Officials from a city hosting Camp Zama submitted a letter of protest to Army officials Tuesday after receiving a large number of helicopter noise complaints Monday from residents, city officials said.

In a Tuesday meeting with U.S. Army Japan officials, Sagamihara city officials presented the letter, which asked the Army not to conduct helicopter training that disturbs the city’s residents.

“We strongly urge you not to conduct low-flying, circling training and night training that raise concerns and cause distress among the residents with loud noise and vibration,” stated the letter, addressed to USARJ Commanding General Maj. Gen. Elbert N. Perkins.

The city received 21 complaints from residents Monday, the most received in a day, a city base liaison official said. The city usually receives about a dozen complaints a year, the official said.

Residents complaining to the city claimed helicopters had been circling for hours, the official said. He said the city also asked the Army to explain its flight routes and training plans.

The letter also noted that 14 of the complaints were received from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Although the U.S. and Japanese governments have no agreement to restrict flight times, the city hopes flights after 6 p.m. would be kept to a minimum, the official said.

“Usually it is a time for families, and people go to sleep at later hours,” he said. The city has been requesting that the Army limit helicopter flights between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. However, the letter stated, “We have not seen improvements and it is truly regrettable that such situation occurred yesterday.”

USARJ officials declined to comment on the matter Wednesday. However, the city official said USARJ official at Tuesday’s meeting told those present that training was occuring at the time of the complaints and that they accepted the letter with sincerity.

Stripes reporter Vince Little contributed to this report.