City needs to reconsider development near airport safety zone

On June 13 the Camarillo City Council will be asked to approve 1,350 high-density residential units on prime agriculture land located between the 101 Freeway and Spanish Hills.

This land is located directly under the aircraft traffic pattern of the Camarillo Airport. There are many daily overflights.

In 2000 a consultant hired to do the Airport Land Use Plan showed this property being in the airport safety zone.

Under legal threat from the, at that time, city manager, the previous director of airports was told to have the safety zone changed.

The zone was moved back to the freeway. Why was it changed?

The safety zone restricts residential development. Reportedly the former city manager now works for the developers.

As Oxnard has discovered, many high-density residential units such as these are inhabited by more than one family, additionally causing many problems such as parking, traffic, schools and others.

A 20-foot-high wall can be built from Las Posas Road to Central Avenue to help with the 24-hour freeway noise, but it will not prevent the aircraft overflight noise or solve the safety issue.

I urge the Camarillo City Council to follow the independent consultant recommendation and reinstate that area as a safety zone, which permits commercial development but not highdensity residential development as being proposed. Don Hollingsworth Camarillo