Court Rebuffs Orange County Airport Plans

Superior Court Judge Philip E. Schwab ruled Tuesday that Orange County officials violated a 3-year-old court order limiting jet flights at John Wayne Airport when they adopted a new master plan for the airport and expanded jet service to 55 flights.

The ruling was hailed by Newport Beach as a major victory in its attempts to limit jet noise at the airport. The judge said county officials were in contempt of a 1982 injunction that established a 41-flight-per-day ceiling on jet flights because they failed to submit the new master plan to the court for approval.

Schwab scheduled a hearing for Friday to explain his judgment and to decide whether sanctions will be imposed against the county as a result of the contempt ruling.

The decision could have an important impact on the county’s attempts to expand jet service at John Wayne Airport for several reasons. At the least, city officials said it will allow Newport Beach to challenge the new airport master plan in state court, under state environmental laws--a forum which the city believes will allow it to present a stronger case against expansion of the airport.

Moreover, while city officials said they do not plan to ask the court to set aside the April 1 expansion that increased flights from 41 to 55 a day--a move that could have profound impacts on the 2,000 passengers a day already booked on the additional flights---- spokespersons for conservation and homeowner groups who were also protesting the additional flights said a rollback to 41 flights is possible.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors will discuss the matter today in a closed session.