Roughly 10,000 airport-area homeowners in Minneapolis will soon be governed by tougher and more expensive sound-insulation standards if they build additions. The Minneapolis City Council on Friday approved the standards, effective Jan. 1. The standards apply to homes that have gotten or will get noise insulation from the Metropolitan Airports Commission.The city was required to draft, but not necessarily to adopt, such an ordinance under last year's airport noise lawsuit settlement with the commission. That settlement is producing sound-dampening treatments for thousands more homes. Minneapolis officials adopted the ordinance with the reasoning that it made no sense for MAC to insulate a home, then for the owner to puncture that envelope with an unprotected addition. City officials estimate that the requirements could raise construction costs by up to 15 percent.
Richfield and Eagan are both considering proposals and are expected to decide on their versions by the end of the year.
The Minneapolis change requires that new homes or home additions in the noisiest areas be built with materials that reduce outside noise levels by a specified amount within the house, and install central air conditioning or whole-house venting. Homes in the rest of the settlement area, and apartments, would need only central air. The restrictions don't apply to remodeling projects.
Courtesy Star Tribune
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