NEWS - February 2006

El Toro Info Site report, February 27, 2006
Jim Davy, Tireless El Toro Volunteer, Passes  February 26, 2006

El Toro Info Site report, February 26, 2006
Planning for OC's future air travel needs

San Diego Union-Tribune, February 25, 2006
"Navy boss says no to civilian base use"

LA Times, February 24, 2006
"O.C. Park Appointee Triggers Tension"

El Toro Info Site report, February 23, 2006
More from GPC board meeting

El Toro Info Site report, February 23, 2006
Bill Kogerman selected to Great Park Board

OC Register, February 23, 2006
"Great Park panel to fill vacancy"

El Toro Info Site report, February 22, 2006
Great Park board meets Thursday

El Toro Info Site report, February 22, 2006
Great Park expenditures

El Toro Info Site report, February 21, 2006
SCAG to look at 2035

El Toro Info Site report, February 19, 2006
Everyone gets to party on V-W Day

OC Register, February 18, 2006
"Report says crowded areas at LAX attractive to terrorists"

The San Diego Union-Tribune February 17, 2006
“Navy: 'We will cooperate' on new airport site” – or will they?

OC Register, February 17, 2006
"Builder proposed for JWA project"

El Toro Info Site report, February 16, 2006
Airport opponents celebrate

OC Register, February 15, 2006
Articles in print but not yet online

El Toro Info Site report, February 14, 2006
Santa Ana Heights in the takeoff path of JWA

[San Diego] North County Times, February 13, 2006 - updated February 14
“Committee: Drop North County from airport search”

El Toro Info Site report, February 12, 2006 - updated February 13
Regional airport plans face conflicts

SD North County Times, February 11, 2006
“Board member says San Diego Marine depot could solve airport needs”

Media release, February 10, 2006
John Wayne airport releases January statistics

El Toro Info Site report, February 9, 2006
GPC interviews candidates

LA Times, February 9, 2006
"Next, he'll build a canyon"

LA Daily News Editorial February 7, 2006, website posted February 8
"Regionalizing air traffic requires tough, no-nonsense leadership"

OC Register, February 7, 2006
"Funds for fighting airport went to mailer"

El Toro Info Site report, February 5, 2006
Anti-airport contributions wind up in political slate mailer’s coffers

El Toro Info Site report, February 4, 2006
Regional airport bill dies

Associated Press, February 3, 2006
"LAX Gets More Federal Funds for Runway Project"

OC Register, February 2, 2006
"Great Park will test Smith's management skill"

El Toro Info Site report, February 1, 2006
Airport statistics for 2005

LA Times, January 31, 2006, posted February 1
“SFO has early lead in race to handle super-jumbo jet”


Click here for previous news stories
El Toro Info Site report, February 27, 2006
Jim Davy, Tireless El Toro Volunteer, Passes  February 26, 2006

Jim Davy suffered a heart attack and passed away Sunday February 26, 2006. He led the volunteer signature-gathering effort for both Measure F and Measure W.  Under his leadership, a county record of 195,000 signatures were gathered to place Measure F on the Ballot.

Jim Davy was 80 years old and was recently honored  by ETRPA as one of the outstanding leaders of the grass roots effort to stop the airport.   He was a resident of Dana Point and is survived by his wife, Phyllis.  Jim Davy will remain in our thoughts and prayers.

Services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, March 4, at the Laguna Niguel Presbyterian Church, 30071 Ivy Glenn, Laguna Niguel. It is suggested donations be made to the Heart Association or Hospice Care of California in lieu of flowers.

Memories and thoughts of Jim can be posted here.

El Toro Info Site report, February 26, 2006
Planning for OC's future air travel needs

Orange County and San Diego County have similar populations, and each operates a county airport with a single commercial runway on roughly 5-600 acres.  The two counties are addressing future air travel demands in very different ways.

San Diego is actively working to add capacity The San Diego Regional Airport Authority is maximizing the physical utilization of Lindbergh Field. In addition, a major search is underway to find a second county airport site - either in county or in an adjoining county - to augment or replace Lindbergh Field.

In Orange County, plans for increasing JWA acreage and lengthening the commercial runway were developed by the county in 1999 and made an alternative in EIR 573.  A proposal to expand JWA to serve as many as 25 million passengers was part of a political strategy to scare up central county support for building El Toro airport.

Once the El Toro fight ended, so did discussion of a major increase in John Wayne passenger service.

In 2002, the Board of Supervisors approved a new John Wayne EIR 582 which did not incorporate the growth alternatives of the earlier EIR 573.  The terminal will be expanded. However, the Board agreed to extend artificial limits on JWA's utilization to 10.8 MAP until 2015. If needed, additional passenger service would have to come from some unspecified airport elsewhere.

