South County Residents Protest El Toro Airport

More than 300 South County residents rallied outside an evening meeting of the Orange County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday night to protest plans for a commercial international airport at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

The mood was upbeat and hopeful as a handful of speakers insisted the fight against the airport isn’t over.

“We can, we will reverse the momentum that the pro-airport forces have built up,” said Larry Agran, former Irvine mayor, who is deeply involved in the anti-airport fight.

The rally was organized by residents who caravaned from Irvine, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel and Lake Forest to the Hall of Administration for the county’s monthly night meeting.

Residents hoped for an opportunity to voice their concerns about noise, traffic and pollution they fear an airport would bring, but they found themselves waiting hours while the county supervisors hashed out budget issues.

At the rally, leaders carried bullhorns. Supporters waived placards and chanted and sang songs as law enforcement officials watched closely from the sidelines.

Chief among their complaints is a lack of equal local representation on the Board of Supervisors and concerns that communities south of the El Toro Y are being made a dumping ground for a variety of unwelcome projects such as an expanded county jail, participants said.

One sign put it this way: “Supervisors, you brought us the bankruptcy, the toll roads, the huge jail expansion, the El Toro International Airport! Who represents us?”

Many at the rally said they are pleased with the representation of Supervisor Marian Bergeson, whose district includes the El Toro base, but noted that Bergeson is in the minority on board votes.

Airport opponents picked Tuesday’s night meeting for a rally because it would give working South County residents a chance to make an appearance.

But the supervisors already had set aside the meeting to discuss funding health and social services, topics that traditionally bring out scores of speakers.

Chriss Erickson, a rally organizer, said she was hoping South County residents would stick around until the public comment period, traditionally held at the end of board meetings. But she said was just pleased that board members were aware of their presence.

“We hope we can speak. But we want the board to know that we’re there, that’s the most important thing,” Erickson said. “Just the fact that people are willing to come to Santa Ana is an important thing.”