NEWS - APRIL 2001
click on date for story
LA Times…NPB Metro…OC Register, April
30, 2001
"Park Backers Take Initiative"
LA Times, April 29, 2001
Argyros Finished With El Toro If He Is Confirmed
As US Ambassador To Spain
"A major donor to the El Toro cause, he says his probable confirmation
as ambassador to Spain will cap his involvement"
LA Times, April 28. 2001
"No-Bid P.R. Contract for El Toro Hits Flak"
"With supervisors to vote on $2.9-million deal Tuesday, critics
see ethical breach."
OC Register...LA Times, April 28,
2001
"Rackauckas Bows Out of Probe"
"O.C. prosecutor sends Arnel case to state as accusations surface."
Website Direct, April 27, 2001
Irvine and ETRPA to meet in joint session
LA Times...OC Register...Daily Pilot, April 26,
2001
Argyros To Be Ambassador To Spain
Website Direct, April 25, 2001
Villa Park Quits OCRAA
Website Direct, April 24, 2001
Joint ETRPA-Irvine meeting to unveil new El Toro
plan.
Website Direct, April 23, 2001
John Wayne Airport utilization slips
OC Register Letters, April 22, 2001
"Pilot's association stance on El Toro airport
is greatly misunderstood"
Website Direct, April 20, 2001
Republican group censures Richard Dixon for airport
vote.
LA Times, Newport Beach Metro, April 18, 2001
"Pro-airport groups ready to rumble"
"After being quiet for 'far too long,' pro-El Toro forces plan
to go on the offensive within the next few weeks."
OC Register, April 17, 2001
"McGowan leaves airport group"
LA Times, Newport Beach Metro, April 16, 2001
"Pro-airport group takes on virtual fight"
"Airport Working Group plans to use the new Web site to counter
anti-El Toro messages."
LA Times, Orange County Voices, April 15, 2001
"El Toro: A Planning Nightmare"
"Residents' rights are hurt as the county insists on studying
only its flawed airport operation plan."
LA Times, April 13, 2001 web posted April 14
"Limits on LAX Growth Okd"
"Regional agency's move is setback for airport officials, but
a spokesman says it won't affect a current $12-billion expansion project."
LA Times, April 13, 2001
"Another Day of Ups and Downs for El Toro Plan"
"Regional panel backs a major airport as part of its 25-year
growth blueprint even as the FAA warns that a redesign may be required."
OC Register, April 13, 2001 - updated
Poll: O.C. happy with itself
[but not with El Toro airport]
OC Register, April 13, 2001
"Group links bid woes, union deal"
OC Register, April 12, 2001
"Pro-El Toro airport coalition has doubts"
"Some members have concerns about the takeoff routes."
Website direct, April 10, 2001
Getting the facts straight on north-south population
growth
Website editorial comment, April 10, 2001
Newport Beach Gets a Jolt
LA Times, April 9, 2001
"El Toro Battle Pushes Beyond County Lines"
"L.A. Mayoral Candidates, Others Opposing Expansion of LAX See
O.C. Base as Solution"
LA Times and OC Register, April 8, 2001
More Commentary on the El Toro debate
Website Direct, April 8, 2001
Air Line Pilots Association criticizes County
Local FAA office also faulted
ETRPA mailer, April 7, 2001
"John Wayne Airport –Serving Orange County's Share
of Regional Airport Demand"
OC Register, April 7, 2001
"O.C. nets $33 million for parks"
"The Prop. 12 money will be spread among the county, cities and
park districts."
LA Times, April 7, 2001
"Irvine Spurns County on Housing at El Toro"
"City leaders reject a complex plan to fill hundreds of vacant
units at low cost to residents. Airport politics is a major factor."
Website Direct, April 6, 2001 -photo essay
John Wayne Airport… "Convenient, Beautiful, Crowd-free"
OC Register, April 5, 2001 - digest of two articles
- updated
"Some El Toro proponents call for alternate flight
patterns"
"Two city councilmen want planes to take off to the south, over
land the Irvine Co. plans to develop."
LA Times, April 4, 2001
"Supervisors Seek Independent Study of El Toro
Contamination"
"County hopes to limit any future liability for cleanup. Navy
conducted only assessment so far."
Website Direct, April 3, 2001
JWA Aloha flights approved
Website Direct, April 3, 2001
John Wayne Airport - Lindbergh Field Comparison
Update
OC Metro, March 22, 2001 issue, website posted April
2
Meg Waters, anti-airport spokesperson, is honored
OC Register, April 2, 2001
"District battle may await supervisors"
"Hispanics and El Toro airport backers see their chance for more
representation on the board."
LA Times, Editorial, April 1, 2001
"Engineering Consent"
"Millions for PR, but Airport Questions Remain"
Website Direct, April 1, 2001
New anti-airport initiative campaign starts soon.
Today the Board of Directors of the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority (ETRPA) and the Irvine City Council will meet to consider a proposed ballot Initiative to overturn Measure A which changed the County’s General Plan designation for the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station mandating an aviation use.
LA Times…NPB Metro…OC Register, April
30, 2001
"Park Backers Take Initiative"
"A third ballot attempt to supplant an airport at the closed
Marine base will be presented tonight. Both sides see controversy nearing
end as time runs short on hand-over"
"Officials representing nine South County cities will unveil today their latest weapon in a seven-year war to defeat plans by Orange County to build an airport at the retired El Toro Marine base: A March 2002 ballot measure to replace the airfield with a park."
"At a meeting at 7 tonight at Irvine City Hall, South County city officials who also serve on the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority will join anti-airport community leaders to roll out the new measure."
"'If they lose this, it's over,' said David Ellis, a consultant for the Newport Beach-based Airport Working Group, a leading proponent of an El Toro airport."
"'This ought to be the end of the debate,' Paul Eckles, ETRPA's executive director, agreed. 'After this one, it ought to be clear that we should move on and go forward with a great nonaviation use for the property.'" Click here for complete LA Times story.
The OC Register reports, "The plan backed by airport opponents envisions a large, central park with educational and cultural facilities like a museum or zoo - not the homes and businesses in previous nonaviation plans."
"'Maybe after this initiative passes, the Board of Supervisors will listen to the people they represent,' Irvine Councilman Mike Ward said."
