Model Plane Hobbyists Protest Plans for Mile Square Park

More than 100 people, most of them hobbyists, turned out for a City Council study session this week to hear a development proposal for the so-called triangle area of Mile Square Regional Park.

The county’s Harbors, Beaches and Parks Department is proposing several revenue-generating projects for the area, including a golf course, a botanical garden and a conference center for meetings and banquets.

But hobbyists, who for years have been using the vacant 137-acre area to operate radio-controlled model airplanes and cars, strongly oppose any changes that would force them out of the 633-acre county-owned park.

“It’s the last public flying field in Orange County, and it’s by far the safest place,” said Brian Buaas, 26, of Lake Forest, who said he has flown model planes at the park since he was a child. Mile Square is the only public park in the county that has such an area.

Fountain Valley resident George Kotichas, 71, who is involved in local model airplane clubs, said, “We should preserve the triangle and leave it alone.” He added that hobbyists themselves have paid for improvements such as fencing, drinking fountains and trees.

City officials raised other issues. “A major concern is the impact on our public safety people,” Councilman John J. Collins said. “If they put in something that is a crowd-drawer, it’s our paramedics who respond, and it’s our police that get 911 calls.”

Robert G. Fisher, director of Harbors, Beaches and Parks, said the county is entitled to develop the area, which already has two golf courses, as well as 55 acres of city-operated recreation facilities.

Mile Square Partners, which operates Mile Square Golf Course, is proposing to build another 18-hole golf course as well as the conference center and public gardens.