Air Facility Study to Be Presented at Meeting

The public will get a chance Wednesday to review the possibilities for a new air facility at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station during a meeting at the Lakeview Senior Center.

The El Toro Local Redevelopment Authority, a county-appointed agency, will conduct the meeting at 20 Lake Road beginning at 7 p.m. and present a study that looks at converting the Marine air base into other uses, including an international airport or a freight airfield.

The report predicts large increases in the number of international passengers and cargo flights into the Orange County area over the next several years.

“The purpose of the study is to show what market demand” for an airport would be, said Kari Rigoni, senior project manager. “This is just the first step in looking for the demand to see what type of service levels might be desired” for a commercial airport or air freight facility.

The county is supporting Measure A, a ballot initiative calling for an airport approved by voters last year.

County residents will get a chance to change their minds in March with a counter initiative called Measure S. The anti-airport measure was created by a group of South County residents and public officials strongly opposed to converting the marine base into an air facility.

The military air base is scheduled to close in 1997.