Turbulence Over El Toro

For more than half a century, the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station has been an important military resource for the nation and a good neighbor in Orange County. But in the sweep of American history, and in the life of a community, all things are subject to change. Today, speeches and formal ceremonies will mark the closure of both the El Toro and nearby Tustin Marine Corps bases, evidence of a national trend toward military base consolidation. As the Marines and the citizens of Orange County reflect on a long and productive relationship, there remain important questions to be addressed, especially about the future of the El Toro facility.

The battle over plans for a commercial airport at the base is now 6 years old and is understood as a central debate in the future of Orange County. But even with the county’s firm decision to go forward with the airport in the face of opposition in surrounding communities, important decisions remain to be resolved about the immediate transfer of the base.

The recent designation of Michael L. Lapin to take over key aspects of El Toro planning was an indication that decisions about the base’s future are more complicated than simply working out the details of an airport. The county today still has no agreement for the eventual deed transfer of the property itself. The matter has been complicated by the inability to get a lease agreement with the Navy in advance. Even having the Sheriff’s Department patrol the base, once considered a routine matter, became complicated.

In the past, noise and flight operation restrictions generally were a matter of local and military officials agreeing on how best to serve mutual interests. Today, the complexity of aviation issues is evident in the recent statement from American Airlines that, because of tail winds and rising terrain, it has no interest in operating easterly takeoffs in the manner preferred by the county.

In the early days of agricultural Orange County, huge land-use decisions could be made virtually with a handshake. As recently as early in the current decade, few gave much thought to the possibility that the day would come when the Marines were not situated in the geographical heart of the county. Today, just as the world stage where the Marines operate is a complicated place, so also is the local scene they leave behind.