Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Survey of Jet Noise Impact
See Also CCAJN Point Paper

On February 27, 2004, the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce announced the results of a Public Research Study which it commissioned to help understand the attitudes of Virginia Beach residents regarding Oceana aircraft operations. Not surprisingly, little has been heard of the survey since that time. Discussion of its conclusions at City Council meetings has been virtually non-existent. Why, one wonders? The answer is quite obvious. Contrary to what CCAJN believes to be the Chamber's original intent — to marginalize and obstruct Navy efforts to curtail encroachment on Oceana — the survey validates the long-ignored fact that a very significant number of Virginia Beach residents view Oceana-generated aircraft noise as an existing and growing problem. Indeed, the Chamber confirmed CCAJN's long-standing position in many regards; likely embarrassing the majority on City Council who had long held views to the contrary. In the six years of CCAJN's existence, this is the first time the Chamber merits a "thank-you." The Navy itself has been unusually candid over the past year regarding the impacts of single noise events ranging from 110 to over 117 dB (well in excess of a rock concert) from Oceana-based aircraft that would fly over residential developments. To this end, the Navy has responsibly recommended the City participate in a Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) to identify the best uses of impacted land consistent with the mission requirements of the Navy -- and to defer action on proposed new residential development until this study is completed. In ballyhooing its own survey, headlined "Jet Noise Doesn't Bother Most Beach Residents" in the Pilot, the Chamber disingenuously ignored the fact that its city-wide survey revealed upward of 140,000 respondents answering that Oceana-generated noise is "somewhat loud" to "very loud". Additionally, it is more than a little self-serving for the Chamber to assert that 66% of those surveyed found the noise to be 'not very loud' or 'not loud at all' when approximately two-thirds of those polled in this "random" telephone survey of Virginia Beach residents likely live outside the high noise zones surrounding Oceana, according to Navy and census data. The Chamber survey also validates CCAJN's findings two years ago that over 41% of Virginia Beach homeowners were inadequately advised regarding the location of their potential new homes in relation to the high noise and accident potential zones surrounding NAS Oceana. The Chamber survey cites 44% of residents as their "non-disclosure" figure. While it is not unreasonable for the Chamber to desire a city-wide resident attitude profile regarding jet aircraft operations, metrics revealing the attitudes of the residents who actually live or work within the high noise and accident potential zones are far more important. The Chamber's report also notes: "just" 31% rated the Navy's management of the noise issue as "not so good" or "poor." Well, 31% represents over 132,000 residents! This marginalization clearly attempts to place blame on the Navy; when, in actuality, it has been the City (with Chamber support) that has allowed encroachment around Oceana, in most of 130 past instances where the Navy indeed "strongly discouraged" development. Nevertheless, it is possible that some good may come out of the Chamber's effort. The results may prompt the City to undertake a more comprehensive and statistically valid study of resident attitudes toward noise as part of the JLUS process. We look forward to such a project. And we also look forward to a future Study that samples resident's attitudes once the Super Hornets aircraft arrive at Oceana.