Pro-El Toro forces attack Irvine mayor

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT BEACH -- Members of the Airport Working Group attacked Irvine

Mayor Larry Agran on Friday over his opposition to a proposed airport at

the closed El Toro Marine base.

In a letter to Agran, the group’s president, Tom Naughton, accused the

Irvine mayor of backing off his promise to support a second airport in

Orange County.

Naughton and group spokesman Dave Ellis cited a 1989 “joint policy

memorandum,” in which Agran and former Newport Beach Mayor Donald Strauss

acknowledged a growing demand for flights and pledged to find “a second

commercial airport situated such that it is convenient to Orange County

residents.”

Naughton added that what seems to have changed since the agreement was

signed is that the “convenient” airport is in Agran’s backyard.

The 1989 memorandum doesn’t mention El Toro.

The letter was also sent to Allan Songstad, the chairman of the El

Toro Reuse Planning Authority, the group of nine South County cities that

have fought the county’s plan to build an airport at El Toro.

“From my view, the reason cynicism toward politicians is so high is

because of politicians that sign documents, then renege on their word,”

Naughton wrote in the letter.

Agran called Naughton’s letter “quite a stretch” when contacted

Friday.

“It reflects the desperation coming from the pro-airport crowd, that

they would dredge up a document that is totally irrelevant,” Agran said.

“There is no hypocrisy.”

Agran disputed the working group’s claim that his position has

changed. The Irvine mayor said he has never supported using El Toro, even

before it was placed on the base closure list by the Department of

Defense in 1993.

At the time, some in Newport Beach had suggested jointly operating the

base as a military and commercial facility. But that plan was rejected by

the U.S. Marine Corps.