L.A. County backs federal restriction of low-flying helicopters

Low-flying helicopters are becoming a nuisance, and federal authorities should restrict how low they can fly in Los Angeles County, the  Board of Supervisors said Tuesday.

Citing persistent helicopter noise from flights carrying tourists, paparazzi and news reporters, the supervisors voted 4-0 to support H.R. 2677, a bill by Rep. Howard Berman (D-Van Nuys). The measure permits the Federal Aviation Administration to order that helicopters fly at a higher altitude in Los Angeles County. Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas was absent for the vote.

Westside and San Fernando Valley Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who wrote the motion, said there have recently been a proliferation of low-flying helicopters. Some carry tourists over the Hollywood Bowl during classical music concerts, drowning out solo acts.

"The problem has been a growing one, a festering one, where helicopters increasingly fly over people's homes at very low altitudes … especially in the hills," Yaroslavsky said in an interview. He noted that some fly as low as 300 feet above ground. "It's extremely disruptive."