County planners OK extension of JWA caps

-- Paul Clinton

The Orange County Planning Commission put its approval stamp on the

environmental analysis for extending the flight restrictions at John

Wayne Airport.

The five-member commission unanimously made the recommendation at its

Wednesday meeting.

The commission didn’t recommend any of the three potential scenarios

for extending the restrictions past Dec. 31, 2005. The report is set to

be heard by the Board of Supervisors at its Feb. 26 meeting.

Newport Beach favors an extension of the restrictions that would

permit the airport to add four new gates, 1.4 million additional

passengers above the current cap of 8.4 million per year and an

additional 12 of the noisiest flights per day.

Supervisor Chuck Smith has indicated he would not approve an extension

until after the March 5 election, where voters will go to the polls to

decide the fate of the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.