Airport backers: war isn’t over
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Greg Risling
NEWPORT BEACH -- Unable to ground a ballot measure approved by voters
Tuesday night, pro-airport leaders remained undeterred in their battle to
promote an international airfield at El Toro.
Opponents of Measure F, a ballot initiative that garnered 67% of the vote
in the March 7 primary, said they will continue to send the same message
to the public: an El Toro airport is needed to serve the county’s booming
population and will also serve as an economic benefit.
“It’s a bump in the road as far as we are concerned,” said Dave Ellis, a
consultant for the Newport Beach-based Airport Working Group. “We will
have to redouble our efforts to make sure an airport at El Toro can be
reality.”
Amid all of the confusing messages and convoluted arguments on both sides
of the Measure F campaign, Orange County residents decisively supported
the initiative. It essentially will require two-thirds voter approval
before new airports, hazardous waste landfills or jails are built near
homes -- although the logistics of how it will work in terms of the El
Toro planning process already underway have yet to be determined.
Measure F opponents are arguing that its passage does not halt the
county’s planning process set forth by a previously approved initiative.
Measure A, which zoned the property for aviation at El Toro, was narrowly
approved by voters in 1994.
Measure F was the anti-airport camp’s attempt at creating a mechanism to
get rid of the $2.9-billion El Toro airport project for good, as support
for the facility has never come close to reaching a two-thirds majority
in the county.
However, pro-airport supervisors have indicated that voters could face
yet another measure in November to overturn Measure F.
“I would expect there will be a new measure, but I wish there wasn’t,”
said Peggy Ducey, executive director of the Orange County Regional
Airport Authority, which met Wednesday night to discuss the next course
of action. “The question is, where do we go from here?”
An environmental impact report on the El Toro airport was released in
December and is currently receiving comments from the public. County
supervisors plan to vote on the report in June.
“We are still on schedule and operate under Measure A,,” said Supervisor
Jim Silva.
Despite the “business as usual” statements, however, the legal complexity
of Measure F has temporarily muddled El Toro’s planning picture.
Many observers expect the measure will be picked apart in court, although
it has been challenged unsuccessfully several times by airport boosters.
Representatives from Newport Beach-based pro-El Toro groups said
Wednesday that they plan to file paperwork opposing the measure.
“We’ll certainly be one of the plaintiffs,” said Bruce Nestande, chairman
of Citizens for Jobs and the Economy. “We will probably submit our case
in the next several days.”
Nestande is encouraged by the concern of an Orange County judge who
earlier questioned if the measure would violate the state constitution.
He believes the two-thirds majority approval issue will be thrown out
because it can’t be applied to land-use issues, according to the state
constitution. But if the El Toro plan is scrapped, Nestande and others
say it will leave open the possibility for John Wayne Airport to be
expanded with only a majority vote.
Although the measure passed easily, no one believes the airport fight is
over. While South County residents revel in their landslide victory, they
don’t plan to ease off the pedal.
Meg Waters, spokeswoman for the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority, said
the organization will continue to promote alternatives to the airport.
Advertisements touting the non-aviation “Millennium Plan” will be seen by
residents on television and in mailers.
“This isn’t over by any means,” Waters said. “We are happy with the
outcome, but also realize there is a long road ahead.”
Supervisor Tom Wilson, who represents Newport Beach and South County,
said he’s not sure where the issue will go from here, but warned his
colleagues on the county board to find out how their constituents voted
on Measure F before promising an airport at El Toro.
“Perhaps there were folks in their own districts who overwhelmingly voted
for F,” Wilson said. “It’s probably not wise to ignore the people on this
one.”
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