The Role of Newport Beach
The El Toro Airport Info Site receives documents
from many sources, concerning the MCAS reuse project. Some of the
most informative come from individuals in Newport Beach who object to that
city's role in promoting a commercial airport at El Toro.
The following is from a City of Newport Beach memo, forwarded anonymously by an employee:
City of Newport Beach
Office of the City Manager
March 6, 1997
To: All Employees
From Kevin J. Murphy, City Manager
Subject: Update on City Goals
Late last month I promised an update to you on the City's goals for this calendar year and through the 1997-98 fiscal year. These goals or priorities were established by the City Council in early January and the various City departments have begun implementation of these priorities...
The City Council identified nine key priorities for our attention, including: airport, annexation, economic development, crime prevention, water service delivery, employee relations/negotiations, financial forecasts, tidelands administration/negotiations, and marine environment/water quality. I'll try to give you a brief idea of the City Council's focus on each of these without making this a long and lengthy document.
AIRPORT
The City's Settlement Agreement with the County on restrictions (hours
and number of flights, e.g.) at John Wayne Airport expires in 2005 and
due to Congressional action can't be extended. Limiting the amount of noise
from the airport over the homes in our City has helped keep our residential
tax base strong and keep it a desirable place to live along the coast.
For those reasons, the City will continue to be strong advocates for the
conversion of M.C.A.S. El Toro to a commercial airport. This will take
a very strong time and dollar commitment by the City Attorney's office
and City Manager's office for the next three to four years. The County
will be considering an Airport Master Plan for El Toro and John Wayne in
late 1999...
The following is an excerpt from a study prepared by
the Office of the City Manager, The City of Newport Beach, in 1983. Some
of the consultants hired by the City for this study were subsequently employed
by the County of Orange, 13 years later, when it prepared its Environmental
Impact Report on El Toro, in 1996. The report came to
the web site from a concerned resident.
The Report is entitled, The Workable Airport
Solution. The study recommends that a commercial airport
be operated at El Toro.
The study determines that terrain problems at El Toro will cause a 737
aircraft to "give up 20% of pay load" under the operating conditions
studied: The following is an excerpt of the report with it's recommended
solution:
"TERRAIN PROBLEMS CAN BE SOLVED BY:
1. Lengthening the (EL Toro) runway 2000' to the west and filling to level the slope.
2. Moving the east end of the (El Toro) runway back 1000'.
3. Grading the tops of terrain obstacles. (To meet full TERPS requirements, a maximum of 133 feet would need to be cut from the highest hill, and total grading would amount to 6,000,000 cubic yards.)
To meet airline standards, only 40 feet would need to be cut, and total grading would amount to less than 1,000,000 cubic yards."
After reviewing the terrain problems at El Toro, which restrict the use of larger fully loaded aircraft, the report concludes that:
"Long haul and international demand would continue to be served by Los Angeles and Ontario airports. A short and medium haul airport could be located in Orange County.", at El Toro.
The report makes no mention of possibilities for expanding the physical capacity of John Wayne Airport.
See also the Newport - Costa Mesa Daily Pilot's article outlining the history and status of the Newport Beach campaign to build an airport at El Toro.
OCRAA - Newport Beach Assistant City Manager Peggy Ducey is Executive Director of the Orange County Regional Airport Authority. OCRAA is largely Newport Beach funded and operates as "cover" for Newport Beach's push for an El Toro airport.
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