Lauderdale: Encroachment decision

Recently, the Joint Land Use (JLUS) Committee approved a motion recommending the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors hire Maryland-based Matrix Design Group to conduct a study and identify encroachment issues - residential and commercial development - near NAS Meridian. At June 15’s board meeting, supervisors will consider that recommendation. Encroachment is construction on lands around a military installation that could hinder the base’s basic mission. In 2009, Valparaiso, Fla., sued the Air Force following residential complaints of noise created by F-35s taking off and landing at Eglin AFB. After contentious sparring, the AF limited the number of F-35 operations to one a day - down from a proposed 33. Study recommendations could avoid that type of negative publicity and avoid encroachment issues. Encroachment is also one of the key components examined by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission when determining what installations to close. (Source: Meridian Star opinion piece 06/14/15)