December
2000 NewsDecember
2000 NewsVarious sources, December 31, 2000
Getting in the final word
News from LA Councilmember Ruth Galanter, December
29, 2000, posted December 30
“Latest Info on the Fight Against Expansion of
LAX Airport”
LA Times, Newport Beach Section, December 27, 2000
“Airport sees steady climb in passenger tally”
“Report also shows general aviation operations at John Wayne
dropped significantly.”
OC Register, Orange Grove, December 26, 2000
“The future of El Toro”
“New data might show the need; FAA must rule on safety”
OC Register, December 25, 2000
“Bixby Ranch homes to be too close to Army base?”
“Airfield officials worry that proximity might bring homeowner
complaints.”
OC Register, December 25, 2000
“Sides set to escalate El Toro war”
“Supporters and foes of plan for ex-Marine base are preparing
new public-relations offensives.”
LA Times, Newport Beach local news, December 23,
2000
“Fewer Noise Complaints from NPB”
“Airport noise drops slightly”
Website Direct, December 22, 2000
Dana Parsons examines a troublesome question
LA Times, Costa Mesa Newport News, December
20, 2000
“Proctor Aims At Irvine's Great Park”
LA Times, December 19, 2000
“Supes To Redraw District Lines”
Website Direct, December 17, 2000
Why We’re Using Long Beach Airport
Various sources, December 16, 2000
Regional Air Transportation News
LA Times, December 15, 2000
"California's Transportation Future"
December 14, 2000 Orange Juice
“Argyros Backs Democrat Oftelie for County Position”
LA Times, December 13, 2000
“Irvine Council Debates El Toro Park, Jail”
Chapman University Panther, December 4, website
posted December 12, 2000
Chapman politics spark anger among city, county
officials.
Website Direct, December 12, 2000
It's website moving day
CBS News, December 8, 2000
"Delta MD-80 Makes Emergency Landing"
Newport-Costa Mesa Daily Pilot, December 7, 2000
“Now's the chance to make the El Toro case”
OC Register, December 6, 2000
“Effort to extend airport restrictions takes off
“
“Supervisors agree to study legality of and procedures for continuing
the flight caps and curfew at John Wayne till 2025.”
OC Register, December 5, 2000
“Lead airport consultant dies”
“Ron Ahlfeldt, 54, was directing plans for the El Toro project.”
Website Direct, December 4, 2000
Newspaper Editorial comment
LA Times editorial, December 3, 2000
"Supervisors vs. Voters"
LA Times, December 3, 2000
“Airport Foes Vow They'll Be Back on Ballot”
“Judge who struck down Measure F said voters would have to rescind
1994 El Toro approval, so South County leaders vow to do exactly that in
March 2002 election.”
Website Direct, December 2, 2000
The morning after the judge's ruling.
What people are saying.
Website Direct, December 1, 2000
Judge Rules Against Measure F
Daily Pilot, November 30, 2000, website posted December
1
Newport Beach “Not working with South County
on anything.”
“Newport Beach City Council Wrap-up: Inside City Hall”
LA Times, January 6, 2000
“El Toro Airspace Risks Detailed”
“ Nearly 150 flights a day would be forced to pass 'over, under or
through' other jets' routes, county report says.”
OC Register, January 11, 2000, revised
“Airport foes criticize labor deal”
“ The county's promises to the union are aimed at Measure F, they say.”
Website Direct, January 17, 2000
Tustin Switches to Yes on Measure F
ETRPA Press release, February 8, 2000
JUDGE FINDS COUNTY AIR QUALITY ANALYSIS INADEQUATE REGARDING
EL TORO AIRPORT
OC Register Editorial February 20, 2000
“F Troupe, the movie:
“How politics turned a serious airport debate into a bad melodrama”
LA Times, February 25, 2000
“Irvine Co. Has Reservations About El Toro Land use:”
“The largest property owner near base says that if noise limits around
the airport cannot be assured, the project should be abandoned.”
Website Direct, March 8, 2000
2:1 Landslide for Measure F - What Now?
LA Times, March 21, 2000
“County Ordered to Cover $450,000 in Legal Fees for two Anti-Airport
Groups"
Daily Pilot, Thursday, March 23, 2000
“Time for Plan B?”
“Tom Edwards, local attorney and longtime proponent of El Toro airport,
says it may be time for a new plan.”
OC Register, April 14, 2000
“Airport pessimism grows”
“Board chairman says project might be scrapped — even if courts throw
out ... Measure F.”
Website Direct, May 24, 2000
UCI 2000 annual opinion poll shows airport slipping
LA Times, June 3, 2000
“O.C. Concedes 'Significant' El Toro Pollution”
“Revised EIR admits harm to air quality might be inevitable, belying
earlier analysis. Planners will try again.”
LA Times, June 29, 2000
“Mittermeier: El Toro Might Never Fly”
“Former CEO says Measure F, lack of 'passion' in project backers make
its completion highly unlikely.”
LA Times, July 6, 2000
“A Year Later, El Toro Limps Along”
“ Since the Marines closed the base, the county has made little headway
in its effort to turn it into a commercial airport.”