Runway capacity in the region is ample. The challenge is getting passengers to the runways. Discussion of ground access for Orange County travelers to out-of-county airports has been left largely to the Southern California Association of Governments, SCAG. However, SCAG and Los Angeles World Airports have shown relatively little interest in accommodating OC air passengers.

LAX, in its FlyAway planning for airport transport, considered over 30 routes with none intended to bring passengers to and from Orange County. As a Los Angeles World Airports official spokesperson said, "Orange County needs to address its own airport demand."

Until recently, it was impossible to examine Orange County's future air travel needs objectively while the supervisors and voters were severely polarized by the El Toro debate.
 
Since voters finally rejected plans for an El Toro airport in 2002, Orange County has not undertaken a fresh review of its future airport demand and options. The time may be ripe to revisit the issue.

San Diego Union-Tribune, February 25, 2006
"Navy boss says no to civilian base use"

"The Pentagon yesterday issued its highest-level opposition yet to the proposed use of any San Diego military installation for a civilian airport, a message that comes even as consultants unveiled an 'outside-the-box' concept for collaborative operations at Miramar air station."

"In a letter to a congresswoman, Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter flatly rejected proposals for joint use at Miramar, Camp Pendleton and North Island Naval Air Station."

“'National defense requirements preclude making any portion of these installations available for a new or dual use commercial airport,' Winter said in his letter to U.S. Rep. Susan A. Davis, D-San Diego."

Click for two articles on this development in San Diego's search for a new airport site.

LA Times, February 24, 2006
"O.C. Park Appointee Triggers Tension"

"William G. Kogerman, 67, of Laguna Hills was picked Thursday to replace former Irvine Co. executive Richard G. Sim on the nine-member Orange County Great Park Corp.'s board of directors. Sim resigned abruptly in May after accusing park board leadership of wasteful spending and muddy priorities."

"Just as Sim left the park board amid controversy, Kogerman's selection sparked similar tension. He was opposed by two board members who questioned his ties with public affairs giant Forde & Mollrich of Newport Beach, which last year denied allegations of bill-padding in its $1.2-million contract with the park board."

"Kogerman said he worked for the company four years ago during the fight to kill plans for a commercial airport at El Toro. He is currently managing the supervisorial campaign of Laguna Niguel Councilwoman Cathryn de Young, who separately employs Forde & Mollrich as her chief strategist."

"Kogerman said he would abstain from future votes on Forde & Mollrich's contract if he believed there was a conflict of interest. He vowed to be an independent voice on the park board."
El Toro Info Site report, February 23, 2006
More from GPC board meeting

It was reported that agreement had been reached for Lennar to contract for runway demolition and that “recycling will be well underway this summer.”

GPC staff is working on a “Last Tour” open house for the general public with particular attention to those “who have some connection with the base.” There will be shuttle bus tours, an oral history activity, memory board, speakers and the assembling of a time capsule.

A ground breaking will take place in late summer.

El Toro Info Site report, February 23, 2006
Bill Kogerman selected to Great Park Board

KogermanBill Kogerman, long-time anti-airport leader and Chairman of the successful Yes on Measure W campaign was selected today from amongst 23 applicants and three finalists to fill the vacant seat on the Great Park Corp board. Kogerman brings a unique background in business, military leadership, and El Toro's legacy to the position. 

He is a Laguna Hills resident, a political conservative and has not shied away from crossing swords with Larry Agran in the past - attributes that might add some balance to the board.

Kogerman is committed to "fulfilling the promise of Measure W", creating a veterans' memorial at the park, and is likely to work for appropriate recognition of the grass roots efforts that led to the park becoming a reality. We congratulate him.

The 6-2 vote on his selection was not without the controversy that marks much of what transpires between Irvine council members. Board member Choi questioned Kogerman's previous employment by, and current working relationship with Forde & Mollrich, why Kogerman had not revealed it during the application process, and how he would handle the political consulting firm's contracts with the GPC.

Member Shea praised former member Sim for the business experience he brought to the table and for "not being part of the political majority on this board." We should not be choosing "just another political friend." Shea expressed disappointment that Kogerman listed himself as retired when he is actively working as a political consultant on a team with Forde & Mollrich. (The live audio of the meeting was interrupted during much of her comments.)

Finalist Bill Campbell, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors - who submitted his application with the full backing of his fellow supervisors - was praised by the GPC board members. Despite the praise, not one of the board's, "political majority" (to borrow Shea's term) stepped out of line to vote for him. It was thought by many observers that Campbell had no real chance of being chosen. He had criticized the governance of the Great Park and was thought to favor more countywide influence in how the Irvine-run corporation conducts its affairs.