"'I think that's short-sighted, quite frankly,' said Tom Naughton, president of the Airport Working Group, which favors El Toro as a way to lessen the chance that John Wayne Airport will be expanded. 'Do they have an alternate airport plan to handle the growth in demand?'"
From the LA Times (NPB Metro), "Even if anti-El Toro officials give the go-ahead for their new initiative tonight, they still have a long way to go. About 120,000 signatures must be collected from the community to get the new measure on the ballot in March, and spokeswoman Meg Waters said fund-raisers will need to take place. The actual wording the groups hope to appear on the ballot will be read tonight."
"I think this is going to be really exciting and fun," Waters said. "There will finally be two alternatives and not just one. People will have a choice of what they want. It's finally a fair fight. We just have to see where the chips fall."
"This is a very highly educated county," she said. "This is something that will really make an impression. And I think when our great grand kids are walking through the park, they are going to thank us that it's not an airport."
LA Times, April 29, 2001
Argyros Finished With El Toro If He Is Confirmed
As US Ambassador To Spain
"A major donor to the El Toro cause, he says his probable confirmation
as ambassador to Spain will cap his involvement"
"Orange County businessman George Argyros, the most influential backer of plans to build a new international airport at El Toro, said Saturday that he will end his involvement with the airport campaign if he is confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Spain."
"The surprise announcement was greeted with skepticism by airport advocates, but it was welcomed by airport opponents. Argyros has been the chief private backer of the county's plans to build a new commercial airport at El Toro. He has contributed about $3.5 million toward the plan since voters narrowly approved it in 1994."
"He's been a formidable adversary in this struggle, and if he does not deploy any further resources, that is obviously good news," said Irvine Mayor Larry Agran, a vocal opponent of the county's plans for El Toro."
"Agran, however, said airport foes must still contend with the majority of the county's Board of Supervisors, who continue to push for plans to build an airport."
"My own perception is that I don't think he will lose interest," said Tom Naughton, president of the Airport Working Group, a Newport Beach-based group that advocates an El Toro airport. "I know George. I know that he's been pressing this thing for quite some time."
"In a March 30 letter to Newport Beach Mayor Gary B. Adams, Argyros
assured him that he would remain interested in the issue if he was given
an ambassadorial post, Naughton said." Click
here for entire "Early Bird" news story
LA Times, April 28. 2001
"No-Bid P.R. Contract for El Toro Hits Flak"
"With supervisors to vote on $2.9-million deal Tuesday, critics
see ethical breach."
"A $2.9-million, no-bid contract proposal to help provide information and shape public opinion for a commercial airport at El Toro has bewildered county observers and angered two anti-airport supervisors, who challenged the expenditure."
"The "sole-source" contract is expected to be offered to Amies Communication, an Irvine public relations firm run by John G. Amies, a former brother-in-law of pro-airport lobbyist Bruce Nestande."
"Shirley Grindle, one of the county's top political watchdogs, called the contract "disturbing" and said the three pro-airport supervisors--a majority--seem to follow their own rules when it comes to building an El Toro airport"
"'It's odd that when it comes to El Toro and the airport issue, these supervisors seem to leave their brains outside the door,' she said."
"Supervisor Todd Spitzer, who with (Tom) Wilson makes up the board's anti-airport minority, challenged the expenditure in view of an April 17 memo to (Local Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Gary)Simon from the county's internal audit department. In the memo, a budget request from the Orange County Regional Airport Authority, which recently won $5 million from the county for a 15-month blitz to promote an airport at El Toro, was denied because it failed to provide detailed information on a proposed publicity campaign."
"Simon said that had he sought a formal bidding process, it would have
added an additional five months to the environmental impact report." Full
story in the "Early Bird" news section.
OC Register...LA Times, April
28, 2001
"Rackauckas Bows Out of Probe"
"O.C. prosecutor sends Arnel case to state as accusations surface."
"District Attorney Tony Rackauckas removed his office from a multimillion-dollar consumer-fraud investigation into a company (Arnel) owned by a political ally amid concerns about fairness."
"In a statement Friday, Rackauckas said he referred the case to the Attorney General's Office "to ensure that the perception of fairness is not jeopardized and that all parties with a stake can feel they are being treated in a fair and professional manner."
" Arnel is owned by George Argyros, who led the state GOP's $30 million fund-raising effort last year and was nominated this week to an ambassadorship to Spain and Andorra."
" Arnel also gave a $1,000 donation - the county limit -- to Rackauckas' campaign in May 1998."
Click here for full story details including: lead investigator Steve Douglass' allegations Rackauckas acted improperly, statements by four consumer protection attorneys saying Rackauckas' behavior seemed unusual; details of outstanding lawsuits against Arnel, reports of a "deal" between Rackauckas and Arnel attorneys, and Steve Douglass' resignation this past Thursday.
The LA Times reported, "The district attorney had been widely criticized for his personal involvement in the case. Argyros and Rackauckas worked together against Measure F, which sought to stop a commercial airport at the former El Toro Marine base. The district attorney also accepted a $1,000 political contribution from Argyros' company in 1998. Argyros was appointed this week to be ambassador to Spain."
"Rackauckas denied that Argyros' political support had any impact
on his handling of the case. 'To suggest that a $1,000 contribution by
somebody like Mr. Argyros would influence a decision in this case is ridiculous,'
Rackauckas said."
Website Direct, April 27, 2001
Irvine and ETRPA to meet in joint session
Council and Board to Consider New Initiative To Repeal Measure A; Preserve
Open Space and Prohibit Airport Use At Former MCAS/El Toro
IRVINE, CA -The Board of Directors of the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority (ETRPA) and the Irvine City Council will meet in a special joint session on Monday, April 30 at 7:00 p.m. in the Irvine City Hall. The board and council will consider a proposed ballot initiative to overturn Measure A, which changed the Orange County General Plan for the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station to mandate an airport. Titled "The Orange County Central Park and Nature Preserve Initiative," the measure will re-dedicate the former base to public uses including parks, open space, a nature preserve, and space for educational and cultural facilities.
For the past several months, ETRPA staff and Irvine staff have worked
to craft a proposed general plan amendment as the final step in dismantling
the narrowly-approved 1994 ballot initiative, Measure A. That initiative
required that at least 2000 acres at El Toro to be used for an unneeded
second airport in Orange County. Monday's action will allow the elected
officials to formally consider the initiative and take action requesting
the Orange County Board of Supervisors to place it on an upcoming ballot.
