November/December 1998 Volume 5

 You've seen the advertisements on buses, at  bus shelters, in newspapers, and on cable.
 It's the "Dawn of a New Era" - the striking  color sunrise and Millennium Plan logo to
 raise awareness for the non-aviation reuse  proposal of MCAS/El Toro. Orange County
 residents do have a choice and The  Millennium Plan is it!

 This themed campaign, "The Dawn of a New  Era," was launched by the El Toro Reuse
 Planning Authority (ETRPA) as part of its  broader public awareness and information campaign to better inform residents of  their choice and the desirability of this choice for a new use for the military base.
 
This multi-level media program was designed to be informative, user-friendly and
 accessible to residents and all other interested individuals. The focal point of "The
 Dawn of a New Era" is an enhanced multi-media presentation that features a video of
 The Millennium Plan proposal and a complete pull-down menu of facts, frequently
 asked questions, maps and plan details. The presentation has been programmed into
 CD-ROM format and is free to the public. For those who do not have access to a
 computer, a video version is also available. Those who wish to receive free copies of
 the CD-ROM or video should call the toll free Millennium Plan hotline at
 1-877-882-0222.

 ETRPA also will be launching its new web site in December which will also contain
 information on The Millennium Plan and ETRPA. Information to be made available to
 internet users will include: the Plan's executive summary; informational brochure;
 ETRPA Board background; maps; announcements; news releases; newsletters and
 other items of interest to Orange County residents. The Millennium Plan web site
 can be reached at www.millenniumplan.ca.gov.

 Validating several public opinion studies conducted over the past year, a majority of
 residents in Orange County continued to prefer a non-aviation plan as the best
 reuse alternative for MCAS/El Toro, according to a new UC Irvine poll released in
 October. Results from the 17th Orange County Annual Survey showed that 51
 percent of residents polled preferred the non-aviation plan and 40 percent preferred
 the current airport plan.

 The results demonstrate sustained strength of opinion countywide in a non-aviation
 use, mirroring the findings of numerous independent polls conducted by the Los
 Angeles Times, the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority and several polls by UC
 Irvine over the last year. Cheryl Katz and UC Irvine professor Mark Baldassare, who
 directed the survey, said they believed the results demonstrated that attitudes
 appear to be set in stone. "The big surprise is there was nothing new," said Katz.

 In addition to waning support for an airport plan, the survey also showed continued
 disapproval of the way that the county was handling the planning process. When
 asked, if residents approved or disapproved of the way county government is
 handling the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station conversion issue, 43 percent
 disapproved, 29 percent approved and 23 percent were undecided.

 In a more recent poll conducted by the Orange County Register, only 26 percent of
 county residents polled believed that a new international airport at El Toro would
 have a positive impact on their lives. The results indicate continuing opposition to
 an airport despite the County's latest planning efforts to again redesign its airport
 plan into a palatable reuse alternative.

 "These numbers confirm that county residents maintain little support for an airport
 and even less support for its planning process," said ETRPA Executive Director Paul
 Eckles. "Orange County residents have refused to buy into the shell game that
 pro-airport special interests have proliferated. The polls are evidence that the public
 has galvanized behind the Millennium Plan," said Eckles.

 Humanizing the El Toro Airport Issue

 By Rev. John R. Steward

 It is undeniable that several hundred thousand people in Orange County truly
 believe that a commercial airport at El Toro will destroy their domestic tranquility. In
 a recent Los Angeles Times poll, 69 percent of people countywide agreed with the
 statement: "A commercial airport at El Toro will create excessive noise for residents
 living in the surrounding communities." These numbers show that county residents
 as a whole are gradually becoming more sympathetic towards their fellow neighbors
 who stand to be affected. By doing this, county residents are beginning to show
 signs of humanizing the El Toro debate.

 To date, most of the arguments about the future of the El Toro Marine Corps Air
 Station seemingly revolve around highly technical subjects such as runway
 orientation, wind direction, decibel levels, noise contours, and economic multipliers.
 Little attention has been given to the more human dimension that residents are
 expected to live with as a result of these collective impacts on their quality of life.

