Airport Could Draw 2 Million Users, Study Says

A proposed joint military-civilian use of the main runway at the Point Mugu Navy base could attract more than 2 million passengers annually, but demand for air cargo flights from such a facility would be limited, a draft study obtained Friday shows.

And despite the concerns of Camarillo-area residents--many of whom live near or under the Navy base’s flight path--noise generated by the extra civilian commercial flights would be negligible, according to the study by the Southern California Assn. of Governments.

A second study, due out this summer, will address the question of whether any airlines would agree to operate out of the Naval Air Weapons Station. A survey conducted of major airlines last year revealed that none was interested in operating out of Point Mugu, most citing the downturn in the economy.

Proponents of the plan said Friday that the study supports their contention that the area needs an airport to handle the estimated 1.7 million air passengers who call the county home and who now must travel out of Ventura County to get to a commercial airport.

“I’m really encouraged,” said Richard L. Fausset, a Ventura businessman and one of the chief proponents of the Point Mugu project. “I think this shows that this is a proposal that will work. I’m really excited about this.”

The feasibility study, researched by SCAG analysts for a countywide investigative committee, found that:

* Point Mugu is positioned in an underserved market between Santa Barbara, Los Angeles International and Burbank airports. If commercial service is developed, the airport could serve between 1.6 million and 2.49 million passengers annually by 2010.

* Unless the proposed facility becomes an international airport, air cargo--while generally appealing to county agricultural growers--carries too many logistic problems and is prohibitively expensive. The only exception, the study states, could be the domestic delivery of fresh-cut flowers grown in the county.

* The total cost of converting the airport to joint use--with a passenger terminal, parking lot and other facilities--would be in excess of $153 million.

Other problems highlighted in the study include locating an acceptable site for a passenger terminal, meeting current and future state and federal air emissions limits, and finding ways to finance the project.

The study, which was authored by SCAG chief aviation analyst Tim Merwin, also found that a bomb and missile loading area and an ordnance assembly building next to the runway would have to be relocated at civilian expense because of military safety regulations.

But regardless of the drawbacks, Camarillo Springs resident Bill Torrence vowed Friday that his group, the Ventura County Assn. of Homeowners, would continue to oppose the project, adding that it has already begun a petition drive against the proposal.

“I don’t care what that study says, this proposal will ruin our quality of life and, believe me, if we have to, we’ll tie this thing up in court for years,” Torrence said. “We are not going to let this county be turned into another LAX or Burbank.”

Alan Alpers, a Navy spokesman, said the study will help people make up their minds on the proposal based on fact and not rumors.

“We see this report as a good starting point,” Alpers said. “It’s one piece of a very large puzzle that is slowly coming together. However, what’s important for people to understand is that we are still gathering information. We don’t know everything about this yet.”

The idea to open Point Mugu to civilian use was presented by Navy officials in March, 1993, as a way of defraying maintenance costs of the base’s 11,000-foot main runway. After years of rejecting the idea, Navy officials made the offer because a steady decline in the number of military flights left them with a glut of unused flight time.

The SCAG report will be presented to the countywide Point Mugu Airfield Joint Use Investigative Committee at its June 1 meeting at the county airports administration offices at Camarillo Airport, 295 Durley Ave. The meeting starts at 10 a.m., and the public is invited to attend.

(East Ventura County Edition) Forums on Point Mugu Navy Airfield Camarillo will hold a series of forums in the city during June and July on the issue of the proposed civilian-military use of the airfield at the Point Mugu Navy base. The public is invited to attend. All meetings will start at 7 p.m. at the following locations:

* June 2, Camarillo Springs Clubhouse, 6358 Irena Ave.

* June 15, Camarillo City Hall, 601 Carmen Drive.

* June 20, Las Colinas School gymnasium, 5750 Fieldcrest Drive.

* July 8, Leisure Village Recreation Center, 200 Leisure Village Drive West.