Two years ago, after writing what became Measure F, ETRPA asked the
Orange County Board of Supervisors to place that initiative on the ballot.
The board never replied to ETRPA's written request. A citizens group
filed the
initiative, and obtained a record number of signatures to qualify it
for the ballot. Measure F passed by a 67.3% majority countywide,
including every supervisory district, every state assembly and senate district
in the county and every congressional district. The measure is currently
under legal review.
LA Times...OC Register...Daily Pilot,
April 26, 2001
Argyros To Get A State Department Course in Diplomacy
"Orange County businessman George Argyros and his wife, Judie, leave for Virginia next month to attend a two-week school run by the State Department for new ambassadors and their spouses."
"That's because President Bush announced Wednesday that he will nominate Argyros, 64, to become "Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Spain."
"Argyros is chairman and CEO of Arnel & Affiliates in Costa Mesa. He has traveled widely for years; he and his wife own a yacht and jet that whisk them to exotic locales around the world."
"Some Argyros critics in south Orange County have welcomed his possible departure because of his staunch support of a new airport planned by county officials at the closed El Toro Marine base. Doti (James Doti, president of Chapman University..Editor) said Argyros has been courageous in "speaking his mind and bringing the issue to the table" despite such detractors."
"He does speak his mind and has important positions on critical issues facing our community," Doti said. "We're very proud of both of them." See LA Times story in the "Early Bird" news.
The OC Register reports in today's edition, "George Argyros is a leader in his community who has been active in numerous civic, cultural and philanthropic organizations," Bush said. "His experience in trade policy and foreign affairs -- as well as his Interest in education and the arts - will make him an excellent ambassador to Spain."
"Argyros, a real estate developer, has led the drive to build an airport at El Toro and is chairman of the Chapman University board. He was tapped by Bush last year to help lead the California GOP's struggling fund-raising effort. The campaign then raised $30 million"
"Argyros' real estate company is facing lawsuits from former tenants who complain that he withheld security deposits and discriminated against tenants with ethnic surnames. However, the suits are not expected to hurt his chances of Senate confirmation."
Paul Clinton in the Daily Pilot reported, "Some Newport Beach officials worried that as ambassador, Argyros, the wealthy Costa Mesa businessman who has funneled $3.5 million into the El Toro fight, would play a diminished role just as the issue is heating up."
"It will be a distraction, if nothing else," Newport Beach Councilman John Heffernan said. "It pulls him out of the county for sure. And it may dilute his attention to the airport."
"Bruce Nestande, the president of Citizens for Jobs and the Economy and a close friend of the businessman, said Argyros would stay involved. To what degree is still unclear."
"About a month ago, Argyros sent letters to a handful of Newport Beach officials reassuring them that he wouldn't drop off the radar screen."
"It's a fun thing to speculate about over cocktails, but I don't want to attach too much importance to it," (Paul)Eckles (El Toro Reuse Planning Authority executive director) said. "Ultimately, the decision about this airport will be made by the people of Orange County, not Mr. Argyros."
"... on the horizon is a pending countywide ballot measure in March
2002 to crystallize voter sentiment of the issue. The ballot measure will
be written by the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority, the public agency comprising
the nine South County cities against the airport plan."
Website Direct, April 25, 2001
Villa Park Quits OCRAA
The Villa Park City Council voted last night to quit the Orange County Regional Airport Authority, OCRAA. Last year, the City of Tustin left the pro-El Toro group of cities.
Villa Park's action was taken through the leadership efforts of Councilman Bob McGowan, a retired commercial airline captain. While McGowan favors using El Toro for an airport, he has been an outspoken critic of the County's airport planning. He considers the northerly takeoffs from El Toro to be dangerous because of heavy air traffic in the area. If aircraft turn to the northwest to avoid the traffic and mountainous terrain, planes will overfly his city and others in central and north county.
Supervisors Smith, Silva and Coad recently voted to give OCRAA
$5 million to distribute pro-El Toro informationto the residents of the
organization's member cities. ETRPA is challenging the legality of this
grant of public funds. Some of the city
leaders are expressing doubts about performing this function.
Website Direct, April 24, 2001
Joint ETRPA-Irvine meeting to unveil new El Toro
plan.
On Monday, April 30, the Board of Directors of the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority and the City Council of Irvine (an ETRPA member city) will hold a joint meeting to unveil their plan for the future of El Toro.
Monday, April 30, 2001
Irvine Civic Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine
Meeting: 7:00 PM in the Irvine Council Chambers
For information about the new ballot initiative, expected to be launched
after this meeting, visit this website's Elections 2002 Section. In particular,
check the Questions
and Answers page and the list of Area
Captains who need volunteer signature gatherers.
Website Direct, April 23, 2001
John Wayne Airport utilization slips
On December 27 of last year, John Wayne Airport officials bravely predicted that the airport would hit 8 million annual passengers in the "plan year" ending March 31, 2001. The Newport Beach section of the Times, in a story headlined “Airport sees steady climb in passenger tally” reported, "It will be a milestone few outside the airline industry will celebrate: John Wayne Airport is closing in on 8 million annual passengers. The airport is on track to hit that mark early next year, airport officials said."
It didn't. Following the prediction, three of the next four months
were down, compared to the prior year. The
total number of passengers has declined by 4.3% so far this calendar year,
and the March 31 "plan year" ended with 7,694,534 passengers being served.
OC Register Letters, April 22, 2001
"Pilot's association stance on El Toro airport
is greatly misunderstood"
This is a day when the major papers are full of letters to the editors. One, in the Register from Jon Russell, chairman of the Western Pacific-South Safety Committee for the Air Line Pilots Association, stands out in importance.
Editor: This website has published the full text of every pronouncement from ALPA and has avoided drawing wrong conclusions about their significance. Captain Russell's entire letter follows. He makes it clear that ALPA does not oppose an airport at El Toro, if the planes can take safe routes, which happen NOT to be in the County's plan, and which are over residential communities in south and north county. We hope that neither side will distort these facts.
