Kittery residents complain about Portsmouth helicopter noise By Jesse Scardina

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jscardina@seacoastonline.com
NH_Portsmouth_Herald

KITTERY, Maine — Two residents came forward at Monday’s Town Council meeting to complain about helicopter noise coming from the Portsmouth-based tours, which have also toured the Seacoast area in Kittery Point.

“I feel it’s a distraction to the quality of life,” said Susan Emery. “It sounds like we’re living in a war zone.”

Jeffrey Thomson, chairman of the council, attended an informal meeting in Portsmouth last week and indicated that he nor the council had heard of any complaints from residents, but that didn’t mean there weren’t those in town perturbed by the sound. Since that meeting, Thomson said he has received three emails of Kittery residents complaining of consistent helicopter noise.

Also at the meeting, councilor Judith Spiller was appointed as a representative to meet with the Port Authority chair, Kelly Philbrook, to interview Peter Walsh for his appointment to the board.

The council accepted the resignation of David Lincoln from the Parks Commission, as he is now a member of the planning board.

The council also moved to make Gale Turner a full member of the Parks Commission, filling the unexpired term of Lincoln.

The council appointed John J. Delio to the Personnel Board until Nov. 24, 2016.

In her town manager’s report, Nancy Colbert Puff said that bids regarding a master plan for the town’s athletic fields have come in, and that the project is moving forward looking at the three submitted plans.

The town manager is also looking into Portsmouth Naval Shipyard traffic affecting walking pedestrians near gate two.

Colbert Puff also said that resident volunteers are still needed to fill town boards, including the Board of Appeals, the Comprehensive Plan Update Committee, the Personnel Board, the Planning Board and the Port Authority.

More information about the noise.

http://www.peasedev.org/documents/082913.pdf

http://www.seacoastonline.com/article/20140807/NEWS/408070353?template=printart

FAA’s complaint hotline, (207) 780-3263. The FAA’s Flight Standards District Office handles complaints about pilot performance, aircraft flights and aircraft registrations, according to the Web page.