of arranging buildings on a site to form a noise shadow. Noise travels in a straight line, much like sunlight. While ambient light in the shade is still relatively bright, it is less severe than direct sunlight. Acoustic clustering may place windowless walls toward the source of the noise and use the building arrangement to direct or block the path of noise somewhat. This does not alleviate noise from directly above the site, but rather from one side, so it is most useful close to the airport. Disclosure. In the overlay zone surrounding the airport, full disclosure regarding the impact of the airport should be required of real estate and rental agent5. Oftentimes, home buyers will visit on weekends when there are fewer airport operations and may not be aware of actual noise levels. A notice may also be placed on the plat to this effect.

Airport Administration and Management
Just as municipalities have an array of noise reduction methods, the airport management also has a number of options that can be implemented to mitigate noise. Some methods require physical changes to the airport; some are simple regulations relating to the use of the airport, and some are adjustments in the operation of the aircraft. These techniques have varying degrees of effectiveness, and they are implemented with respect to the exact condition and direction of the noise. If the airport management is not the same entity as the municipality, as is the case with Quonset State Airport, then the airport is responsible for corrective noise mitigation, such as soundproofing of buildings, that was discussed under a previous section.
Physical changes to airport. The~e are typically construction projects that are capital intensive, but effective.
New runways. Runways can be built that are oriented in a different direction to avoid or eliminate flights directly over residential areas. This is dictated by the availability ofland and by the direction of prevailing winds.
New taxiways. Additional taxiways that reduce the distance an aircraft must travel on the ground can lead to a reduction in noise. This is less expensive than the previous strategy.
Building arrangement. Hangars and terminal buildings can be placed strategically or relocated to block or deflect sound, or new hangars can be built to bring former outdoor maintenance operations indoors.
Noise barriers. Earth berms or walls can be built on airport property to deflect noise; they must be long and continuous in order to be effective. Landscaping and the use of vegetation to muffle noise is generally not very effective because the planting has to be very dense and over a very large area. 55 Airport use regulations. These are a simple and very cost-effective means to control airport noise, but . they may also limit the capacity of the airport and may interfere with the services that are provided to the community.
Preferential runway and flight path. These are not capacity restricting regulations but may serve only to shift a noise problem to a different population. If that is the case, a rotational runway schedule can be arranged so as to spread out noise more equitably. Preferential runways and flight paths are used for similar reasons as the new runway option discussed above, but utilizes existing facilities. At coastal airports, flights over the water are generally perceived to be less intrusive by many people.
Ground restrictions. This applies to engine testing and run-ups and to the general movement of aircraft along taxiways and apron space. Noise management. This is a system developed by the airport that works in two ways: l) Noise-based landing fees make it more expensive for airlines to use louder planes and encourages the use of quieter planes. This may place some airlines at a disadvantage and impact service. 2) A total noise budget can be established on a point system, and airlines can buy points. Then , they can either have fewer flights with louder planes, or more flights with quieter planes. Either way, total noise will not be exceeded.
Aircraft operation. These types of procedures can be mandated at airports but must be approved by the FAA for reasons of safety. They are already standard regulations in many airports. The only cost incurred is excess fuel if a reduction in engine efficiency is the result of the procedure.
Engine thrust. Adjusting engine power settings during takeoff and minimizing use of reverse thrust during landing can achieve a reduction in noise.
Landing and takeoff profile. A steeper glide slope during landing or a steeper climb during takeoff can be accomplished safely and reduce the area of land exposed to low level flights which are noisier. The sooner an aircraft reaches a higher altitude, the more the noise will be dispersed.
An effective noise compatibility plan must be developed in consideration of all of the available methods and their costs and benefits. Airports can grow in harmony with a community if thought is given to land use planning and the future growth and necessity of the airport to the region beyond the borders of the town. Like other planning efforts, it is collaborative and requires participation from the public.