"The El Toro Reuse Planning Authority's full-page advertisement in the April 15 Register, which refers to 'a leading pilots' union,' apparently refers to Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). For the record, ALPA supports the move of airline operations from John Wayne to El Toro, provided El Toro's runways are equipped with redundant all-weather landing systems and takeoffs are into the wind, away from high terrain."
"El Toro, with its World War II airport and runway layout, will never be a world-class airline airport, but with the proper equipage and runway usage, it will be safer and more efficient than today's John Wayne Airport. We have previously clearly stated this on the record, and it apparently was that record that ETRPA chose to take out of context."
"What ALPA said previously is that departures to the north over the high terrain would be an accident waiting for a place to happen, not that a properly used El Toro Airport would be an accident waiting for a place to happen."
Message Board thread ALPA.
Website Direct, April 20, 2001
Republican group censures Richard Dixon for airport
vote.
The Saddleback Republican Assembly voted, last night, to censure Lake Forest council member Richard Dixon for his vote in support of a transportation plan that includes an El Toro airport. Dixon voted for approval of the Southern California Association of Governments' (SCAG) regional transportation plan.
The censure resolution was adopted unanimously (with one abstention for conflict) last night at the monthly meeting of the Saddleback Republican Assembly (SRA). Approximately 30 members were in attendance at the Mission Viejo meeting.
The
resolution was posted on the message board of this website in a thread
of comments that criticize Dixon for not voted against or abstaining on
the plan. Dixon said that he strongly opposes the El Toro airport but felt
that it was essential that the SCAG plan be passed in order to obtain federal
funds for other, worthy transportation projects.
LA Times, Newport Beach Metro, April 18, 2001
"Pro-airport groups ready to rumble"
"After being quiet for 'far too long,' pro-El Toro forces plan
to go on the offensive within the next few weeks."
"NEWPORT BEACH -- Armed with a multimillion dollar war chest at their disposal, representatives of groups supporting an airport at El Toro said Tuesday they are ready to enter the ring."
" Dave Ellis, a spokesman for the Airport Working Group [said]... In the next 10 days, Orange County will be getting educated on airports and uses at El Toro.' Ellis added that the group was currently fine tuning television ads for cable TV as well as mailers."
"A recent $120,000 grant from Newport Beach will allow the Airport Working Group to expand its efforts... City leaders also approved $150,000 for Citizens and Jobs in the Economy, another pro-El Toro group. Both organizations can submit additional expenses for reimbursement under the agreement. In total, the city has set aside $3.69 million to fight the pro-airport battle."
Both Ellis and Bruce Nestande [of the Argyros-formed Citizens for Jobs and the Economy], said they'd coordinate their strategies with each other as well as the Orange County Regional Airport Authority, which is set to spend an additional $5 million on a public outreach campaign." The $5 million is from the County of Orange.
"Paul Eckles, the executive director of the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority [said] 'No matter what they spend, they can't change the reality that this airport's a bad idea. If you put perfume on a pig, it's still a pig.'"
"Anyway, all fire might have to cease on both sides once El Toro opponents file a notice of intent to circulate a petition for a ballot initiative that would kill the airport proposal, Eckles said."
"Far from it, responded Nestande. 'A ballot initiative does not preclude a straightforward, factual public information program,' he said, adding that pro-El Toro mailers would not take a side and simply discuss the reuse of the former Marine Corps Air Station. [Newport Beach] City Atty. Bob Burnham said that even without an initiative aimed at defeating the airport, anything that's sent out by Ellis' or Nestande's group and paid with city funds will have to be cleared by lawyers to make sure it's a legal use of public funds."
Editor: Meanwhile, anti-airport forces move closer to launching
a new initiative aimed at the March 2002 ballot. Volunteers are being
recruited for the signature gathering drive, which will begin in the next
few weeks. Click here for the Elections
2002 section of the website with contact information for the Area Captains
who need volunteers, for information on contributing to the campaign and
for a preliminary Question and Answer sheet about the new initiative.
OC Register, April 17, 2001
"McGowan leaves airport group"
"Villa Park Councilman Bob McGowan resigned from a pro-airport coalition of cities Friday in protest of the county's handling of El Toro."
"McGowan wrote the coalition's executive director to resign from 'this doomed organization,' saying his frustrations with the county's plan for an El Toro airport and in-fighting on the coalition prompted his decision."
"He plans to ask his City Council to withdraw from the 14-city coalition next week. He said he believes the only hope for an airport at the former El Toro Marine base is if the federal government develops and operates it 'until Orange County exhibits the maturity to be the operator.'"
Editor: Tustin resigned from OCRAA last year. Several
other central and north county cities are considering doing likewise.
LA Times, Newport Beach Metro, April 16, 2001
"Pro-airport group takes on virtual fight"
"Airport Working Group plans to use the new Web site to counter
anti-El Toro messages."
"NEWPORT BEACH -- The Web site addresses might be similar -- www.eltoronow.org vs. www.eltoroairport.org ... Their contents, however, are worlds apart."
"Expanding their campaign for an airport at El Toro into cyberspace,
members of the Airport Working Group recently launched an online war room
to counter anti-El Toro Internet outlets that have been up and running
for quite a while. 'We just got tired of pro-airport El Toro forces not
having a Web site,' said Dave Ellis, a spokesman for the organization."
LA Times, Orange County Voices, April
15, 2001
"El Toro: A Planning Nightmare"
"Residents' rights are hurt as the county insists on studying
only its flawed airport operation plan."
Villa Park Councilman Bob McGowan, an airport proponent, former Captain for United Airlines, and OCRAA representative has this to say about the County's plans for El Toro:
"The conversion of the El Toro Marine base to an international airport is now in serious trouble. As a City Council member in Villa Park, I have been serving as a board member of the Orange County Regional Airport Authority since 1998 and have been increasingly frustrated with the way Orange County has insisted on operating this future commercial airport."
"Orange County has been bogged down in a nightmare process of completing a required environmental impact report for a seriously flawed airport operating plan… The county plans flights over and near hundreds of thousands of residents in order to avoid flying over currently open spaces, which can be rezoned."
"This has set the stage for a plan that requires pilots to land and take off with the prevailing wind instead of into it. The two preferred departure runways in this convoluted plan are uphill and toward rapidly rising terrain. This errant plan has not survived the scrutiny of aviation professionals."
