Greenlight to fight anti-airport measure

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT BEACH -- Greenlight advocates have decided to pitch in to help

defeat the central park initiative.

Members of the group, which successfully passed the slow-growth

Greenlight measure in November 2000, have offered to prod their friends

and neighbors to vote against the March 5 initiative.

If voters approve Measure W, the county’s effort to plan an airport at

the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station would be halted.

The initiative changes the zoning at the base from aviation to open

space, which would pave the way for South County’s Great Park proposal.

If that happens, the county is expected to turn to John Wayne Airport to

handle increased flights caused by future air travel demand.

“Measure W threatens more traffic as well as noise pollution because

of increased flights out of John Wayne,” Greenlight spokesman Phil Arst

said. “Greenlight’s mission is to improve the quality of life in the

city.”

Arst said he would send a letter to the 1,000 or so supporters of the

group asking them to vote “no” on the initiative and to call 10 friends

asking them to do the same.

Group leaders have successfully built a groundswell of city opposition

to developments they do not favor, including the failed plan to expand

Koll Center. Voters turned away a 250,000-square-foot expansion of the

office complex in November.

The group will concentrate its energy on trying to get out the vote in

Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, preferring to stay out of other cities,

Arst said.

Voters in Newport-Mesa need to be prodded to oppose the open space

initiative, Arst said, even though many have long supported an airport

for the closed base.

“Our assigned role is getting people out to vote,” Arst said. “Whether

you’re preaching to the choir, the choir still has to sing.”

South County initiative supporters have criticized the “No on W” camp

for failing to have adequate funding or a grass-roots group of dedicated

supporters.

On Wednesday, Measure W spokesman Len Kranser said he was somewhat

surprised by the group’s announcement.

“It’s interesting that the Greenlight group suddenly wants to stop the

development of a park,” Kranser said. “It’s certainly ironic that a

slow-growth camp would be opposed to having a park and prefer to have an

airport to serve the overflow for LAX.”

Groups fighting Measure W welcomed the Greenlight support.

“Every little bit helps,” said Airport Working Group spokesman Dave

Ellis. “It’s going to be a very close election.”