Rebutting New Pair of Opinions on El Toro Air Base Conversion

Your editorial (“The Supes in Full Retreat,” Nov. 19) was quite politically naive. The supervisors are now doing what they should have done long before Measure A was even envisioned.

(Board of Supervisors Chairman Thomas F.) Riley didn’t want anything to tarnish his $89-million boondoggle of John Wayne airport. The other supervisors, not knowing which way the political winds were blowing, bowed to his wishes, and those of a vocal minority of South Countians, and set up the nine-member El Toro Planning Authority. Their only real function was to plan anything except a commercial airport at El Toro.

Now that the votes are in, the supervisors are doing the only thing that would allow any feasibility testing for a commercial airport. That is to nullify the kangaroo authority (whose) purpose was to block an airport. These supervisors plan on being around long after Riley is gone. All Measure A was asking for was to give a commercial airport a chance.

Nobody will bulldoze Irvine and Lake Forest into the noise problems that Newport is struck with. I predict testing will prove that a commercial airport will make all of those homeowners happy as to airplane noise, compared to what they have now. If not, no airport. Then we can explore giving El Toro to the homeless, bird-watchers and the Irvine Co.

MICHAEL STEINER

Newport Beach

* The column by James Flanigan (“A Bullish Vote for the Future,” Nov. 16) on the El Toro airport conversion seems to oversimplify the process of changing ownership of a military base to a non-military ownership. The property was originally privately held and would still be privately owned were it not for the government claiming the property under the War Powers Act.

Flanigan seems to infer it is a simple process. All we have to do is move the Marines out, float a bond issue and, presto, we have a new international airport in the middle of a residential area. Then Orange County will be off and running hauling freight and people all over the Pacific.

The big problem is all of the flying out of El Toro will be over a well-populated area. This will result in heavy restrictions of service similar to John Wayne Airport.

Contrary to Flanigan, John Wayne Airport is underutilized due to Newport Beach legislating restrictions. This despite the takeoff direction being over the ocean. It should be obvious that if the good people of Newport Beach can restrict the use of an airport that is partly over the ocean then the good people surrounding El Toro would succeed in introducing restrictions on this new airport.

If Orange County truly desires to be “big league,” do not compare us with villages such as Fairfax County, Va., and Gwinnett County, Ga.

Orange County should think in terms of a container port. The L.A. Harbor area is completely used up. Newport Harbor at one time was a shipping point handling Orange County and other areas. This is a natural harbor that could be enlarged. The old homes and yacht piers could be removed and the old harbor resurrected with container facilities and the nearby railroad and byways aiding in the development. This would not only help Orange County but also the Inland Empire. Then Orange County could truly lay claim to being a truly great Pacific perimeter trader.

RICHARD CANTLAY

Laguna Niguel