Counting down to Measure F

Greg Risling

It’s been called the largest and possibly the most important land-use

issue ever to be decided by Orange County voters. Come Tuesday, the

future plans of the county may rest with the outcome of heavily contested

Measure F.

The sides have been drawn. North versus South. A civil war where the

Costa Mesa Freeway could be considered the county’s very own version of

the Mason-Dixon line.

The saber rattling has gone on for the past six years. First there was

Measure A, a 1994 initiative aimed at building an international airport

at the closed Marine Corps base at El Toro. Two years later there was

Measure S, which sought to halt the airport proposal. Both times, airport

proponents were victorious.

With Measure F, Orange County residents will have cast their votes in a

trilogy of airport measures. If the battle turns into a lengthy war, the

county may exhaust all the letters of the alphabet over an airport at El

Toro.

This time around, however, voters must consider more than an airport

proposal. Measure F gives county residents the opportunity to decide how

officials will further lay municipal cornerstones.

A “yes” on Measure F means voters will be required to approve airports,

hazardous waste landfills and jails proposed for residential areas by a

two-thirds majority.

Furthermore, the county Board of Supervisors would have to conduct a

public hearing in each affected city prior to project approval.

Voting “no” on the measure would simply leave final say on those projects

in the hands of the supervisors.

Where it becomes confusing is how the votes will affect the proposed

airport at El Toro. Yes on F actually means no to the airport because the

measure is designed to make it difficult to get 66% of voters to approve

an issue that has divided the county for years.

Voting no on the measure is a stamp of approval for the El Toro airport

proposal. Three of the five county supervisors have voiced their support

for the project. The decision could ultimately lie with them if Measure F

doesn’t pass.

“This is absolutely a civil war,” said Jeff Adler, a political consultant

who worked on a previous airport measure in Orange County. “You don’t

know really who the good and bad guys are, though. This has divided the

county, workplaces and families. The sooner they put this issue to rest,

the better Orange County residents will be as a whole.”

The debate over the airport proposal at El Toro has historically been a

quality-of-life issue. Many Newport-Mesa residents have said that without

a dual-airport system at El Toro and John Wayne Airport, the latter will

inevitably be expanded.

Conversely, South County residents are fearful an El Toro airport would

severely affect their lifestyles.

Much like previous measures centered on El Toro, residents have been

inundated by a media blitz from both sides. Whether there are television

commercials or glossy fliers, residents have endured a political tug of

war that has lasted since the Marine Corps announced it would vacate the

base.

The scope has broadened with Measure F. The airport isn’t the only

concern for voters: jails and landfills are also lumped into the

argument.

For the second time, airport supporters are opposing a ballot initiative

regarding El Toro. Many observers believe if the initiative is passed,

the opposition will seek a legal challenge. They claim a two-thirds

majority requirement on land-use issues doesn’t follow state guidelines.

However, those who drafted the measure added a component that would allow

a simple majority to approve the projects if a judge ruled against the

two-thirds requirement. An Orange County Superior Court judge in December

refused to remove the initiative from the primary election ballot,

although attorneys for airport supporters declared Measure F

unconstitutional.

Adler said it will be difficult to convince residents to change their

vote before Tuesday’s election. He believes most people have made up

their minds.

“This is an issue that is talked about daily,” he said. “Whether the

measure passes or not, the war is by no means over. There will continue

to be a stalemate.”

MEASURE F

* WHAT IT IS: The initiative, on the March 7 primary election ballot,

proposes to require a two-thirds majority among voters before the county

can move ahead with certain projects, such as hazardous waste landfills,

jails and commercial airports -- including the proposed El Toro airport.

Currently, the five-member Orange County Board of Supervisors has the

last say in the planning process.

* YES ON F: The writers of the measure designed it to block the county’s

plans to build a commercial airport at the closed Marine Corps air base

at El Toro.

* NO ON F: Those lobbying against the measure have said it will likely

block an El Toro airport, but not protect John Wayne Airport against

possible future expansion, when pressing air travel demands outweigh

concerns for Costa Mesa and Newport Beach residents near the county’s

only airfield.

FYI

* WHAT: Online El Toro Airport Debate, presented by an Irvine-based

Internet company.

* WHEN: Noon to 1 p.m. Friday.

* WHERE: o7 www.digevent.comf7

* IN THE ANTI-AIRPORT CORNER: Meg Waters, spokeswoman for El Toro Reuse

Planning Authority, a coalition of South County cities.

* IN THE PRO-AIRPORT CORNER: Lt. Col. Thomas Wall, retired Marine Corps

aviator.

To log on to the debate, you must first register with the Web site.

Registration is free.