Airport’s growth puts city officials on the defensive

Paul Clinton

JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT -- As John Wayne Airport inches toward its cap of

8.4 million annual passengers, Newport Beach officials are urging

residents to brace for the possibility of further growth.

Newport Beach Councilman Gary Proctor, a 17-year airport commissioner

who won a council seat in November, said the latest round of flight data

is another reminder to the city of the need to fight for flight

restrictions now set to expire in 2005.

The airport’s monthly capacity report, released Friday, shows John

Wayne on the cusp of 8 million annual travelers.

The restrictions -- which include a nighttime curfew, the cap and

other measures -- were put into place by a 1985 settlement agreement

between the city, airport owner Orange County and two resident groups.

“We can extend the settlement agreement,” Proctor said Wednesday,

while vacationing in Colorado. “Where Newport Beach needs a wake-up call

is we will not be able to have a cap on the number of seats in the long

run. What we hope we can save is our curfew and noise abatement

procedures.”

Proctor said he expects the airport’s 10 commercial airline carriers

to legally challenge an attempt to extend the restrictions.

To guide the city through the process, which would include seeking

approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, the City Council

directed City Atty. Bob Burnham to hire a San Francisco law firm as

special counsel.

The firm, hired several months ago, has indicated the settlement

agreement could be extended, Councilman Dennis O’Neil said.

It’s a stance that has found Newport Beach and South County leaders,

who have long battled the city over the need for an airport at the former

El Toro Marine Air Station, on common ground.

Members of the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority -- a compendium of

South County cities leading the drive against an airport at El Toro --

said they support continued restrictions at John Wayne and in turn have

asked Newport Beach and Costa Mesa airport activists to back down from

the push for a second county airfield.

“We think there are better alternatives than El Toro and expanding

John Wayne,” said Paul Eckles, the authority’s executive director. “They

have a cap, and they’re setting out to extend that cap. We’ve been

supportive of that effort.”

Both sides have debated Orange County’s growth prospects in the coming

decades. Neither side doubts the airline industry will push for increases

in the annual passenger count.

The airlines are not expected to support curbs to their growth.

“It’s not in their best interests,” Proctor said. “It’s all about

money to the airlines. . . . These airlines are as cutthroat as they

come. They know how to make a buck.”