Council receives citizen submissions on naval jet noise; members say report is anecdotal

The La Conner Town Council was presented with a packet of public comment about jet noise from naval aircraft operations. The submissions were compiled by community members and shared with the council at the Jan. 23 meeting.

One council member said the packet is largely anecdotal and contains profanity-laced comments submitted by residents, while another speaker with flight experience urged context, noting training flights and authorized flight paths. Staff said the town received the report and that submissions included decibel readings and personal accounts from several island and nearby communities.

Council discussion emphasized that the town does not control military flight operations and that the Navy solicits public comment as part of its reporting; staff said the town received the materials for awareness rather than to take regulatory action.

A council member noted that several readings in the packet were around 83 decibels and that the submissions included a range of subjective complaints. No formal action or policy change was taken; council members asked staff to file the materials and to share them with appropriate county or regional contacts as needed.