Website Direct, July 21, 2000
Judge Delays Measure F Hearing to September
Newport Beach Daily Pilot, August 3, 2000 - updated August 4 and August
6
“Council hopes to extend airport restrictions”
“With the settlement agreement expiring in 2005, city will try to keep
John Wayne's flight limits for 20 more years.”
OC Register, August 8, 2000
“Airport layout called unsafe”
“FAA draft says the county's plan doesn't accommodate area's busy airspace.”
OC Register, August 11, 2000
“O.C. knew of El Toro noise risk”
“ A memo obtained by airport opponents shows a county consultant feared
problems from nighttime flights.”
Website Direct, August 22, 2000 11:30 AM
Board of Supervisors votes to approve El Toro lease.
LA Times, August 25, 2000
“Airport Backers Going Over Voters' Heads”
“Proponents seeking Sacramento legislator to help amend law to prohibit
special election to repeal 1994 approval.”
LA Times, October 27, 2000
"Poll on El Toro Finds Support Still Lagging"
"South County continues to lead the opposition, but for the first time
a North County majority also is against airport"
Website Direct, November 1, 2000
Newport Beach Pro-El Toro Group Tries to Influence Orange City Election
LA Times, November 12, 2000
“Airport's Biggest Ally Says It Has to Shrink”
“Argyros says proposed size must be halved for any hope of success.
Critics see a bait and switch.”
LA Times, December 3, 2000
“Airport Foes Vow They'll Be Back on Ballot”
“Judge who struck down Measure F said voters would have to rescind
1994 El Toro approval, so South County leaders vow to do exactly that in
March 2002 election.”
OC Register, December 6, 2000
“Effort to extend airport restrictions takes off “
“Supervisors agree to study legality of and procedures for continuing
the flight caps and curfew at John Wayne till 2025.”
OC Register, December 25, 2000
“Sides set to escalate El Toro war”
“Supporters and foes of plan for ex-Marine base are preparing new public-relations
offensives.”
What
are your predictions for some of the 2001 headlines?
Various sources, December
31, 2000
Getting in the final word
The year closed with a barrage of El Toro related letters. Here are excerpts from a few of our favorites that were published today:
Thomas Grisafe had a major op-ed piece in the Register; “Smith’s airport argument doesn’t get off the ground”. Tom, a frequenter of this website, deconstructs Supervisor Smith’s arguments, one at a time. “Smith condemns other Orange County cities for refusing to accept offensive government projects while working to relieve Newport Beach of the only objectionable government project they have.”
He notes that asking SCAG or the Southern California Regional Airport Authority whether El Toro is needed is “Like asking your barber if you need a haircut.”
UCI professor, John Graham, had a guest editorial in the Times, “Build the Airport at Camp Pendleton”
He writes that, “Three reports [in 1972, 1982 an 1990] have recommended Camp Pendleton as a viable site for an international airfield… What killed the discussion of the Camp Pendleton option? After consulting directly with the mayor of Newport Beach, Orange County supervisors nixed it in June 1990.”
“You say the Marines won't give up the space? That's what they said about El Toro.”
Wally Roberts, an expert who consults for the AirLine Pilots Association, and sometimes supplies our website with technical advice, writes in the Register, “Safety must come first or El Toro airport can't fly”
“Supervisor Charles Smith's view still misses the point about safety… The FAA thus far has not even evaluated the county's proposed operating conditions and limitations as to airline operating reliability.”
“A major-airline airport needs all-weather approach and landing systems from at least two different directions to account for varying storm and wind conditions. The county thus far opposes that, although El Toro is capable of supporting such a requirement. Further, takeoffs need to be both consistent with all-weather approach and landing requirements and the ability to takeoff to the West when weather and wind conditions dictate such an operation.”
Don Duca, another frequent visitor to this website and the message boards, had a zinger in the Times. He deflates those who argue that the recent closing of John Wayne’s main runway, because of a blown aircraft tire, shows a need for El Toro.
“It took several hours to have a tire jack sent from LAX to repair the plane. This was reported in the Times the day after the incident. One would think that a modern, recently upgraded and enlarged facility such as John Wayne would have on hand a tire jack in preparation for such an incident.”
Read the full text of several of these letters in the Early Bird Edition.
“EIR - In a smashing victory for the forces of reason, LAWA [Los Angeles World Airways] has agreed to giving the public a full 180-days to comment on the 12,000 page (!) Draft EIR which will be released on January 18. We've not seen the actual document yet, but our sources tell us the meat is in the thousands of pages of "Technical Appendices." Editor: That sounds like an El Toro EIR but the County of Orange never allows enough time for comments.
“In the meantime, the airport propaganda machine grinds on. As is customary when you can't respond to the message, LAWA has apparently decided to go after the messenger(s). LAWA recently filed a Freedom of Information Act request to see the expense records of El Segundo Mayor Mike Gordon and has put out the word that I'm merely putting on a show for my constituents. Of course these kinds of actions ignore what over 100 Southern California communities have figured out: (1) there is a better way to go about planning for the future of air travel in Southern California and (2) as long as LAWA keeps assuring the airlines that LAX will be expanded, the airlines refuse to collaborate in making the other airports work.”
