Airport issue falls into Greenlight debate

Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- Widely considered the city’s top issue, John Wayne

Airport did not play a large role in the campaigns of the competing

growth-control measures appearing on today’s ballot.

However, supporters of each measure are divided on how Measures S and

T would affect the city’s attempts to halt expansion of the airport.

A clause in Measure T, which would add parts of the city’s traffic

phasing ordinance to the City Charter, proposes to exempt the so-called

airport area from the changes to the ordinance.

“To ensure that this Section does not impact the ability of the City

of Newport Beach to prevent further expansion of John Wayne Airport or to

prevent an increase in commercial jet operations at [the airport],” the

airport area -- bounded by Jamboree Road, Bristol Street and Campus Drive

-- would not be affected by the initiative, the measure reads.

Measure T supporters said the exemption would give City Council

members a better chance to fight expansion of the airport. A 20-year

settlement agreement, which limits hours of operation as well as the

number of flights at John Wayne, expires in 2005.

“Any city council ... will have their hands full to control the growth

of John Wayne Airport,” said Clarence Turner, co-chairman of the Measure

T campaign. “I would not want to see that area encumbered by anything

else.”

Turner added that exempting the airport area from the changes would

give council members greater flexibility to work with neighboring cities

toward stifling the airport’s growth.

“If we did not have that exemption in there ... then in order to

change anything around the airport, we would have to have a vote of the

people,” said Turner. “We’d be right back in the box that Measure S is

trying to put us in.”

Measure S proposes to put before a citywide vote any development that

allows an increase of more than 100 peak-hour car trips or dwelling units

or 40,000 square feet over the general plan allowance.

Supporters of that initiative said rather than helping the city

control an airport expansion, Measure T’s exemption would encourage

growth at John Wayne Airport.

“The claim that Measure T will be a bar to the expansion of [the

airport] is preposterous,” said Measure S spokesman Phil Arst, adding

that new office buildings would bring more traffic to the city. “More

travelers mean more demand [for flights].”