Board Nears Vote on El Toro Cargo Flights

Orange County supervisors are expected to approve a plan next week to allow a handful of cargo flights at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station after the Marines leave in July--even though the county isn’t close to obtaining the rights to use the airfield.

The county and the Department of Navy are at an impasse in preliminary negotiations for an interim agreement that would give local authorities the ability to market and lease the 4,700-acre base, which includes runways, hangars, office buildings, residences and sports facilities.

The county hopes that such interim business, including cargo flights, will bring in millions of dollars between July and the time the county’s planned commercial airport opens its doors.

Three air cargo carriers--Airborne Express, Federal Express and United Parcel Service--have said they’re interested in starting regular flights from El Toro as soon as possible.

“Given flexibility, we could generate millions of dollars at El Toro on an annual basis,” said Gary Simon, the county’s lead real estate negotiator in talks with the Navy. He is trying to reach agreement on an interim master lease and a separate contract on control and maintenance of the base after July.

But the Navy first must approve the interim uses, and so far hasn’t been in any hurry to do so.

Maj. Gen. Robert Magnus said last week that it is “theoretically possible” for an agreement to be completed by July but that doing so would be difficult.

“Obtaining federal consent to interim aviation activities at the base is the most significant hurdle to timely implementation of these activities,” warned a staff report on cargo use to the Board of Supervisors.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Charles V. Smith said Wednesday that the Marines have delayed making a decision specifically on cargo flights because they want to see a plan first on how many flights would be needed and when they would use the runways. The county also would have to provide a civilian air-traffic controller for the control tower.

“It’s time to get this moving,” said Smith, adding that he was turning down a request by anti-airport Supervisor Tom Wilson to postpone the cargo vote for three weeks.

The cargo plan immediately raised tempers in South County, where residents are fighting the proposed commercial airport.

The cargo carriers have asked to operate a total of six landings and six departures a day, Mondays through Saturdays, with arrivals as early as 4 a.m. and some departures between 6 and 6:30 a.m. The last flights would leave by 7:30 p.m. most days and one would depart at 11:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

Mission Viejo Mayor Susan Withrow, speaking for the anti-airport El Toro Reuse Planning Authority, said county officials and airport supporters promised that airport operations at El Toro would have the same flight curfews and noise restrictions imposed at John Wayne Airport. Flights are not allowed before 7 a.m. and after 11 p.m.

“This proposal flies in the face of promises made to South County residents,” Withrow said.

El Toro planning manager Courtney Wiercioch said the cargo flights would use existing military takeoff and landing patterns, with noise likely contained within an area prohibited from development by decades of military flights.

The carriers have said they’d use the quietest jets available, including Boeing 757s and 767s. One carrier wants to use a propeller plane for one flight.

The cargo proposal calls for the six daily El Toro flights to be operated in addition to flights already using John Wayne Airport. The carriers also would need 1,000 to 1,500 square feet of office each.

The county contends that interim flights would not need Federal Aviation Administration approval. County planning officials also said that only limited environmental study of the cargo flights would be necessary, a stance being challenged by the South County cities.

Irvine Councilman Larry Agran said airport opponents are prepared to sue the county if cargo flights are allowed. If supervisors approve the interim plan, county officials then would nail down details by April.

County officials said several former military bases are being used for cargo flights, including Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento and Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, Texas.

The county envisions other interim aviation uses, such as Sheriff’s Department helicopter flights and Air National Guard operations. County officials said they haven’t received much interest from private pilots, except for commercial sky-diving operations.

The flight agreements would run through Dec. 31, 2002, or 3 1/2 years after the Marines leave, if that doesn’t occur as planned in July.