Group urges county to avoid changes to El Toro planning

-- Paul Clinton

The Airport Working Group has sent a letter to the Orange County Board

of Supervisors lobbying against any restructuring of its El Toro airport

planning efforts.

On Tuesday, the board postponed a decision to take away the

independence of the Local Redevelopment Authority, which has been in

charge of El Toro planning, and place it under the oversight of the chief

executive office.

The working group, in its Monday letter, urged the board to “delay any

reorganization until finality results regarding reuse at El Toro.”

The restructuring is expected to lead to a refocusing of the agency’s

efforts. The authority has been planning an airport for the closed El

Toro Marine Corps Air Station since 1994.

The working group, which is based in Newport Beach, joined a lawsuit,

filed Monday, challenging Measure W, which passed March 5 and rezones the

base from aviation to open space.

Working Group President Tom Naughton signed the letter to board

Chairwoman Cynthia Coad. The letter was also signed by Bruce Nestande,

the president of Citizens for Jobs and the Economy.