CHAPTER FOUR INVENTORY AND EXISTING CONDITIONS
In this chapter, the existing conditions of Quonset State Airport (QSA) and the Towns of North Kingstown and Jamestown are examined. The discussion on QSA includes the history of its development, its curren l role within the state airport system, a description of the airport facilities, selected annual indicators which show the level of activity at the airport, and existing noise abatement procedures. The two towns are discussed in terms of current land use, zoning, and housing and population. The current impact of noise on the community is also assessed. -The land is to be used as a public-use airport in safe and serviceable condition;

Quonset State Airport
-the land is not to be used or disposed of for non-airport uses unless FAA approves, and FAA may only approve if the use does not adversely affect the airport; -the state must protect the nm way approaches and prevent obstructions to airspace; -in a national emergency, the federal government must be allowed exclusive or non-exclusive use; -if the terms of the deed are not met, the airport will revert to the federal government within sixty days; -revenues generated and excess to the needs of Quonset State Airport may be used for other state airports; and -the clear zone off runway end 5 is to be used in a way compatible with that designation. 4 The emergency takeover restriction mentioned above does not apply to parcels used for nonaeronautical purposes.   Quonset serves all of the military aviation needs and some of the general aviation needs of the state.

Facilities at Quonset State Airport
As mentioned above, QSA has the capability to accommodate a much higher level of use than it is presently. The transport utility runways, control tower, and instrument landing system are facilities that the other general aviation airports do not possess.
Runways. Runways are designated by compass headings with the final zero dropped.   14 Passengers and cargo are also indicators of airport activity, but fluctuate more from year to year. They are more indicative of types of aircraft, but less indicative of noise. Annual data for passengers and cargo (military and civilian) are shown in Table 4.2.  Noise has been recognized by airport users as a community concern. A combination of noise abatement measures from various sources constitute the effort made the airport to maintain a friendly relationship with North Kingstown .
Civilian aircraft at Quonset are generally light propeller-driven planes which are not the major contributors to noise, but there are sporadic operations of business jets. It is a standard practice for pilots to utilize noise abatement measures recommended by the manufacturers and by the FAA, such as the landing and takeoff profile, the engine power settings, and minimum safe altitudes. Flight tracks can be adjusted somewhat to avoid noise sensitive areas . 16   Support Facility also limits operations to between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.

19
The Air National Guard has adopted similar procedures. They observe a 10:30 p.m.
curfew and high altitude approaches. They also have a preferential runway system to encourage tlight over Narragansett Bay rather than over North Kingstown; this includes a required turn over the water to avoid Jamestown. When flight over land is necessary, mixed traffic patterns are utilized to reduce noise exposure in a single concentrated area. Airplane engine run-ups are performed at a mid-field taxiway that directs noise away from residential neighborhoods. The unit conducts flight training and practice takeoffs and landings at another airport. 20 Noise abatement is a high priority among airport users and regulators. All available procedural and operational methods have already been implemented, and continued sensitivity to the noise issue is expected.

Towns of North Kincstown and Jamestown
Of the towns and cities around Narragansett Bay, North Kingstown and Jamestown are the most affected by noise generated at and around Quonset State Airport. They are The island community of Jamestown, with a population of 5800, is situated in Narragansett Bay with North Kingstown and Narragansett to its west, and Newport to its east.
The northern portion of Jamestown is included in the study area, which is the area north of Route 138 and the Jamestown Bridge. The town has four types ofland areas that are somewhat like North Kingstown's planning districts . Jamestown Shores (a dense residential area), Rural Residential, and Conservation areas are included in this study; the Village portion of Jamestown is not. The study area is discussed in terms ofland use, zoning, and population and housing for both towns.  In this map residential land is not differentiated by density of development.

21
The two towns use different categories of land use within their own comprehensive plans. Table 4.3 shows the classifications of land uses utilized in this study and the corresponding ones used by the towns. Also shown is the approximate percentage ofland area that each use occupies in each town.    I . There are 3 village residential zones: Village Residential, Village Residential Cluster, and Village Residential Compound. Cluster and compound zones require a 10 acre minimum lot.
2. The same cluster and compound zones exist for neighborhood residential.
3. The same cluster and compound zones exist for rural residential.
4. Pojac Point is in the northeast corner of North Kingstown. All lots must be al least 5 acres. Cluster and compound zones also exist in Pojac Point.

5.
All four business zones have corresponding limited use zones (e.g. Waterfront Business Limited Use) which a re included in the commercial category.

Population and Housing Units
Housing and population data are used to get a more accurate assessment of the number of impacted or at risk households in the study area. people, of the total population of both towns combined, which is 29 ,611 people.

