Q & A

* Irvine Mayor Michael Ward

Irvine Mayor Michael Ward is leading South County cities that oppose plans to convert El Toro Marine Corps Air Station into a commercial airport after the base closes in 1999.

After 51% voter approval in November of Measure A, a countywide initiative calling for a commercial airport at the El Toro base, the County Board of Supervisors pulled out of the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority, which had been formed to plan for the closing of the base.

Irvine and Lake Forest fought for a significant role in the planning and have continued to fund the reuse planning board along with Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point and Mission Viejo. The county has since formed the El Toro Airport Citizens Advisory Commission, now recognized by the federal government as the official planning group for closure of the base.

The county has offered Irvine and Lake Forest a seat on the commission, but the two cities have declined. In June, eight South County cities led by Irvine and Lake Forest filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn Measure A.

Ward discussed the issue with Times correspondent Russ Loar. Q: Tom Wall, president of the Irvine Chamber of Commerce, has repeatedly urged both Irvine and Lake Forest to join the county’s airport advisory commission. Why not take part?

A: We see the process as being skewed toward those people who are 100% pro-airport. Keep in mind we would be two seats out of 13. If we took those seats, the process would still be skewed, but we would add validity to it in the eyes of the federal government. And for that reason, we don’t want to take those seats.

Q: If the lawsuit seeking to overturn Measure A is successful, do you believe it will invalidate the county advisory commission?

A: The county pulled out of [the reuse planning board] because they said Measure A required them to, although the county council disagreed. When Measure A is overturned by our lawsuit, their reason for pulling out will no longer be valid. We have challenged the Orange County General Plan as amended by Measure A. We feel we have case law that will cause Measure A to be thrown out. If that happens, then the planning process that the county is going through really doesn’t make sense.

Q: Who is behind the push to convert the Marine base into a commercial airport?

A: You have a lot of big developers who see this as a way to boost the prices of their commercial developments. Nobody who is on that airport advisory commission lives within 10 miles of this place. Are they really concerned with the impact on our cities? I say no. . . . I’m not saying an airport wouldn’t work there. I don’t know, but I certainly have my doubts.