OC Register, February 23, 2006
"Great Park panel to fill vacancy"
Irvine paper recommends a choice.

"The Great Park Corp. board faces a pivotal choice today that will influence big decisions looming on design and financing of what is planned as one of biggest metropolitan parks in the nation."

"The new member will affect the political makeup of the board led by longtime Irvine City Councilman Larry Agran."

Website Editor: Agran's majority of allies on the board is so strong that the presence of a different viewpoint - such as Dick Sim's - could not be "pivotal" on any decision. It is unlikely that the board would select anyone unacceptable to Agran.

"The Register asked Alan Saltzstein, a retired political science professor at California State University Fullerton, to analyze the candidates' résumés and letters. Click for his assessment.

The Irvine World News adds comments from Sarah Catz who will be teaching a course at UCI on the Great Park.

The IWN also comes out in support of Mark Steiman in an editorial.

"Steiman is the unknown, at least publicly, but he shows the promise to be a director who will bring a different voice to the enterprise as well as additional expertise in managing money and people.  Mark Steiman ought to be the board’s choice today."

El Toro Info Site report, February 22, 2006
Great Park board meets Thursday

The Great Park Corp board meets tomorrow, Thursday at 1:00 PM at Irvine City Hall. The meeting can be watched on-line through the city's web site at http://www.cityofirvine.org/ . Click on ICTV30 Watch It Now in the left frame. Irvine residents can watch on Channel 30 TV.

The board will discuss, and possibly choose, someone to fill the open seat that has been vacant for nine months.  The three finalists for the seat vacated by Dick Sim are Bill Kogerman, Bill Campbell and Mark Steiman.

The board will get an update from Manager of Engineering Christina Lo on the staff's recommendation to choose Bovis Lend Lease as the project manager for the Great Park. The firm would be an extension of the Great Park Corp. staff, coordinate with Ken Smith's design team on construction plans and oversee construction of the Great Park.
 
The board will receive an update on plans for a groundbreaking ceremony at the former base this spring.
 
There also will be a report on the runway demolition and concrete recycling project.

El Toro Info Site report, February 22, 2006
Great Park expenditures

The Great Park Corp budget for this Fiscal Year July1, 2005 through June 30, 2006 was increased in December to $10,504,926.
 
The increase is for the "amortization of pre-formation costs", i.e. Irvine expenses which were capitalized on the advice of auditors and will be treated as an expense of the Park each year for 5 years.  The city already has been reimbursed from development fees paid by Lennar.

The city received $66,666,666 from Lennar so far - one-third of the total due. Irvine holds the funds until they are transferred to the Great Park Corp.

As of November 30, 2005, the city deducted various startup costs and advances totaling $14,417,841 leaving $52,248,825 for ongoing Great Park activities. The accounting is as follows:

Irvine ETRPA dues (final payment)

645,091

Entitlement & Planning Contract Services

1,245,991

December 9, 2003 Advance

250,000

March 22, 2005 Advance

2,122,250

Environmental Insurance Premium

2,900,794

Personnel Reimbursement Agreement

4,056,179

Community Facilities District (CFD) Planning/Startup Staffing Costs

124,394

CFD Planning/Startup Contract Costs

2,870,000

Interest on Advance

203,142

Total Startup and Repayment of City Advances

14,417,841


The magnitude of the transfers to the city from what has simplistically regarded as "park money" adds to questions about the relationship between the Great Park Corp board and the city council. As Former Irvine School Board President Hank Adler recently wrote, "The Irvine city council members sit on the Great Park Board, select the other board members, and have veto power over any bylaw changes." The city holds the money, controls the books, decides which costs like ETRPA dues to charge to the park, and operates the GPC in many ways as another city department.

A discussion of the relationship between the Great Park Corp and the city is on the GPC Board agenda for Thursday.

Irvine is a safe attractive city with good parks and a well regarded school system. Having Irvine Great Park beats Irvine International Airport.

El Toro Info Site report, February 21, 2006
SCAG to look at 2035

The Southern California Association of Governments, SCAG, reconvenes its Aviation Task Force this Thursday to begin work on a 2008 Regional Transportation Plan. A new Regional Aviation Capacity and Forecasting Study will be undertaken along with an Airspace Analysis.

The ATF will update its regional airport plan, extending its horizon to 2035.

The Aviation Task Force also will be asked to approve a new regional airport management/governance structure to improve coordination between the region's several airports.

