IRVINE : City Acts to Influence Base Redevelopment

With the base’s closure now all but certain, Irvine officials are seeking a “powerful voice” in determining future developments at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

The City Council this week directed city employees to work with the county in formulating a redevelopment plan for the base.

Council members also expressed an interest in annexing some unincorporated land around the air station in an effort to gain greater control over what is built in the area.

City officials said their goal is to help craft a master plan for the base that does not overwhelm Irvine with traffic, noise or other problems.

“If there is any issue in this city that impacts every community and every resident, this is the issue,” said Councilwoman Paula Werner. “We deserve a strong voice.”

The County Board of Supervisors voted this week to form an advisory committee to look at the base closure issue.

City Manager Paul O. Brady Jr. said he hopes that Irvine will receive more than one seat on the panel.

“Because (El Toro) is in our back yard and in our sphere of influence, it is (important) that we take a leadership role,” he said, noting that Irvine should have a greater say in the process than other cities that face less of an impact.

“We must join with (the county) now and have our voice heard,” he told the council Tuesday night.

City officials believe the county committee will examine a wider range of future options for El Toro than the Orange County Cities Airport Authority, a group of six cities that supports building a commercial airport on the land.

Transforming the base into an air cargo center is strongly opposed by some residents, and the council on Tuesday decided to delay a decision on whether to also join the cities’ airport authority.

Another option the council might eventually consider is forming an independent joint-powers authority along with the county and Lake Forest, which is the only other city to border the base. Councilwoman Christina L. Shea said that such a panel would help “look out for our interests” and might serve as a counterweight to the cities’ airport authority.

Once closure plans are more finalized, the federal government will select one of the local base closure committees to be the “planning entity” for El Toro redevelopment.

In an effort to better measure the public’s feeling on the issue, Irvine is also likely to form a citywide El Toro task force.

Though the details of such a group have yet to be worked out, officials said they hope it would represent a cross-section of the city and give residents a chance to make comments and suggestions.

“We should allow our community to feel involved,” Shea said.