LAKE FOREST : City May Join Board Deciding El Toro Use

The City Council tonight will consider whether to join the Orange County governing board that will pick the redevelopment plan for the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

However, Mayor Ann Van Haun said Monday that the council is not expected to take a final vote until after Irvine and the county finalize the terms of their agreement for the makeup of the governing board.

“If there is any sort of vote taken (by the Lake Forest council), I would think it would only be a conceptual vote at this time,” Van Haun said. “I think we still need to see what comes out from (negotiations between) Irvine and the county.”

Under the plan negotiated by the county and Irvine, the members of the Board of Supervisors would sit on the decision-making panel along with three representatives from Irvine and one from Lake Forest.

The plan received a lukewarm reception from South County cities other than Irvine, because it was not the one they first favored. The South County cities want more control of the base conversion planning process in order to fight the development of a commercial airport at the 4,700-acre site.

Officials also want to see details of the governing board’s structure and of the agreement between Irvine and the county, which includes the county’s commitment to begin discussions about the possible annexation of the base by Irvine.

The supervisors tentatively approved the agreement last week but may take another vote next month after the agreement is finalized. Irvine is expected to vote to join the governing board on Jan. 11.