 Airport proponents are working unmercifully to shift debate from the human
 dimension to intricate technical jargon. By doing this, they do themselves a
 tremendous disservice. Regardless of economic stimulation, airplane departure or
 arrival patterns and curfew double-talk, it is a known fact that the people who live
 closest to an airport will be adversely affected and they are being told by the county
 to accept the fact that there will be no negative impacts. Is this a reasonable
 planning process?

 The county is paying for reams of technical reports, studies and analyses which are,
 not surprisingly, skewed in favor of an airport and then used as "evidence" that an
 airport is feasible. We have yet to see one county document critical of any airport
 proposal to date. Don't you think there might just be a few major concerns over
 dropping a major commercial international airport in the middle of Orange County?

 A future El Toro Airport is incredibly unfair to the thousands of people who can
 defend themselves the least. Senior citizens who live in places like Leisure World are
 not able to just pick up and move. Many have bought their homes and do not have
 the financial resources available to move when the noise becomes unbearable. The
 children in our schools will have their education negatively impacted. Has
 selfishness and greed brought us to the place where we no longer have compassion
 for others? It is immoral for those who are not affected to oppress those who are.
 We must consult our conscience.

 Just about any major project today offends someone - a new airport in the middle of
 the desert would generate opposition. But the people in communities near El Toro
 are not just a handful of desert hermits trying to stop progress. Rather, they
 represent a significant portion of the Orange County population who are deeply
 concerned about the future of their community.

 Is it right for airport proponents to force a major international airport on El Toro
 neighbors just because they are outvoted? I think not. In the end, the more noble
 instincts of the people in Orange County surely will prevail. Building an airport at El
 Toro is not the fair or just thing to do. The good people of Orange County know that
 now, and I believe they will lay this idea to rest.

 Rev. Steward is Senior Pastor of Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Mission Viejo.

                     The South Orange County Chambers of Commerce
                     (SOCCC) and Orange County Business Coalition
                     (OCBC) have been sponsoring an educational series
                     to explore issues and technologies affecting the
                     decision to reuse MCAS/El Toro. The El Toro Reuse
                     Planning Authority has worked to assist both
                     organizations to bring this important educational
                     series to the community. Hundreds of local residents,
                     community leaders, government officials and others
                     attended.
 

Dual-Airport Plan Won't Fly, Says Former DOT Inspector General

 Expected air traffic complications and other hazards resulting from dual-airport
 operations will likely force the closure of John Wayne Airport if a new commercial
 airport is opened at MCAS/El Toro, predicts a former U.S. Department of
 Transportation inspector general.

 The county's airport plan calls for a dual-airport operation whereby John Wayne
 would handle short-haul flights within a 500-mile radius and a proposed commercial
 international airport at MCAS/El Toro would handle long-haul and international
 flights.

 Mary Schiavo, former inspector general of the DOT, called the dual airport system
 unlikely given that the two airports are in close proximity - all of seven miles - that
 is certain to cause close scrutiny by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As
 an example, Schiavo reported that in 1995, when officials unveiled the new $4.9
 billion Denver International Airport, the lights were turned out at Denver's former
 Stapleton Airport

 Current commercial airport construction nationwide calls for longer and wider
 airstrips, a configuration that would affect expansion at MCAS/El Toro, where
 runways currently intersect in an X-pattern.

 "Airports of the future don't have short, intersecting runways with hazards at the
 ends," said Schiavo, referencing MCAS/El Toro's antiquated runway system and the
 ominous presence of buildings and warehouses near the end of the runways. 

 March Inland Cargo Port is open for business.

Just a short distance from Orange County in Riverside is one of the  closest, best airport alternatives, said Steve Albright, executive  director for the March Joint Powers Authority at a recent South Orange County Chambers of Commerce/ Orange County Business Council educational series luncheon.

 "We are an alternative that  Orange County should be looking  at and we're open today," Albright said to a group of 200 Orange County business  and community leaders, residents and officials.

 Unlike MCAS/El Toro, March Inland CargoPort poses no air traffic conflicts with  other airports' flight paths, and enjoys strong community and political support for  expansion to a commercial airport.