“GOOD NEWS - Ontario International Airport is once again going to be truly international... UPS, whose local hub is at Ontario, has won the contract for six cargo flights per week to China. These flights will take advantage of Ontario's location near the main railroad switching center for the southwestern United States and a number of freeways. AeroMexico will shortly begin direct flights between Ontario and Guadalajara and Mexico City.”
“JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT -- 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. Slightly more than 7.1 million have used John Wayne through the 11 months ending in November, a 4.7% increase from 1999.”
“The monthly flight and passenger data also revealed a 17.5% decline in total operations at the airport over the same period. That includes a 23.5% fall in general aviation activity -- a category that includes private jets, small planes, helicopters and other noncommercial craft. General aviation, which makes up 74% of the airport's flight total, dropped from 350,422 to 267,982 on a year-to-date basis.”
"’We've never had 8 million,’ airport spokeswoman Ann McCarley said about the steadily increasing count. ‘It does get larger every year,’” she stated inaccurately. “The airport hit a high-water mark in 1997, when 7.7 million were shuttled through the gates. The airport saw about 7.4 million passengers in 1998 and again in 1999.”
“The airport doles out annual flight capacity to each of the 10 commercial airlines that use John Wayne during the planned year. The airlines apply for, and are given, passenger ceilings.”
“While most of the political debate centers on the commercial use of the airport, the sharp fall in private use raised some eyebrows. Increased fuel costs, stemming from the high price of oil, is the likely cause of the drops, McCarley said.”
“Air cargo has also dropped, according to the report. Cargo slipped from 16,813 to 16,645 tons, falling about 1% from the previous year.”
Editor: The curious decision to publish this story, prior to receipt of year-end data, is seen as part of the publicity campaign by pro-El Toro forces. The headlined claim of a “steady climb” in passenger traffic is misleading, since traffic has actually moved in a narrow range over the past 4 years. The number of full-sized (Class A and AA) commercial planes allowed to serve John Wayne has been capped at its current level since April 1990, as part of a 1985 agreement between the county and Newport Beach. With an artificial limit on planes, and seat allocations, there is limited potential for passenger growth.
Click here to join the Message Board thread on JWA use.
The well-written opinion piece submitted by Board of Supervisors Chairman Chuck Smith hits out at the anti-airport mantra of “unwanted, unneeded, unsafe”. Smith dismisses the first. “Unwanted is a subjective term, and government cannot stop providing services that are needed simply because some of its citizens don’t want them.”
As to “unneeded”, Smith, giving a clear signal regarding the future campaign for El Toro. He turns to regional groups such the Southern California Association of Governments, SCAG, and the Southern California Regional Airport Authority, SCRAA – to which he recently was appointed as the O.C. rep - to determine need. SCAG shows a strong tendency to view El Toro as an asset for providing air service to our neighboring counties.
Finally, Smith turns to the FAA to determine whether El Toro is “unsafe”. He cites a preliminary letter from the FAA’s Herman Bliss to Tom Wilson as likely evidence of the airport’s safety. He then concludes, “Rest assured, if an airport at El Toro proves to be unneeded and unsafe, then it should never be built.”
“SEAL BEACH - Construction of homes on the Bixby Ranch property is expected to start as early as June, but officials at the adjacent Los Alamitos Army Airfield remain worried that the houses will be too close to the base. With homes planned 1,500 feet from the nearest runway, airfield commander Lt. Col. Tom Lasser said, the noise generated from the [approximately 50] daily landings and departures of planes and helicopters may create unnecessary tension between future residents and the base.”
“Base officials have asked city officials to resubmit the plans to the county's Airport Land Use Commission for review to determine if airfield noise would be compatible with the proposed homes.”
Editor: The Airport Land Use Commission is the center of several El Toro related storms. The cities of Irvine and Lake Forest are suing the ALUC to remove restrictions around El Toro, arguing that the former base is not an airport and is no longer within ALUC purview. Board of Supervisors Chairman Charles Smith is seeking to replace Laguna Woods resident Charles Zoffer with a pro-El Toro activist on the commission. That appointment will come before the BOS again in January.
“The public-relations war over the future of El Toro is heating up again as both sides gear up their spending machines.”
ETRPA “is using direct mail and television ads to hammer home its viewpoint: The airport plan is dead -- a bad idea whose time has come and gone. A letter to 70,000 supporters will be mailed Tuesday to deliver that message and an update on plans to appeal a judge's decision to overturn Measure F.”
“The new letter follows three mailers and four TV ads the coalition has prepared since July.”
“But airport advocates say they learned lessons from their unsuccessful campaign against Measure F, primarily that they need to do more to present their El Toro perspective: that an airport there is necessary for the good of the county. Barbara Lichman, executive director of the Airport Working Group, said airport backers are preparing ‘a new, extremely large public-relations program’ they hope to launch early next year.”
Editor: Also in the works is a major campaign from the City of Irvine promoting its ideas for a park occupying most of the El Toro property. Once a new initiative campaign, to overturn Measure A, is launched in the Spring of 2001, public entities like ETRPA, Irvine, the City of Newport Beach and the County are required, by law, to stop spending on related public information.