El Toro Info Site report, February 19, 2006
Everyone gets to party on V-W Day

Sunday, March 5, 2006 is the 4th anniversary of the victory of Measure W.

All anti-airport volunteers are invited to an informal celebration from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at the Laguna Hills home of ETRPA Chairman Allan Songstad.

Pass the word around. Come on out to see your friends. Click here for details, directions and how to respond to the invitation.

Supervisor Bill Campbell published a group of photos from the February 15 ETRPA event in his email bulletin.

OC Register, February 18, 2006
"Report says crowded areas at LAX attractive to terrorists"

"Crowded public areas at Los Angeles International Airport are attractive targets for terrorist bombs, according to a report released detailing airport security."

"The 64-page report released Friday recommended that airlines add ticket agents and the federal Transportation Security Administration hire more screeners to speed travelers to secure gate areas."

"The study urged the city to build permanent checkpoints at the airport's six entrances to reduce the risk of car-bomb attacks - a proposal it originally made in 2004."

Read more including the LA Times report, "3rd Risk Warning for LAX in 3 Years."

The San Diego Union-Tribune February 17, 2006
“Navy: 'We will cooperate' on new airport site” – or will they?

The San Diego paper raised hopes that a military base might be made available for civilian aviation, reporting “A senior Navy official told airport agency members yesterday that the Navy is willing to be ‘part of the process’ of helping San Diego find a location for a new regional airport. The meeting with Navy Assistant Secretary BJ Penn in Washington, D.C., was requested by San Diego County Regional Airport Authority members to inform him about their interest in sharing a military airport, said Joe W. Craver, chairman of the authority's board.”

“Penn did not commit to using the sites, nor did he preclude using Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, its East Miramar installation, Camp Pendleton or North Island Naval Air Station.”

Shortly thereafter, the San Diego Regional Airport Authority issued a "follow-on" media release adjusting the spin:

"Assistant Secretary Penn said that there were three criteria he applied to all decisions: is this solution best for the sailors and marines, the Department of Defense and the country."
 
"While Assistant Secretary Penn told our officials he clearly understood the problems, Mr. Penn stated that all solutions presented seem to jeopardize training for Sailors and Marines and therefore he could not support any of the proposals.  He said he could not be teammates with the Airport Authority but would continue to provide information, as requested." 

Click for both items.


OC Register, February 17, 2006
"Builder proposed for JWA project"

"Turner Construction Co. should handle day-to-day operations of the $512 million expansion and refurbishment of John Wayne Airport, the Orange County Airport Commission decided Wednesday evening."

"The airport director would negotiate a contract with Turner and return to the supervisors for approval."

"John Wayne's 15-year-old, 440,000-square-foot terminal will add 300,000 square feet. The number of permanent gates will go from 14 to 20, and a 2,500-slot parking lot will be built with other improvements. Construction, to begin this year, will take five years."

El Toro Info Site report, February 16, 2006
Airport opponents celebrate

Wednesday evening, a happy mix of elected officials, ETRPA and city staff and consultants, and grass roots activists celebrated their success at defeating plans for an El Toro commercial airport. ETPRA and a group of business sponsors hosted what will be the first of several events marking the end of the long fight.

Kogerman, Songstad, Kranser, Krogius, Simon, DavyA crowd of hugging and handshaking celebrants at the Irvine Marriott milled around greeting old friends. Several former local activists flew in from the East and Midwest to join their comrades in the grass roots campaigns.  ETRPA consultants came from all over the county to join in.

Leaders of the campaign received trophies they once thought might be impossible to have – a piece of runway concrete incased in plastic.

ETRPA produced a video history of the El Toro reuse story that was shown at the event and is available on DVD without cost to anyone contacting t.fitzpatrick@etrpa.com by March 2 with their regular mail address.

Another party is scheduled for Sunday afternoon March 5 – the anniversary of the passage of Measure W – in Laguna Hills. Everyone who worked as a volunteer in the effort is welcome. Details will be posted shortly.

The Great Park Corp staff is working on plans for a “Last Tour” of the former base in May - open to everyone.

Left to right: Bill Kogerman, Allan Songstad, Len Kranser, Tris Krogius, Carol Simon and Jim Davy.  ETRPA Chairman Songstad made the presentations.

OC Register, February 15, 2006 - revised
Articles in print but not yet online

In today’s Register, Former Irvine School Board President Hank Adler writes “You cannot serve two masters . . . Sitting on the Irvine council and the Park Board creates a conflict.”  Adler’s Orange Grove opinion piece suggests ways in which the interests of the city and those of the Great Park might conflict.

"The Irvine city council members sit on the Great Park Board, select the other board members, and have veto power over any bylaw changes."

