²Ibid.

³Ibid.

The major sources of significant noise in Orange County are aircraft and highway vehicles. While both can usually be mitigated to acceptable levels indoors, aircraft noise cannot be mitigated outdoors because of its overhead source. State law and County policy prohibit residential development and similar noise sensitive uses in high-noise (+65 CNEL) areas near El Toro Marine Corps Air Station and John Wayne Airport.

Noise in nonresidential developments must be attenuated to protect users in these areas. Near major streets and highways, noise must also be attenuated. Thus, high-noise conditions may preclude certain uses in some areas and may increase development costs. CNEL noise contour maps and more detailed information related to noise are found in Chapter VIII, the Noise Element.

As used throughout this document, closure of MCAS El Toro means operational closure, i.e., cessation of regular air operations.

This broad category includes the Open Space (5) land use category, and the Open Space Reserve (OSR), Nature Preserve (NP), and Education/Park Compatible (EPC) land use overlays.

The Open Space (5) category indicates the current and near-term use of the land, most of which is zoned agricultural. It is not necessarily an indication of a long-term commitment to specific open space uses., except where one of the three overlay categories applies.

The Open Space Reserve (OSR) overlay identifies lands of scenic and natural attraction, and areas of ecological, cultural, historical and recreational significance that are permanently preserved as and restricted to open space and open space compatible uses.

The Nature Preserve (NP) overlay applies to the northeast portion of El Toro for the purpose of permanently preserving natural habitat in accordance with the Central/Coastal Orange County Natural Communities Conservation Plan.

The Education/Park Compatible (EPC) overlay allows education and other land uses that are compatible with the purpose of Orange County's Central Park.

The allowable uses within the Open Space (5), EPC, OSR and NP designations are further defined in Table III-1.

This The Open Space (5) category provides for limited land uses that do not require a commitment of significant urban infrastructure. Examples of compatible uses include:

Areas identified Open Space (5) are not necessarily committed to permanent open space uses. Certain property within the Open Space category is committed, through public or private ownership, to remain as open space, but other property, due to market pressures to serve a growing County population, may ultimately be developed in other ways.

Similarly, certain unincorporated territory identified as Open Space (5) on the LUE Map is within city spheres of influence for which cities have adopted plans with urban uses. Long-range socioeconomic projections, therefore, attempt to reflect anticipated urbanization consistent with regional population and employment projections and applicable city plans.

This section presents the future objectives and policies of the Land Use Element.

Market forces will determine which areas develop first and which remain undeveloped or underdeveloped by the 2020 horizon year. However, the policy projections and the Land Use Element Map will be the tools for project evaluation and consistency determination to ensure that development coincides with the policies of the Land Use and Transportation Elements regarding infrastructure provision.

This section describes thirteen twelve major land use policies that guide implementation of the Land Use Element. The intent of these policies is to articulate issues which should be addressed when considering development proposals.

These policies are implemented through the programs contained in the Implementation Programs section. Two LUE interpretive policies which guide administration of the LUE map and land use categories are described in the section immediately following these thirteen land use policies.

The thirteen twelve major land use policies set forth in this section apply to all geographic areas of the unincorporated portion of the County. They are adopted for the purpose of guiding the planning and development of those areas for both the short-term and long-term future.

Each policy has been stated in a single sentence. A policy can be referred to by its short title. A statement of purpose for each policy is given to aid in its interpretation.

13.1 Civilian Airport Use

John Wayne Airport (JWA) is the only commercial service airport in Orange County. It is served by six commercial air carriers and three commuter airlines. JWA also serves as the home base for more than 970 personal and business ("general aviation") aircraft.

John Wayne Airport is approximately 504 acres in size. This consists of 444 acres of primary airport area (that property lying between the Corona del Mar and San Diego Freeways); 33 acres of clear zone lying south of the Corona del Mar Freeway; and 11 acres lying north of the San Diego Freeway.

A majority of the area surrounding the airport is within the cities of Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Tustin, and Irvine. The remainder consists of the unincorporated community of Santa Ana Heights which is approximately 100 acres within the County of Orange.

John Wayne Airport has two parallel runways: one is 5,700 feet long, and a shorter runway serving general aviation is 2,900 feet long. These runways are oriented almost north/south. The prevailing winds in the area are from the ocean. Consequently, almost 98 percent of the landings and takeoffs at JWA are conducted in a southerly direction (into the winds). Unfortunately, many residence lie under or near the departure flight paths.

