Problems arise for JWA extension

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT BEACH -- City leaders may not be able to count on one of their

staunchest longtime allies on airport issues to help them nail down an

extension of the flight restrictions at John Wayne Airport.

Supervisor Chuck Smith, who has long pushed for an El Toro airport

shoulder-to-shoulder with city leaders, does not plan to agree to an

extension plan before the March 5 Great Park election, said James

Campbell, the supervisor’s chief of staff.

If Measure W passes, the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station would

be rezoned for a central park, potentially ending the county’s hopes of

building an airport there.

Under those conditions, the county would then turn to John Wayne to

handle the expected increases in air travel demand, Campbell said.

“It would be premature to [agree to an extension] prior to the

election,” Campbell said Friday. “If you lock John Wayne in at 9.8

[million annual passengers] between now and 2015 and the airport for El

Toro has been delayed, what are you going to do with the additional 20

million passengers?”

Newport Beach leaders are hoping to secure board approval of a

proposal to extend John Wayne’s flight restrictions, which were put in

place by a 1985 settlement agreement.

The agreement placed a cap of 8.4 million annual passengers, 73 daily

flights in the noisiest class and other limits.

The city has proposed extending the current limits for between five

and 10 years. The proposal, known as Scenario 1, is a modest expansion --

four more flight gates, 1.4 million additional passengers per year and 12

more of the noisiest flights.

As part of the environmental analysis of an extension, Orange County

planners also analyzed two other, larger expansions of the airport.

The issue is set to go before the board Feb. 26.

Newport Beach City Manager Homer Bludau said the city would continue

to lobby Smith for his support.

“We really want to sit down with Supervisor Smith and hear what he has

to say,” Bludau said. “If those comments are true, it just lends force

behind what this council is trying to tell this community, that it isn’t

easy and it isn’t a done deal to secure an extension.”

The extension of the flight restrictions had faced no opposition until

early January, when an influential airline trade group criticized the

county’s report and said no extension of the restrictions should occur.

The settlement deal will expire at the end of 2005.

The Airport Working Group has lobbied for a 20-year extension. As the

parties to the initial agreement, the city, county, working group and

Stop Polluting Our Newport, an environmental group, must all agree to any

extension.

Campbell said he doesn’t blame Newport Beach and the working group for

trying to secure the best possible deal.

“They’re doing their job,” Campbell said. “We wouldn’t be doing our

job if we weren’t looking out for the entire county.”

Smith and Newport Beach Councilwoman Norma Glover both spoke at the

working group’s annual meeting Wednesday night in Newport Beach. About

200 people attended the evening dinner, which was held at the Tee Room in

the clubhouse of the Newport Beach Golf Course.

At that meeting, Smith urged voters to help defeat Measure W. He

didn’t discuss the settlement extension, working group President Tom

Naughton said.

“Chuck was addressing the initiative,” Naughton said. “It would

provide a problem, if the initiative passed.”

* Paul Clinton covers the environment and John Wayne Airport. He may

be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail ato7

[email protected] .