ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Finally, a Forward Step in El Toro Issue

Orange County government leaders have acted wisely in offering a long-overdue compromise with South County cities over the future of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station after the Pentagon closes the base.

Supervisors Gaddi H. Vasquez and Thomas F. Riley have proposed sharing the final decision-making power with the cities. That’s precisely what we have been calling for.

Some members of city councils are happy with what they see as the county’s first step toward including them in the decision-making process, though they rightly remain cautious until more details are worked out. The supervisors need to make clear exactly what they have in mind.

If implemented, such a compromise would represent a significant policy shift for the county, whose leaders have been late in realizing that the days are gone when the county by itself could make land-use decisions of sweeping magnitude. True, most of the 4,700-acre base is in unincorporated territory and thus is under county jurisdiction. But recent years have witnessed the creation of many new cities, self-confident and powerful. Their demands to have a voice in post-Marine El Toro are justified; the cities deserve not only to be heard but to be active partners in making decisions.

Unfortunately, the closing of the base has spawned confusion and competition from the start. Newport Beach lobbied for closure, arguing that the facilities would be perfect for a commercial airport. County officials tried to keep the base open, and South County cities vociferously opposed any commercial airport there.

When the ax fell and Washington said El Toro would close several years from now, the wrangling continued. County officials insisted they alone would determine the future of the land. Only gradually and grudgingly did they agree even to listen to the cities’ concerns.

The Pentagon warned that it would not deal with competing jurisdictions, and that unity was needed before Washington would dispatch $500,000 in initial funds to plan the base’s transition.

North County cities, South County cities and county government floated competing proposals for a panel that would decide how to use El Toro.

An airport, new housing, manufacturing, a jail have all been put forward as possible uses for the base; all deserve consideration.

Now that the county has offered to share power, taking the first step toward reaching a consensus, South County cities must reciprocate. They cannot dig in their heels and simply chant, “No airport.”

The cities must realize that neither they nor the county can expect to impose a unilateral deal. Remember, no unified plan, no help from Washington.

The county does have site plan jurisdiction, and it has an experienced group of land-use planners. Both sides must contribute--and listen.

Both also could assist their constituents, the taxpayers who supported El Toro for five decades and who finance government, with more openness in the process. Officials on both sides have met behind closed doors to reach their decisions, barring the public. County residents deserve to hear and participate as government leaders continue their necessary movement toward consensus.