In a separate article, the Register reports that Irvine Mayor Beth Krom delivered a 90-minute State of the City address on Tuesday that “was interrupted 28 times by applause, down from last year’s 43 clapping episodes.” Krom said the state of the city was excellent with “great progress on the Great Park.”

El Toro Info Site report, February 14, 2006
Santa Ana Heights - in the takeoff path of JWA

Santa Ana HeightsThe Register reports today that Newport Beach “eyes annexing the area” which sits squarely in the takeoff path of John Wayne airport. The unincorporated area is in Costa Mesa’s state-designated sphere of influence.

The annexation of Santa Ana Heights and the takeover of the Santa Ana Heights Redevelopment Authority is seen as part of the city’s strategy to block future airport expansion.

One concept for lengthening John Wayne’s runway involves extending it over Bristol Street and relocating equipment to the golf course in West Santa Ana Heights.

A January Daily Pilot column quotes Newport Beach Councilman Heffernan saying "Talks are going on right now between the city and the county about the fate of John Wayne when the present agreement expires." Presumably county staff is discussing the "sphere issues" raised by Newport Beach, including greater city control of what happens in Santa Ana Heights and the airport neighborhood.

[San Diego] North County Times, February 13, 2006 - updated February 14
“Committee: Drop North County from airport search”

“North County likely will be scratched as a site for a supplemental airport to San Diego's Lindbergh Field if an advisory committee gets its way. A four-member panel of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority voted unanimously Monday to recommend dropping North County from further consideration.”

“Monday's vote came after a consultant said that supplemental airport costs are virtually equal to those demanded by a full-size airport and that those now in a handful in metropolitan areas around the country take decades to become financially viable.”

The consultant, Bob Hazel of the airport planning firm Eclat Consulting, concluded "Secondary airports take years to become successful. . . You're competing in a world economy with expectations that there will be an airport close to the major business and population center."

“Hazel also pointed out that 54 percent of passengers that fly into San Diego are tourists, with the majority staying in the city, another concern for airlines and passengers.”

“After having studied more than 30 potential new airport sites, a Lindbergh [Field] expansion appears to be gaining momentum with some authority board members as increasing doubts are expressed about the viability of shared use on a [military] base. It also would be cheaper than the estimated $17 billion to $19 billion costs and distances of an airport in Imperial County or at Campo.”

“Board member William Lynch summed up that sentiment. ‘Downtown is a vital center for this region,’ Lynch said. ‘People want convenience.’"

Click for this report and several others dated February 14.

Website Editor: San Diego planners are reconsidering expanding Lindbergh Field, their equivalent of former Los Angeles Mayor Riordan's LAX plan. Riordan proposed squeezing as many as 110 million annual passengers into LAX.

El Toro Info Site report, February 12, 2006 - updated Februiary 13
Regional airport plans face conflicts

Another SCAG long-range regional airport plan is in the works for 2007-8. It is likely that plans will change every several years as the region faces conflicts between airports' physical capacities and the desires of those who live near them to restrict their use.

Each airport has intentionally fashioned or unintentionally fallen prey to its own unique service restrictions.

John Wayne Airport restricts passengers by agreement between the county and Newport Beach. JWA will add 68 percent more terminal space and 6 passenger gates (a 42 percent increase). However, under the negotiated agreement, airport utilization only can expand by 11 percent over the next 10 years, from 9.6 million annual passengers (MAP) in 2005 to 10.8 million in 2015. A county EIR says JWA runways can handle 13.9 MAP but SCAG presumes the negotiated limit of 10.8 in 2015 will continue in effect indefinitely.

Long Beach Airport legally restricts the number of allowed flights unless planes get quieter. The airport served 3.0 million passengers in 2005 with 25 daily regional jet slots mostly unused. Long Beach is debating an Enviromental Impact Report, EIR for a significant expansion of its terminal including more gates. Last year, an executive for JetBlue was quoted saying, LB Airport "could have 7 million annual passengers within the current noise ordinance if carriers began using larger aircraft like the Boeing 767." Airport Manager Chris Kunze recently told SCAG's Aviation Technical Advisory Committee that the airport could serve 5 million but SCAG planners presently use a limit of 3.8 MAP.

LAX proposes to restrict passenger gates in an effort to limit the airport's use to 78 million travelers. To settle a lawsuit, Los Angeles and its neighbors have agreed to eliminate up to 10 passenger gates if the airport gets busy - when the gates are most needed. The airlines have not supported the scheme. Airport officials told SCAG's Aviation Task Force the runways can handle 89 million annual passengers but SCAG is sticking with the 78 MAP number.

