Airport Debate

Newport should have consulted residents

The county and Newport Beach did indeed spend far too much on the

airport project -- as it happens, to no avail, thus all our money was

wasted.

Furthermore, Mayor Tod Ridgeway is absolutely wrong: There has not

been community support for it.

The community has never been consulted. This is a case of Ridgeway

supporting his own agenda against the wishes of the people he was elected

to represent, as is the practice of many elected officials -- an example

is the Supervisor Cynthia Coad rejection, which demonstrates the

community’s response to such outrageous behavior.

J. PETER CUNLIFFE

Newport Beach

Seek answer to JWA’s expansion

So the Daily Pilot thinks that Newport Beach should no longer pursue

El Toro (Editorial, “More city money for El Toro airport risky and

unwise,” March 17) while in the meantime explosive population growth is

occurring in Orange County, specifically South County. Those people will

have to fly out of somewhere. Let’s not forget about future cargo demand

as well.

The ultimate question is can the John Wayne corridor cities count on

the FAA and Air Transport Assn. to accept Scenario 1 for John Wayne expansion? It would allow for 84 flights and keep the curfews. If they

will go on record as supporting it, then there are certainly merits for

no longer looking at El Toro. Remember, the federal government -- not the

county -- is the final authority on the matter. In the meantime, the

clock to 2006 is ticking away.

However, if the FAA and the Air Transport Assn. does insist that

Orange County have a bigger 24-hour airport somewhere, then El Toro would

be the best overall choice. For starters, there is a buffer zone instead

of a nearby Santa Ana Heights that would be severely impacted. Also,

there is the option of rerouting the flight paths to go over the Irvine

Co.’s recently donated 11,000 acres of open space. In that case, there

would be no homes or schools affected whatsoever. Also, the runways are

longer and much safer than John Wayne.

Most communities would kill for such an upgrade opportunity. In fact,

such a thing happened in Austin, Texas, where they chose to go from tiny

Mueller field and take advantage of the closed Bergstrom Air Force Base.

As for Orange County’s future travel needs, John Wayne expansion is

obviously not the answer.

REX RICKS

Huntington Beach

There exist other county airport options

I am astounded since the recent election at the steady flow of

articles and letters indicating a continued offensive by supporters of

the airport plan for the vacated El Toro military base.

The people of Orange County have spoken, folks. They don’t want an

airport at that location. The vaunted American democracy in action.

So now: plans for lawsuits. The will of the electorate to be overruled

by an individual jurist.

Why not just face reality and move on? Let’s put our efforts regarding

airport growth into positive, doable alternatives like John Wayne Airport

to Ontario International Airport ground transportation. Or maybe an

airport at the still relatively rural Camp Pendleton, if that would be

feasible from a military point of view.

We could extend the existing toll road, perhaps accompanied by an

express light rail. Yes, there are environmental concerns and political

issues, but these can surely be dealt with.

By the way, I’m not a South County resident, but I grew up in Orange

County when there were still orange groves and bean fields. I dread to

think of a 24-hour-per-day, fire-breathing dragon of an international

airport in the heart of the county, even though I live directly under the

takeoff pattern.

Let’s move forward now, with a better plan. Homes, commercial, and,

yes, maybe even a park and cultural center seem a far better choice for

El Toro, for the sake of all the county, including Newport Beach.

TERRY MULLINS

Newport Beach