Noise Contours and Fli~t Tracks
To complete the discussion on existing conditions, it is important to include the current interaction between the airport and its surrounding community. To accomplish this, the interaction is described in terms of the existing noise contour and the flight tracks of the aircraft over the communities. The airport obviously has an economic impact as well. [n the mid

CHAPTER FIVE FORECASTS
Predicting regional transportation needs is not easy, especially during this period of economic uncertainty and reduced government spending in the United States. There are national trends of defense spending and economic growth (or decline), and patterns of migration and population growth that dictate housing trends. Growth and change in North Kingstown and Jamestown, and at Quonset State Airport may or may not follow national trends and growth patterns.
Given that the national economy is now recovering from a fifty year old Cold War policy based on national defense spending, and a period of real estate speculation in the l980's, the economy of the future is likely to be more conservative. Government spending will be planned more carefully, and risks will be assessed more critically. The slow recovery from the recession will evolve into a period of slow, but steady growth while the nation and the northeast · continue to adapt to a post-industrial society.
In light of these conditions, this chapter attempts to predict future conditions in the study area. Forecasts for North Kingstown and Jamestown will assume slow, but steady growth in the foreseeable future. The redevelopment of Quonset Point as a whole will also be looked at, as that may have an impact on airport use. Future use of the airport itself will be estimated. Specifically, the number of operations will be forecasted along with the resulting noise contours.
people. The additional housing units that will be needed to support this projected growth   Jamestown is more ofa residential comm unity because its fragileecologicalenvironment can not support more intensive use. Industrial development is not permitted, and appropriate commercial development is encouraged only in designated downtown and waterfront commercial districts, none of which are included in the study area. Farming is an activity that is encouraged through the Farm and Forest Protection Program.

Capital Improvements
The  In addition to this 304 acre complex, more land may become available when facilities potential of this site will not be realized in the near future, but because of the transportation and utilities that exist,_it will eventually be developed when the economy can sustain new industry.
ft is beyond the scope of this study to determine the intensity, type, or timing of this growth, but the potential certainly exists, and whatever growth that occurs will serve to increase demand at Quonset State Airport in the form of corporate jets, air taxi service, and cargo shipping.

Quonset State Airport
fn forecasting the future growth of Quonset State Airport, it is important to look at three geographical areas: the immediate surroundings (i.e. Quonset Point/Davisville); the State airport system (T.F. Green in particular); and the Northeast Region (from New York to Boston). Quonset Point/Davisville was addressed in the previous section, but the State airport system is discussed in this section. The Northeast region is mentioned briefly because Rhode Island is part of this larger network. Other factors that affect the use of the airport are examined, such as the National Guard units, fixed-base operators, and any capital improvements planned for QSA.

Northeast Region
Airspace is at a premium in the entire Northeast from New York to Boston. All of the major airports exceed an average of seven minutes of delay per operation, including T.F.
Green. 2 Delay of a flight can be caused by two things: weather and congestion. While it is impossible to tell from these figures what percentage is attributable to weather, it is widely accepted that most major airports are over-crowded.

Rhode Island State Airport System Plan
The major airport in the State that would have any significant impact on the future of Quonset is T.F. Green. When the new passenger terminal is built, 4 the capacity for transporting passengers will be increased. Demand will most likely increase in a slow but steady pattern. The FAA forecast mentioned above includes 60,000 commercial operations for 1995:') The State's latest forecast for operations at T.F. Green show between 66,000 and 73,000 commercial operations in 1995, depending on the new tenninal. 6 Clearly, the State is slightly more optimistic than the FAA in its predictions of future growth.
Several years down the road, if Green is receiving increased traffic due to congestion at Bradley, general aviation and cargo operations may be shifted to other airports. General aviation will be diverted to North Central or to Quonset. Cargo will be shifted from Green, except that the reason is more likely to be noise abatement than overcrowding. T.F. Green already has a serious noise problem, and its landlocked location in a densely developed city makes airport expansion and noise abatement extremely expensive. Shifted cargo operations would not go to North Central, they would almost definitely go to Quonset because of the longer runway, instrument landing system, control tower, and available space for hangars.

National Guard Units
There are no indications that the Air National Guard and Army National Guard will decrease their presence at QSA. They are the major contributors to airport use and will continue to occupy three of the four original hangars; 7 also, the Air National Guard has built an additional hangar. The Air Guard has 8 based C-I 30 planes that may be replaced by newer models. The number of based aircraft in the past has fluctuated from 8 to 10, so 10 will be used as the worst case scenario forecast. There is every confidence that the unit will remain because as other American units are deactivated in Europe, the need for airlift units in the United States ·will increase. 8 The Army Aviation Support Facility is updating its fleet of helicopters: 3 OH-6 Hughes 500 will be replaced by 3 OH-58 Bell 206; 3 UH-1 Hughies will be replaced by 3 UH-60 Blackhawks. New S-model Cobras will replace the F-model Cobras. In addition, the unit is scheduled to receive 5 C-23 cargo planes. They are similar to the Air Guard's C-130 turbo-prop planes, but are a little smaller. In this scenario, there should be a net increase in based aircraft.
There is an outside chance that an assault battalion of 15 Blackhawk helicopters will replace the attack helicopter battalion, but as with many military projects, it is subject to change. 9 The worst case scenario as far as noise is concerned is if the attack helicopter battalion remains and adds 5 cargo planes to its fleet.

