County Helping Groups Facing El Toro Eviction

Supervisors decided Tuesday to intervene on behalf of two dozen private, nonprofit groups that are facing eviction by the Navy and must pack up and leave the former El Toro Marine base by Thursday.

“It would take 18 big rigs to move our equipment out in time,” said John Pindel, commanding officer for the statewide Young Marines program. “We need a three-month extension with the Navy and we’re asking for the county’s help.”

Two Young Marines programs with 300 youths are enrolled at El Toro. The program offers recreation and leadership programs.

The problem is that buildings housing nonprofit programs, which had rent-free quarters, have not passed environmental inspection, prompting the Navy to cancel their licenses.

The groups were notified by letter in June and again in August of the decision to vacate, said Jeanne Light, a Navy spokeswoman in San Diego.

According to a letter dated Aug. 8 the Navy sent to the groups, “the county will be responsible under the master lease for issuing and administering subleases and licenses and you will no longer be able to use the property under your existing license.”

In addition to the Young Marines, the groups include Toys for Tots, Civilian Air Patrol and others.

“We meet twice a month and we hear about leadership and survival skills,” said Sherika Barr, a 17-year-old from San Dimas.

“It helps to keep kids out of gangs,” said Gabriel Zamora, 16, of Anaheim, who has been in the Marines program six years. “It helps by giving us something to do on the weekends. We volunteer to help out at military air shows and different events.”

Although the county has approved a Navy lease for El Toro, it’s not yet signed. Consequently, the county has no jurisdiction over the base yet.

If the Navy allows the groups to remain and keep their equipment at the base without locking them out, the county still must determine if they can remain and whether to charge for rent.

The county will have to pay nearly $5 million out of its general fund, more than double its original estimates, for renovation and start-up costs in the first year it leases the former base, according to a recent county projection.

*

The projection shows the county in the red for two years, then earning its first profit by the end of its third year of a five-year lease.

Numerous other nonprofits have contacted the county hoping to secure space at the huge former base either at no cost or at a discount.

“The board has not yet made a decision on how to handle private nonprofits,” Supervisor Todd Spitzer said.

Supervisor Tom Wilson said the county can contact the Navy on behalf of the groups but he cautioned them that the problem “may not be solved overnight,” meaning in time to help them.

In the meantime, Supervisor Cynthia P. Coad said she will be meeting with military officials from the Naval Weapons Station in Seal Beach to see if that base has surplus office space that can accommodate the private, nonprofit groups.

Meanwhile, members of the Save the El Toro Commissary Committee said the Navy’s possible closure of the popular market by Sept. 30 would affect those who have purchased discount groceries and other goods for decades.

Ken Lee, a committee spokesman, said the government’s plan to shut down the El Toro commissary in September would affect an estimated 200,000 retired and active military personnel living in the county who would be forced to drive to Camp Pendleton in northern San Diego County.

Lee said the committee has scheduled a news conference today at the commissary.

A spokesman for the Defense Commissary Agency could not be reached for comment.

On Tuesday, supervisors also approved a $2.9-million, six-month contract extension Tuesday with Cabaco Inc., which manages the former base. Cabaco has about 90 employees in charge of facilities and grounds maintenance and operates the golf course, horse stables and RV parking lot.