Airport issue not dead, Rohrabacher says

Paul Clinton

Huntington Beach’s outspoken congressman has re-injected himself into

the debate over how to use the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station,

saying an airport could still fly.

Long a strident supporter of an airport at the base, Rep. Dana

Rohrabacher had backed away from the debate over an El Toro airport

earlier this month, saying he was “sick of the issue.”

Two developments have put the airport dream in jeopardy. The passage

of Measure W on March 5 rezoned the land from aviation to open space.

Also, Navy officials announced that they would allow the land to be sold

off to the highest bidder or developed as parkland.

Coupled with the Board of Supervisors’ decision last week to hand the

bulk of the closed base to the City of Irvine in an annexation bid, the

announcement, many officials agreed, has dimmed the lightbulb for any

operating air-traffic control tower at the base.

But Rohrabacher jumped back into the the issue to say those opinions

were premature.

“[I disagree with] this idea that simply because at last there’s going

to be some movement on that carcass out there at El Toro that any

aviation possibilities are out,” Rohrabacher said. “Nothing will be done

that will preclude those aviation assets out there.”

The 4,700-acre base, of which 1,000 acres have been set aside for a

wildlife preserve, still have runways and a decaying network of

buildings.

The congressman also said the Navy’s announcement isn’t as significant

as it seems. A Record of Decision, which was released April 23, only

signals the Navy’s intention about how the land will be released.

The base must still go through what is known as a conveyance process,

the formal transfer of ownership.

South County leaders who mounted and passed Measure W discounted

Rohrabacher’s comments as unrealistic.

“That’s almost funny,” said Meg Waters, the spokeswoman for a

coalition of South County cities. “He can dream about it, but obviously

he’s sounding very desperate and not very rational.”

North County cities and pro-airport groups have challenged Measure W

in court.

If they win their appeal, or if another ballot measure can overturn

that initiative before the Navy conveys the land, then the airport plan

could breathe new life, Rohrabacher said. The Navy has yet to announce

when it plans to convey the land.

* PAUL CLINTON is a reporter with Times Community News. He covers City

Hall and education. He may be reached at (714) 965-7173 or by e-mail ato7 paul.clinton@latimes.comf7 .