More Musings on Civilian Use of El Toro Marine Air Station

* I don’t understand. A few years ago, we were begging the Marines to let us share El Toro Marine Base with commercial flight operations, but the Marines wouldn’t do it. Now that they are giving up their base, we are squandering billions of dollars spent to develop a good, operating airport, suitable for all commercial airliners, for no good reason that I can see.

There is, of course, the old argument about airplane noise. But that is ridiculous. Commercial airliners are a lot less noisy than the military jets that fly there now. Anyway, El Toro airport is surrounded by farmland, industrial developments and Marine barracks. The barracks will soon be gone. Other residential areas are miles away.

Here we have a chance to get for free a multibillion-dollar airport, ready for use to feed an industrial area surrounding it, and we are squabbling about how to waste this valuable resource so developers can make more money, which they can’t do on an already developed site. Can’t they make enough developing the barracks and farmland for commercial and industrial use? We have too much residential property already (see your local realtor).

Will someone please explain the logic to me?

DAVID FEIGN

Santa Ana

* Larry Agran has come up with a logical, practical solution to the conversion of the Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro (Lake Forest).

Promoting rail transportation by Amtrak and building the Irvine monorail should now be popular in view of the 500% or more increase in rail traffic in the Valley area due to the Northridge earthquake.

In response to Mr. Ferguson’s letter, more jobs would be created during construction and thereafter in the Agran plan than by an airport. Consider the jobs in constructing the monorail and the building of an entire town.

DAVID WALKER

Laguna Hills

* A boot camp for drug offenders is the best possible use for the El Toro Marine Base. Boot camps are low security and most of the facilities there can be reused. So far, this kind of a facility has been our best weapon against drugs. If they don’t succeed at camp, there’s always prison. Why fill up prisons and build unwanted prisons for people who can be helped at another facility? Education and rehabilitation could be the key to a road back. There is no end to the possibilities.

A facility like this would be the least expensive reuse of an existing base. Another airport would be costly and is not needed. The John Wayne Airport is adequate for this area.

PAT AND AL JESPERSON

Laguna Hills

* A few more thoughts on the El Toro airport issue from someone who owns property under the approach path to El Toro and John Wayne airports.

Military aircraft make no concession at all to noise suppression. An F-18 with its afterburner can be heard 10 miles away. A C-5A literally shakes the Earth on takeoff. The rotors of huge assault helicopters send their “pop-pop-pop” sound right through the walls and double glazing. Try having dinner while the Marines are practicing night “touch and go’s” with Intruders, Hornets, Crusaders and Tomcats intermixed.

I think the noise monitoring staff at the heavily controlled John Wayne Airport could easily confirm that civilian aircraft, especially the latest “quiet” designs, would actually reduce the noise from El Toro airport.

As far as property values go, I am sure all Orange County property will only be raised in value if a full-service international airport is conveniently close.

Our country’s future as a participant in the Pacific Rim business opportunities will depend on convenient access to Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Thailand. I want our Pacific Rim business partners flying directly into the heart of Orange County’s commercial heart; Irvine International Airport! I want nonstop service to New York, Florida, Australia and Europe without wasting two hours fighting my way into LAX.

ALAN NESTLINGER

Santa Ana

* I was simultaneously surprised and delighted to see that Doy Henley, president of the Orange County Lincoln Club, has called for an initiative to decide the future use of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. Last August, in a commentary published by The Times, I similarly called upon “the Board of Supervisors to place an initiative on the earliest possible ballot to allow voters to rank in order their preferences for the future reuse of the El Toro Marine base.”

Now it’s up to the Board of Supervisors to seize the initiative, so to speak. An initiative to decide the fate of El Toro is far too important for the county’s future to be left to the Lincoln Club to design. It should be crafted by the board with appropriate opportunity for public input. For similar reasons, an initiative should not be placed on the ballot until a number of reuse proposals have been fully researched and analyzed. November may simply be too soon for public evaluation of an El Toro reuse initiative.

Even if belatedly, the Lincoln Club has thrown down a gauntlet in the name of democratic self-government. On behalf of the public, the Board of Supervisors cannot afford to let this challenge pass.

MARK P. PETRACCA

Irvine

* What a pleasant surprise to see Larry Agran’s proposal for El Toro (Commentary, Feb. 6). So far all I have been hearing is airport, prison.

What we need, as Agran’s plan proposes, is not only the swap of land with the Irvine Co. but getting the Irvine Co., with its expertise and development skills, to develop this property into an economically beneficial parcel for the benefit of us all.

It is important to have positive plans, such as Agran’s, put into the discussion forum. This is too important a decision not to work together for the best plan.

CHARLES MCLAUGHLIN

Laguna Hills