StoryAircraft Noise ComplaintsJuly 23, 2026

Air Lake Airport tackles noise complaints, pursues radio frequency change

The Lakeville City Council's Airport Advisory Committee met on November 24 to discuss operational challenges at Air Lake Airport, including a rise in noise complaints and safety concerns about radio frequency congestion that could affect pilot communications.

Published Jul 23, 2026

The airport received five noise complaints in the third quarter of 2025, up from three the previous year. The complaints involved various aircraft including a Cessna 172, a helicopter, and a Super Cruiser operating at different times. However, staff noted that not all complaints originate near the airport—some came from as far away as Minnetonka—yet are still attributed to Air Lake based on where the aircraft operated to or from.

To address safety concerns, airport officials proposed changing the airport's radio frequency from 123.00 to 123.05. The current frequency is shared with numerous distant airports including New Ulm, Albert Lea, Redwood Falls, and Princeton, creating congestion that could compromise pilot safety. The new frequency would be shared only with Redwing Airport, a private airstrip in Baldwin, Wisconsin, and Mayo Clinic's helipad in Rochester—significantly reducing traffic. The change awaits Federal Communications Commission approval, with a target implementation in January or March. The council praised the initiative, and staff plan comprehensive pilot communication efforts including newsletters, signage updates, and notices to airmen.

On infrastructure, the airport is replacing its aging rotating beacon with a modern LED version and acquiring a new Freightliner plow truck to replace a 20-year-old vehicle. A part-time employee has been hired for winter snow removal operations. Staff emphasized the importance of accurate airfield condition reporting to maintain pilot trust and safety.

The council also received updates on two major projects. A planned roadway improvement has cleared a significant Federal Aviation Administration hurdle and is now decoupled from federal review. The Metropolitan Airports Commission is fully funding the paving project, with completion targeted for 2026 and detailed timelines expected at the March meeting. However, a runway extension environmental review remains stalled due to disagreements with the FAA over pipeline incursions. One council member suggested bringing in a mediator to break the deadlock. The MAC is exploring interim airfield improvements while awaiting the FAA's decision.

No formal votes were taken at the meeting. The advisory committee will meet again on March 12, June 11, September 10, and December 10, 2026.

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Votes (8)

Aircraft Noise Complaints Review

No formal action taken; discussion and updates only.

Jennifer presented the quarterly report for Q3 2025, noting 5 complaints for Air Lake Airport, an increase from 3 in the previous year. Specific complaints involved a Cessna 172 at 11:28 p.m., a Meridian aircraft doing a go-around, a helicopter at 8:30 p.m. (complaint from northern metro), and a Super Cruiser at 10:00 a.m. (complaint from Minnetonka), and an SR22 at 9:40 a.m. It was clarified that not all aircraft generating complaints are based at Air Lake, and some complaints originate far from the airport but are still attributed to it.

Franchise Fee Update

No formal action taken; update provided.

Tina Goodro reported that Justin Miller (city administrator) sent a list of hanger addresses to Excel Energy. Excel Energy is currently reviewing the request for consideration of meter designations regarding the franchise fee and determining if a rate classification change is warranted. No new information has been received yet.

Roadway Update

No formal action taken; update provided.

Ryan Anderson reported significant progress on the roadway project. A major hurdle with the FAA was cleared, decoupling the road from federal review. Plans have been aligned with city, township, and county staff. The MAC is funding the paving and aims to complete the road by next year (2026), with more detailed timelines expected at the March meeting.

Runway Extension Environmental Review

No formal action taken; update provided.

Ryan Anderson stated that discussions with the FAA on the environmental review process for the runway extension are still ongoing and taking a long time, primarily due to issues with pipeline incursions and FAA requirements. The MAC is exploring interim airfield improvements through its CIP process to address immediate needs while waiting for the FAA's decision. Dan Walbert suggested involving a mediator due to the stalled progress.

Airport Manager Update (Operational)

No formal action taken; update provided.

Sam Seifelt provided updates on airport operations. The rotating beacon, which had been frequently inoperative, is being replaced with a modern LED beacon, and its tower will be replaced next year. A new Freightliner plow truck has been acquired, replacing a 20-year-old vehicle. A part-time temporary employee has been hired for winter snow removal, providing additional support. Sam emphasized the critical importance of continuous and accurate airfield condition reporting via NOTAMs to ensure pilot trust and safety.

