I don’t believe many people realize that the city is proposing to allow helicopter facilities in the commercial lands along Kachemak Drive, in the Marine Industrial land out on the Spit, and in the Bridge Creek Watershed Protection District.
This would have a major impact on Homer: increased noise over the town, especially bad in those neighborhoods and nearby areas; decreased property values surrounding each facility; increased danger to small planes in the vicinity (away from the airport, there would be no flight control and helicopter takeoffs and landings therefore become more dangerous to other planes); decreased desire of tourists to visit Homer as it would eventually become a very noisy place to visit, especially out on the Spit; and there is also the disturbance of migratory birds and wildlife in our area.
Why is it fair for one business to benefit at the expense of land owners and other businesses in the area? Property values in the area would be decreased just by the possibility that a helicopter facility could be built at any time in those areas.
Helicopter traffic should be confined to the hospital, due to necessity, and to the airport because there is adequate safety and communication equipment and trained personnel there in case of an accident. Traffic control officials would be on duty and the noise would not affect all the other areas in town.
This issue has come up very fast with barely enough time to respond or even verify the details with any certainty. Comments were due on Sept. 11 and public testimony was on Sept. 17 at the Planning Commission meeting.
Lani Raymond