Tag: noise complaints

SANTA MONICA—For residents in Santa Monica Airport’s flight path, the noise of nearby propeller planes is becoming unavoidable, leaving residents voicing their concerns. According to city data, 116 aircraft related reports were filed in April 2026, compared to just 9 reports in April 2025. The surge in complaints comes as propeller plane traffic climbed 40 percent that same month, a rise residents attribute in part to expanded flight school activity at the airport.

That increase in air traffic means more noise on the ground. A propeller works by rapidly slicing through the air, and each pass of the blades sends out a burst of compressed air. Stack these bursts together at high speed and the result is the deep, buzzing drone.

Many of the planes fly low to the ground, subjecting anyone living near their flight path to constant buzzing. Venice residents say the planes fly by every few minutes.

Brigid McBride, a Venice resident launched a petition on Change.org that has collected more than 1,400 signatures. Despite the petition drawing a large number of signatures, nothing has changed.

“The increase seems to be in large part due to new and increased flight school activity operating out of SMO since early 2025. These planes circle above East Venice every few minutes performing “touch and go” maneuvers for hours at a time, depending on the time of day (or evening!) with just a few minutes between flights. They have not been following the rules of the Santa Monica Airport’s “Fly Neighborly Program” which states the following: Aircraft departures to the west are requested to overfly the length of the Penmar Golf Course and initiate northerly turns at the shoreline, or southerly turns at Lincoln Boulevard,” states the Change.org petition.

The airport is legally required to operate until December 31, 2028, when the city of Santa Monica has the right to shut it down for good. Community members are enduring what may be the most intense years of activity as the airport approaches its final days of service.

The city of Santa Monica states on its website:

“Santa Monica Airport has a long history of working to address the noise concerns of residents living near the airport. The goal of the airport’s Noise Management Program is to minimize aircraft noise exposure, as much as possible, by educating pilots on the Fly Neighborly Program.

This section of our website explains basic noise concepts and noise programs at the airport. It also allows residents to research flight operations that may have disturbed them and provides the opportunity to contact the Noise Operations Office with inquiries or complaints.”

Written By Milan Manesh and Donald Roberts

BEVERLY HILLS—The City of Beverly Hills filed a lawsuit against a union representing striking hotel workers on Tuesday, August 15, claiming that their protests have drawn noise complaints from nearby residents.

The suit which was filed at the Los Angeles Superior Court is seeking a court order to direct demonstrators from the Unite Here! Local 11 to limit their protests to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Protestors are said to be using drums and bullhorns as early as 5:30 a.m. outside of the Beverly Hilton and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.

Residents have been reporting that they’ve been hearing screaming, shouting, and whistles in the area of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards. BHPD have received reports and investigated. According to investigators, protesters refused to identify themselves expect for union representatives.

The union’s Co-President Kurt Petersen issued a statement Wednesday, August 16, regarding the lawsuit.

“It is beyond outrageous that the city of Beverly Hills is using its resources to stifle the First Amendment-protected protest activity of low-wage, immigrant workers,” the statement read. “These are workers who make its luxury hotels run and who are simply seeking a living wage. The city should be helping to lift them up, not attack them with baseless lawsuits.”

On July 24, City Manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey addressed another union leader from Unite Here! Local 11 named Sol and told her that the drums were disturbing residents. She asked that Sol and other union members delay their demonstrations until 8 a.m. and to stop using drums. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Sol responded.

On July 26, Capt. Giovanni Trejo of the BHPD went to the location where the protests were being held asking that one of the union representatives, Lorena Lopez, hold off on the noise before 8 a.m. According to the suit, “she indicated she would consider the request, but did not commit to complying.”

Later that day the police department responded to complaints from Beverly Hills staff and security who claimed that they were experiencing aggression from some of the protestors. Allegedly, the protesters broke through a barrier, injured a security guard, blew bullhorns in peoples ears, blocked traffic and screamed.

One Beverly Hills residents commented on social media shortly after the news of the lawsuit broke stating, “Residents are cry babies. Stay Strong Writers and SAG-AFTRA.”

George Vreeland Hill wrote his account of the protests in Beverly Hills on Facebook on July 25,” A lot of protesting going on in Beverly Hills. This one is at the Beverly Wilshire. There are others at the Waldorf and Beverly Hills Hilton. Probably other hotels as well. They are making a lot of noise. No contract, no peace? Try getting some sleep today.”

By Christianne