Airport’s Damage Is Easy to See

* I refer to a June 21 letter by Leonard Hall about El Toro options and alternatives.

Shortly after John Wayne Airport went into operation, I lived in Newport Beach near the Back Bay--where there were large, beautiful and very expensive homes, including one which, by a strange twist of events, was owned by Pilar Wayne, the late John Wayne’s widow. I clearly remember then the complaints of Back Bay area homeowners who were in the flight path of planes using John Wayne Airport. The complaints were not only about noise but also about values of homes dropping. Strong protests resulted in noise reduction and flight restrictions.

Hall admits, “Yes, airplanes cause noise, pollution [and] disruptions, but nowhere near the extent some South County residents would have us believe.” What is the extent of noise, pollution and disruptions acceptable to citizens of Orange County, especially those who will every day be near the proposed international airport or in the flight path of commercial jets? Not only will residents suffer but also professional and business people, workers on various shifts, schoolchildren and people praying in church.

Orange County’s government still struggles to get over the bad effects of a bankruptcy which hit every citizen in some way. Orange County supervisors now propose to spend $2 million of taxpayers’ money on a questionable experiment to simulate actual operating conditions of an international airport by having test flights of cargo and passenger jet planes for several days this fall.

Hall states: “Real estate values in Newport Beach continue to escalate.” I suggest the Board of Supervisors conduct a simple and inexpensive experiment. Enact an ordinance now to require every real estate agent, before entering into sale of a residential property in the vicinity of the proposed international airport or in the flight path of aircraft using the proposed airport, to inform the prospective buyer that the county plans to put an international airport near the property or that the property will be in the flight path of international jets using the proposed airport.

After enacting this ordinance, let us see how many properties in that area will be sold.

RON AVIET

Laguna Hills

Leonard Hall of Newport Beach may think that many South Countians are not sane, but at least we are informed. Hall apparently is unaware of a 1997 Cornell University study which does provide evidence that airport noise “is having a devastating effect on the academic performance of children.”

This is only one of many reasons we are fighting the airport. I also take exception to his comparing Newport Beach to our South County cities. Most of our cities do not have beaches and beautiful harbors and bays. None of our cities have a Balboa Island, and most don’t have elite hotels to increase the cities’ tax base. Our per capita income is much lower, and due to new laws, we will never have nighttime flight restrictions.

Newport Beach residents seem to resent our fight. Is it because they regret that they did not fight John Wayne years ago, or is it simply a case of NIMBYism?

MARYANNE ROSE

Laguna Niguel