By Mark Carlisle | YourValley
The Phoenix Aviation Department is opposing proposed apartments near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport despite the city’s Planning Department and a planning committee supporting the development.
The development would put a 515-unit, four-story, 48-foot-tall apartment complex developed by Banyan Residential on 17.8 acres at the southwest corner of 48th and Washington streets.
Airport staff is concerned about adding residential development in areas where noise from passing planes is prominent. The property is immediately north of the 65-decibel Day-Night Average Sound Level, or DNL line, which in this area runs near the train tracks to the south of the Banyan property.
The Federal Aviation Administration designates anything within that 65 DNL line as incompatible for residential uses. This property is immediately outside that line, but city aviation staff still opposes it.
“Because of its proximity to the 65 DNL noise contour, the city of Phoenix Aviation Department opposed the rezoning of this property to residential,” said Julie Rodriguez, Phoenix’s deputy aviation director for public relations, in an emailed statement to the Daily Independent.