Fixed-Base Operators
It is not likely that scheduled passenger service will ever be established at Quonset State Airport. Consequently, the presence of fixed-base operators will have the most significant impact on the airport. Because there is a relatively minor noise impact at Quonset, and because the land surrounding the airport is water, open space, and industrial land, QSA is perceived to be an ideal location for future growth. The Airport Corporation as a division of RIPA will encourage the development of QSA as a cargo facility. An interview with the airport manager and a current fixed-base operator' 0 that sells fuel revealed that several other businesses have a sustained interest in locating at Quonset. The poor economy, lack oflocal tax incentives, and the State's desire to lease and not sell land is impeding growth at the airport. When these financial conditions change, the following FBO's may begin operations at QSA: 1) Federal Express has kept in contact with the airport for several years waiting for the proper incentives to relocate. If in fact they do, they will have 3 based aircraft (l DC-9 and 2 B-727's) and 6 operations per day (3 between 10 p.m. and 12 a.m. and 3 between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m.).
2) An air charter business consisting of one turbo-prop aircraft will have 6 to 8 operations per day.
3) Industrial development in Quonset Point/Davisville may include one or more corporate jets based at the airport with approximately 2 operations per day each. A Gulfstream II is an example of a corporate jet that is very loud and may fail to meet Stage II noise emission standards which are difficult to enforce. 4) Aerospace Industries is a firm currently based on Aquidneck lsland. The owner of this firm that designs large commuter airplanes is currently looking for a manufacturing site. This business would require a large hangar facility and would have an unknown number of daily test flights.
5) The Quonset State Airport Master plan predicted that a new flight school would open at QSA before 1995. Although this has not happened yet, it is only J 993, and it is not an unreasonable assumption . This type of business would typically have 2 light aircraft and gradually increase its fleet.
Although these possible future FBO's are contingent on several financial conditions being met, they are reasonable expectations of activity within the next 10 to 15 years at QSA.
There could easily be more activity, but these are the ones that can be foreseen at this point in time.

Airport Data
There are several commonly forecast indicators of airport activity: operations (broken down into several categories), passengers, cargo, and based aircraft. Based aircraft and operations were touched on in the immediately preceding section, and they will be elaborated on in this section. Passengers and cargo indicators do not directly bear on the amount of noise generated so they will not be forecast.   including jets, will have an impact on noise, but are impossible to forecast. The method used for plotting the noise contours has a wide margin of error that can absorb the operations that are not accounted for.

Noise Contours
The Noise Exposure Forecast method of plotting noise contours that was discussed in Chapter Three is now applied to Quonset State Airport. It requires only the number of day and night jet operations per day for computation. From the immediately preceding section, it is predicted that there will be 6 night operations and 42 day operations per day. The night operations are multiplied by 17 to account for the increased annoyance from aircraft noise at night. This is then added to daytime operations.
(6 night operations x 17) + 42 day operations = 144 Table 3.3 from Chapter Three is reproduced here as Table 5  A conservative method to map the NEF 20 contour is to plot it parallel and equidistant from the runway sides, and parallel to runway end lines to avoid exaggerating the affected area.
The future noise contour for Quonset State Airport is shown in Figure 5 In the north, this contour covers half of the Quidnessett planning district and also protrudes slightly beyond the study area map into East Greenwich.

Noise Contours
The noise contours generated by the NEF method as shown in Figure 5.3 are linear, show equal utilization of Runway 16 and Runway 34 for takeoffs and landings, and do not take local conditions into account. Also, the weighting factor for nighttime operations is somewhat severe. These issues are discussed and the contours are adjusted accordingly.

Nighttime Operation Weighting Factor
In the NEF method for estimating noise contours, daytime operations are counted once, but each nighttime operation is counted 17 tin1es. the literature does not explain how that figure was arrived at. Because this method was designed in the early 1970's, the impacts of Stage l aircraft were still apparent. Now, most aircraft have achieved Stage CII standards. this will result in a shortening of the noise contours.