 Located off the I-215 freeway (just south of the 60 freeway), March Inland CargoPort  will share its commercial operations with March Air Base Reserve through a Joint  Use Agreement. As part of this arrangement, the Department of Defense pays the  cost to operate the control tower and maintain the runways, grounds and landing
 systems. The airport boasts the longest runway in Southern California and is  currently being used by Boeing to test aircraft.

 March has excellent ground access. With four new interchanges completed and a  critical transportation line to carry a multimodal system, air carriers are expected to  begin using the air base as a major commercial airport in the near future.

 "It's only a matter of time in (commercial carriers') ten-year planning cycles that they  will be looking at March," said Albright, who believes the expanding facility is an  excellent alternative to John Wayne, Ontario International and Los Angeles International airports.

 March Air CargoPort is a 45-minute drive from central Orange County, Albright said,  and could serve as a viable alternative to John Wayne, Ontario International and  Los Angeles International airports.  

Colorado's Lowry AFB Today:

 Defense Reuse at Its Best Former military training facility is  model for reuse of MCAS/El Toro

 Denver, COLO. - When Lowry Air Force Base closed in September 1994, reuse officials encouraged its conversion into an innovative mixed-use commercial and  residential development. Four years later, proponents describe the "new" Lowry as a  high-tech Utopian community in the heart of metropolitan Denver where people can  "live, learn, work and play." If these words sound familiar, it's because Lowry should  serve as an inspirational success story for The Millennium Plan, the proposed  non-aviation plan for MCAS/El Toro.

 The Lowry Redevelopment Authority (LRA) has generated an unforeseen sense of  enthusiasm and excitement among Denver residents. What was once Lowry Air  Force Base is rapidly being transformed into a vital new center of education,  employment, recreation and gracious neighborhood living - all within a  self-contained urban 21st century community.

 A state-of-the-art community-wide telecommunications network and major road and  utility improvements are underway. New homes are being bought at a dizzying pace  just from architectural plans and models. The area is so desire able, 18 different  developers are competing to construct Lowry's 100,000 square foot Town Center
 that will be the commercial and retail center for the new community. Although full  development isn't scheduled to be completed until 2009, planners estimated that by  the year 2005, more than $1.3 billion worth of property will be added to Denver's tax  base.

 Lowry is comprised of the following four main components:

 Residential

 The residential component of the Lowry community includes 3,200 housing units
 consisting of a full range of  affordable-to-luxury and senior apartment
 complexes, duplexes, townhouses,  single-family homes, custom home lots and
 golf course frontage properties.

 Educational

 With education a high LRA priority, the  community will build a 156-acre
 Higher-Education and Advanced Technology (HEAT) Center, comprised of a
 consortium of higher learning institutions emphasizing high technology. The HEAT
 Center will serve 10,000 students. The community currently includes a public
 elementary school, two private primary schools, with two additional private primary
 schools planned.

 Jobs

 A 185-acre Lowry Business Park and a Town Center will comprise the commercial
 portion of the community. The Business Park will be home to companies specializing
 in bioscience, telecommunications, computer services and finance. The Town Center
 will offer neighborhood-scale retail outlets and multi-family homes. With over 2
 million square feet of commercial space available, Lowry Business Park and Town
 Center will offer high quality jobs within walking distance of homes and schools.

 Recreation

 Referred to by many as the true signature of the Lowry community, nearly half of the
 former air base is dedicated to recreation and open space. More than 800 acres of
 parklands and open space will connect all areas of the development. This space
 includes urban trails, parks, playing fields, recreational facilities, a 45-hole golf
 complex, an amphitheater, and an ice arena constructed within a former B-52 hangar.
 The parks and open space system also features cultural attractions such as the
 Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum.

 "It is a miniature version of The Millennium Plan - the proposed uses and excitement seen there are more and more evident here," said El Toro Executive Director Paul Eckles.

 Lowry officials are ecstatic over the community's response, attributing its success to
 quality employment opportunities, innovative objectives and a commitment to
 preserve a high-quality of life.