All subsequent spending will depend on private contributions - to pro-airport groups like the Airport Working Group and George Argyros’ Citizens for Jobs and the Economy – and to the anti-El Toro citizens’ committees. Citizens for Safe and Healthy Communities, the Yes on F organization, is already soliciting funds for the next election battle via a credit card link on this website.
“JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT -- Residents near the John Wayne Airport will welcome a report that shows little change in the noise patterns from July through September. Aircraft noise at the airport dropped slightly during the third quarter, while staying fairly flat for the year, according to a report released Wednesday… As noise levels dropped, so did the number of complaints called into the airport's noise hotline.”
“The airport has had fairly consistent noise levels since 1990, despite nearly doubling its number of annual passengers. While 8 million passengers are projected to use the airport this year, only 4 million used it a decade ago.” John Wayne Airport Access and Noise Manager, John “Leyerle said noise has remained steady largely because of advances in jet engine technology that have brought quieter planes to John Wayne.”
See the website report on the relationship between CNEL Noise Statistics and Complaints.
LA Times columnist Dana Parsons, in today’s “El Toro Watcher Has Georges on His Mind” speculates on whether George Argyros can influence George W. Bush to speed the transfer of the closed El Toro Marine base into County of Orange hands. Read the column in the website Early Bird Edition.
The current Democratic White House staff has become involved in an effort to expedite the transfer. It is likely that similar requests will be made to the new Republican administration. George Argyros is lobbying both parties as it suits his purposes.
Pro-airport forces are anxious to shortcut the environmental safeguards of the law. The Department of the Navy has said that it will complete its Environmental Impact Study only after the county decides on an airport plan and completes its Environmental Impact Report for that plan. That process is likely to push base transfer it 2003, about 5 years behind the original schedule.
Supervisors Smith and Silva, at a recent White House “summit”, pushed for a conditional approval of the current official Community Reuse Plan - for a 38 MAP airport - without waiting for a FAA-Navy EIS. The Supervisors spoke in Washington as though an EIR process was complete, even though the county has yet to resubmit the latest patched up version of the original 1996 EIR 563 to the court for approval. The county has delayed two months in sending the EIR back to the San Diego judge who must approve it.
“NEWPORT BEACH -- It wouldn't be the first time Newport Beach officials brushed off an alternate El Toro proposal hatched in South County. Newly elected Newport Beach Councilman Gary Proctor said a plan to install a park, museum and other recreational features on the 4,738-acre former El Toro Marine base is ‘a figment of [Irvine Mayor Larry Agran's] imagination… It's politically correct and totally economically unfeasible,’ Proctor said of the plan. ‘And they know it.’”
“Agran and Irvine Councilman Greg Smith disagreed with Proctor's assessment. ‘I wouldn't expect anything less from Councilman Proctor,’ Smith said. ‘Clearly, he's playing to his constituents.’”
“It doesn't matter how the plan is financed if it doesn't include an airport, Newport Beach Mayor Gary Adams said. ‘The reason I don't like it is because it doesn't support an airport use,’ Adams said. ‘I don't need to know the details.’”
Editor: Proctor ran for a seat on the Newport Beach City Council with the slogan “Leader for El Toro”. He is reportedly also trying to win an appointed seat on the Airport Land Use Commission, the county board that rules on developments in the environs of an airport. The ALUC continues to regard projects near El Toro as in its purview, while Irvine and Lake Forest are suing to remove property around the closed base from the ALUC’s control.
“Orange County's supervisorial boundaries, long criticized as being more about politics than fair representation, are going to be redrawn, which may shift the balance of power in the county. The chore of realigning districts for the five supervisors is certain to touch everything from the volatile battle over the mothballed El Toro Marine base to Latino representation on the county board.”
“Anti-airport cities in South County are worried that Newport Beach--the county's biggest ally for building an El Toro airport--will be taken out of Supervisor Tom Wilson's district, giving Wilson a new, "super" anti-airport area. In turn, Mission Viejo and other South County areas could be removed from Supervisor Todd Spitzer's district, giving his a more North-County flavor and potentially diluting Spitzer and Wilson's minority anti-airport coalition. That could change the board's 3-2 majority on airport issues to 4-1, and the repercussions could be enormous. It takes a four-fifths vote to change El Toro's master lease from nonaviation to aviation use and allow flight operations for cargo planes.”
Editor: The Navy would have to agree to any change in the lease and would probably require environmental studies to be complete. The full Times article was posted this morning in the website’s Early Bird Edition.
Click here for more on redistricting on the Message Board.
We are going to Phoenix for a family event. Flying from John Wayne, Travelocity's website erroneously shows no non-stops and says it is necessary to change planes in Las Vegas. However, America West's website does show some non-stops with a round trip fare of $535.50.
So I called America West. The agent confirmed that the fare was $535.50 and said "John Wayne is a really restricted market." She said it twice, and suggested that I fly out of another airport like Ontario or LAX.
The same airline offers 5 non-stop flights a day from Long Beach. The published round trip fare is only $106.50. Needless to say, we bought tickets from Long Beach.
