Newport plans more airport advocacy

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- City officials are making noise to ensure that some

of their protections against John Wayne Airport flights don’t disappear

in 2006.

The City Council agreed Tuesday to spend as much as $384,000 to send a

series of letters to residents in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Anaheim,

Tustin, Orange and Santa Ana.

The letters will describe details of the settlement agreement that now

protects residents in these “corridor cities” from more airport noise and

pollution. If the agreement isn’t extended, those restrictions will

expire Dec. 31, 2005.

Specifically, the agreement limits the number of flights by the

noisiest aircraft, prevents late night and early morning flights, and

limits how much renovation can take place at the airport. The

restrictions were part of a settlement in 1985 of a lawsuit between the

city and the county.

“If we get this agreement, which I think we will, we will ensure and

protect the citizens of Newport Beach for many years to come,”

Councilwoman Norma Glover said. “I think over a period of many years, you

will see that the $300,000 is indeed worth it.”

The 6-0 council vote approved spending between $351,000 and $384,000

with public relations firm McNally Temple Associates to conduct the mail

campaign. Councilman John Heffernan was absent.

The company will send a series of three letters to residents of the

corridor cities to explain the existing settlement agreement and the

options for extending it. Residents who use the postage-prepaid response

cards to request more information will get follow-up mailings. Newport

Beach residents will also receive several custom mailings.

McNally Temple worked with the city to send two letters about the

airport to Newport Beach residents over the last two months.

* June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 june.casagrande@latimes.comf7 .