Newport council endorses El Toro restrictions

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT BEACH -- The city has added itself to the growing list of

municipalities that have endorsed a scaled-down version of the proposed

El Toro airport, part of an effort to get more countywide support for the

project.

The proposal, first suggested by Supervisor Cynthia Coad, calls for El

Toro to serve about 30% fewer annual passengers than the original plan

with noise and nighttime restrictions similar to those at John Wayne.

“[The plan] would approve an airport that would meet the 2010 demand,”

said vice mayor Gary Adams. “If there are needs to grow further, that

issue will be taken up when and if the demand necessitates it.”

Coad’s proposal includes focusing El Toro on domestic markets with some

limited international service to Canada, Mexico and Central America. It

is being presented to all member cities of the Orange County Regional

Airport Authority for their endorsements.

The council last week agreed to continue -- as Newport has for the past

30 years -- accepting the burden of a growing demand for air

transportation under John Wayne’s flight path. However, members said they

believed Coad’s proposal would divide this responsibility between the two

airports.

Council members said they hope their endorsement of the proposal will put

to rest arguments that Newport Beach wants John Wayne closed.They also

believe the limited use of John Wayne has proved airports and residential

communities can coexist. Putting the same standards at John Wayne in

place at El Toro is a healthy compromise for the entire county,

proponents say.

“I think it’s a good alternative and a good approach,” said Adams. “It’s

tough to plan for a 20-year planning horizon and I think it’s good to

take one step at time.”