If airport noise can be a problem, why are residential areas so close to the airport?

Naval Air Auxiliary Station Martha's Vineyard was built in 1942 as a training location for the United States Navy. In 1959, the United States Government handed over the land to the County of Dukes County for the specific use as a commercial airport. A large majority of residential developments around the airport were built long after the airport, and even today, new residential development and redevelopment occur in some surrounding areas, South and Southwest of the airport. Areas East and Northwest continue to be protected forest managed by the Department of Recreation and Conservation.