In 1960, there were 12,441 passengers enplaned at JWA. In 1970, the total exceeded 871,350. The demand for air service continued to increase, and by the late 1970s, it exceeded 2.5 million. It has remained around this number since that time--not because the demand has leveled off, but because the number of commercial air carrier flights has been frozen at 41. It is estimated that the current level of demand for service exceeds 7.0 million. Those passengers not served at John Wayne obtained air service from airports outside the County. Estimates for the year 2000 indicate that almost 20.0 million total passengers will be generated by the population of the County.

Also, within Orange County, there are more than 2,600 aircraft registered to personal and corporate owners; yet there is only one other airport for these type of aircraft within the County--Fullerton Municipal which has 590 based aircraft. No other general aviation aircraft are located at airports inside the County.

The pressure for increased capacity at John Wayne Airport to better serve the air transportation needs of the County’s citizens has been manifest, but it has been countered by pressures to relieve or curtail the environmental consequences of the airport’s operation. Aircraft noise, aircraft related air pollution, traffic congestion, parking congestion, and incompatible adjacent land uses have long been issues of concern.

The closure of the El Toro Marine Corp Air Station ("El Toro MCAS") in the late 1990s provides the only opportunity to develop a facility to better serve the air transportation needs of the County's citizens. Thus, in the long term the El Toro MCAS may be converted to civilian use as a publicly or privately owned and operated airport providing both passenger and cargo services. In the short term, the El Toro Airport Citizens Advisory Commission and the Board of Supervisors are working to promote joint military and civilian use of the El Toro MCAS to allow commercial air cargo. Solutions, or potential solutions, to this problem are currently being studied under the guidance of the Board of Supervisors.

The County's air capacity shortfall can be addressed through conversion of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station from military use to use as a civilian airport.³

The future of air system service in Orange County may benefit significantly from closure of the El Toro MCAS. Reuse of that facility would help resolve the environmental and demand/capacity problems present at the John Wayne Airport.⁴

The regional airport system in Southern California is currently being examined by many communities and agencies. The Southern California area has the largest regional airport system in the world and is served by more commercial airports than any other major metropolitan area in the United States. Six commercial airports currently serve the region’s aviation demand: Los Angeles International (LAX), Ontario International (ONT), John Wayne/Orange County (SNA), Burbank/Glendale/Pasadena (BUR), Long Beach (LGB), and Palm Springs (PSP).

The greatest population growth in the five county Southern California region during the next two decades is projected to occur in the Inland Empire Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino and in northern Los Angeles County. The Inland Empire also has a wealth of existing and potential commercial aviation facilities. In addition to the newly improved and expanded Ontario International Airport, airports are proposed for the former March Air Force Base in Riverside County (March GlobalPort), the former Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino (San Bernardino International Airport), and the former George Air Force Base in Victorville (Southern California Logistics Airport). Planning for another major regional commercial airport is underway for the existing Palmdale Regional Airport by the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA).

These proposed airports and Ontario are well located to serve future Southern California aviation needs. The Ontario Airport already serves a great number of passengers from Orange County due to its location and proximity to Orange County communities. The recently expanded Ontario Airport offers improved air transportation service to its market area and is expected to address a much larger portion of the regional aviation demand in the future. In addition to passengers, Inland Empire airports are well positioned to absorb the regional air cargo demand.

Because of the regional nature of air transportation services, the County of Orange supports satisfying regional demands at these other airports, as well as by continuing operations at John Wayne Airport. The County shall support and encourage regional planning agencies to focus their efforts on establishing new and improving existing transportation links between population centers in the Southern California region and these other airports.

It is sound public policy, considering regional concerns and regional public welfare, to direct Southern California’s future growth in air traffic passenger and cargo services for its existing and anticipated population to areas where the greatest growth is expected to occur, and where neighboring communities are generally supportive of new or expanded airport facilities.

The Open Space/Conservation Program Map does not designate land use; rather, it identifies broad open space areas and corridors with physical, cultural, or economic attributes which require consideration at subsequent levels of planning. These open space areas and corridors are regional in nature and are intended to benefit and be enjoyed by the entire population of Orange County. They also enhance or augment regional recreation facilities.