Burbank restricts terminal size and parking. Agreement has been reached between the city and airport not to expand Bob Hope Airport's terminal or add to its 14 gates for ten years. SCAG projects traffic at the airport to double by 2030, an assumption that some local officials dispute.

Ontario has ample capacity but is restricted by how one gets there. SCAG assumes that passenger volume will quadruple if ground access is improved. Since not enough passengers find it convenient to reach ONT, not enough airlines find it economical to offer flights. Consequently, airport bus and shuttle costs are high. It is a "What comes first, the chicken or the egg" situation.

Meanwhile, San Diego County is pushing utilization of Lindbergh Field to its maximum physical capacity even as it systematically looks for runway space elsewhere.

SD North County Times, February 11, 2006
“Board member says San Diego Marine depot could solve airport needs”

“A proposal for a commercial airport in North [San Diego] County that would serve as a supplement to increasingly crowded Lindbergh Field in San Diego may soon be grounded.”

“A report prepared for the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority suggests that the costs of building a single-runway supplemental airfield at one of two North County sites that were examined, as well as a lack of marketability with airlines, render the proposal challenging at best.”

"’The projected 2030 North County population base in itself will not make a supplemental airport viable given the presence of other airports in the region,’ the report from airport planners Eclat Consulting reads. ‘Any supplemental airport project will require extensive subsidies from San Diego International and measures to attempt to force flights to the supplemental airport.’"

“Recent comments from airline officials suggest a supplement [to Lindbergh Field] site or a remote airport would not be met with favor.”

"’It comes down to costs for them . . . Where's the market and how close is the access?"

“Planning committee members on Monday [will be asked] to reopen the idea of taking over the land now occupied by the 388-acre Marine Corps Recruit Depot immediately adjacent to the 671-acre Lindbergh Field.”

“A San Diego Unified Port District study issued in 2001 suggested taking over the recruit depot for a second runway at Lindbergh would provide enough room to handle up to 28 million airline passengers a year.”

Click for the entire article and another on the topic from the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Website Editor: San Diego’s systematic exploration of remote airport sites, their subsequent rejection for poor economics, and the resurfaced interest in expanding downtown Lindbergh Field may provide a lesson for Los Angeles.  For decades, SCAG region planners have viewed Palmdale as a needed alternative to expanding LAX but airlines and passengers haven't shown up.

Media release, February 10, 2006
John Wayne airport releases January statistics

In January 2006, the airport served 697,403 passengers, a decrease of 1% when compared to the 704,106 passenger count of January 2005.

Commercial carrier flight operations showed a decrease of 1.7%, while commuter carrier (air taxi) operations showed an increase of 1.6%.
El Toro Info Site report, February 9, 2006
GPC interviews candidates

This afternoon, the Great Park Corp board interviewed three finalists for the director's position vacated by Dick Sim. 23 candidates were narrowed down to nine semi-finalists, and today the board interviewed three finalists, Mark Steiman, Bill Kogerman and Bill Campbell. The board will make its selection at its next regular meeting.

Click here for a first hand report on how the meeting progressed.

In separate matters, it was learned that progress is being made between Lennar and Irvine regarding management of the runway demolition which could begin in April.

The Great Park Corp staff is preparing plans for a "Last Tour" and open house at the base in May. Because of the length of today's meeting, the board did not act on the proposal.
LA Times, February 9, 2006
"Next, he'll build a canyon"

"With a postmodern penchant for plastic flowers and a résumé of urban park space, Ken Smith isn't the first landscape architect you'd think of to design the Orange County Great Park."

"Smith knew how precarious such projects could be when he was invited last summer to compete for the job of designing a 1,300-acre Orange County Great Park that may wind up costing $1 billion. Despite the cachet of his MoMA commission, and impressive partners, Smith saw himself as the avant-garde underdog pitted against bigger firms 'who could point out that I'd never done anything on this scale before.'"
 
"His priority upon returning home [from California] is to arrange for an office back in Irvine, preferably in one of the peeling-paint military buildings on the base, so he can quickly build huge models of the park, then get some soccer fields done, then start moving earth for the canyon."
 
Click here for Paul Lieberman's in depth report on the recently selected designer of the Great Park.

LA Daily News Editorial February 7, 2006, website posted February 8
"Regionalizing air traffic requires tough, no-nonsense leadership"

"For Southern California, airport regionalization is . . . an idea everyone supports, in theory, but one few care to make a reality.  So while most all public officials pay lip service to the idea of diverting air traffic from LAX to outlying airports, we've seen little effort to actually make it happen."