Preferential Runway
According to the NEF method, noise contours are drawn symmetrically, meaning that each runway is utilized equally for takeoffs and landings. fn reality, Runway 16 is preferred for takeoffs, and Runway 34 is preferred for landings when wind and weather conditions permit.
This would cause the noise contour to cover a greater area over the southeast portion of the study area than over the northeast part. programs. This quirk in the flight pattern will cause the noise contour to bend into a slightly trapezoidal shape.
Beyond the end of Runway 34 is T.F. Green State Airport, approximately 8.5 miles away. There is a 5-mile ring around that airport called the Airport Radar Service Area (ARSA). Before an aircraft can enter the ARSA, contact must be made with the control tower at T.F. Green. This ring lies just outside of the study area to the north. When pilots takeoff on Runway 34, they tend to bear left or right to avoid entering the ARSA. Aircraft landing on Runway 16 will also try to maneuver around the ARSA, but may have more difficulty. This fanning out of flight tracks as they are shown in Figure 4.12 deforms the noise contour from a taper to a wider and shorter trapezoidal shape.

Adjusted Noise Contour
The overall shape of the noise contour is shorter on the northern end because of the · preferred use of other end. The northern end is shortened even more and flared out to reflect the fact that aircraft fly around the ARSA rather than fly straight into it. The NEF 20 contour falls just south of North Quidnessett Road , just east of Route I, and just southwest of the Mount View neighborhood.
The southern end of the contour is maintained at the same length to account for the preferred use of this end of the runway. It is a two point tapered shape to reflect the two actual approach flight tracks. One point is over the water, but the other point extends all the way across the island in a wedge shape. Adjusted contours are shown in Figure 6.1.

lmpact of Airport Noise on the Surroundinc Community
The noise that may be generated from Quonset State Airport is not an issue of widespread concern today, at least not to the same degree as T.F. Green's noise problem. Land Use, Existing Zoning, and Future Land Use, are now used in conjunction with the adjusted future noise contours to gain insight on the types of land that will be impacted by increased airport noise.

Future Noise Contours and Existing Land Use
The noise contours show very clearly in Figure 6.2 the areas of land that are expected to be impacted by noise in the future.   The vacant parcels ofland mentioned in the preceding section may be undeveloped, but are envisioned by the tows to serve some particular purpose or to support a certain use. These various uses should be considered in the assessment of future noise impact. To accomplish this connection between land use and noise, the noise contours are overlaid onto the Future Land Use Map in Figure 6.3 . This composite shows that currently undeveloped parcels in LUG Zone D , the most restrictive zone for future development, are intended to be used as industrial land, which is the most appropriate use.
Land in LUG Zone C is significantly exposed to noise. Future land use indicates low density residential and open space in Jamestown for that small wedge of land. In North Kingstown, industrial land, open space, and airport land uses will be compatible; however, there are also .significant parcels of land intended for low, moderate, and high density residential that will not be compatible. Clearly, this must be rectified.
LUG Zone B has the same uses intended for it as Zone C. There is more land, but there will be less of a noise impact and fewer restrictions on development.   facilitate the implementation of a plan. Available resources are often the major obstacle to the satisfactory resolution of conflict. It seems that there is never enough money to complete every worthwhile project. Lack of power or jurisdiction and lack of political clout can also inhibit progress or desired results. Economic development is often at odds with or detrimental to other community goals, such as a quiet, rural setting. Equity is another issue; the whole community benefits from the presence of the airport, but a few have to suffer the consequences.

Financial Resources
Noise mitigation is a costly undertaking, and airports expend millions of dollars on land ·acquisition and soundproofing of existing buildings. It is impossible to tell from the data available on land acquisition, how much is raw land purchased as a preventive measure and how much is occupied land paid along with relocation costs. It is much cheaper to buy vacant land or to otherwise ensure that development is compatible with airport uses than it is to buy developed land or soundproof existing buildings.
A simple solution to prevent incompatible development in the future is to place a moratorium on all housing and noise sensitive uses in moderately impacted locations. The town, however, needs that impacted land on the property tax rolls to sustain its own services and programs. If certain low-cost and no-cost preventive measures in the form of land use controls are taken now, the Town and State can save money later, and market the airport and industrial sites as "low noise impact" to help attract shipping companies and jobs.
In the case of Quonset State Airport, the Town of North Kingstown is not liable for financing noise mitigation; the Airport Corporation as proprietor and as a creature of the State, i<; responsible. The State has greater financial resources than the Town , but has six airports to sustain. There is little money left after maintenance and operations expenses to conduct planning studies for noise abatement at airport<; whose noise contours do not go beyond airport boundaries.

Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction over land use control is complicated by the myriad of land owners in the produce one of three alternative outcomes: l) More money will be spent at Quonset to upgrade facilities and hangars and establish a cargo hub, 2) Less money will be spent at Quonset, and instead it will be funneled to T.F. Green to ensure success of the new passenger terminal, or 3) spending proportions will remain the same. It is not the purpose of this study to speculate on political motivation, only to note that it is a critical concern in the future of the airport.

Community Goals
Community goals often reflect the desire to maintain or improve a certain quality oflife (e.g. agricultural community) or to maintain unique characteristics or resources within the towns (e.g. historic features). The community that desires a large airport with heavy traffic and loud planes is the exception to the rule. Airports provide jobs and attract other businesses like hotels and car rental companies that also provide jobs. In most cases it is an economic asset to the community. The minority of people who travel very frequently are airport users who reap some benefit from residing somewhat near to an airport. These advantages, however, are in conflict with normal, quiet residential neighborhoods and other noise sensitive uses, like schools, libraries, and hospitals. Nobody likes to live so close to an airport that the house rattles and the 6:30 a.m. flight is a daily alarm clock. Quonset State Airport has a disadvantage in that it is not a passenger airport, and the vast majority of local residents have no reason to go to the airport. The airport is a necessary evil that brings out the NIMBY in people (not in my backyard). [tis difficult, but not impossible, for an airport to be both an economic asset and a good neighbor. Airport ?wners and planners must work with members of the community to achieve a balance of existence.

Equity
Assuming that QSA becomes a unique and irreplaceable economic asset to Rhode Island, it stands to reason that all people in the State will benefit from its presence. Some people, however, live in noise impacted areas and also suffer the side effects of the airport. lt is not fair, much like the residents who live near T.F. Green or the Johnston landftll suffer consequences from activities that benefit the remainder of the entire state. Should these people be compensated for their reduced quality oflife? And if so, who should pay for it? How much restitution should be paid for their annoyance? These are difficult questions that have no ready answers.
The purpose of this study is to avoid situations like this by anticipating a problem and making the necessary adjustments to land use ahead of time. Even if this is accomplished, there are pre-existing residential areas that will be subject to moderate to significant noise exposure.
In this case, the State, as proprietor of the airport, is solely responsible for compensatory remedies. How much will be determined by the severity of the noise and the market for noise easements.

Legal Implications
Case history has shown, as discussed in Chapter Two, that the airport proprietor is financially responsible for mitigation of noise because they supposedly chose the site for the airport. Courts have found that airlines and the federal government are not accountable. In the case of Quonset State Airport, the federal government chose that site for a Naval Base. The State assumed control of an existing facility several decades later. The question oflegal liability probably would not be answered until a case is decided court.

Evaluation Criteria for Noise Abatement Methods
The methods available for noise abatement that were presented in Chapter Three will be applied to the study area. Actual recommendations will follow in Chapter Seven in two phases: short term (should be considered within the next two years); and long term (should be used when actual noise levels are high enough to justify the cost). There are different criteria that will be used to assess the value of each method: cost, effectiveness (will noise be reduced significantly), ease of implementation (or administration or construction), and timeliness (will the method provide immediate or future relief). Timeliness. Some methods of land use planning are intended to provide long term benefits, while others, such as airport operating procedures, have immediate benefits. The first phase of recommendations (consid. ered in the short term) concentrates on long term benefits.
When noise levels become more severe in the future, that is the appropriate time to implement immediate impact noise abatement measures.

CHAPTER SEVEN RECOMMENDATIONS
The findings of this study have led up to a list of recommendations that are necessary to ensure that future development of the Towns of North Kingstown and Jamestown is compatible with the projected intensified use of Quonset State Airport. Land use planning is the vehicle used to achieve harmonious growth. Recommendations are presented in two phases: Phase I recommendations consist of preventive land use planning strategies implemented primarily by the towns, and Phase lI consists of corrective and compensatory mitigation strategies that apply to pre-existing uses and structures implemented by the State of Rhode Island.