The program map does not identify non-regional open space areas and corridors. The scope of non-regional open space is intended primarily for the enjoyment, use, and benefit of the neighboring community. Non-regional open space, often referred to as local open space, may link local or community recreation facilities. These areas enhance or augment local recreation facilities. These areas are identified in the Community Profiles, Specific Plans, or other development plans.

The Open Space/Conservation Program Map is consistent with other elements of the General Plan. The map supports the Recreation Element, the Transportation Element (the Master Plan of Scenic Highways and Master Plan of Countywide Bikeways), and the Natural Resources and Cultural-Historic Resources Components of this Element.

The map depicts open space areas for regional recreation, greenbelts, wildlife and vegetation habitats, major water courses, agriculture, mineral resources, major watershed and water recharge areas, tidelands, beaches, shoreline areas in need of sand replenishment, stream valleys, scenic and conservation corridors, and areas of cultural-historic importance. Education/Park Compatible (EPC) overlay areas may include open space-compatible educational, research and development, cultural and recreational uses. With the exception of existing regional park facilities, open space areas illustrated on the Open Space/Conservation Program Map (Figure VI-5) are schematically mapped.

The major sources of significant noise (65+ CNEL) in Orange County are aircraft and highway vehicles. While both can usually be mitigated to acceptable levels indoors, acceptable mitigation of aircraft noise outdoors cannot be fully accomplished because of its overhead source.

Noise does not preclude recreation activities but does diminish the enjoyment of the overall experience. Through proper site planning, recreational activities can and do occur.

For example, Featherly Regional Park is adjacent to the Riverside Freewayand is subject to roadway noise from motor vehicles. and portions of O'Neill Regional Park are subject to overflight by jet aircraft from Marine Corps Air Station El Toro.

The closure of El Toro and its non-aviation reuse will have the positive benefit of reducing aircraft noise impacts on County-wide recreation and open space resources. In addition, the closure affords an unparalleled opportunity to expand regional recreation facilities.

Areas that offer recreational or scenic attractions that are of countywide significance and generally not available in local parks; and a spaciousness which the typical small neighborhood park does not provide. Regional parks are of sufficient size to offer facilities for family and group picnicking, camping, nature study, and diversified play area for all age groups. They can accommodate swimming pools, athletic fields, bowling greens, water-oriented facilities, and golf courses; and, with emphasis on improvements designed to meet unmet regional recreation needs.

Regional parks are further classified as follows:

The purpose of this section is to provide a general overview as to the noise-related roles and responsibilities of different levels of government as they relate to environmental noise.

At the federal level, there are three separate agencies which have a significant impact on Orange County's noise environment. They are the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Defense and the Department of Transportation (DOT). In addition, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Housing Administration establish standards for projects which receive their financial support.

The stated role for EPA has been to provide leadership in the national noise abatement effort. While not as extensive as it was during the 1970s, a key aspect of this effort has been sponsorship of scientific studies of the relationships between noise levels and human response. Another key role of EPA has been in assisting other federal agencies, states, and local jurisdictions in taking steps to ensure as healthy an environment as is feasible.

The Department of Defense (DOD) is important with respect to the Noise Element because it operates two facilities in Orange County, the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) at El Toro and the one at Tustin.These bases, especially MCAS, El Toro, have a very significant noise impact on surrounding areas. DOD sponsors a number of programs to attempt to minimize negative impacts of each of the bases’ operations. (DOD in conjunction with the State of California National Guard Bureau also operates an air installation at Los Alamitos. Noise effects from operations at Los Alamitos are not significant on unincorporated areas, however.) The El Toro MCAS and Tustin MCAS are to be closed by mid-1999. The El Toro MCAS may be converted to civilian airport uses which are expected to result in a decrease in overall noise levels.¹

The Department of Transportation is significant in that its operating agencies are involved in setting standards and safety regulations for civil aviation, railroads, transit facilities and vehicles, and those freeways that are a part of the Interstate System. These agencies are the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Railway Administration, the Urban Mass Transportation Administration, and the Federal Highway Administration.

The State of California is responsible for establishing regulations for noise control where not preempted by the federal government. The federal government has largely pre-empted control of noise from aircraft, railroads, and federal highways. The State regulates noise levels of motor vehicles, motorcycles, motor boats, and freeway noise as it affects classrooms, and has set noise insulation standards for multi-family dwellings, hotels, and motels. The State also has established noise impact boundaries around airports, and noise planning standards.

