By Jennifer Edwards
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MOUNT WASHINGTON - Dozens of people who live near Lunken Airport complained Thursday night about noise from planes and urged the city to prohibit commercial scheduled airline service if the airport expands.

They were among about 150 people who packed a hall Thursday night to discuss Lunken Airport's future.

After brief presentations on ongoing studies that will help shape Lunken's future, about 30 people addressed Cincinnati City Council's Community Development, Education and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, which oversees the city's 1,140-acre airport for corporate, recreational and small charter air service.

Many of the residents who spoke during the two-hour session at American Legion Hall described noise from planes as a disruption to their everyday lives. One woman even noted that it knocks pictures off her walls, drowns out her television and makes it hard to carry on conversations in her back yard.

Other residents threatened to move out of Cincinnati if the airport expands.

However, airport users expressed frustration at the amount of time the city is taking to conduct a noise study and the airport's first master plan update since 1989. The city isn't going to expand the airport until those two studies are complete, and then the Federal Aviation Administration must review and approve them, a process that takes about a year.

The noise study, which began in 2002, now is expected to wrap up and go to City Council for approval in early summer; the master plan update will land before council early this fall. But it's likely the airport won't see expansion for about five years, Councilman David Crowley cautioned Thursday.

Officials with at least one major corporation that uses Lunken, Procter & Gamble Co., already have said the airport must extend its runways and weight limits for planes or it will pull its planes out of Lunken. And, there is an effort under way among airport users to form an airport authority to take control of Lunken away from City Council.

"We have to draw a line in the sand to allow progress," said Kathy Tyler, chief operating officer of Midwest Jet Center at Lunken.

Councilman John Cranley assured neighbors he believes their noise issues are real, adding that he lives on the west side and hears it from planes using the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

A compromise, he said, is possible to guarantee that commercial scheduled airlines won't be permitted at Lunken if the runways are extended and the weight limits are raised. The airport users, he stressed, don't want it, either.

"We will make sure that's iron clad and that key is completely thrown away," he told the crowd. "I believe there is a win-win here.

"But make no mistake. The line in the sand is I will not support things that will jeopardize the neighborhood. And if I have to choose, I will stick with you all ... however, I believe there is a bright future for all of us."

Questions or concerns about noise from Lunken Airport and/or the ongoing noise study and master plan update? Send the city an e-mail:

Noise complaints: noise.complaints@cincinnati-oh.gov. Or, call the airport at (513) 352-4070.

Noise study: noise.study@cincinnati-oh.gov

Master plan update: masterplan.update@cincinnati-oh.gov

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com.