Growth hasn't slowed in the Las Vegas Valley and that poses a problem for Nellis Air Force Base. Commanders say residential areas are encroaching on their space, especially their air space. And that's putting their mission in jeopardy.

Eyewitness News discovered what's at risk if houses get too close.

Houses and apartment complexes can now be found just to the south of Nellis Air Force Base. Commanders have already adjusted to that by not flying live bombs over those residential areas, but now they are worried how they are going to carry out their missions at all because there is too much undeveloped land around them.

Acres and acres of land surround Nellis AFB. Some is owned by the county, other parts are owned by the city of North Las Vegas. While some areas are zoned for commercial and industrial use, other areas are open land.

Nellis AFB says there are already developers who might want to use that land for residential purposes and that makes their job harder. If densely populated areas are right underneath their air flight plan, it poses a real problem whether missions can be carried out at all.

Installation Commander Colonel Mike Bartley said, “If I have developers taking land and putting densely populated areas where I am flying my aircraft with live bombs, that concerns me. How far am I willing to go with risk to the point where I say I can't do it anymore?”

Nellis says they are working with city and county governments to hopefully reach an agreement to keep these areas of land either commercial or industrial. However, they understand it might be an uphill battle, especially with developers who want capitalize on their investment.

So far, commanders say almost everyone in the community has been supportive of their concerns. But it is city council and county commissioners who have the final say.

There are restrictions already in place to not build so close to the air force base. Right now, most of the land is zoned for commercial or industrial use. However, should that be rezoned in the future, that's where the problems will start for Nellis.

E-mail Reporter Melissa Duran.