Of particular importance are the State requirement for the preparation of each local jurisdiction's noise element (California Government Code, Section 65302(f)), noise insulation standards (California Administrative Code, Title 25) and the noise standards related to airports and their environs (Title 21). The State, through CALTRANS and the California Transportation Commission, also exerts significant influence on the noise environment through the financing, construction, and maintenance of the State highway system.

Local jurisdictions share the responsibility of maintaining the health and welfare of their residents. This responsibility is discharged largely through land use planning and control. The normal approach taken at the local level is a preventative one in which care is taken to avoid the development of neighboring uses that are inconsistent. Retroactive action to correct an inconsistent pattern is generally limited to voluntary programs in which land owners are encouraged to take steps to reduce the noise impact on their property.

The County of Orange has an additional role in that it is the owner/operator of John Wayne Airport. In this role, the County can influence the noise environment, although only insofar as its actions are in accord with federal and state regulations. The County may play a similar role, subject to federal and state laws and regulations, in connection with a civilian airport developed at the El Toro MCAS.²

Noise is generated by numerous sources which are found near places where people both live and work. Of particular concern are those sources generating noise levels above the prevailing background noise level.

The most common mobile noise sources in the County are transportation- related (automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, railroads, and aircraft). Motor vehicle noise is of concern because it is characterized by a high number of individual events, which often create a sustained noise level, and because of its proximity to areas sensitive to noise exposure. Rail and aircraft operations, though infrequent, may generate extremely high noise levels that can be disruptive to human activity. Aircraft noise appears to produce the greatest community anti-noise response, although the duration of the noise from a single airplane is much less, for example, than that from a freight train.

Of the airports and air stations in Orange County, only two have a significant impact on unincorporated areas – MCAS, El Toro and John Wayne Airport (JWA). Other facilities have significant impacts only on incorporated areas, for which the various cities have responsibility.

The primary focus of Noise Element Amendment 1979-2 was on the area surrounding MCAS, El Toro. As a result of that action, a policy implementation line was Defined which corresponded to the Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) contour 65 decibels. Other CNEL contours were also plotted, but the key ones are the 65-decibel line and the 60-decibel noise referral zone boundary. The basis for the 65-decibel CNEL line is the Air Installation Compatible Use Zone (AICUZ) study

Noise contours tend to be very broad estimates of sound levels. In actuality, contour lines float over a defined area. Therefore, the use of zones provides a better method than contour lines for reflecting the true varying nature of sound. However, in order to promote equitable and consistent noise/land use determinations, the policy implementation line has been adopted around MCAS, El Toro. The lines correspond to the CNEL contours in effect at the time of their adoption (October 10, 1979).

These contours were projected based on an assumption of 72,000 annual operations. That number reflects an increase over the actual 1979 level. Upon conversion of El Toro MCAS to civilian airport uses, the area within the 60 and 65 CNEL lines is expected to decline.⁵ Nevertheless, the policy implementation lines remain fixed as to location until modified by a Noise Element Amendment.

In February 1985, the Board of Supervisors adopted the John Wayne Airport Master Plan (AMP) and the Santa Ana Heights Land Use Compatibility Program (LUCP).

The Airport Master Plan includes an ultimate limit of 73 average daily departures (ADDs) for most commercial jet operations. In preparing the LUCP, a projected 65-decibel CNEL noise contour reflecting expected future flight level and a reasonable mix of aircraft types was utilized.

This contour referred to as the Project Case and depicted in EIR 508 (prepared jointly for the AMP and LUCP), was approved by the Board of Supervisors as the implementation line for two noise compatibility programs: Purchase Assurance and Acoustical Insulation. It was also utilized in the preparation and Board adoption of a land use plan (Land Use Element and Community Profile amendments) for unincorporated areas of Santa Ana Heights.

This contour line remains fixed as to location until modified by a Noise Element Amendment. Consideration of a future revision to the Project Case Contour would probably occur subsequent to full implementation of Phase II of the JWA Master Plan.

Figure VIII-2 depicts the current noise contours which surround John Wayne Airport and MCAS, El Toro, as well as the policy implementation line for both the facilityies. Figure VIII-2 also represents the future levels of aircraft noise because of the assumption of 72,000 operations per year established as a part of the amendment in 1979. (See the AICUZ study for MCAS, El Toro for details.) This map also depicts the Project Case Contour for John Wayne Airport as adopted by the Santa Ana Heights Land Use Compatibility Program and the John Wayne Airport Master Plan. Precise noise contour maps are available from the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) which depict these two areas with the map accuracy standards that are required for project-specific evaluations.