Phase I Recommendations -Land Use Controls
The key to an effective land use plan is an accurate assessment of future conditions and early implementation of land use controls in anticipation thereof. Phase I recommendations are preventive and are designed to be helpful if they become effective within the next year or two. They do not involve the expenditures associated with corrective or compensatory noise mitigation strategies. The whole point of this study is that the Towns of North Kingstown and Jamestown have this opportunity to anticipate increased airport use and plan accordingly.
Recommendations are discussed in order of general strategies affecting large land areas to specific ones affecting smaller areas.
Full Disclosure Rhode Island State real estate law currently requires real estate agents to disclose to potential buyers any defects or flaws associated with property or impacting property values.
However, it is reasonable to assume that agents today do not consider Quonset State Airport to be a threat to a quiet suburban or small town lifestyle. The Towns of North Kingstown and Jamestown should adopt an ordinance affecting all homes for sale in both towns to require real estate agents to disclose the existence of the airport and the possibility of future growth and noise disturbances. Oftentimes buyers will visit on weekends when there are fewer airport operations and may not be aware of actual noise levels.

Plat Map Notices
Certain areas of North Kingstown and Jamestown should have notices placed on the Town's plat map that an airport exists in the area, and that homes located within the plat are subject to periodic noise disturbances even though they may be outside of the noise contour lines. In Jamestown, the entire northern half of the island, should be included because aircraft flight tracks cross the area and it is in close proximity to the NEF 20 contour. The  The Wick ford Village area is not included because flight tracks in Figure 4.12 indicate that only one route for small aircraft is utilized there. The Coastal Villages district south of the harbor is not included either because of the increased distance from the airport and because the noise contours are not proximal.

Airport Overlay District
State Airport Zoning Laws (Title I, Chapter 3 of Rhode Island General Laws) address airport hazards which are defined as: " ... any overhead power line which interferes with radio communication between airport and aircraft approaching or leaving same, or any structure or tree or use of land which obstructs the airspace required for the flight of aircraft ... " (R.I.G.L. 1-3-2).
Clearly this refers to structures and trees in approach zones as hazards to the aircraft and not to aircraft noise as a hazard to the community. Specifically, the State grants authority to towns to divide airport hazard areas into smaller zones and to specify uses that are permitted and maximum height of objects (R.I.G.L. 1-3-5). An amendment to this section is necessary to add airport noise exposure zones to airport hazard areas as land over which the town has authority  "a district established in a zoning ordinance that is superimposed on one or more districts or parts of districts and that imposes specified requirements in addition to, but not less than, those otherwise applicable for the underlying zone." (R. I  2 Jamestown, it is convenient and appropriate to include that small portion in Zone B.
The alternative to changing the zone is to adopt a stricter building code to achieve a greater sound reduction indoors. Typical additions to a building code include the following: thicker walls and insulation, double or triple pane windows, sound absorbing material in ventilating and air conditioning systems, caulking, and carpeting in bedrooms. The homeowner can even benefit from these requirements through lower heating costs. The code might also require air conditioning to minimize the need to open windows and prohibit fireplaces and through-door mailboxes. Soundproofing a home as it is built costs between four and ten percent of the total cost of the house. Soundproofing an existing home costs between 10 and 25 percent of the value of the house. 1 An additional requirement that the State should consider is a waiver signed by new land and home buyers that they are aware of the implications of residing near an airport. In addition, a restriction can be placed on the plat that noise easements must be granted to the State as a condition of purchasing the land or home.
Zone C. LUG Zone C is not suitable for residential development with the exception of high-rise apartment buildings. A zoning change is recommended for all residential zones in AOD Zone C, all of which are in North Kingstown. Current land use indicates that there are some undeveloped parcels ofland that would be impacted by a zone change. A slight jog in the zone boundary is found in North Kingstown to include a portion of the Newcombe Road neighborhood within the zone. As mentioned above, the small portion of Zone C in Jamestown should be treated as Zone B because it is so small. This area is suitable and desirable for office parks and corporate compounds if the infrastructure can support that, or agricultural and recreational if infrastructure is inadequate. It is also suitable for light industrial, but there is an over-abundance of industrial land already, and an office park type of development is more sympathetic to surrounding residential areas. All new structures should be designed to achieve a high reduction of interior noise.
Zone D. Fortunately, all of the land in this zone is industrial or open space. However, even in undeveloped industrial sites, there should be a building code in place that applies to office space and areas where the public is received to achieve a certain level of noise reduction indoors, depending on the nature of the activity. The land in this zone is either owned by the state or federal governments, so noise easements are not an issue.

