Two Views of Airport Editorials

Your Jan. 4 editorial “The Road Ahead,” proposes the same fatal course that doomed any hope of a consensus for the future of the El Toro Marine base. Although you correctly note that the problem of increased airport capacity is a regional problem and should be dealt with as such, your suggestion that South County residents accept “a carefully regulated airport of modest scale” disregards the same federal guidelines already ignored by county leadership.

The process for military base conversion is specified in the Defense Department document “Community Guide to Base Reuse.” It emphasizes that a Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA) be formed comprising the local areas most impacted by the base’s closure.

El Toro’s original LRA was composed of Irvine, Lake Forest and the County of Orange. Measure A stripped Irvine and Lake Forest--the two cities most impacted by El Toro’s closure--of any meaningful say in the base’s conversion. The result? Years of lawsuits, arrogant county leadership and open talk of secession.

The guide stresses the importance of involving the locally impacted communities in building a consensus plan. That’s the approach used to build Tustin’s win-win plan for converting their Marine base. In fact, the guide specifically warns against predetermining land use: “allow a full and open process.”

The Times shouldn’t advocate any specific reuse for El Toro. What you should advocate is for the county to follow federal guidelines by weighting the reuse decision in favor of the communities surrounding the base.

STEPHEN C. SMITH

Irvine

* When you use your influence of the media to continually question every move the county makes regarding plans for a commercial airport at El Toro, it builds up a negative reaction to not only the process but the project as well (“Packaging El Toro,” editorial, Dec. 21).

Continual criticism of the planning process, without balancing it with the overwhelming reasons for an airport, could prove fatal for our county. Only being fed the negative of what the county is doing on this issue ultimately could result in swaying public opinion against an airport that our county needs.

John Wayne Airport is not sufficient for Orange County and will never be due to its location and small size. On the other hand, El Toro is exceptionally qualified. That is not just my opinion, but one voiced by sources in the FAA, the vast majority of business leaders as well as workers’ unions.

County citizens need to learn of the positive qualities an airport will give and understand problems that will face us in the future should we forfeit that land for any other use. These would be worthy subjects of future Times editorials, and would allow readers essential information needed and deserved in order to make an informed decision regarding the airport.

JOHN NEIL

Santa Ana

* The anti-airport group is quite solid in their determination not to have the El Toro military base converted to a commercial airport despite a convincing, two times expressed, will of the people in favor.

Would a positive third vote on this matter be acceptable and finally be the definitive embarrassing answer they are seeking?

For starters, we already have and have had an airport at El Toro long before the protesters arrived. I have been a resident of this flying area for almost 20 years and I have seen property values substantially increase in value during that period of time.

The same is true of Newport Beach and the surrounding flying area of John Wayne Airport. In other words, there is not a shred of evidence that property values have skidded or would fall once the commercial airport is operational.

Military planes are substantially noisier than commercial aircraft as they are not subject to noise and other restrictive abatement laws that could be made a part of a commercial airport. Since the noise factor is a legitimate concern, I suggest that the pro-airport planners be required to develop a built-in, sound, feasible plan that will address and resolve this matter to a reasonable satisfaction acceptable to most people.

Should the anti-airport group, however, still persist in their opposition, I would highly recommend that this group, as a last resort, exercise their right to boycott the commercial airport and drive to their choice of alternative airports: Ontario, Burbank, or LAX.

As for me and the 35% of South County residents who voted for the airport, we’ll take the short drive to El Toro International Airport, check in, and be on our merry way.

ROGER GARCIA

Laguna Hills

* The Dec. 27 Times reports on national expert Randall Bell, who has made a specialty of valuing real estate that has been hurt by calamities such as murders or notorious suicides. The Times missed Bell’s study of another, larger detriment to property values: the proximity of an airport.

Bell conducted a study of commercial and residential properties near LAX, Ontario Airport and John Wayne. He found the commercial market to be severely depressed and single-family homes worth an average of 27.4% less than similar properties not located near an airport.

Bell sent his findings to the Orange County Board of Supervisors, where they were dismissed.

LEONARD KRANSER

Dana Point