By the year 2020, the horizon year of this Element, there will be more people in Orange County, more economic activity, and more traffic of all types. Increased development will lead to more transportation facilities. Overall, the County will exhibit higher population densities. All of these factors will lead to situations in which a greater number of people will reside in areas potentially subject to higher noise impacts.

For the unincorporated area of Orange County, a relatively high percentage of this development will have occurred subsequent to the adoption of land use-noise compatibility policies and standards (the Noise Element was originally adopted in 1975). As a result, more of the dwellings, offices, and other inhabited structures will have been built in accordance with the policies and standards that are contained in this Noise Element.

An estimate of the potential population residing in noise impacted areas was prepared and presented in Chapter II, Background for Planning. That estimate represents the maximum number of people likely to live in those areas. The usefulness of the estimate is for comparative, rather than absolute evaluations. The actual number of affected residents will be less (and probably significantly less), although there will be some Orange County residents who will reside in areas that are noisier than is desired. Some of the factors that may influence how many people actually will live in noisy areas are discussed in the paragraphs that follow.

Some planning constraints exist. Local jurisdictions have control over only some factors which influence the level of noise in an area. Noise compatible land use planning and the discretionary review of project applications are probably the best noise prevention and control tools available to the County. However, these mechanisms are of limited effectiveness in dealing with those instances in which a pre-existing noise-land use incompatibility exists. Unless a development proposal involving a discretionary approval is made, there are no mechanisms to ensure that corrective action will be taken.

The structure of the County’s economy could change significantly. While this is a remote possibility within the time horizon of the Noise Element, such shifts are conceivable. If so, there could be new sources of community noise. Similar changes could occur in the temporal work patterns associated with the local economy. If more multiple work shifts were to occur, then proportion of traffic occurring during the evening (7 - 10 p.m.) or night (10 p.m. - 7 a.m.) time periods may increase.

While these changes would probably have a beneficial effect on peak period traffic congestion, they could increase Community Noise Equivalent Levels due to the additional weight given to noise that occurs during the evening and nighttime periods. It is also possible for the level of activity at Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro to increase significantly, in response to changes in the world situation; however, this facility will be converted to civilian uses in the late 1990s and is expected to be used as an integral component of the County's air transportation infrastructure. A conversion to civilian airport uses is expected to result in a decrease in overall noise levels.⁷

Technological changes are a possibility as they relate to transportation facilities. Reductions in the noise from automobiles and trucks are certainly possible. Quieter tires or quieter engines could each lead to a significant reduction in the areas affected by noise from arterial highways. Neither of these topics is subject to local control nor are the effects of local influence very great.

As a result, the assumption made in this document is that the noise levels associated with the current vehicle fleet are the appropriate ones to use. When conclusive evidence is available that supports different assumptions, then they will be incorporated in a subsequent amendment to this Element.

A similar set of uncertainties exists as it relates to noise characteristics of future generations of aircraft, both civilian and military. Once again, the assumptions utilized here will be changed when the characteristics and utilization rates of such new aircraft are known.

Another technological change that may have an impact on the future noise environment is the role of telecommunications in the lifestyle of county residents. If there should be a significant substitution of communications for transportation, then the traffic volumes and the level of noise from arterial highways might be less than forecasted. Careful attention to and observation of changing traffic patterns will be required prior to adjusting the community noise estimates.

A final technological factor is the absolute accuracy of the estimates of future noise environments. Analytical models used to develop estimates will be improved as new evidence becomes available. The accuracy of the data base will be improved by the acquisition of new data through various national and international efforts. When improved analytical models are available, it may be appropriate to recalculate the noise contours contained in this document.

There are fiscal constraints which affect the future noise environment as well. Attenuation measures all have a cost associated with them. Those that are to be paid for by public agencies (such as acoustical barriers along freeways or arterial highways) must compete for scarce resources with other public needs. Cost considerations are particularly critical for retroactive improvements.

A key objective of this Noise Element is to ensure that each County resident’s quality of life is not affected adversely by high noise levels. Thus mitigation of noise is of paramount importance.

