LA PALMA

City Backs Initiative for Civil Airport at El Toro After Marines Depart

The City Council has unanimously endorsed a countywide initiative in the Nov. 8 election that calls for converting the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station into a commercial airport.

The council passed a resolution that solidly backs the airport measure, which is formally called the “Orange County/El Toro Economic Stimulus Initiative.”

The airport initiative would decide the future of the land at the El Toro base after the Marine Corps leaves. There has been great debate throughout the county on the base’s future. Many cities in north Orange County favor conversion of the base into a commercial airport, while many cities in South County oppose that proposal.

The City Council considered the airport issue last week. All five of the council members voted in favor of the proposed airport, which would complement John Wayne Airport.

In its resolution, the City Council said “John Wayne Airport is constrained from expansion of operations both legally and physically and cannot meet the future air passenger and air freight needs of Orange County.”

The resolution also said that the Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro “is the only identified, reasonable site for location of an additional airport in Orange County.”

Conversion of the Marine base into a commercial airport would have great economic benefit to the county, the council’s resolution added. The council said that the new civilian airport “could generate over 21,000 new jobs and increase business revenues by over $1.7 billion in Orange County.”

The proposed airport also could reduce air freight costs to the county, the council said. The council’s resolution said that currently “Orange County residents and businesses must pay elevated rates for air freight delivery due to the lack of air freight capacity in Orange County.”