"How can the FAA let this happen? The FAA administrator has instructed various departments to study only the plans of airport operators, despite their charge to promote the safe flow of traffic. Consequently, local governments are now developing special-interest airport operating plans, which the FAA has to make work."
"The FAA has considered as one option a new procedure that could affect an even greater number of people to the west-northwest of the El Toro airport. That would be over north Irvine, Tustin, Orange, Villa Park and Anaheim Hills, alternating with the arrivals into John Wayne Airport."
"The county claims that they cannot make changes to the EIR because it would delay the conveyance of the airport from the Navy Department. The EIR process is designed to produce a project that will have less impact by making changes… Once the airport is under the county's control they will be unable to make changes without yet another EIR."
Editor: Supervisor Cynthia Coad has recently been promoting a "bait and switch" plan - approve El Toro now and change it later.
"I have now given up on the accomplishment of the safest and quietest airport at El Toro. I am therefore recommending that the Villa Park City Council withdraw from the Orange County Regional Airport Authority, a coalition of pro-airport cities. Our continued participation would imply that we condone this ill-conceived abomination."
Click here for the full text
of this and another recent McGowan letter regarding El Toro.
LA Times, April 13, 2001 web posted April
14
"Limits on LAX Growth Okd"
"Regional agency's move is setback for airport officials, but
a spokesman says it won't affect a current $12-billion expansion project."
"The vote by the Southern California Assn. of Governments, which is composed of more than 40 city council members and county supervisors from six counties, was a setback to Los Angeles airport officials, who want to significantly expand service at LAX. But Jim Ritchie, deputy director of long-range planning for LAX, said in a written statement that the 'action will have no impact whatsoever' on the current $12-billion plan to expand the airport."
"The agency took its 38-2 vote at the conclusion of a two-hour public hearing attended mostly by opponents of LAX expansion. Most were residents of Inglewood, who argued that they should not have to contend with more noise, air pollution and traffic from a bigger LAX."
"In a move that surprised many observers, the planning board granted a request by airport opponents to exclude from the transportation plan a new offramp to the airport from the San Diego Freeway at Arbor Vitae Street. The city of Los Angeles and Caltrans view the $55-million Arbor Vitae project as critical to efforts to relieve traffic congestion at the airport." The project has been in planning for 14 years.
"Elected officials from the Inland Empire said at the meeting Thursday that they hope the action will lead to development of three former military bases in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. A major argument against LAX expansion is the fact that much of the region's population growth will be in suburban areas. The members who want to steer economic growth to their regions forged a coalition with opponents of LAX."
"Mark Pisano, director of [SCAG] the association of governments,
conceded that LAX could move forward despite what he called an unprecedented
display of opposition by suburban cities and counties to such a major project.
'No one controls the size of that airport but the federal government and
the airlines,' Pisano said. In his statement, Ritchie said the plan approved
Thursday was in violation of the Clean Air Act and predicted that it would
be rejected by the federal government. He said LAX could move forward with
money not affected by the regional planning agency's action."
LA Times, OC Edition, April 13, 2001
"Another Day of Ups and Downs for El Toro Plan"
"Regional panel backs a major airport as part of its 25-year
growth blueprint even as the FAA warns that a redesign may be required."
"[SCAG], a regional growth panel voted overwhelmingly Thursday in favor of building one of Southern California's largest commercial airports at the closed El Toro Marine base, while at the same time federal officials were warning that the proposed airport might need to be redesigned."
"A six-county body that controls the flow of federal transportation money in Southern California approved a sweeping 25-year blueprint for regional growth Thursday that shifts the onus of airport expansion from Los Angeles to Orange County and San Bernardino County. The Southern California Assn. of Governments voted 38 to 2 to limit Los Angeles International Airport to 78 million passengers a year, while an airport at El Toro would handle about 30 million passengers by 2025." Click here for an analysis of the inaccuracy of prior SCAG forecasts.
"The dissenting votes came from Laguna Niguel Mayor Cathryn DeYoung, who opposes a new airport at El Toro, and Stacey Murphy of Burbank, who questioned estimates of 9.4 million passengers a year at that city's small airport." "DeYoung was booed by the audience after she challenged the group's authority to tell local governments what projects they can build. She said SCAG was reacting to 'what's good politically' instead of relying on good planning. 'The reality is, [El Toro] is not going to be built,'" she said.
Editor: There are only two South Orange County reps on SCAG. DeYoung voted "No". Lake Forest councilman Richard Dixon objected to El Toro airport but voted "Yes".
"While the association, known as SCAG, has no direct authority over airport projects, it determines how and where federal money is spent for associated improvements such as roads and utilities."
"Federal Aviation Administration officials testified Thursday that squeezing more flights into Southern California--where airspace is already some of the nation's most congested--will be difficult, especially with an airport at El Toro. 'Use of El Toro by commercial traffic is expected to require development of new procedures which may prove to be difficult for departures to the north,' Joe Sinnott, an FAA consultant with the Mitre Corp., said Thursday. Orange County officials want to send about 150 flights a day to the north after takeoff from El Toro, a plan opposed by airline pilots unions for safety reasons. An analysis by the Mitre Corp. determined that airspace to the north of El Toro was too saturated to absorb new flights."
"Even with redesigning airspace procedures, finding a way to handle northern flights from El Toro 'may be difficult to come up with,' Sinnott said."
"'We've got to have south Orange County carry their fair share,'
said Mike Stevens of Inglewood, who heads a group called LAX Expansion
No. The group wore T-shirts Thursday proclaiming, 'El Toro Yes!' 'When
they built those luxury homes down there, they knew they were under a flight
path' from the former Marine base, Stevens said."
OC Register, April 13, 2001- updated
"Poll: O.C. happy with itself"
[but not with El Toro airport]
The report discusses the latest in a series of Cal State University, Fullerton public opinion polls. The very end of the article states that residents again were asked "whether they want to see an international airport at El Toro with 46.3 percent strongly opposed and 13.3 percent opposed – numbers virtually unchanged since the previous poll in November." Total opposition was 59.9 percent.
Data obtained from CSUF, by
this website, shows that total support was 40.4 percent. In north
county, a small majority of respondents said that they were either somehat
or strongly opposed to the airport proposal. Strong opposition exceeds
strong support in the north by over 10 percentage points.