Noise affects all land uses. Residential uses are the most noise sensitive because of structural design, 24-hour per day duration of use and because such uses typically need, and are designed to incorporate outdoor living areas. Other noise sensitive uses include schools, hospitals, and places of worship. While mitigation of the effects of excessive noise in enclosed or interior areas are feasible (if expensive), it becomes more difficult for outdoor areas (particularly for aircraft noise sources).

In general, any development that results in a situation where there is an unacceptable level of noise in any living area (interior or exterior), must be mitigated or the project or use revised to avoid the conflict.

Aircraft noise as it affects outdoor living areas⁸ is particularly critical because it is generally impracticable to provide sufficient noise control to achieve an acceptable noise environment.

Noise sensitive land uses are defined as those specific land uses which have associated indoor and/or outdoor human activities that may be subject to stress and/or significant interference from noise produced by community sound sources. Such human activity typically occurs daily for continuous periods of 24 hours or is of such a nature that noise is significantly disruptive to activities that occur for shorter periods. Specifically, noise sensitive land uses include: residences of all types, hospitals, rest homes, convalescent hospitals, places of worship, and schools.

Development in this context refers to the initial development of land from an unimproved state to the redevelopment of land in which one use is replaced by another or to a significant intensification in an existing use (e.g., replacing a single family dwelling unit with a four-plex). These types of development are the ones on which the County takes discretionary action. Table VIII-2 depicts major uses in terms of noise sensitivity.

For the purpose of complying with the Table VIII-2 criteria, the noise from all sources will be combined and rated in terms of Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL). For multiple noise sources, all sources can either be mathematically combined or the CNEL rating can be calculated in the following manner.

A primary, or loudest, noise source will be identified. All other sources will then be considered secondary noise sources. Secondary noise sources that are at least 10 decibels less than the primary source can be considered to have an acoustically insignificant effect on the noise level rating and therefore will not need to be included in the CNEL calculations. If the primary source requires abatement to comply with Table VIII-2 requirements, then the abated CNEL rating for the primary source will be used to determine the significance of any secondary source. For example, if the primary source is 75dB CNEL and requires abatement to 65dB CNEL, then any secondary source of 55dB CNEL or less can be considered acoustically insignificant. Therefore, a secondary source of 60dB CNEL would require abatement to a 55dB CNEL rating thereby making that acoustically insignificant.

Residential land use is the most sensitive because of the nature of activities which occur over a 24-hour period as well as the generally accepted need for, and design incorporating, outdoor living areas. An upper CNEL limit of 65 decibels was chosen above which noise is extremely annoying. Previous policy decisions by the Board of Supervisors have endorsed the 65-decibel CNEL as the critical sound-level criterion in guiding planning decisions for sensitive land uses. As a result of action by the County Board of Supervisors on Noise Element Amendment 1979-2, a policy implementation line was defined which corresponded to the 65-decibel CNEL contour projected around MCAS, El Toro.

As a result of the Board of Supervisors’ adoption of the Santa Ana Heights Land Use Compatibility Plan (LUCP), a projected 65-decibel CNEL noise contour was adopted for John Wayne Airport reflecting expected future flight levels and a reasonable mix of aircraft types. The policy implementation lines can only be changed as part of a Noise Element Amendment.

The County also has a regular program of monitoring noise in the vicinity of John Wayne Airport. The noise-monitoring program is used to provide supporting data to confirm applicability of the fixed policy implementation lines. The locations of other CNEL contours are plotted for both of these facilities, as well. The 60-decibel CNEL contour is the boundary of the noise referral zone. The other contours are not as important for land use planning purposes since key development policies are not based upon them.

All new residential uses, schools, places of worship, and convalescent hospitals are generally incompatible within the 65-decibel CNEL policy implementation line as defined for MCAS, El Toro and within the 65-decibel CNEL contour for any other airport or air station or for any other source of noise. These uses normally require outdoor living areas for functional or therapeutic purposes or, in the case of nearly all residential projects, to afford the full life style that is the goal of the County's General Plan. For these reasons, the ability to mitigate the effects of noise on these outdoor living areas is of paramount importance. Since it is generally impracticable to mitigate aircraft-induced noise in outdoor living areas, such uses are normally incompatible.

Noise sensitive uses which have no outdoor living areas may be compatible. These uses shall be considered compatible if and only if all standards contained in this Element are met.

Non-noise sensitive uses are compatible so long as interior noise levels meet the policies and standards established by this Noise Element.

