The Airpark is surrounded by densely settled residential communities most of which are listed below:
*Note: population estimates are based on 3.5 individuals per housing unit.
The Airpark was constructed in 1959. The zoning for Montgomery Village East was approved in a series of zoning map amendment approved between 1979 and 1987 (G-124, G-240, G-467, and G-468). The last zoning actions were in 1987 for the area further east and closest to Route 124 (G-467 and G-468). The Council granted the requests of a successful developer (Kettler Brothers) and found these actions to be in the public interest. The Council’s consideration of Airpark issues was included in the 1983 development plan amendment opinion (Resolution 10-99). That amendment shifted density from other parts of Montgomery Village to parts of the East Village. The East Village area was found to be outside of the 65 Ldn noise standards as plotted by M-NCPPC using Maryland Aviation Administration data. Only a small portion of East Village was within the 60 Ldn contour lines. The Day-night Average Sound Level (Ldn) is the level of noise expressed (in decibels) as a 24-hour average. Nighttime noise, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. is weighted. An annual average of DNLs is used by the Federal Aviation Administration to describe airport noise exposure. Areas with noise impacts less than 65 dB DNL are considered “compatible” with residential use; areas at or above 65 dB DNL are designated “incompatible” with residential use. DNL is the Day-Night average sound Level expressed (in decibels) as a 24-hour average.
The Environmental Planning Division testified that: “with increasing density will come an increase in complaints and annoyance based on the noise of over flights, but this factor is not sufficient by itself to generate a negative response to the proposal (to increase density). Federal and State standards require that areas within the 65 decibel line may not be compatible but that areas outside of the decibel line such as 111-k (the area getting increased density), are compatible with airports.”
The Real Property Chapter of the Montgomery County Code has included the following provision since 1974 which requires potential property owners be given notice of the Airpark proximity:
Sec. 40-11. Disclosure of location of airport or heliport within five-mile radius of property.
It shall be the duty of the property owner’s agent when selling either unimproved or improved real property located in the County, whether or not in a subdivision, or in the event an agent is not employed, it shall be the duty of the property owner, to disclose to the prospective purchaser, or if more than one purchaser, to at least one of the purchasers, prior to the entering into of a contract for sale of such property, the relative location of any airport or heliport, as defined in the County zoning ordinance, existing within a five-mile radius of the property.
Recently the FAA has issued a fleet wide Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for a 100 octane unleaded fuel. Since the FAA has certified this new unleaded fuel we hope to have them at the Airpark as soon as they are readily available, however they are still in the process of getting production and delivery worked out. You can find out more information here. According to the Maryland Department of Environment in 2017 airborne lead concentrations were at “levels consistently below the analytical method’s detection limit.” The entire response from MDE can be read here. In 2008 the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for lead was changed from 1.5 ug/m3 to .15 ug/m3, this new standard is .00000015 grams per cubic meter of air. Only two airports in the country were over this threshold, neither of which is in Maryland. As part of the president’s Sustainable Fuels in Aviation initiative, there is an investment in green fuels and this includes unleaded 100 octane fuel for piston aircraft.