 "We're combining high technology with historic preservation to build a community
 that reflects the best of the old and the best of the new," said Tom Markham,
 executive director for the Lowry Redevelopment Authority. "We're creating a place
 with old ideals and new ideas."

 Despite decreasing air traffic numbers for the seventh month in a row, proponents of
 a commercial international airport at MCAS/El Toro continue to influence Newport
 Beach residents into thinking John Wayne Airport expansion is imminent if El Toro
 is not built. Orange County airport planners have proposed including two expansion
 alternatives for John Wayne and one "as is" proposal as part of the Environmental
 Impact Review (EIR) if El Toro is not built.

 Airport special interests are using the two unlikely expansion options to intimidate
 Newport Beach residents into supporting an airport at El Toro. The Airport Working
 Group recently sent a slick mailer to 100,000 residents closest to John Wayne
 Airport claiming that the airport will need to be expanded to accommodate air traffic
 demand in the absence of El Toro airport.

 However, air demand in Orange County can best be characterized as uncertain as a
 recent downward trend in air traffic at John Wayne suggests. Statistics indicate the
 number of passengers using John Wayne Airport dropped 4.4 percent in July, 4.2
 percent in June, 0.3 percent in May, 4.4 percent in April and 6.7 percent in March.

 In light of diminishing passenger numbers at John Wayne Airport, Orange County's
 travel demands continue to benefit from several regional airports nearby and will
 continue to benefit as regional airports undergo major expansion efforts.

 "It is nonsensical to assume that John Wayne is the only airport that can support
 Orange County's air demand," said ETRPA Executive Director Paul Eckles. "If that
 were the case, it would be one of the busiest airports in the country today. We are
 prepared to work with Newport Beach and Costa Mesa residents to keep John
 Wayne at its current capacity," said Eckles.

 Judge Orders County to Pay ETRPA Attorney Fees
 The county has been ordered to repay $411,000 in legal costs to ETRPA and
 Taxpayers for Responsible Planning (TRP) as part of a lawsuit challenging Orange
 County's airport Environmental Impact Report, San Diego Superior Court Judge
 Judith McConnell has ruled. Judge McConnell found the EIR to be "insufficient,"
 lacking in specifics and otherwise incomplete. Earlier this year, Judge McConnell
 ordered Orange County to fix the deficiencies.

 Air Cargo Carriers Still Not Interested In El Toro
 Three of the four largest commercial air cargo carriers remain disinterested in
 opening operations at MCAS/El Toro when the base closes next year, despite
 attempts by pro-airport special interests to entice their business. DHL Worldwide,
 United Parcel Service and Emery Worldwide said that they are not interested in
 cargo flights out of MCAS/El Toro, while Federal Express has yet to take a formal
 position.

 Currently, Federal Express and UPS have only one flight out of John Wayne Airport
 to serve Orange County. UPS operates its hub facility at Ontario International
 Airport and will be opening a new second facility at Long Beach Airport. Federal
 Express - operating major sorting facilities at Los Angeles International, San
 Francisco International and Oakland International airports - flies Pacific Rim cargo
 out of its Anchorage, Alaska hub facility. DHL and Emery Worldwide have
 operations at both Los Angeles International and Ontario International Airports.
 

 ETRPA Adds OCTA Facility to Millennium Plan

 A 50-acre Orange County Transportation Authority maintenance facility has been
 added to The Millennium Plan as part of the upcoming base reuse environmental
 process. The addition, requested by the OCTA, will replace a formerly planned
 entertainment/mixed use facility and is expected to further reduce traffic volumes
 within the planned community.

 This minor modification by the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority (ETRPA) leaves
 virtually unchanged The Millennium Plan's original design as the best and preferred
 reuse alternative for MCAS/El Toro. "The Millennium Plan is winning the hearts and
 minds of Orange County residents," said Paul Eckles, executive director of ETRPA.

For more information about the reuse of MCAS/El Toro or to download The Public
 Perspective go to http://www.eltoroairport.org

 El Toro Reuse Planning Authority
 1 Civic Center Plaza
 P.O. Box 19575
 Irvine, CA 92623-9575