MISSION VIEJO : Airport Reuse Study High on City’s List

The city will pay up to half the cost of an El Toro Marine Corps Air Station reuse study--a $125,000 symbol of the city’s commitment to fight automatic conversion of the air base into a commercial airport.

Mission Viejo is one of seven South County cities discussing how much to contribute toward the $250,000 study.

City officials say Mission Viejo will likely contribute from $32,000 to $60,000 but is prepared to go higher if necessary.

“I think the council has been consistent in realizing how critical the El Toro (reuse plan) is to Mission Viejo quality of life,” said Mayor Susan Withrow, the city’s representative on the South County Cities Working Group.

Besides Mission Viejo, South County cities represented in the coalition include Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano and Lake Forest.

The El Toro air base is on the federal closure list and North County cities want to see the facility converted into a commercial airport. Cringing at the thought of hundreds of noisy jet airliners passing overhead daily, the South County cities have banded to fight the airport proposal.

The group voted recently to hire Kotin, Regan and Mouchlin Inc. to conduct the study, requiring the consultant to hire an airport planning expert to assist in research.

South County cities want to examine major areas of the El Toro reuse concept.

The consultant will examine six past studies of the El Toro conversion/commercial airport issue.

South County cities hope to define the economic impact of an international airport for Orange County.

The study will also look at alternative proposals for the air base, such as housing or retail uses, and compare their economic impact to what is expected from an airport.

An environmental study will also be done “that won’t be too in-depth because of the 30- to 45-day time frame (for the study), but it will look at noise and safety issues related to an airport,” Withrow said.

In addition to Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel and Laguna Hills have approved financial participation in the study. The other cities are expected to vote on the issue soon.

The South County cities received a late bid from the North County coalition, known as the Orange County Airport Regional Authority, or ORACA, to participate in the study.

ORACA asked to pay for a portion in exchange for having a voice in airport issues being examined.

But Withrow said the offer came almost two weeks after the consultant’s contract had been finalized.

“It was an interesting offer, but it’s too late because the scope of the contract was already determined,” she said.