Airport Frequency Change Proposal

No formal action taken; update on ongoing process provided.

Sam Seifelt presented a proposal to change the Air Lake Airport frequency from 123.00 to 123.05. The current frequency is shared with numerous airports, leading to unsafe conditions. After evaluating 122.975 (New Richmond), the new proposed 123.05 (shared with Redwing, a private strip, and Mayo Clinic helipad) was chosen due to significantly lower combined traffic. The change is awaiting FCC approval, targeting January or March chart supplement cycles. Comprehensive pilot communication efforts (newsletter, signage, AWOS, NOTAM) are planned. The Chair and other members praised the initiative for improving safety.

Fly Neighborly Program Comparison

No formal action taken; informational presentation and discussion.

Sai Laku presented an overview of Air Lake Airport's voluntary noise abatement initiatives, comparing them to 15 other general aviation airports. Air Lake has a 24/7 noise complaint system, an advisory board, provides fly neighborly guides (also on ForFlight), and utilizes preferred runway 30 and right traffic pattern for runway 12 to avoid residential areas. It discourages nighttime training (12-7 am local) and operations (10 pm-7 am local). The presentation noted that Air Lake uses I3 industrial zoning around the airport, unlike some airports which might use hazard overlay districts.

ALAC Work Plan and Membership Renewal

No formal action taken; informational review and administrative process outlined.

Sai Laku summarized the ALAC's activities and accomplishments for 2024 and 2025, including reviewing operations and complaints, educational series, and updates on major projects (frequency change, roadway, runway extension). Proposed meeting dates for the next year were discussed (March 12th, June 11th, September 10th, December 10th), with one conflict noted for the December date. Jennifer outlined the membership renewal process for the two-year terms, aiming to finalize the roster by January 31st.

Notable Quotes (18)

Um the quarterly report for the third quarter 2025 is included in the meeting packet. And I will just point out that um we did have five complaints for Air Lake Airport in the third quarter and that is an increase.

— Jennifer [00:02:59]
Aircraft Noise Complaints Review

So, uh, we get some complaints that maybe are not justified for our area, but we still have to report them. That's right. They get tagged to the airport based on uh where the aircraft either operated to or from.

— Jennifer [00:04:30]
Aircraft Noise Complaints Review

He was able to get a list of all of the addresses for the hangers um that Excel Energy needed to review the request for consideration of the meter designations regarding franchise fee. They have that now. um he the Excel Energy folks admitted or you know accepted that and is um trying to determine if a rate classification change is warranted.

— Tina Goodro [00:07:07]
Franchise Fee Update

I just want to state I really appreciate Lakeville get involved in this. It was kind of a item we weren't sure uh something that was assumed when we were now part of Lakeville that things were the same and we found out they weren't because of Lakeville taking over. We appreciate that, but I appreciate the city staff really jumping on this and try to get us a resolution.

— Dan Wbert [00:08:13]
Franchise Fee Update

Uh good afternoon, commission members. Again, Ryan Anderson, manager of community relations for the MAC. Uh regarding the roadway, we've made um some great progress since we've last met. uh we most notably cleared a major hurdle with the FAA and we were able to uh decouple the road from any federal review requirement.

— Ryan Anderson [00:09:59]
Roadway Update

But that that roadway again is um going to be fully funded by the MAC to be paved. Um and our hope is that we'll get that done next year.

— Ryan Anderson [00:10:48]
Roadway Update

We are still in conversations with the FAA on the environmental review process for that runway extension. Um, because that process is taking so long with the FAA, uh, the MAC is uh, looking at interim um, things that we can do to the airfield um, to um, help with improvements and on the airfield.

— Ryan Anderson [00:13:30]
Runway Extension Environmental Review

Uh given the fact this this has been stalled for I don't know five or seven years would it be possible to get a mediator involved

— Dan Walbert [00:15:20]
Runway Extension Environmental Review

Unfortunately, we have a regulator and they have their processes and we're beholden to them. Um, and you know, we're trying to work within those processes. It's just unfortunately not on I think the timeline us here locally would like.

— Ryan Anderson [00:16:34]
Runway Extension Environmental Review

Our beacon, it's a civilian beacon, so it's uh green and white just rotating continuously during nighttime hours. Um it's been continuously inop, we we've probably put enough money in repairs to replace it already. So this last time that it went down about a month and a half ago, uh we just made the decision we're going to replace it now.