OC Register, April 13, 2001
"Group links bid woes, union deal"
"Orange County's attempt to secure a contractor for an $850,000 project
to upgrade ventilation at a probation center has been thwarted by the county's
deal to use union help on such projects." Independent contractors
said eight firms were ineligible because of Supervisor Smith, Silva and
Coad's vote for a
January 2000 project labor agreement. The deal was a bid to win
labor support for the El Toro airport.
OC Register, April 12, 2001
"Pro-El Toro airport coalition has doubts"
"Some members have concerns about the takeoff routes."
"Concerns about the county's El Toro airport plan spread Wednesday as more members of [OCRAA], a coalition of pro-airport cities -- chosen by the county to spend $5 million to push the plan -- questioned its viability."
"Villa Park Councilman Bob McGowan and Orange Councilman Dan Slater asked their colleagues on the 14-city coalition to consider whether the county plan - particularly its proposed flight paths - is the right one to promote. Both had previously voiced concerns that the plan's northern takeoffs could lead to flights over north and central county, increasing the noise impact - and making the airport a harder sell."
"Several of their colleagues agreed, voicing frustration that the county has not provided them with enough information to ease their minds and convincingly pitch the plan to their constituents. 'My city is really on the edge about whether they want to stay with this organization,' Fullerton Mayor Richard Jones said.
"He and others expressed frustration that the county refuses to consider an alternate airport plan to send flights south over mostly undeveloped land. County officials say that to do so threatens to delay the airport for years."
"'Why would something that appears to make so much common sense be overlooked for something that appears to be inherently dangerous?' asked Los Alamitos Councilman Art DeBoldt.
"'Not only is there trepidation in our community, but there's concern that the approach we're taking might not be winnable,' said Cypress Mayor Mike McGill, advocating a look at alternatives."
Editor: Retired
General Art Bloomer is the Executive Director of OCRAA.
Website direct, April 10, 2001
Getting the facts straight on north-south population
growth
On April 2, the OC Register ran a story on the census, erroneously stating that South County had greater population growth than North County. That is one of the most enduring myths of the El Toro battle.
We called the error to the reporter's attention and showed him our
facts. On April 6 the following correction was posted in the paper:
"Although the rate of growth in South Orange County has outpaced that in
the north, the north has added more people in the past 10 years, according
to the U.S. Census. Because of a reporting error, the distribution
of growth was misrepresented in a story in the News section of the April
2 edition of the Register."
Website editorial comment, April 10, 2001
Newport Beach Gets a Jolt
After starting Orange County's airport civil war, after spending millions of dollars hoping to move jets from John Wayne Airport to El Toro, and after suing to overturn Measure F which would have protected ALL county residents from airport expansion, Newport Beach got some jolting news this week. In a war, both sides suffer casualties.
Newpaper reports posted in the Early Bird edition of this website show Newport Beach officials upset over ETRPA's latest mailer that proposes using John Wayne to meet much of Orange County's future aviation demand. See our April 7 story on the mailer.
"John Wayne wouldn't look like or sound like it [does] today," [Newport Beach City Manager Homer] Bludau said.
Post
comments on the message board
LA Times, April 9, 2001
"El Toro Battle Pushes Beyond County Lines"
"L.A. Mayoral Candidates, Others Opposing Expansion of LAX See
O.C. Base as Solution"
"The fight over a proposed airport at El Toro has widened in recent months … with the future of the closed military base now a hot subject of debate in Los Angeles County as well. Critics of a controversial plan to boost the size of Los Angeles International Airport are increasingly linking their opposition to the idea that Orange County should build a commercial airport at El Toro to help meet the region's growing demand for air service."
All six candidates vying in Tuesday's election for mayor of Los Angeles oppose the LAX expansion plan. Orange County is beginning to feel the pressure. Foes of the LAX expansion have begun speaking at Orange County Board of Supervisors meetings, urging the body to move forward with plans for an airport at El Toro."
"'LAX can't, and shouldn't, do it alone,' Supervisor Chuck Smith said. 'We should be looking from a truly Southern California aviation perspective, and that includes San Diego.' In South Orange County, such talk of 'regional' responsibility has a simple meaning: Someone who doesn't live there wants the El Toro airport to be built."
"In a sign of the times, protesters at an LAX-related meeting last week in Los Angeles wore T-shirts proclaiming: 'LAX Expansion No! El Toro Yes!'"
"Last month, a regional panel of government leaders recommended only minor growth for LAX in coming years, endorsing some 30 million passengers at a future El Toro airport, as well as the same number at Ontario International. The committee of the Southern California Assn. of Governments (SCAG) argued for an El Toro airfield even larger than that envisioned by Orange County planners." Editor: They did not consider any increased utilization of John Wayne airport.
"Airport opponents believe they, alone, support a true regional approach
to airport growth in Southern California. They advocate accommodating more
passengers at John Wayne Airport and spreading growth elsewhere to Long
Beach International, Ontario International and new passenger airports at
former Inland Empire air bases. Airport growth should follow population
growth, they said, which is occurring fastest in the Inland Empire."
LA Times and OC Register, April 8, 2001
More Commentary on the El Toro debate
The Times carries ETRPA Chairman Allan Songstad's column, "A Two-Airport System? That's Too Hard to Believe". He writes of efforts to reach accord with Newport Beach that failed because, "the true agenda involved [is] replacing one airport with another." "We are convinced that the passenger demand numbers attributed to Orange County are grossly overstated. Our county is nearly built out. Most growth projections indicate that Orange County will grow by 10% to 14%--adding between 250,000 and 350,000 people--over the next 20 years." John Wayne can accommodate this.
The Register runs a piece by Michael Tierney; "Will more airlines
want to fly our 'friendly skies'." He examines the case of Stewart
International Airport, a huge reliever airport built on 9,000 acres
in a suburban area of 2 million people, 55 miles north of New York City.
While the New York airports are more crowded than LAX, the airlines refuse
to move to Stewart, it is barely used, and the airport was forced into
bankruptcy. Tierney notes, "We have already had one government bankruptcy
here."
Website Direct, April 8, 2001
Air Line Pilots Association criticizes County
Local FAA office also faulted
In letters going back to 1996, the 55,000 member Air Line Pilots Association has objected to County plans for El Toro. None of the ALPA recommendations have been heeded.