All of this prompted me to update our website’s Long Beach Airport page.
As one website viewer noted, "Everyone in OC shares the burden of Newport Beach NIMBY selfish shortsightedness by paying much higher airfares to fly out of JWA." There is no honest reason why we shouldn’t have more competitive pricing from JWA to Phoenix. Between noon and 1 PM, when we are departing, there are only eight flight leaving John Wayne - hardly an overload of traffic. It’s a short haul with relatively quiet planes, and JWA has excess capacity. Only the artificial caps on service, that Newport is seeking to extend until 2025, stand in the way.
SCAG Update
Citing a series of significant short- and long-term transportation dilemmas confronting the Southland, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) released CommunityLink21, the 2001 Draft Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) Update. The Draft RTP Update will now undergo extensive public review and comment over the next several months, during which time a number of the region's daunting regional challenges will be discussed and addressed before SCAG adopts a Final RTP next spring.
The Plan, which can be studied on the SCAG website, www.scag.ca.gov, includes El Toro airport at 22 MAP with John Wayne kept static or declining. “However, SCAG is working with the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) to complete an air space analysis that is critical to selecting a final scenario for incorporation into the final RTP 2001 Update.”
AeroMexico Launches Mexico Service at Ontario International Airport
AeroMexico, Mexico's largest airline, begins roundtrip service three times a week on Friday, Saturday and Sunday between Ontario International Airport (ONT) and Guadalajara and Mexico City. Lydia H. Kennard, Los Angeles World Airways (LAWA) executive director, said: ‘This is a big step in Los Angeles World Airports' efforts to take a regional approach in meeting Southern California's air travel demand by encouraging its distribution throughout the region.’”
Palmdale considered for bullet train stop
The California High-Speed Rail Authority will study where to place stations for the proposed high speed bullet system, one of which could be in Palmdale.
Niki Tennant, spokeswoman for Los Angeles City Councilwoman Ruth Galanter, said the stations will be explored during the alignment review process and Palmdale is among the rail stops to be explored. Galanter, the president pro-tem of the Los Angeles City Council, has been a huge proponent in making Palmdale a stop on the state's proposed bullet train. Her support of the Palmdale stop is linked with her adamant desire to develop the Palmdale Regional Airport.
Editor: Don't believe all the talk about a "small community-friendly airport" being touted lately by George Argyros and Cynthia Coad, along with other El Toro proponents. It's nothing more than a facade to try to make the aviation alternative more palatable to the public.
The Times report, posted in its entirety in the website's Early Bird Edition, quotes the Executive Director of the Southern California Association of Governments, SCAG as saying otherwise. "Three of the four scenarios being considered by the regional agency call for an airport at El Toro in Orange County capable of handling as many as 30 million passengers annually by 2025. 'If this region is to be competitive in a global economy, the piece of infrastructure it needs is airports,' said Mark Pisano, the association of governments' executive director. He repeated his position that there needs to be a fair share distribution of airport capacity within the region."
Orange Juice is an an-line Republican political newsletter that bills itself as providing “Political pulp fiction from Orange County, CA.” They e-mailed us this report which we confirmed with two independent sources.
“Republican financier George Argyros, a major backer of the El Toro Airport plan, evidently threw his support to Democrat Stan Oftelie for the new position of El Toro Planning Czar, but Republican Supervisors Jim Silva, Todd Spitzer and Tom Wilson voted against him, according to this week's Orange County Business Journal. Argyros also reportedly backed Democrat Lou Correa for the 69th Assembly District over the Republican candidate, Lou Lopez. However, Argyros did prominently back Gov. George W. Bush. One out of three isn't that bad, in retrospect, considering that Bush is now our President-Elect.” Comment on the Message Board
“In calculated moves, a newly seated majority on the Irvine City Council on Tuesday resurrected planning for a city park at the closed El Toro Marine base and, separately, debated whether to oppose expansion of a jail that sits at the city's border. Incoming Mayor Larry Agran and new council members Chris Mears and Beth Krom had promised during their campaigns to reverse earlier council approvals to shift park funding to the state and to allow a limited expansion of the James A. Musick Branch Jail.“
“Agran said the park, which would cover most of the 4,700-acre base, should be designed and managed by the city of Irvine, based on its history as ‘the most successful master-planned community in America.’” Irvine is seeking to annex the land.
“Opponents of building a commercial airport at El Toro… can use the city's ‘great park’ plan [sometimes referred to as Millennium Plan III] in a March 2002 ballot measure, he said Tuesday, asking voters to overturn a 1994 vote that required an airport to be built at the base. ‘The creation of a great metropolitan park to fill the El Toro site can be of great benefit to the entire county,’ said Agran.”
In a separate matter, the Council opposed a plan to expand Musick jail, citing Measure F’s popularity and the desirability of finding a jail site remote from homes.
Chapman University benefactor George Argyros is the major financial proponent of an airport at El Toro. Some Chapman University professors provide economic analyses and media comments supporting the airport. But when Chapman trustee, Doy Henley lent money to the Newport Beach-based Airport Working Group - to send hit pieces against City Councilman Mike Alvarez during the recent election campaign, the campus newspaper thought that was a bit much. Alvarez is anti-El Toro. Click to read the article which includes comments from Bill Kogerman, a Chapman alumnus.
