Aircraft Noise: Fugitive Factor in Land Use Planning

Aircraft noise, a concomitant of expanded operations at major airports, has overspread large portions of metropolitan areas. Influence of aircraft noise may amount to environmental blight because of interference with sleep, recreation, education, and other activities in neighborhoods once thought to be beyond the zone of airport influence. Relief from severe noise exposure is obtainable through both remedial and preventive land use planning followed by appropriate community action. Remedial planning involves programming redevelopment of occupied land to eliminate noise-sensitive uses in exposure zones. Preventive planning applies available methods for predicting the extent of future high-noise zones and prescribes appropriate development restrictions. A combination of preventive and remedial planning is needed to deal with noise-exposure problems in the environs of many major airports; both approaches need improved public understanding and support to relieve worsening conditions.