Airport Debate

Expand airport in Long Beach, not here

As we talk to others, we continually wonder why the Long Beach Airport

is not better utilized. It is a wonderful facility. It is close,

convenient and, most importantly, already in place. Yet, due to lack of

use, airlines have pulled out of that airport or have even gone out of

business. It is a close 20-minute drive from John Wayne Airport.

I live in Corona del Mar and love the convenience of my local airport.

I also enjoy the fact that it is not a major facility like LAX. When

needed, driving to LAX is not that big of a deal. I would imagine that a

major facility in El Toro will be just as frustrating as driving to LAX

due to traffic and airport congestion that will be created.

Orange County already has no more oranges. Asphalt is just about

everywhere. Use the Long Beach Airport and allow El Toro to convert to

open space. It’s that open space that attracted us to Orange County many

years ago. Once you use up the open space, it cannot be brought back.

KEVIN KELLERMAN

Corona del Mar

Putting the cart before the horse

Newport Beach is a member of the Orange County Regional Airport

Authority. This is a group of cities that understands the need for

additional airport capacity. They also understand future need should come

from a 4,700-acre airport at El Toro as opposed to expanding a 470-acre

airport -- John Wayne.

The Southern California Assn. of Governments suggests a regional

solution to air transportation needs instead of taking most federal

transportation dollars coming into this region to expand L.A.

International Airport -- an airport built to handle 40 million annual

passengers, and is now handling 67 million annual passengers.

In Orange County, the association suggests a maximum of 30 million

annual passengers for El Toro, and that John Wayne remain at its current

annual limit of 8.4 million.

Recently, the airport authority signed a resolution supporting the

association’s regional airport plan. On May 8, Newport Beach Councilwoman

Norma Glover and Councilman Gary Proctor -- ignoring the recommendation

of their own membership in the airport authority, and before the March

vote on the Great Park at El Toro -- asked the Orange County Board of

Supervisors to approve an increase of 1.4 million passengers at John

Wayne Airport, and four additional gates. The supervisors approved it.

Why, before the March election, and why, when they had large political

support for a regional plan behind them, did they do this? Delaying the

transfer of the base until after March -- and after another initiative,

if necessary -- is a solution, instead of requesting an expansion of John

Wayne before the election. What is up with that?

ANN WATT

Santa Ana Heights

Kudos for editorial calling South County hypocritical

Please accept our sincere appreciation for the Sunday editorial,

“South County needs to halt its lawsuit.”

In particular, the words “downright dripping in hypocrisy” is music to

our ears. There must be a fair solution to the El Toro versus expanded

John Wayne Airport problem, but finding that solution will be delayed

(painfully) as long as the combatants engage predominately in hypocrisy

and hyperbole. Keep bringing these issues to light.

Thanks again.

BOB BLACK

Newport Beach

South County needs to share airport burden

I am heartened to see that someone -- the Airport Working Group -- is

finally getting into gear regarding the proposed El Toro Airport. What

strikes me most about the anti-airport group is the level of

immaturity/self-centeredness that their vehement opposition reveals.

While an airport in their vicinity is “a bad idea,” forcing the

inevitable expansion of John Wayne Airport is, what, a good idea?

I’m ready to give up the idea of an airport at El Toro when everyone

with a South County home address gives up their option to fly out of John

Wayne, forever. Otherwise, it’s time South County grows up and shares

some of the burden of supporting their area’s air travel requirements.

DIANE GOMEZ

Costa Mesa

John Wayne ought to go quiet for a while

In “County planners issue El Toro airport report,” May 4, it is shown

that John Wayne Airport will shrink to 3.9 million annual passengers

while El Toro comes online with 18.8 million passengers for Orange County

and will go a long way toward bringing home our 12 million annual

passengers now impacting LAX, Ontario and Burbank airports.

I believe this is still 3.9 million annual passengers too much for

John Wayne Airport. John Wayne should go quiet for a while. We’ve had it

for 30 years. But let’s talk about air pollution, which is what the

supplemental environmental-impact report was about, and the alternative

to even using El Toro airport at all. Irvine would like to tear up the

runways at El Toro, steal the base and build a park there with rabbits,

bike paths and deer.

The alternative to using El Toro is to tear up the Costa Mesa business

park at John Wayne Airport, condemn the Newport Beach-Lockheed triangle,

build more terminals and a second runway, with one runway crossing over

the Corona del Mar freeway. This will provide one big airport that can

handle 22.7 million annual passengers by 2010. This will spew the same

pollution into the air next to Irvine as would be spewed next to Irvine

by El Toro.

Of course, South County passengers wouldn’t drive so far to catch

their planes at El Toro as at John Wayne Airport. I hope county planners

considered all these alternatives in their supplemental

environmental-impact report. They can’t consider just El Toro without

considering John Wayne, LAX, Burbank and Ontario. People are going to

fly. We must minimize the damage these people do.

DONALD NYRE

Newport Beach