Click here for more on the AWG's smear attack on Alvarez.
After more than four years on our old web hosting service - since October 1996 - we are moving the website to a new more reliable server. It will be a rolling change over several days.
AOL users are already seeing the new site. As of this morning, @Home has not updated.
Hopefully, the changeover will be transparent to viewers. The most obvious differences will be:
"A Delta Air Lines MD-80 jetliner made an emergency landing at John
Wayne Airport Friday afternoon.
Three of its tires were either on fire at touchdown or ignited moments
later. The plane is now sitting on Runway 19 [tying up the airport]".
"The passengers -- about 40 of them -- were taken off the plane via a rear stairway and put aboard two minibuses. According to wires, there may be a couple of minor injuries involved." General aviation planes appear to be landing on the airport's second runway.
Editor: Militant voices in Newport Beach are having a field day with their dual successes. First, Judge Otero’s ruled for Newport litigants against Measure F. Then, the Board of Supervisors’, by a 5-0 vote, gave Newport Beach everything it asked for in terms of preliminary support for extending the John Wayne caps - while asking for nothing in return.
The Daily Pilot, muting its recently moderate stand, issues a call to battle. Click here for the entire editorial.
“Second chances don't come around very often. But here in Newport-Mesa, we just got lucky. When a Los Angeles judge overturned Measure F last week, he granted local airport activists a new opportunity to run a winning campaign. “
”… This time, pro-airport forces need to get it right. They need a strong, unified leadership to initiate a campaign. Spread the message throughout Orange County. Convince people in neighboring cities that they need a second airport… [But] Leave open the avenues of compromise. A smaller airport at El Toro is better than none.
“With Tuesday's unanimous vote by the Orange County Board of Supervisors to support keeping the flight restrictions at John Wayne, this is a prime time to keep the momentum going. And with many months before another countywide airport initiative could be placed on the ballot, this is the best moment to start strategizing for a campaign.”
The next meeting of the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority, ETRPA is on Monday December 11 at 6:00 PM at Lake Forest City Hall. Public comments are welcome.
“The Orange County Board of Supervisors took the first step Tuesday toward extending flight restrictions at John Wayne Airport to 2025. The board unanimously agreed to work with the city to study extending a curfew on night flights and caps on the number of passengers and cargo flights now in place. Current restrictions expire in 2005.”
“The action was not an approval to extend the restrictions, but an agreement
to look into the legal, environmental and procedural tasks that it would
take to get that done…
The extension faces possible legal challenges from airlines or the
Federal Aviation Administration because a federal law prohibits communities
from restricting certain operations at airports.”
“The board also asked that county staff members research whether similar restrictions could be used to govern commercial flights at El Toro.”
In a related matter, the Register reports that supervisors are continuing their search for their fourth El Toro Program Manager. Rob Richardson does not want to keep the job when his term expires.
“The lead aviation consultant for the county's proposed El Toro airport died Sunday. Ron Ahlfeldt, 54, died of apparent natural causes.”
“As a senior vice president for P&D Consultants Inc. in Orange, Ahlfeldt had directed the development of plans for an El Toro airport. ‘He was the guy who guided the ship,’ said Michael Gatzke, the county's special aviation attorney. ‘He was the airport planner, in charge of all of the other airport planners.’”
“’He was a super decent guy, and folks here will miss him,’ said Rob Richardson, the county's interim El Toro director. ‘Anyplace that Ron went, he seemed well regarded. In a long career, that's not the easiest thing to say.’ Ahlfeldt and his colleagues worked on the El Toro environmental studies that were released last December. Since then, he and his team had been working to respond to the thousands of public comments filed on those documents, Richardson said.”
The Times repeats its editorial position against ballot box planning in “Finding Responsive Leadership”.
“The Times expressed concern that even with legitimate grievances, complex land-use planning should not be done at the ballot box and that representative government must prevail.”
“We have argued that in the case of El Toro, a reconfiguration of the Local Redevelopment Authority, now made up entirely of the county supervisors, would provide a credible base for addressing community concerns. This is so regardless of whether the future holds an airport or a nonaviation plan. As it stands, a thin majority of three headstrong supervisors controls Orange County's most important planning decision. When that problem is resolved, the county can address properly the choices for the future of the base.”
The Register sticks with its economic philosophy, writing, “Judge throws out anti-airport measure”.
“Rather than revel in a court victory and move forward with the same-old airport plan, or even a smaller, amended one, the county- and south county opponents – should agree to find the highest and best use of the land.”
“Now that both sides have suffered significant rebukes – the county at the hands of the voters and airport foes in a court decision – perhaps both sides might be willing to listen to Rep. Cox’s reasonable advice [to find out what the market would do with the land].”
In an editorial dealing with supervisorial lack of responsiveness to the will of the people, the Times takes Smith, Silva and Coad task for their stance on Measure H, the health care initiative.
The article also states, "It is precisely this kind of arrogance on a separate issue--the impasse over the future of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station--that argues for the replacement of county supervisors as the Local Redevelopment Authority with a new planning agency that more fairly and fully represents communities with an interest in what happens next at the closed base."
