Airport backers: war isn’t over

Greg Risling

NEWPORT BEACH -- Unable to ground a ballot measure approved by voters

Tuesday night, pro-airport leaders remained undeterred in their battle to

promote an international airfield at El Toro.

Opponents of Measure F, a ballot initiative that garnered 67% of the vote

in the March 7 primary, said they will continue to send the same message

to the public: an El Toro airport is needed to serve the county’s booming

population and will also serve as an economic benefit.

“It’s a bump in the road as far as we are concerned,” said Dave Ellis, a

consultant for the Newport Beach-based Airport Working Group. “We will

have to redouble our efforts to make sure an airport at El Toro can be

reality.”

Amid all of the confusing messages and convoluted arguments on both sides

of the Measure F campaign, Orange County residents decisively supported

the initiative. It essentially will require two-thirds voter approval

before new airports, hazardous waste landfills or jails are built near

homes -- although the logistics of how it will work in terms of the El

Toro planning process already underway have yet to be determined.

Measure F opponents are arguing that its passage does not halt the

county’s planning process set forth by a previously approved initiative.

Measure A, which zoned the property for aviation at El Toro, was narrowly

approved by voters in 1994.

Measure F was the anti-airport camp’s attempt at creating a mechanism to

get rid of the $2.9-billion El Toro airport project for good, as support

for the facility has never come close to reaching a two-thirds majority

in the county.

However, pro-airport supervisors have indicated that voters could face

yet another measure in November to overturn Measure F.

“I would expect there will be a new measure, but I wish there wasn’t,”

said Peggy Ducey, executive director of the Orange County Regional

Airport Authority, which met Wednesday night to discuss the next course

of action. “The question is, where do we go from here?”

An environmental impact report on the El Toro airport was released in

December and is currently receiving comments from the public. County

supervisors plan to vote on the report in June.

“We are still on schedule and operate under Measure A,,” said Supervisor

Jim Silva.

Despite the “business as usual” statements, however, the legal complexity

of Measure F has temporarily muddled El Toro’s planning picture.

Many observers expect the measure will be picked apart in court, although

it has been challenged unsuccessfully several times by airport boosters.

Representatives from Newport Beach-based pro-El Toro groups said

Wednesday that they plan to file paperwork opposing the measure.

“We’ll certainly be one of the plaintiffs,” said Bruce Nestande, chairman

of Citizens for Jobs and the Economy. “We will probably submit our case

in the next several days.”

Nestande is encouraged by the concern of an Orange County judge who

earlier questioned if the measure would violate the state constitution.

He believes the two-thirds majority approval issue will be thrown out

because it can’t be applied to land-use issues, according to the state

constitution. But if the El Toro plan is scrapped, Nestande and others

say it will leave open the possibility for John Wayne Airport to be

expanded with only a majority vote.

Although the measure passed easily, no one believes the airport fight is

over. While South County residents revel in their landslide victory, they

don’t plan to ease off the pedal.

Meg Waters, spokeswoman for the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority, said

the organization will continue to promote alternatives to the airport.

Advertisements touting the non-aviation “Millennium Plan” will be seen by

residents on television and in mailers.

“This isn’t over by any means,” Waters said. “We are happy with the

outcome, but also realize there is a long road ahead.”

Supervisor Tom Wilson, who represents Newport Beach and South County,

said he’s not sure where the issue will go from here, but warned his

colleagues on the county board to find out how their constituents voted

on Measure F before promising an airport at El Toro.

“Perhaps there were folks in their own districts who overwhelmingly voted

for F,” Wilson said. “It’s probably not wise to ignore the people on this

one.”