— Sam Seifelt [00:18:24]
Airport Manager Update (Operational)

We're not allowed to keep a a field condition notm out for more than a 24-hour period. So if we don't update it, it expires. And that's why it's so important that we have somebody out to re-evaluate the conditions and and keep the notices to airmen up to date.

— Sam Seifelt [00:20:51]
Airport Manager Update (Operational)

A little background, uh, we're currently on 123.0 zero uh which as a reminder for everybody share with uh New Olm, Albert Lee, uh Redwood Falls, Princeton and then some others that we hear like Mason City and and Alexandria which during times of you know stormy weather. We we we do hear those sometimes but because of atmospheric conditions but you know the the the ALAC came to us with a recommendation. We agreed that a change should be made.

— Sam Seifelt [00:22:15]
Airport Frequency Change Proposal

Yeah, basically every when we went through this process at Lake Elmo last year, um yeah, everything you can think of as a means of communicating this to the pilots, we're we're going to do uh newsletter signage uh signage at the entryways of the airport. I don't think I'll be able to put signage out in the taxiways, but um we we def we have the uh automated weather. We can put a message at the end of that.

— Sam Seifelt [00:27:32]
Airport Frequency Change Proposal

I just uh thank Sam for doing this because it the old frequency is just is unsafe to be honest and this is an great improvement for uh for safety for everybody around the airport, everybody that uses it.

— Chair [00:30:40]
Airport Frequency Change Proposal

Um overview is noise abatement programs are a set of recommended practices that are prepared in recognition for the need to make the environment around the airport and uh community surrounding the airport as neighborly as possible and the goal is to reduce the impact of the aircraft noise experienced by the residents near the airports.

— Sai Laku [00:32:41]
Fly Neighborly Program Comparison

We do have a comp noise complaint system that's uh available 24 hours. Um we have a phone line online form and email. We have a former airport advisory board that's the air airport advisory board. We provide uh fly neighborly and noise abatement best practices for our pilots as resources.

— Sai Laku [00:33:51]
Fly Neighborly Program Comparison

I thank Lakeville for making sense and putting industrial out there. Uh, it it maybe give us a little it takes away some of our safety zones, but some of us might be able to land on some of them big roofs. I don't know.

— Chair [00:39:27]
Fly Neighborly Program Comparison

I'll just make a note that I will be reaching out to the current membership and thanking everyone. We certainly appreciate all of your participation for the past two years. We do have a two-year terms set up um for this group. And so anyone that I reach out to if they are interested in continuing on, that would be a good time to respond.

— Jennifer [00:43:24]
ALAC Work Plan and Membership Renewal

Ordinances & Resolutions (13)

Quarterly report for the third quarter 2025Other

Report detailing aircraft noise complaints at Air Lake Airport.

Email to allOther

Sent by Justin Miller regarding the franchise fee request to Excel Energy.

FAA chart supplementOther

Official publication cycle for airport information, including frequency changes.

NOTAMsOther

Notices to Airmen, used for continuously updated airfield conditions and frequency changes.

NewsletterOther

Communication channel for pilots regarding the frequency change.

Fly Neighborly GuidePlan

A set of recommended practices for pilots to reduce noise impact.

Noise Abatement Best PracticesPlan

Recommended procedures for pilots to minimize noise from aircraft operations.

QR codeOther

Provides access to the Fly Neighborly guide for pilots.

ForFlightOther

Aviation app where the Fly Neighborly guide is available.

CIP processPlan

MAC's Capital Improvement Plan process, used for interim airfield improvements.

Hazard overlay district zoning toolOther

Zoning method used by other airports for residential development in noise-sensitive areas.

FAA Mosaic ModernizationOther

Educational topic discussed in the ALAC work plan.

I3 industrial or airport industrial districtOther

Zoning classification for Air Lake Airport and surrounding city limits.

Source document

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Other Topics from This Document

  • Franchise Fee Review

  • Airport Roadway Improvement

  • Runway Extension Environmental Review Delays

  • Airport Operations and Infrastructure Updates

  • Air Lake Airport Frequency Change

  • Fly Neighborly Program Comparison

  • ALAC Work Plan and Membership Renewal

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