T.F. Green Airport Improvement Program - FEIS Chapters - PVD

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) EvaluationFurthermore, there is no indication that the No-Action Alternative or Alternatives B2 and B4 wouldindependently induce a significant amount of new development; therefore, no indirect impacts on land usefrom induced development are anticipated. The presence of the Airport has resulted in airport-related activitieslocated in the City of Warwick. According to the City’s Comprehensive Plan, future development plans includeindustrial, commercial, and retail uses along Jefferson Boulevard and mixed use development as part of theWarwick Station Redevelopment District (WSRD)—not along existing Airport Road or Main Avenue, where theareas of potential future acquisition would be. Therefore, in the future, it can be expected that establishedcommercial strips, such as Post Road and Jefferson Boulevard, will continue to experience changes in land usesthat could serve both passenger and cargo activity under the No-Action Alternative and Alternatives B2 and B4.5.4.4.2 No-Action AlternativeThis section summarizes the compatible land use impacts under the No-Action Alternative, which include landacquisition of residential land due to the continuation of RIAC’s Part 150 NCP, including the Completed andCurrent Part 150 VLAPs. Specifically, those residences located in areas exposed to noise levels of DNL 70 dBand above would be eligible for voluntary participation in an acquisition program. Direct land use impacts dueto the No-Action Alternative also include those non-compatible noise-sensitive land uses (residential) exposedto noise levels of DNL 65 dB and above.Land AcquisitionIn 2009, all seven phases of the Completed Part 150 VLAP were complete. The Completed Part 150 VLAPconsisted of 285 residential parcels consisting of 280 housing units located in seven noise-impacted areas inclose proximity to the Airport, of which RIAC has secured 270 accepted offers. While not all eligible propertyowners elected to participate in the Completed Part 150 VLAP they could voluntarily participate at any time,contingent upon funding availability. In early 2010, RIAC continued the Part 150 NCP based on an updatedNEM (accepted by the FAA), which was derived from the Level 6 2020 No-Action Alternative DNL 70 dB noisecontour with additional neighborhood rounding, as documented in the DEIS. The Current Part 150 VLAPincludes 115 residential parcels (consisting of 135 residential units) eligible for voluntary participation in anacquisition program due to non-project-related noise (shown on Figure 5-8 and presented below in Table 5-36).While the impacts are predicted to occur in 2020 for the No-Action Alternative, for the purposes of this FEIS, itis assumed that those homes would be acquired by 2015. As of January 2011, three phases of the Current Part150 VLAP have been initiated and 70 residential properties (out of 115) have opted to participate.To compare to the noise and socioeconomic impact assessments, Table 5-36 also presents the total residentialland (in parcels and acres) and housing units assumed to be acquired under a Future No-Action VLAP due topredicted increases in noise in 2025 based on the projected 2025 No-Action Alternative DNL 70 dB and abovenoise level (based on the FEIS noise contours). The 2025 noise contours are based on projected natural growth ofthe Airport without the Improvement Program. Actual future land acquisitions for noise mitigation would beidentified by a future FAA-accepted 2025 NEM.Chapter 5 - Environmental Consequences 5-52 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH05_Environmental_Cons_JUL_2011.doc