“A day after a judge struck down an initiative aimed at blocking a proposed El Toro airport, south Orange County leaders said Saturday they will ask voters to rescind plans for the airport and use much of the base land for a sprawling park. The decision to immediately begin work on a March 2002 ballot measure suggests that the intense battle over the fate of El Toro will continue unabated and dims hopes by some pro-airport forces that the judge's decision would spark talk of compromise.”
“The proposed measure would repeal that initiative, known as Measure A. It would also change zoning with an as-yet conceptual development plan centered on a 2,500-acre urban park with a university, museums, gardens and sports facilities. Some commercial development and new housing could be included, officials said.”
“’It's very clear from polling that the people of Orange County don't want an airport and they're supportive of a great park,’ said Irvine Mayor-elect Larry Agran… Agran, who made the ‘great park’ plan a cornerstone of his recent mayoral campaign, said Saturday that planners could add commercial development to make the park plan more profitable.”
“Opinion polls in the county have shown that support for an El Toro airport has dwindled in recent years, now hovering around 35%. Many residents said they support the idea of a park at the base.”
A related Register article, “El Toro airport foes down but not out” focuses on the volunteers who worked for passage of Measure F and are ready to go again.
Said Phyllis Fish of Leisure World, “Now I'm not going to cry anymore - I'm going to fight. I'm not tired of it. I've already started organizing."
“Volunteer Jim Richert of Lake Forest … and the 200 troops he worked with gathered about 10,000 signatures. He is ready to jump back into the fight.”
“Elizabeth Smith kept some of her signature-gathering and voter-registration supplies - 15 clipboards, more than 100 registration forms, rosters of volunteers - and now it looks they'll come in handy, she said.”
“Theresa Sears, an anti-airport volunteer from Orange, said ‘I think Measure F, it's really educated people, and people are now looking to the issues of quality of living and the environment. Sometimes you have to fight battles two times. So we're ready to go again.’”
Today's Oc Register County Poll Line Question: 6AM to 6:30 PM
“Should voters be asked to overturn Measure A which rezoned the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station to allow construction of an airport? “
To Respond, Call: 714-550-4636 EXT. 7261
There is no need to listen to the phone message at the beginning of the call, simply dial in the extension as soon as it is answered. Press “1” for YES
What the judge said is available to read on-line.
"We're not naive. We knew we had to go the full 12 rounds in this battle… airport opponents are riding a ‘freight train of momentum’ that ultimately will be unstoppable.” – Supervisor Todd Spitzer – LA Times.
“IF THE FLORIDA ELECTION TAUGHT US ANYTHING, IT’S THAT THE FIRST JUDGE'S RULING DOESN'T COUNT.” - Safeandhealthy – message board post.
“We will vote for the 4th, 5th or 10th time, whatever it takes.” Northwood – message board post.
"We’re in the third inning of a nine inning game and 2/3rds of the residents of Orange County are firmly behind us.” - El Toro Reuse Planning Authority (ETRPA) Chairman Susan Withrow – press release.
“The beauty about Measure F is that it was the most pristine example of a grassroots effort.” - Bob Vondruska (Former) Libertarian Candidate for State Assembly – e-mail
“Measure Gets An F...” The Daily Pilot – headline.
“I also think we need to make it clear that in light of NPB's comments today and their relentless challenge of F that we should not support caps under ANY conditions at JWA.” – mikemb – message board.
"Not even James Baker or Warren Christopher could put a good spin on this." – Tom Edwards, former Mayor of Newport Beach – Daily Pilot
"The landslide victory of Measure F at the polls was the public saying, 'The airport is dead,' We just have to do some more legal work to bury it." – Len Kranser – OC Register
“Passing blame and calling names at this point serves no purpose. What is needed, regardless of your opinion of ‘the jerks who drafted Measure F and told us it would hold up in court,’ is solidarity and a total commitment to keeping El Toro Coyoteville until a suitable alternative to an airport is agreed upon. I'm not very happy this morning either, but...and I also grit my teeth at this, as soon as I receive the letter from the anti-airport forces, I will write my check and put on my walking shoes.” - Parrotpaul – message board.
“Too bad that NB lost their protection from airport expansion with the dismissal of Measure F today. They still don't get it.” – MASBS – message board.
"The message in Measure F is clear in that the people want a greater say in the process," - Board Chairman Chuck Smith – LA Times.
“The decision means Orange County must do its share and cannot foist its airline passengers onto other airports. This is a fabulous day for us.” - El Segundo Mayor Mike Gordon – LA Times.
"I don't want the folks to lose faith. We'll continue in our resolve. It's time to muster the troops, regroup and develop a strategy to take this fight to the next level." – Supervisor Tom Wilson – LA Times.
“Why, do you think, we have appellate courts? Why are there rarely unanimous opinions from any court with more than one judge? And why, oh why, do we ELECT judges?” – socalfrank – message board.
