Editorial

There is no question: If nothing is done, the landscape and the way of

life in Newport-Mesa will drastically change after 2005.

So, it follows, there should be no question that extending the flight

restrictions at John Wayne Airport -- set to expire in five short years

-- is a top priority for residents.

The Newport Beach City Council has it right.

The council members have diligently returned to the fight to keep John

Wayne from increased flights. They have committed to exploring how they

can maintain the limits at the airport, although they have said it will

not keep them from pursuing a second county airfield at the shuttered El

Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

And, although many in Newport Beach consider him an enemy because he

opposes an El Toro airport, Supervisor Tom Wilson has at least taken up

the flight restriction cause with his fellow Orange County supervisors.

Although the same can’t be said for Supervisor Jim Silva, whose

district includes Costa Mesa, we do hope that by studying the matter

further, Silva will see the wisdom in the city of Newport Beach’s

argument.

Silva and the rest of the board need to think about what could happen

to John Wayne in five years.

When 2005 rolls around -- and it won’t be long -- there may be more

flights, bigger planes, no curfew. Property values could drop, air

pollution might grow, the noise would be insufferable. And even the

creation of a second county airport can’t guarantee these events won’t

happen, further illustrating the need to keep the caps in place.

The curfew and the caps on the number of flights -- detailed in the

hard-fought 1985 settlement agreement -- are the results of a long,

emotional battle to preserve the residential communities that surround

the airport.

Those who are now fighting to keep John Wayne from growing have thrown

most of their ammunition into El Toro, which has become, perhaps, the

most divisive county issue in recent history.

We agree fighting for a South County airport is in Newport-Mesa’s best

interest, but we also have to question why calling for an extension of

the 1985 settlement agreement has not received unanimous support from

local airport activists.

Instead some activists, even those who supported that 1985 agreement,

have seemingly ditched all efforts to protect Newport-Mesa, instead

focusing only on El Toro.

That seems like too much of a gamble.

As we see it, there is no reason to back down from fighting for an

airport at El Toro. But there is also a very good reason to cover all

bases -- that being the fate of John Wayne’s flight caps.

So the only question that remains is: will there be a united effort to

keep the caps at John Wayne?

The answer seems pretty easy to us.