In a new letter, dated April 2 and published today in the LA Times, the Chairman of the ALPA Western Pacific-South Safety Committee states, "The County ignores the input of pilots and anyone else with an objective technical, safety, and efficiency analysis of their plan."
Regarding the role of the FAA, the letter states, "The FAA establishes minimum (emphasis in the original) safety standards for airports. Further, at this stage of planning the regional FAA offices have not even addressed the issues of airline efficiency and whether the County's restrictive plans will permit the proposed airport to be a positive element in the national airspace system."
The letter concludes, with a cold dash of reality for Central County
residents. Original plans for El Toro showed northerly departures
turning to the northwest prior to reaching the mountains, and departing
parallel to the 5 freeway. This put aircraft low over Tustin, Orange,
Villa Park and Fullerton. Under political pressure, the County changed
its plans and proposed that aircraft continue straight
north over Loma Ridge. In this latest letter, ALPA concludes, "Finally,
departures over the high terrain to the north would be an accident waiting
to happen."
ETRPA mailer, April 7, 2001
"John Wayne Airport –Serving Orange County's Share
of Regional Airport Demand"
"Orange County voters must decide whether it makes sense to abandon the newly renovated John Wayne airport that cost $360 million and then spend over $3 billion to construct a virtually identical airport just seven miles away at El Toro." If you haven't received this latest mailer from ETRPA, it is on the organization's website at http://www.millenniumplan.ca.gov/
Anyone who questions the authenticity of the photos of a nearly empty
terminal on a workday morning is invited to view our
corroborating photos.
OC Register, April 7, 2001
"O.C. nets $33 million for parks"
"The Prop. 12 money will be spread among the county, cities and
park districts."
"Orange County will receive a large chunk of the $388 million to be distributed statewide for parks, State officials announced Friday." Irvine will receive $1.3 million.
Editor: State and federal park funds are frequently mentioned
as a source of development money for the mix of educational, recreational
and open space uses that airport opponents intend to create at El Toro
after passage of a March 2002 initiative.
LA Times, April 7, 2001
"Irvine Spurns County on Housing at El Toro"
"City leaders reject a complex plan to fill hundreds of vacant
units at low cost to residents. Airport politics is a major factor."
In a move reminiscent of the recent standoff over Aloha Airline flights to Hawaii from John Wayne, "The City of Irvine on Friday scuttled an innovative proposal by the county to use military housing at the former El Toro Marine base for much-needed low-cost housing."
"More than 1,100 units, including an 850-home tract, have sat vacant since the Marines pulled out of the base two years ago. The housing has essentially been held hostage in the stalemate between the county and Irvine over a proposed commercial airport at the base."
Irvine is seeking to annex the base into the city so that the city general plan - and not the county general plan that requires an airport - would apply to the property. The sticking point is that "under state law, as few as 12 residents living in an unincorporated El Toro area could vote to have Irvine annex their neighborhood. The biggest obstacle for the county remains how to allow people in but not permit them to vote for annexation to Irvine."
"From Irvine's perspective, [Councilman Chris] Mears said, there is nothing preventing the county from opening up the base immediately for housing…. The problem, he said, lies with the Board of Supervisors' pro-airport majority [who don't want residents to vote for annexation to the city]."
"Irvine Councilman Greg Smith is also wary of the county's proposal.
For annexation to succeed, the county needs to approve a property tax transfer,
a decision that puts the pro-airport Board of Supervisors in the driver's
seat on base annexation, he said. 'I just don't trust the board majority
by giving away something now that could mean an airport in the future,'
Smith said."
Website Direct, April 6, 2001 - Photo essay
John Wayne Airport… "Convenient, Beautiful, Crowd-free"
"Convenient, beautiful, crowd-free" is the slogan the County uses in its newspaper ads, hoping to lure more passengers to John Wayne. Still, utilization of the airport hardly grew since 1997.
Dave Kirkey was there the other day with camera in hand, and prepared a great photographic essay of how underutilized the terminal is - on a typical business day afternoon.
ETRPA's forceful mailing this week makes the point. If there is demand, utilize John Wayne before building another airport.
El Toro proponents claim Orange County needs more airport capacity. You wouldn't believe it at crowd-free John Wayne.
OC Register, April 5, 2001 - digest of two
articles - updated
"Some El Toro proponents call for alternate flight
patterns"
"Two city councilmen want planes to take off to the south, over
land the Irvine Co. plans to develop."
"Airport opponents have long accused the county of having unrealistic plans for the runways and flight patterns at an El Toro airport - and now some of the county's pro-airport allies have joined the chorus. [OCRAA], the group Orange County tapped for a $5 million campaign to promote an El Toro airport is developing a rift, with some of its members saying the plan they are being asked to sell may not be the best plan for the county."
"Instead, Villa Park City Councilman Bob McGowan and Orange City Councilman Dan Slater say the county and the Federal Aviation Administration should look at an alternate plan. They want to reverse the way the airport would operate, to take off to the south over land that is undeveloped for now - though the Irvine Co. has plans to develop it in the future."
"'I am frustrated that the county is pursuing a landing and takeoff pattern for the airport that seems to make the least amount of sense,' Slater said. 'There are a number of cities, including Orange, that will have the potential of being negatively impacted.'"
"McGowan [a retired airline captain and former ALPA safety representative] has threatened to quit the coalition of cities. When the coalition meets next week, McGowan will propose a letter to the county requesting that the Federal Aviation Administration analyze the alternative. If his request is rejected, he plans to resign and ask his council to withdraw from the group."
Click here for an April 1 e-mail from McGowan to the PR firm selected to conduct a pro-El Toro campaign for OCRAA.
"Airport opponents - as well as the nation's largest pilots' union - say that northern and eastern departures called for by the county are too dangerous, requiring jets to quickly get over rising terrain. The pilots union says it prefers that jets be allowed to turn left after takeoff to avoid the hills and cross over north-central county cities."
County Supervisor Charles V. Smith said the county plan does not include such a left turn, and that to ask the FAA to review alternatives now would delay - and possibly kill - the airport plan. Board Chairwoman Cynthia Coad said the county cannot change its airport plan until environmental studies are completed and the base is transferred to the county. 'When the county is the owner, then we can make some modifications,' she said."
Editor: Not true! The county has made numerous changes
throughout the planning process. Comments?
