Where
should we buy a house? Where
should we buy a house?The County of Orange has spent over two million dollars on an environmental impact report, to determine the effect of their proposed airport. Now, the County plans to spend several hundred thousand dollars of taxpayer money on a publicity program to inform us about it. They owe us answers.
Citizens should demand honest answers from their government officials, upon which they can make important economic and quality of life decisions.
Send your specific questions, by certified mail, return receipt requested, to:
Ms. Courtney Wiercioch,
Assistant Chief Executive Officer
County of Orange
10 Civic Center Plaza
Santa Ana, CA 92701
You also can email County Chief Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier
Anyone contemplating the purchase of a home also should obtain a Transfer Disclosure Statement from their Realtor and the seller, which may provide basis for a lawsuit if you are misinformed about problems in the area that you are considering.
The all-volunteer web site team provides a clearing house for information which comes to us from others, and anyone who acts, based on web site information, does so at their own risk. Having said these necessary cautionary words, we offer the following:
The county says that 70% of all departures from El Toro will be to the east, on Runway 7 that follows a 70 degree compass heading towards Lake Forest, Trabuco Canyon, Coto de Caza and Ranch Santa Margarita. Planes will probably turn south towards San Clemente and the ocean. Many airline pilots say Runway 7 is unsafe because of its slope, the winds, and rising terrain and won’t be used. Consultants for the City of Newport Beach recommend cutting off the top of a hill that lies in the flight path.
The county says that 30% of all departures, including the heavier and generally noisier aircraft will take off to the north on a runway that follows a 340 degree compass heading. towards Tustin and Villa Park Many of these planes may continue north, changing course to a heading of about 310 degrees. However, some pilots expect that planes will have to make a left turn to avoid LAX traffic and will head over UCI and Corona del Mar towards the ocean. Click here for the only published flightpath map from the County, which shows it both ways.
The county says that almost all aircraft will land from the south over Dana Point, Laguna Beach, San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo and Laguna Hills.
Many aviation experts doubt the county, and expect many flights to either land or takeoff over Irvine.
Even if one does not live under a flight path, and can avoid much of the noise, there are other factors to consider:
Air pollution from planes can spread with the winds.
Traffic congestion will impact many roads.
Urbanization, blight and falling property values may impact all neighborhoods in cities, unincorporated areas, and school districts closest to the flight paths and airport.
Click here for answers about noise, another frequently asked question.
Return to summary of comments by commercial pilots regarding flight paths.