As if City Hall doesn’t have enough worries, another one lurks in the horizon – a heliport soon to open in neighboring Kearny.
Helo Holdings, Inc., with an office in Jersey City, has just completed a full-service, helicopter-dedicated facility on a 9-acre site that will provide parking, fueling, maintenance and storage for helicopters. But Jersey City officials don’t want the heliport to open until they get assurances regarding safety.
City Councilman David Donnelly is worried about flights over the city’s west side, much of which he represents. In March, he drafted a resolution that was approved by the City Council by a 5-2 margin (with one abstention) that opposed the heliport construction. He is especially concerned in light of the midair collision in July of last year of a tourist helicopter and small aircraft over the Hudson River near Hoboken that claimed nine lives.
“Flights would be problematic daily.” – David Donnelly
________
Donnelly in July sent a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) criticizing the agency’s approval of the heliport’s operation, which included allowing helicopters to fly at 300 feet or less because of the heliport’s proximity to Newark Airport. He said the helicopters are also allowed to fly in a “holding pattern” over Jersey City while waiting for air traffic for Newark Airport to clear. Donnelly got a response from the FAA who “determined the heliport can operate safely.” He referred to the letter as a “big brushoff.”
Donnelly also takes issue with Kearny’s Zoning Board approving the heliport earlier this year while ignoring the impact upon Jersey City.
Backing from others
City spokesperson Jennifer Morrill said last week that the city’s Law Department is in the process of bringing in an outside law firm to assist the Law Department in opposition. Morrill said that once that happens, the city will go ahead with several options. One will be a council resolution urging the NJ DOT and/or the FAA to put in place restrictions to prevent the heliport operators from flying over Jersey City residential areas. The city also will send letters to the NJ Department of Transportation and/or the FAA calling for restrictions and seeking injunctive relief enjoining the heliport from operating until assurances are received.
Also, James Devine, a Rahway-based political consultant who heads up the Central Jersey Democratic Leadership Committee, has been championing the cause against the heliport. The committee has reached out to City Council members and city officials to carry out such actions as: filing a lawsuit against the heliport construction, getting the Kearny Zoning Board to consider new or altered flight paths, and asking the New Jersey Department of Transportation to conduct a public hearing.
‘This is a quality of life issue that needs to be addressed right now,” Devine said.
Flies in the ointment
Arlene Salac, spokesperson for the FAA’s eastern regional office based in Jamaica, N.Y., said the FAA has taken the necessary steps to ensure the heliport’s safe operation.
“FAA has conducted a full analysis of the Kearny airport and has determined that the heliport can operate safely and in full compliance with all applicable FAA guidelines and regulations. This is a private use heliport,” Sajac said in a statement.
Kearny Mayor Al Santos said the Kearny Zoning Board looked at the helicopter noise factor and impact upon residences using a standard of a one-mile radius, and found that the only places impacted would be the Hudson County Correctional Center and a drug rehab center that are both located closer to the heliport.
Santos also spoke to Donnelly when he came to a Hudson County Board of Freeholders meeting a few months ago.
“I understand that the councilman has concerns about the flight paths over Jersey City, but I think the issue was addressed by the FAA,” Santos said last week.
City Councilman Steven Fulop, who was the abstention vote on the March resolution opposing the heliport, said he believes all necessary precautions were taken to ensure safe helicopter travel over Jersey City. He is also “skeptical” about some of the opposition, which he thinks is generated by the operators of Linden Airport, a competitor for helicopter flights that sued last year to prevent construction of the heliport but had their lawsuit dismissed.
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.