WHAT IT IS: El Toro Airport...

WHAT IT IS:

El Toro Airport Reuse

WHAT’S BEHIND IT:

A proposed commercial airport at the old U.S. Marine Corps Air

Base in El Toro ripped Orange County apart, generally with the

northern end of the county favoring an airport, the southern end

opposed to it.

The Board of Supervisors favored the airport 3-2, Todd Spitzer and

Tom Wilson opposed, and voters in two elections supported the board’s

position.

El Toro Reuse Planning Authority was formed to fight the airport,

funded by member cities in South County, including Laguna Beach. In

for more than $1.7 million, not counting the $250,000 budgeted for

this fiscal year, Laguna’s contribution is believed by council

members to be the highest per-capita of any ETRPA member.

ETRPA fought the county-certified environmental impact report,

earned an equal place at the reuse planning table and poured money

into an anti-airport public relations campaign. The longer the

airport was delayed the more support for it eroded.

In March, voters rejected the airport in favor of a “Great Park”

concept to rival San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park and New York City’s

Central Park.

With the gift of the Irvine Co. of land in Laguna Canyon, the

Great Park would have created a swathe of open space from Newport

Coast to the San Diego County border.

Airport supporters said it would never happen.

WHAT NOW:

Irvine city staff met Monday with representatives of the state

Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to

reconnoiter the site and discuss the city’s proposal for acreage to

be set aside for wild life corridors.

Irvine, which has been designated the lead agency for the

redevelopment of the air base, has announced plans that include the

construction of 3,400 homes, businesses, golf courses and a cemetery

on 800 acres.

The plan includes agricultural components, education and research

facilities and a 1,006-acre natural habitat, as well as the

corridors, on the 4,738 acre-site.

WHAT’S SAID:

“Would I like it to be all park? Yes,” said Councilwoman Cheryl

Kinsman, Laguna Beach ETRPA representative and a resident of Three

Arch Bay. But the U.S. Navy, which owns the base, threw us a curve

when it announced immediately after the election in March that it

wanted to make a profit on the sale of the property. The Irvine

proposal is the only way that the navy can make money on the sale and

Irvine can still guarantee the vast majority of the base will be

park.

“This is political and economic reality. And it won’t be an

airport. That should be put that in bold type.”

Laguna Canyon Foundation Executive Director said, “Our thing is

the wildlife corridor and we have been reassured time and again that

it will be made to work.

The corridor will provide the link between the coastal parks and

the Cleveland National Forrest.”

WHAT’S NEXT:

A tax agreement between the city of Irvine and the county -- it

could take two new supervisors before a tie will be broken. After the

agreement is reached, Irvine will take its annexation proposal to the

Local Agency Formation Commission for approval.

-- Barbara Diamond