“Even though Judge Otero struck down Measure F, don't lose sight of what was gained: momentum for an airport was brought to a dead stop --and momentum for other uses gained steam. Some people will give up or peel off -- but I believe more people will become energized to fight on and on, no matter how long it takes.” – IrvinIrvine – message board
"We'll try to make sure that its a realistic airport." Barbara Lichman, attorney, Airport Working Group - OC Register
“The only way to kill the El Toro Airport for good is to mount the Mother of all Initiative Campaigns - and that will take organization, commitment, people and money. Instead of pointing fingers at each other, we should be marshalling the forces for another battle. Remember, ‘we may have lost a battle, but we damn sure won't lose the war!’” – dontneeditdontwantit – message board.
"The general rule is that anything elected officials can vote on, voters can vote on. "If this (initiative) is vulnerable, so is Measure A, which also went before voters and asked about airports." - William Fulton, who has studied land-use initiatives for years as editor of the California Planning and Development Report - OC Register
"I thinks it's as wrong a ruling by a trial judge as I've seen in 30 years of practice." - Rich Jacobs, ETRPA attorney - OC Register
"Nothing about El Toro has ever been easy. Neither side has the slightest intention of giving up." – Meg Waters, ETRPA consultant – LA Times
“George Argyros declined to say how long he'd be willing to continue funding the battle to get El Toro off the ground. ‘I don't know what I'm willing to do,’ he said. ‘I want the county to get on with it. I want to get out of the way. Who wouldn't?’” – LA Times
“We are ready to go again.” - Jim Davy on Real Orange
We apologize if we got any of the attributions wrong. There were too many great comments to organize perfectly. Post your comments on the message board.
Superior Court Judge S. James Otero, issued his ruling today on lawsuits brought by the County, the City of Newport Beach and several Newport groups against anti-airport Measure F. The judge ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and against the will of the people.
The outcome of this lower court ruling will be appealed to the Orange County Court of Appeals.
While the judge did not buy the relevance of airport, jails and toxic dumps to "safe and healthy communities", the "single subject issue" was not crucial to the outcome. The judge appeared to be most concerned with preserving the power of government.
He did indicate that repeal of Measure A was a legal remedy for the people of Orange County. "Should the citizens of the County of Orange not wish to proceed with the building of an airport at the El Toro facility, they can seemingly accomplish this in a variety of ways including the passage of an initiative repealing MeasureA."
Measure F was passed on March 7, winning by a 67.3 percent landslide. It mandated that any airport expansion, toxic dump, or large jail construction within one-half mile of homes must be submitted to the voters, and that it must receive two-thirds approval before the County proceeds. Today’s ruling does not erase the fact that an overwhelming number of county voters demanded that any airport project be brought to the people for a two-thirds vote.
Regardless of any legal interpretation, the landslide victory of Measure F at the ballot box killed the airport politically. No planes are flying, the airport is years behind schedule, and a lease between the Navy and the County provides for non-aviation uses only. Today’s ruling launches a new ballot effort. One resident noted, “The airport is dead. We just have to bury it.”
Bill Kogerman, Chairman of Citizens for Safe and Healthy Communities (CSHC), the official YES ON F campaign committee, announced that the organization is expanding and is ready to lead a new citizens’ ballot drive “to end the airport threat, once and for all”, by overturning Measure A.
In 1994, Measure A changed the County General Plan, zoned the property for airport use, and has provided Supervisors Smith, Silva and Coad’s justification for continuing with the unpopular airport project. Using this rationale, Supervisors Chuck Smith, Jim Silva and Cynthia Coad continue to defy the will of the people and press for an airport.
The same three supervisors also are defying the voters who passed the popular health care initiative, Measure H, on the November ballot. They are litigating against that ballot measure.
A new anti-airport initiative is being drafted to overturn Measure A and rezone El Toro for non-aviation land use. Public input will decide these uses, which will include parks, cultural and recreational facilities.
CSHC is launching a major fund raising effort for the next petition drive and election campaign. Your support is needed. Contributions can be made by credit card, via a secure link on the El Toro Airport website’s Home Page.
“WHAT HAPPENED: There was heated debate over Newport Beach's strategy for extending flight limits at John Wayne Airport. Many residents spoke up to insist on pushing for an airport at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. Barbara Lichman, executive director of the pro-El Toro Airport Working Group, sharply criticized the council for what she called a failure to be inclusive in its airport negotiations.
WHAT IT MEANS: Council members said they still plan to bring a flight cap extension proposal before the Orange County Board of Supervisors at its Tuesday meeting. But they said they will make a greater effort to draw all interested parties into the debate.
WHAT THEY SAID: "We are somewhat nonplused that a year's worth of discussion has gone on with South County while the stakeholders have not been consulted," Lichman said. Dennis O'Neil fired back comments at several speakers who seemed to criticize the city. "There are no concessions" on El Toro, he said. ‘Read my lips. We're not working with [South County] on anything.’”
Editor: Cynthia Coad, after speaking with the Airport Working Group, said she would vote for the caps extension at the next Supervisors’ meeting, if the AWG was included in the process. The AWG is one of the litigants against Measure F and Lichman is their attorney. Chances for cooperation on a “No El Toro, No JWA expansion” compromise are looking dimmer by the minute. Post your reactions?
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