LA Times, April 4 2001
"Supervisors Seek Independent Study of El Toro
Contamination"
"County hopes to limit any future liability for cleanup. Navy
conducted only assessment so far."
"In what could become a costly showdown with the Department of the Navy, Orange County supervisors Tuesday approved open-ended contract negotiations with an environmental law firm and two engineering firms to conduct their own investigation of contamination at the closed El Toro Marine base."
"While the debate rages over the airport, supervisors on both sides of the issue have become increasingly pointed about the need to know what contamination occurred at El Toro during its 56 years of military activity--regardless of what eventually is built there."
"The federal government ultimately is responsible for cleaning up
contamination at the base. But should costs exceed what has been budgeted--if
unanticipated contamination is discovered, for example--it could drastically
slow the cleanup process and leave the county in the position of having
to front the money so the property can be used sooner."
Website Direct, April 3, 2001
JWA Aloha flights approved
The City of Newport Beach and the Airport Working Group failed in their attempts to tie approval of Hawaii service to the transfer of cargo flights from John Wayne to El Toro. The Board of Supervisors approved the Aloha Airlines flights without any El Toro language in the agreements.
Supervisors Tom Wilson and Todd Spitzer were prepared to block approval
of any long-term leases if they included reference to aviation use of El
Toro.
Website Direct,
April 3, 2001
John Wayne Airport - Lindbergh Field Comparison
Update
Year 2000 data for the two similarly sized airports is now available. It illustrates the underutilization of John Wayne.
Lindbergh Field has only one runway. It operates with a night curfew. It sits on a site slightly smaller than John Wayne's. However, it is unencumbered by the artificial restrictions that have been imposed on JWA by the County and Newport Beach. These restrictions expire in 2005.
The San Diego airport was able, last year, to carry:
OC Metro, March 22, 2001 issue, website posted
April 2
Meg Waters, anti-airport spokesperson, is honored
The cover story names Meg Waters to its annual list of "10 Women Making a Difference". Meg is a principal in Waters & Faubel, "a public affairs firm that is the voice of the anti-El Toro airport coalition." Our copy didn't arrived by mail until today, and we hope you can still pick one up and read about her life and career.
The piece concludes with this message from Meg: "The real debate in Orange County is John Wayne Airport or El Toro. The dirty secret is that Newport Beach wants to close John Wayne if El Toro happens… Bottom line: There are not going to be two airports seven miles apart; it just doesn't make sense for the airlines or for air travelers."
She's the spokesperson and that's the message.
OC Register, April 2, 2001
"District battle may await supervisors"
"Hispanics and El Toro airport backers see their chance for more
representation on the board."
"A new census means newly drawn political districts… redistricting for the nonpartisan county Board of Supervisors should offer… drama as Hispanics fight for better representation and the two sides of the battle over building an airport at El Toro square off."
"Even with Hispanics, Asians and blacks making up 49 percent of residents, it's no sure thing that the all-white Republican makeup of the board will change."
"Meanwhile, the county political establishment is more worried about redistricting's implications for El Toro than for minority representation. Airport backers hope to concentrate south-county airport foes in a single district - a modified version of the present 5th District - while reducing the 3rd District's share of south county to a slice of Irvine. Pro-airport Newport Beach would move from the 5th District to the 2nd District in this scenario."
Editor: The complete article is posted in the Early Bird Edition. The newspaper version also contains graphical representations of various redistricting scenarios.
The Register makes a couple of wrong inferences regarding El Toro politics. The first is that airport opposition is a South County phenomenon that can somehow be restricted to one supervisorial district. Polls taken during the last year by UCI, Cal State Fullerton and the LA Times all found that airport opposition exceeds support in North County. Anti-airport Measure F won the vote in every Orange County city except for Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. Most districts will be anti-airport; the challenge is to find and elect good representatives for those voters.
Secondly, the Register perpetuates the myth of greater South County
growth, which airport proponents cite as the engine for airport demand.
The article says, "Orange County's greatest growth has been in the south…"
However, an analysis of census data by
city shows that, to the contrary, more population has been added to
North County than to the south.
LA Times, Editorial, April 1, 2001
"Engineering Consent"
"Millions for PR, but Airport Questions Remain"
In the latest in a string of thought provoking editorials, the Times
writes, "A few million dollars here and a few million there, and the war
for the hearts and minds of Orange
County citizens on both sides of the El Toro airport debate has
turned out to be a very expensive proposition. It is incredible that after
eight years of civil war all this money has been spent, with more in the
pipeline, without any reliable sense that the proposed airport is likely
to operate as advertised."
"… The problem still lies with getting a realistic and forthright airport proposal. One could argue that money to promote an airport plan, or at least debate its merits, would be well spent if the plan didn't have the nation's pilots concerned on safety grounds and the airlines opposed to operating out of two airports."
"Instead of addressing these concerns directly, the county has complained that such opposition serves only to pressure the county to change its proposed airport operations. Well, isn't that the point of having the experts weigh in: to give them some influence on the final project?"
"The county argues that it needs to spend more money to get 'the facts' about its airport proposal out. What it is saying really is that legitimate questions about safety and economic feasibility raised by the experts are counterproductive."
"A believable plan could be a basis for discussion. The effort to silence important aviation voices suggests only that the plan itself is not the product it's cracked up to be. It does no good to spend millions on correcting 'misinformation' if the facts are in doubt."
Full text is posted in the Early Bird Edition.
Click here for some of our favorite earlier
newspaper editorials on El Toro.
Website Direct, April 1, 2001
New anti-airport initiative campaign starts soon.
Petition Drive Chairman Jim Davy has posted his list of Area Captains for the upcoming petition drive. Davy led the record breaking Measure F signature gathering and is set to do it again. Signatures will be collected from May through August and the new initiative will be on the March 2002 ballot. Please call the Captain for your city and volunteer to help with this vital project. If you don't do it, who will?
The new initiative will overturn Measure A, which passed narrowly in 1994 and zoned the El Toro property for an airport.
The new initiative also will change the County General Plan for El
Toro to a mix of non-aviation recreational, educational, park and open
space uses. Gradual development will be financed through user fees, the
rental of existing base buildings and agricultural land, and will not require
any new local taxes.
For more on the above, check the LA Times and Orange County Register websites.
Click here for previous news stories