June 13, the Camarillo City Council will be asked to approve 1,350 high-density residential units on prime agricultural land located between Highway 101 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 then-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.

As Oxnard has discovered, many high-density residential units such as these are inhabited by more than one family. This causes many problems involving parking, traffic, schools and others. A 20-foot-high wall can be built from Los Posas Road to Central Avenue to help with the 24-hour highway 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 the high- density residential development such as that being proposed.

—Don Hollingsworth, Camarillo