A Better Plan
* A common sense possibility resurfaces (“Turn El Toro Into a College Campus Instead of Airport,” Letters, Sept. 17).
More than a year ago, a community forum held at Leisure World El Toro supported educational facilities at El Toro instead of an airport. At the same time Supervisor [Roger] Stanton was planning to approach USC about a satellite campus at El Toro. This then prompted Chapman University President James Doti to jump in with the suggestion of using El Toro for an education park.
The opportunity for a large Cal State campus exists at El Toro. It could provide miles of biking trails as well as an airstrip for small planes. UC Davis is the only UC with an airstrip. Orange County has the chance to develop a unique full-scale campus that could include its own airstrip.
The rest is history. Measure A passed, and all creative uses were shelved, but not the vision of people with ideas. With the chance to repeal Measure A, an initiative too flawed to fly, voters will insist on having some voice in the redevelopment or El Toro Marine Base.
MARY SCHWARTZ
Santa Ana
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