Costa Mesa may weigh in on JWA plan

Deirdre Newman

Councilman Allan Mansoor wants city officials to be included in any

discussions that Newport Beach has with the county on the future

operation of John Wayne Airport.

In November, Newport Beach officials announced they were creating

a Sphere Issues Committee to consider a four-part plan that includes

possibly transferring the operations of the airport from county to

city control.

On Monday, the entire Costa Mesa City Council will weigh in on

Mansoor’s request. Mansoor said it’s imperative that Costa Mesa be

included in these discussions because residents here are affected by

the airport, as well.

“It’s a quality-of-life issue that we need to have a voice in,”

Mansoor said.

Newport Beach City Councilman Steve Bromberg agreed that Costa

Mesa should be kept up to date and have its concerns about airport

operations addressed. But he stopped short of saying it would have a

seat at the discussion table.

“As far as participating in the actual discussion with county

leaders, I would have to give some thought to that,” Bromberg said.

“As far as keeping them in the loop and discussing any issues they

have and want us to bring forward, I think a nice, healthy

relationship should exist between our two cities.”

The John Wayne Airport settlement agreement limits flights and

growth at the airport through 2015. Managing the airport themselves

could best protect the city’s interests in the long term, Newport

Beach officials said in November.

But Costa Mesa has interests that need to be protected, too,

Mansoor said: residents are adversely affected by noise from the

commercial aircraft and private airplanes; and many of the airport

support operations are on the west side of the airport, either next

to or in Costa Mesa.

When they unveiled their plan, Newport Beach officials emphasized

they were initially interested in just discussing their goal with

county officials. Bromberg suggested the Costa Mesa City Council form

a committee of its own to meet with the Sphere Issues Committee.

The Sphere Issues Committee has also requested meetings with

officials of the Corridor Cities group, which includes Costa Mesa,

Santa Ana, Tustin, Orange and Anaheim, to let them know about their

goal for the airport and to hear about any concerns they might have,

Bromberg said. The committee also intends to meet with South County

officials, Bromberg said.

“We would like the support of all of our neighbors,” Bromberg

said. “We want to make it very, very clear we’re not out there trying

to do a Lone Ranger. As a matter of fact, our history shows that we

don’t do that.”

Mansoor said he appreciates Newport Beach’s outreach in this

respect, but he still believes it’s necessary for Costa Mesa to

participate in talks at the county level.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.