"Now comes state Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys, who proposes creating a regional airport commission that would, effectively, supersede Los Angeles World Airports. The commission would be charged with studying the travel needs of booming North Los Angeles County and elsewhere in the region, and could order necessary changes in air-traffic distribution."

"Ultimately, the commission could order the expansion of the long under-utilized Palmdale Airport, or even the construction of a new facility in the area."

"Commissions and studies are fine, but they're no substitute for leadership," says the Daily News.

Website Editor: Can "tough, no-nonsense leadership" get travelers to pass up closer airports like Burbank and shlep out to North Los Angeles County?

OC Register, February 7, 2006
"Funds for fighting airport went to mailer"

"Funds left over from two anti-El Toro airport campaigns were transferred to a political slate mailer owned by a political adviser to Irvine City Councilman Larry Agran."

"A required state filing late last month shows $29,000 was transferred in July from Safe and Healthy Communities Fund . . . which was organized by Ed Dornan, a political adviser to Agran . . . to the Hometown Voters Guide."

"And while moving the funds is legal, it has angered some anti-airport contributors."

"Writers on anti-airport activist Len Kranser's Web site
, www.eltoroairport.org, criticized the transfer of funds to the Hometown Voter Guide."

"Kranser said he would like the money to be donated to charity or the Great Park Conservancy."

"[Instead] the money was designated as a "deposit on a future slate mailer."

Website Editor: The money should not have gone for unspecified political mailers. The HTVG Form 401 shows that most of what the business collected during the report period was paid out to Kenny the Printer, Dornan's  preferred supplier.


"Hometown Voter Guide has been controversial for years. Agran's political adversaries have questioned how the guide raises and spends money."

See article below. More from the Register . . .
El Toro Info Site report, February 5, 2006 - updated
Anti-airport contributions wind up in political slate mailer’s coffers

When Ed Dornan formed the Safe and Healthy Communities Fund during the Measure F election – competing for money with the official Citizens for Safe and Healthy Communities campaign committee - some predicted it would morph into a fundraising device for Dornan’s political allies and projects.  

For years, the two groups - CSHC led by Bill Kogerman from its campaign headquarters in Laguna Hills and the "Fund" run by Dornan from Irvine - maintained an uneasy alliance in the fight against the common enemy, El Toro airport.

Data reported in recent days reopens the question of how the "Fund" used some of the contributions that it raised.

The 2005 California Slate Mailer Organization Campaign Statement, Form 401 for Dornan’s Home Town Voters Guide (HTVG) shows $29,000 transferred on July 20, 2005 from the Safe and Healthy Fund that he ran to his HTVG political mailing business. The stated purpose was “deposit on future slate mailer”.

This brings to mind an earlier transfer of $51,400 from Dornan's Safe and Healthy Fund to the HTVG on December 19, 2000. There were no El Toro issues on the ballot. The stated purpose of the money transfer was to support two measures dealing with the county’s allocation of Tobacco Settlement proceeds.  

At about that time, HTVG mailed slates supporting Larry Agran for Mayor and his allies for city council in an Irvine election. Agran did not pay for the campaign support. As required by law, the HTVG Form 401 listed Agran as a “candidate supported” from whom HTVG “did not receive a payment of $100 or more.”

In our view, any citizen contributions left in the anti-airport group’s treasury after the Measure W campaign should have been preserved for a victory celebration. None should have been transferred to the HTVG for political mailers.


El Toro Info Site report, February 4, 2006
Regional airport bill dies

We received this terse report on Assembly Bill 1197 from the California Legislative Counsel's web site.
   
    From committee:  Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.  Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.

During the contentious final battles over El Toro airport, former Assemblyman Mike Gordon's AB 1197, to create a "Southern California Regional Aviation Commission", was viewed as a possible move towards taking control of the former airbase from the voters of Orange County and transfering it to a Los Angeles dominated regional authority. The bill lay dormant after Gordon's untimely death and the legislated regionalization movement lost steam as El Toro progressed towards a non-aviation reuse.

Today, the focus of regionalization is on the potential transfer of LAX load to Ontario and Palmdale plus voluntary efforts between Los Angeles World Airports and other facilities to encourage the spreading of air traffic.

Associated Press, February 3, 2006
"LAX Gets More Federal Funds for Runway Project"

"Los Angeles International Airport will receive an additional $29.5 million in federal funds for a runway safety project, bringing the total federal contribution to $68.3 million, officials announced Thursday."

"The airport has had one of the worst runway safety problems in the nation for several years. The $250-million project will improve safety on the airfield's south side, where most of the close calls between aircraft have occurred."

