Airports Predate Neighbors

* Re “Under The Flight Path,” April 21:

Why is it that, when all of these airports and the flight paths were established before the houses and apartment houses were built, these people now complain?

Had our planning departments been doing their jobs, the open spaces around all of our airports would have been kept open, and we would not be having these problems.

Two areas that I have knowledge of are Torrance and Oxnard. Both areas are adding more buildings and homes adjacent to their airports. Both airports were surrounded by open space years ago.

Next will come the new neighbors complaining about the flight path and airplane noise. The airports were there first. Let the newcomers pick a different location.

Every day people get killed on the freeways of Los Angeles. Maybe you can find a story on Page 28 of The Times. Let one small plane go down and it’s front-page news every time.

RON ZIEGLER

Los Alamos