A commercial seaplane operation is being proposed at Carillon Point. Allowing it would forever change Kirkland. The waterfront is what makes Kirkland special. People come here to enjoy the parks, trails, restaurants, and the lake itself. Seaplane noise would impact all of these uses. If we allow a seaplane operation, we can never go back.

A group called Citizens for a Livable Waterfront (CLW) has formed to oppose the operation due to noise and safety concerns. Contact them at noseaplanes@gmail.com.

There is a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 30 at Kirkland City Hall. Send emails to city staff at CGeitz@kirklandwa.gov, EShields@kirklandwa.gov, ktriplett@kirklandwa.gov, and citycouncil@kirklandwa.gov.

Several sources indicate that the decibel levels would exceed Kirkland’s noise ordinance limits. Numerous studies indicate the harmful effects of noise in our daily lives. Former U.S. Surgeon General William H. Stewart said, “Calling noise a nuisance is like calling smog an inconvenience. Noise must be considered a hazard to the health of people everywhere.”

When the planes were running (without a permit) last summer, residents north of Carillon said the takeoffs were so loud it was impossible to have a conversation inside their homes even with the windows closed. Houghton Beach users complained about the noise. I found the flight noise irritating as far north as Waverly Way.

The initial request is for one flight per hour. That could be 12 flights per day in the summer. The number of flights could increase over time.

The Carillon area gets heavy use by sailboats, paddleboards, kayaks, and kiters. Some of them had scary encounters with the planes.

There are already seaplane operations at Kenmore, Renton, and Lake Union. How many seaplane operations do we need on our lake?

Karen Story, Citizens for a Livable Waterfront