By Mark Carlisle
Twitter: @mwcarlisle

The Glendale Aviation Advisory Commission is telling City Council to keep homes away from the Glendale Municipal Airport.

Last week, the commission unanimously approved sending a letter to Council in opposition of a planned apartment complex less than a mile from the airport. The apartment complex is planned to be combined with offices, retail and commercial businesses as part of the Desert River 2 development, planned for north of the northwest corner of 99th and Glendale avenues, near St. Joseph’s Westgate Medical Center and the new Credit Union West location. The apartment complex is planned to be three to five stories and up to 50 units per acre.

“My personal belief is that this is a really bad location for multi-family. We will get plenty of complaints as a result,” said Airport Manager Carl Newman.

Carl Newman

The commission invariably taken the stance of opposing homes near the airport, mainly because of noise complaints it would bring against the airport, potentially jeopardizing the airport’s future or ability to operate.

“Our trepidations for this kind of development is well-known,” said Commissioner Terry S. Aramian.

Prior to discussing the Desert River 2 apartments, the commission had just discussed opposition to a housing development in Phoenix, just southeast of the airport. One commissioner lamented that they have to have the same fights with their own city’s government, saying that Glendale city officials should know the importance of keeping residences away from the airport.

Mr. Newman said the planned site for the apartments is directly below where planes will make a turn before landing at one runway and make a turn after taking off from another runway.

Commission Chairman Larry Rovey said the commission does not have a blanket opposition to residences near the airport, saying that each residential development based on location and scope.

“Some of them may be on the borderline of the acceptable, but this one, with the height and the density, I think it just screams ‘bad idea,’” Mr. Rovey said.

Mark Carlisle
Associate Editor | Daily Independent
@mwcarlisle

mcarlisle@iniusa.org

Mark is passionate about accurately informing his readers to what is happening in their community. He also loves reading and writing about sports. Mark has worked for Independent Newsmedia for three years. He is marrying his high school sweetheart in November, and recently adopted a boxer mix.