Phase II Recommendations -Mitieation Strategies
Even if land use controls are implemented immediately, there will be existing homes and other non-compatible uses that will become subject to moderate to significant noise exposure in the future. There are three options available to address this potential problem, one of which is to do nothing. The other two options, compensatory and corrective both require large expenditures of funds. Compensatory methods do not correct the problem, i.e. reduce noise, but rather the airport owner pays the individual landowners in the community for the right to make noise. Corrective methods rectify the problem to a degree by reducing interior noise levels. The federal government contributes 90 percent of funds for noise abatement, so the State has to produce only 10 percent of project funds. These noise mitigation techniques 143 are conceived with respect to the Airport Overlay District Zones. The appropriate time to implement any of these techniques is after noise exposure has achieved the predicted levels.
Zone B. Jamestown and North Kingstown both have a significant amount of residential land in Zone B, which is not considered to be compatible with noise exposure between NEF 20 and NEF 30 (55 -65 Ldn). Because it would be cost prohibitive from the standpoint of both state and federal funding agencies, land and building purchase is beyond their means.
Soundproofing, at 10 to 25 percent of building cost is also very expensive. The most cost effective way to mitigate noise in Zone B is through the condemnation and purchase of noise easements from all landowners where noise-sensitive activities are located.
Zone C. Because noise exposure is significant in this Zone, compensatory noise mitigation may not be adequate. The recommended action is for the State to soundproof all existing structures that contain noise-sensitive or incompatible uses. When neighborhoods are bisected by contour lines, it is desirable and equitable to maintain the neighborhood as a whole.
For example, the Newcombe Road neighborhood in North Kingstown that falls into two zones should be treated as a single entity. Otherwise it is entirely possible for one home to be soundproofed while the home next door is not. As mentioned above, new development should be compatible with airport use. In the case of vacant or undeveloped land, the Town should purchase or transfer the development rights to another portion of the Town.
Zone D. Land in this severely impacted Zone is all owned by either local, state, or federal governments. Land uses there are compatible with the airport, however, it is possible that noise could become so annoying to people working in the buildings that some portions of 144 these buildings should be soundproofed as well. Table 7.1 is a summary matrix of recommendations with respect to time and geographic area.

Recommendations for Quonset State Air.port
The airport has already updated its standard operating procedures to include all practical ways of airport, aircraft, and airspace use that reduce noise. The military in particular has stringent and even self-imposed standards that are tailored to the characteristics of their specific aircraft. There are two areas in which this program could be improved in the future if compliance deteriorates. Increased knowledge and awareness among military and civilian pilots, and operators of transient aircraft is necessary because there is no enforcement mechanism. Ground operations, such as engine run-ups and maintenance, may become problematic depending on the types of new fixed base operators.

Education Programs
Military pilots attend annual seminars on aircraft safety that are also open to civilian pilots. A seminar similar to this or as a part of the safety seminar would educate all pilots about the importance of noise abatement. It is envisioned to be co-sponsored by either the FAA or the National Guard and the Rhode Island Airport Corporation. A periodic reminder or refresher course and update of regulations or policies may be the best way to gain cooperation from pilots.
A concise brochure or memorandum should be printed outlining the most important noise abatement strategies and distributed to transient pilots who make frequent flights to Quonset State Airport. A significant portion of transient military flights are transporting passengers destined for the Naval War College in Newport. 2 It would make sense to distribute brochures to the War College for them to forward to visiting pilots.

Ground Operations
In addition to an increased number of flights causing overhead noise, there may be an increase in engine maintenance run-ups at the airport. The noise from an aircraft on the ground is quietest directly behind it, so aircraft should be facing Jamestown during engine testing. This would alleviate noise to the closest residential areas in North Kingstown. Performing maintenance indoors, either in hangars or "hush houses," is also a good solution.

Conclusion and Issues for Further Study
The noise compatibility program outlined here requires the early participation and initiative of the Towns of North Kingstown and Jamestown. These preliminary steps cost very little and will eventually save a lot of money. As someone once said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The Federal Aviation Administration has funds available for noise compatibility through the Airport Improvement Program.
Further study should include a cost-benefit analysis of the land use planning program implemented now as opposed to later or not at all. Noise contours should be verified through the FAA' s Integrated Noise Modelcomputer program and field checked with sound-measuring equipment. The Town of East Greenwich presents a challenging study because it is (or will be) exposed to noise from T .F. Green and Quonset. The projected increases in operations at Bradley International Airport should be of great concern not only to the future of Quonset, but also to T.F. Green.