El Toro Panel Plans Suit to Block Airport

Sending a message to residents “not to despair,” a coalition of South County cities voted Monday to file a lawsuit against a proposal for a commercial airport at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

“We’re going to sue them. That land will lay fallow for decades,” Laguna Hills Councilman Randal J. Bressette promised after the unanimous decision by the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority.

Irvine City Councilman Mike Ward added: “We are committed. We will fight this tooth and nail. The county hasn’t seen anything yet.”

The suit is prompted by the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ 4-1 vote last week to move forward with plans to develop an airport after the military retires the base in mid-1999.

Supervisors also endorsed a controversial environmental impact report that portrays an airport as the reuse option that could pump nearly $10 billion into the economy each year.

Opponents say the report is flawed and overlooks the economic benefits that can be reaped by turning over the base to a variety of other options, such as tourist attractions and business, residential and recreational uses.

On Monday, the panel heard from a real estate forecasting specialist, who said the county’s report did not rely on the most recent population and job figures to reach its conclusions.

Richard Gollis, a principal with a Newport Beach-based firm specializing in economic and marketing consulting, said a study done at the request of the South County cities shows that not building an airport at El Toro will turn the biggest profit, contrary to the county’s conclusions.

The county’s hired consultant did not return a phone call Monday seeking a response.

Orange County’s voters have twice called for a commercial airport at El Toro. But South County residents oppose the airport plan because of concern about noise, traffic, pollution and reduced home values.

The Irvine City Council voted last week to sue the county, but Monday’s decision carries the greatest clout to date. The El Toro Reuse Planning Authority includes elected officials from Irvine, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills and Dana Point.

Ward said the suit is expected to be filed by Jan. 8 and will challenge the validity of the environmental impact report, among other things.

In one of several concessions to those who live near the base or under an airport’s anticipated flight paths, supervisors dramatically scaled back the size of the proposed airport.

Original plans called for serving as many as 38.3 million passengers annually, but supervisors called for a maximum of 25 million passengers each year. Supervisors also agreed to study a ban on night flights and pursue a study of other uses for the 4,700-acre base in case an airport is found to be unworkable.

Many opponents say they will not be pleased until an airport is ruled out completely. They worry that if any airport is built at El Toro--even a small one--officials soon will find a way to expand it.

The board’s vote does not make an El Toro Airport a certainty. A new round of environmental studies which could take up to two years is needed before supervisors make a final decision on reuse of the base.