Imperial County residents concerned over planes
Imperial County Board of Supervisors to reach out to Squadron Commander - News 11's Wiley Jawhary reports
IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - If you live in Imperial County, you won't miss the sounds of military planes and helicopters. Some residents say some of those sounds are too close for comfort.
The Imperial County Board of Supervisors brought up the topic in their meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 24. Chairman Michael Kelley lives close to the airport and echoed those concerns.
"More importantly the concern is about aircraft flying over high schools, football fields, and homes, we are trying to avoid the disaster that happened a few years ago," he said.
That disaster was a plane crash in 2014. A Harrier jet crashed into an imperial valley neighborhood and although no one was hurt or killed, the County doesn't want to take any chances.
Some Imperial County residents don't find this situation of any concern. Derek Lopez says he's been living in Imperial County his entire life. He expressed that the sound of planes is normal if you live close to the airport.
"It is what it is, if you don't like it, move, they can't move the airport," he said.
As for the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, they plan to write a letter of concern to the Squadron Commander to ensure that military planes are flying on their respective paths.
