El Toro airport must still open...

El Toro airport must still open

Judge Philip Hickok’s decision to let Measure W stand, will, no

doubt, trigger a pro-airport comprehensive series of legal and

strategic maneuvers to quickly open the once-planned El Toro

international airport (“Judge upholds legality of Measure W,” Sept.

19). The NIMBY machine will disintegrate when the flights begin and

it is seen that no one is in the noise zone.

Orange County is headed for over-development as builders conspire

to use every last square inch of land. The developer forces spent

millions of dollars to create an anti-airport movement on a

foundation of fear. We need El Toro international airport. The

airport will be an economic gold mine, and it will solve the problem

of noise. There are times when public benefit trumps property rights.

The developers must be defeated at El Toro. The airport must open on

schedule.

DONALD NYRE

Newport Beach

Long Beach serves as option

I was very surprised to read in the Aug. 25 Daily Pilot all of the

letters protesting the airplane noise over north Costa Mesa (Readers

Respond, “If it’s not one airport, it’s another”). I have lived in

Mesa Verde more than 40 years and I find the planes no distraction at

all. They fly directly over my house at 4,000 feet, with reduced

power, on the way to Long Beach and they are not nearly as noisy as

the police helicopter. I have not heard any of my neighbors complain

either. May the airlines flying out of Long Beach be successful --

what a great alternative airport this would be to LAX or Orange

County.

LYLE SEARS

Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa let down its residents

As I read all the letters from Costa Mesa residents in the Aug. 27

Daily Pilot (Readers Respond, “Too many flights for Westside

comfort”), I couldn’t help but think they are suffering a fate many

of us warned the Costa Mesa City Council about over a period of

several years.

South County activists have managed to stop El Toro airport from

being built, largely because North County cities, such as Costa Mesa,

allowed it. The result is, and will continue to be, increased air

traffic out of Long Beach Airport and John Wayne Airport.

If you think the additional noisy planes over your head are bad

now, “you ain’t seen noting’ yet.” I’d suggest complaining to City

Hall, but, with the exception of Councilman Gary Monahan, they

haven’t bothered to pay attention to us in the past and I doubt Mayor

Linda Dixon, Libby Cowan or Karen Robinson will lift a finger or

voice to help now.

JEAN JACKSON

Newport Beach