This section of the Safety Element explores the aircraft environment of Orange County. To do so, it focuses on commercial, general, and military aviation operations either by fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. The section does not discuss aircraft noise. Information pertaining to aircraft noise may be found in the Noise Element of the General Plan.

Current Conditions

COMMERCIAL AVIATION

John Wayne Airport serves as the home base for approximately 1,000 personal and business ("general aviation") aircraft. During calendar year 1986 there were approximately 5,000 business jet departures.

Within Orange County there are more than 2,600 aircraft registered to personal and corporate owners; yet, there is are only one other airport for these types of aircraft within the County besides JWA--Fullerton Municipal, with 590 based aircraft. All other private aircraft flying to or through Orange County are home based at airports outside Orange County. An additional general aviation facility in the County may be developed at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station following cessation of military uses at that facility in the late 1990s.²

The use of helicopters in business and pleasure has grown enormously in the last decade. With no room to expand, urban airports have had to fit helicopter takeoff and landing areas next to busy airliner runways, taxiways and fueling ramps. Though helicopter pilots and airline pilots are under the guidance of air traffic controllers, they are, depending on the airport, generally communicating on separate radio frequencies.

In Southern California, where an estimated 167,000 helicopter flights occur each year, finding locations for new heliports is a growing concern. There are already 203 heliports within the region, including a growing number in Orange County, most of which are privately owned and operated. About 30 helicopters are based at JWA.

MILITARY AVIATION

Orange County is located in one of the busiest aviation areas in the world (two of the busiest 10 airports in the United States are within a 50-mile radius) along with a multitude of transient traffic. Currently incoming traffic to JWA crosses airspace above Huntington Beach and Newport Beach that is also used by planes preparing to land at Long Beach Municipal Airport.

In addition to Long Beach and John Wayne Airports, and El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, commercial traffic coming and going from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) adds to the aerial congestion above Orange County (40 percent of departing LAX passenger jets are routed south over Seal Beach and then east over Lake Forest or further south to San Diego). However, many of the flights are flying at altitudes in excess of 10,000 feet.

Orange County is crisscrossed by a complex system of air traffic corridors and landing and take-off patterns. Much of Orange County commercial air traffic flies across complex air spaces controlled by various Federal Aviation Administration facilities. These facilities include the following: Los Angeles Terminal Radar Approach Control (LA TRACON) Center; Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center (LA Center) at Palmdale; and the Coast Terminal Radar Approach Control (Coast TRACON) located at MCAS Miramar with computer and communications links at El Toro.

LA TRACON daily handles the approach and departure routes for more than 1,700 flights arriving and departing from Los Angeles International (LAX). The Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center at Palmdale controls as many as 300 aircraft at a time in an oblong 180,000-square-mile rectangle of airspace covering southwest Utah, southern Nevada, western Arizona, Southern California and a stretch of the Pacific Ocean reaching 200 miles out to sea. Coast TRACON covers a 3,000-square-mile area including most of Orange County. TRACONS utilize computer-enhanced radar images to guide pilots through the Los Angeles-Orange County basin until airport tower controllers take over during final approach.

These facilities guide thousands of planes through various types of airspace above Orange County. Among these types of airspace are the following: Terminal Control Areas (TCAs), Airport Radar Service Areas (ARSAs), and Airport Traffic Areas (ATAs) (See Figure IX-5).

The Los Angeles TCA is 52 miles long, 24 miles wide and is separated into 12 zones. A pilot may not enter any part of the TCA unless he first receives a clearance from air traffic controllers. A pilot must also possess a two-way radio, VOR (very high frequency omnidirectional radio) receiver, a transponder and an encoding altimeter.

An Airport Radar Service Area (ARSA) consists of controlled airspace extending upward iron from the surface or higher elevation to specified altitudes, within which all aircraft are subject to the operating rules and pilot and equipment requirement specified by Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR Part 91). An ARSA exists in Orange County for the airspace surrounding MCAS El Toro.

This section of the Safety Element presents a specific aircraft safety goal and policies intended to minimize existing aircraft hazards and promote aviation safety.

Goals and Objectives

The following specific goal is in addition to the General Public Safety Component Goals and Objectives found earlier in this chapter.

Goal 1

To protect the health, safety, and general welfare by ensuring the orderly expansion of airports and the adoption of measures that minimize the public’s exposure to safety hazards within areas around airports.

Policies

The following section identifies existing programs which promote aviation safety and enhance public awareness.