STUART, Fla. (CBS12) — Residents living near Witham Field Airport say a surge in jet traffic is disrupting their quality of life, prompting them to appeal to city and county officials for relief.

In a letter dated March 15, local residents Brian Dupuis and Lisa Hammer asked the City of Stuart Commission and Martin County Board of County Commissioners to address what they describe as excessive aircraft activity near the airport, also known as Stuart Airport (SUA).

The couple said they purchased their home about 10 years ago with the understanding that some aircraft noise would come with living near the airport. According to the letter, they had researched potential airport activity before buying and felt the level of noise at the time would be manageable.

“We were satisfied that the airport activities and noise associated with them would be acceptable to us,” the letter states. The residents even described themselves as aviation enthusiasts who enjoy watching aircraft take off and land, and host an annual backyard gathering to view the Stuart Air Show.

However, they say conditions have changed dramatically during periods when airspace restrictions are imposed in nearby Palm Beach County while Donald Trump is visiting Mar-a-Lago.

During those times, the residents claim, aircraft are redirected to Stuart, resulting in frequent jet takeoffs and landings. In their letter, they described jets arriving and departing only seconds apart during busy periods.

“Since 6:45 this Sunday morning, there has been one jet right after the next, taking off and landing — too many to count,” the letter states.

The residents also raised concerns about the smell of jet fuel and its effect on the neighborhood. They wrote that the odor has been strong enough to irritate their throats and cause coughing during outdoor activities, such as morning bicycle rides.

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They say the situation has forced them to close windows and rely on air conditioning even during pleasant spring weather.

“Whenever these airspace restrictions are in place, our quality of life is significantly negatively impacted,” the letter says.

While acknowledging that airspace restrictions are controlled by the federal government, the residents asked local officials to explore possible solutions, such as limiting airport capacity or finding other ways to reduce jet traffic during those periods.

Officials from the City of Stuart and Martin County had not publicly responded to the letter as of this week.

Residents said they hope the issue can be addressed so the community can continue enjoying life near the airport without the current level of disruption.