"'Fixing the runway will make this a safer airport,' U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said. He said the federal government would probably end up paying $100 million of the project's cost."

"Work is expected to begin in July and be completed in late 2007, airport officials said."

Website Editor:  El Segundo has fought against the project because the runway will be moved 55 feet closer to the city. The city and other neighbors blocked the work with a lawsuit that recently was settled.

L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and his airport director Lydia Kennard are pressing forward with necessary improvements to the airport. Former Mayor James Hahn let LAX problems go unsolved while he pushed for a reliever airport at El Toro and a huge $9-11 billion remodel of LAX that few people outside of his administration, consultants and the construction labor unions really wanted.

OC Register, February 2, 2006
"Great Park will test Smith's management skill"

"A small volunteer project turned out to be emotionally pivotal in the selection of a master designer for the Great Park and illustrative of what will guide the park's creation."

"The project that helped tip the votes to Smith in the design contest was a 16-foot memorial pool in the American Express building in New York remembering the company's employees killed in the World Trade Center attack. That won over Great Park Corp. Chairman Larry Agran when he visited Smith in New York in November. Then, after the board agonized for two meetings over the three designer finalists, Agran described how the American Express project had moved him to tears."

"But this project and others by New York architect Ken Smith also raise questions about the skills, experience and architectural values he brings to the design of the Great Park - the mix of wilderness areas, athletic fields, museums, farms, schools, shops and houses planned for the former El Toro Marine base."

"Engaging as the plans may be, questions remain about Smith's ability to pull together multiple themes and to pull together all of them on a far-larger project than he previously has developed."

"Few seem to question Smith's creativity; it's the practical work of assembling such a big project that likely will keep Great Park Corp. board members nervous for a few years."

More . . . .

El Toro Info Site report, February 1, 2006 - updated February 6
Airport statistics for 2005

Data for the region’s six commercial airports show that each, with the exception of Los Angeles International, had record passenger volume in 2005.

LAX experienced a new high in international travelers but overall, the region’s major airport lagged its 2000 record by almost 6 million passengers. The decrease came as domestic travelers chose to use one of the other airports in the post 911-era.

            Comparison – Year ending December 31 

Airport

2000 passengers

2005 passengers

Passenger change

Percent change

LAX Total

67,303,182

61,489,398

-5,813,784

-8.6

   LAX Domestic

49,887,433

44,003,135

-5,884,298

-11.8

   LAX Intl.

17,415,749

17,486,263

70,514

0.4

John Wayne

7,772,801

9,627,032

1,854,231

23.9

Ontario

6,739,329

7,213,528

474,199

7.0

Burbank

4,748,742

5,512,619

763,877

16.1

Long Beach

637,853

3,034,032

2,396,179

375.7

Palm Springs

1,281,073

1,419,087

138,014

10.8

Regional Total

88,482,980

88,295,696

-187,284

-0.2

LAX traffic figures were released as Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa “outlined his vision for the region's air traffic system, calling for airlines to concentrate international flights at LAX while shifting some new domestic travel, particularly short-haul flights, to other airports.”

“Airports in the region, including Ontario and Palmdale Regional Airport, must pick up some of the growing air traffic so that LAX does not become a nuisance, with traffic, noise and other problems, to its neighbors.”

Website Editor: So far, the large shift from LAX appears to be the result of passenger choice - travelers selecting more user-friendly regional airports and airlines for their domestic flights - rather than the product of government regional planning.

JetBlue's marketing decision to grow at Long Beach and Burbank, and Orange County's raising of the caps on John Wayne airport were major factors.

Failure of former Mayor James Hahn's administration to deal with LAX ground access problems, security delays and outdated terminal facilities also fueled travelers' defections. A spokesman for LAWA, when asked today for his explanation of why nearly 6 million annual passengers had left LAX for other airports, said he was unaware that this had occurred. "We don't have those figures. . . . I've never heard anyone say that around here."

LA Times, January 31, 2006, posted February 1
“SFO has early lead in race to handle super-jumbo jet”

“With ample seating in its spacious international terminal and six gates equipped for double-decker jets, not to mention a fine selection of restaurants,[San Francisco’s] airport is ready for the massive 555-seat A380 airliner.”

“Los Angeles International Airport, known as LAX, has none of the above.”

“While Southern California officials dickered during the past decade about how to modernize LAX, San Francisco built a gleaming $1 billion international terminal specifically designed to accommodate the new Airbus super-jumbo jet.”

“The stark contrast between San Francisco International Airport and LAX - which plans to modify two gates for the double-decker plane at the already cramped Tom Bradley International Terminal - has led to speculation that San Francisco will woo A380 flights away from LAX.”

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