In the continuous effort to combat noise pollution brought on by an influx of aircraft coming in and out of nearby Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, Floral Park, through U.S. Senator Charles Schumer's efforts, will obtain a noise monitor, enabling the village to document concrete evidence to back up ongoing residential complaints.

"This is great news for the Village of Floral Park because now we really have concrete data to back up our complaints," Gerry Bambrick, village trustee and liaison to the village's noise abatement committee, said. "We are currently looking for an appropriate place for the monitor."

One resident, who attended the village board meeting Tuesday night and has lived in Floral Park for more than 30 years, suggested putting the monitor at the corner of Raff Avenue and Floral Parkway.

Earlier this year, Floral Park Mayor Ann Corbett formed a noise abatement committee, headed by Village Noise Abatement Officer Stuart Rebish. Although the village has always had a noise abatement officer, Corbett thought a committee would only improve efforts to alleviate the noise problem. The Hillcrest, south side and west end sections of the village get hit the worst, she said, because of the major influx.

"Walnut Avenue on the west end has seen an increase in helicopters flying overhead. In the past these helicopters usually followed the flight path of the Long Island Rail Road," she said. "The south side has seen an increased number of flights."

Bambrick noted Rebish has been in touch with Schumer's office and is currently working out the details of where the monitor will be placed and when the village will obtain it. "Schumer's office indicated they would check out various locations in the village so the monitor wouldn't be close to things like truck traffic so we can get a clear reading of what is plane traffic," Bambrick said. "I believe Schumer's office is getting the monitor from the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration]."

Floral Park seems to be "getting more [air traffic] than its share" and residents want to know why, Bambrick said. The July 26 meeting with the FAA was the first of its kind in Floral Park, Corbett said, a chance to address residential complaints from not only Floral Park, but neighboring villages as well, including Bellerose, New Hyde Park and South Floral Park. Representatives from Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy's and Schumer's offices also attended the meeting, along with Bellerose Mayor Tom VanBuskirk, New Hyde Park Mayors Daniel Petruccio and Kurt Langjahr and South Floral Park Deputy Mayor Angel Soto.

At the meeting, Corbett told FAA representatives that village officials feel the good faith agreement known as the TRACON (traffic control) Agreement of September 2000 has been violated. Planes are flying over after 11 p.m. and before 7 a.m.; flying over frequently and at low altitudes; and instrument landing patterns are being used when there is no cloud cover, she said. Furthermore, residents have complained about large, noisy cargo planes flying over during the night, the increased overflights at LaGuardia, planes flying over for more than eight hours on consecutive days; and an increase in commuter and commercial helicopters flying over as early as 5 a.m.

Corbett said it was apparent the village's viewpoint regarding the changes in overflight patterns since March of this year were not shared by FAA representatives. Mike Sammartino, FAA spokesperson, said he'd cooperate with the village in making records documenting the FAA position available for village and committee officials.

"Perhaps I am an optimist but I believe the meeting was successful and an important first step," Corbett said. "Our noise abatement committee will meet regularly to continue to address the issues. Currently, the committee is seeking more information about disturbing helicopter flights. It appears the helicopters are flying from MacArthur Airport to South Street Seaport."

Floral Park became a member of a larger, island-wide group dubbed the "Town and Village Aircraft Safety and Noise Abatement Committee" (TVASNAC) on July 27, Corbett said. Villages like Atlantic Beach, New Hyde Park and Lawrence are currently members, paying $1,800 a year in fees. "Although the group is made up of South Shore communities, it will give us access to important information and an opportunity for dialogue with other villages who have dealt with the FAA for years," Corbett said.

Village officials first requested a noise monitor back in February, Bambrick said. His observation is that the problem comes and goes and the village has yet to find a definite pattern of heavy traffic. "We haven't figured out our pattern yet in terms of when we're supposed to be getting hit with traffic. It used to be bad weather days we'd get hit with a lot of traffic while on good weather days it wasn't that bad. Now on good weather days we're still getting it," he said.

The mayor urges residents to continue to call the village's hotline at 326-6300 to report overflights after 11 p.m. and before 7 a.m. Callers should note the time and provide their address. The village set a date for a meeting with TRACON officials sometime in October. The village's noise abatement committee is expected to meet within the next couple of weeks in preparation for that meeting.

Corbett thanks the many residents who responded and sent letters to elected officials who have some jurisdiction in this matter. "Your actions helped us to secure the meeting of July 26," she said.