RS2026-2324

The following discussion topic has been requested by CM Cortese, regarding Resolution No. RS2026-2324 and flight paths from BNA.

From CM Cortese:

Colleagues,

I hope you're all well.  I wanted to provide a little context on RS2026-2324 and what I’m hoping to accomplish with it.

First, this is not an attack on the Airport Authority. The FAA controls flight paths, and I’ve been clear with residents about the limits of what Metro or MNAA can do. The purpose of this resolution is to add our voice to the work already being done and make sure the FAA understands how these changes are affecting people on the ground.

Some neighbors in my area report going from flights in the single digits each day to more than 150. Residents have also reported noise readings exceeding 90 dB. I’ve personally stood in neighbors’ driveways where we’ve had to stop a conversation entirely until a plane passed.

I also want to be clear that this is not about moving the problem from one neighborhood to another. Safety has to come first, but where mitigation efforts are available, we should be looking for ways to reduce the impact on all of our communities rather than simply shifting that impact somewhere else. I think there is real value in us standing together as a Council on that principle. It sends the message that we don’t want one set of communities disproportionately affected when reasonable mitigation options may be available. That could include measures such as higher departure altitudes over residential areas where safely and operationally feasible, along with a more equitable distribution of unavoidable impacts. I’m happy to add language to the resolution that is very explicit about that.

Even if this resolution produces no immediate response from the FAA, I believe there is value in putting these impacts on the record. Nashville will continue to grow, air traffic will increase, and flight patterns will continue to evolve. Making sure the FAA understands the extent of what residents in the impacted areas are experiencing today gives them important information to consider when flight plans are reviewed or changed in the future.

I’m happy to defer the resolution and work with colleagues on language that makes these goals even more clear. Ultimately, I want Metro to be a partner in this process and help ensure that MNAA and the FAA have reliable, on-the-ground information about how flight patterns are affecting our communities. As Nashville continues to grow and future plans are considered, I believe that perspective can help inform decisions that protect safety while reducing impacts on our neighborhoods wherever possible.

Mike