O.C.’s El Toro PR Squad Hits Flak at Forum

Facing boos and hisses, Orange County’s El Toro publicity team ventured behind enemy lines Wednesday night to address an estimated 1,500 people for the second of nine public forums on the county’s plans to build an airport at the closed Marine base.

The forum was the first to be held in South County, which solidly opposes the proposed airport. It was the only opportunity for residents to be heard on El Toro’s fate before a public hearing on the airport in Santa Ana next month.

Anti-airport Supervisor Tom Wilson, who hosted the meeting with like-minded colleague Supervisor Todd Spitzer, immediately set the tone by questioning past statements of the county’s experts on traffic, air pollution, safety and noise from the proposed airport.

“If they lived in our homes, would they be satisfied with the information they’re giving us tonight?” Wilson asked to hearty applause from a nearly full auditorium at Saddleback Valley Community Church in Lake Forest.

A final vote on the airport is scheduled Sept. 17. The Department of the Navy is expected to certify its own environmental review after that, which is a preliminary step for the property to be turned over to the county. The board has backed the airport on 3-2 votes for the past five years.

Resentment against supervisors and the airport peaked this month when a Superior Court judge threw out petitions to place an anti-airport measure on the March ballot, ruling that the petition’s title and summary were faulty and misleading. The proposed Orange County Central Park and Nature Preserve Initiative would replace airport zoning on the 4,700-acre base with a nature preserve, a large urban park and “compatible” development.

If Judge James P. Gray’s ruling stands, it would invalidate more than 140,000 signatures that organizers said they have collected to comply with a Sept. 18 submission deadline. Airport foes have challenged Gray’s ruling before the 4th District Court of Appeal, but supervisors on Tuesday voted against joining the appeal.

Wednesday evening’s first question was from a woman who wanted to know where each of the county consultants live. El Toro program manager Gary Simon declined to be specific, saying only that most of them live in Orange County.

Many of the questions dealt with the erosion of the quality of life of South County residents if an airport were built at El Toro. Several of the county’s experts attempted to answer questions about the technical aspects of the airport. That didn’t quiet the crowd, who countered most answers with loud boos and hisses.

“The EIR [environmental impact report] didn’t look specifically at quality of life,” Simon said. The crowd rose in a standing ovation.

Simon’s team wasn’t the only traveling road show to hit Lake Forest on Wednesday night.

Two busloads of residents who live near Los Angeles International Airport also came to the hearing, wearing T-shirts emblazoned with “El Toro Yes.” The group, called LAX Expansion No, supports building an airport at El Toro to relieve pressure on LAX to expand.

The L.A. group quickly shuffled inside the church and took seats as hundred of anti-airport activists hooted and hollered in a rally outside.

Group spokesman Mike Stevens, frustrated at not being able to ask more than one question, held a Bible in his hand and said, “Where in this good book does it say that I’m supposed to carry your burdens?”

Another member of the Los Angeles contingent, Anthony Bryant, said he lives in the LAX flight path and his house already shakes every 15 seconds when planes fly overhead. There’s no reason he should suffer any more, he said.

“We’ve already got enough,” he said. “We don’t need more air traffic and pollution and toxins.”

Bryant and his fellow homeowners received little sympathy, however. As they walked inside the church, 11-year-old Vanessa Basgall greeted them with a sign that read: “NO LAX IN OC. WE’RE THE FOLKS WHO LEFT LA.”

Even before Wednesday’s public forum began about 400 people--mostly airport opponents--gathered outside the church, eager to voice their opinions.

Several demonstrators walked through the crowd waving American flags and handing out tea bags, comparing their anti-airport campaign to the Boston Tea Party.

“We’re going to have a tea party tonight,” said Cheryl Heinecke, of Citizens for Safe and Healthy Communities. She was joined by Jon Pack, who was dressed in Revolutionary War fatigues.

Orange County is spending $3 million on its public information blitz on what officials have begun calling the El Toro Airport and Open Space Master Plan. The redevelopment plan was changed in 1998 to add a park around the 2,000-acre airport. The remaining 1,000 acres have always been envisioned for a federal wildlife preserve.

The first public forum, held last week, drew about 150 people to the Anaheim Community Center. It was hosted by board Chairwoman Cynthia P. Coad, an airport supporter. Anticipating a rowdy crowd, organizers beefed up security with three police officers.

Despite the North County location, anti-airport people were out in force, peppering Simon and a panel of airport consultants with tough questions or their opinions. The questioning became so terse that, at one point, Simon threatened to cancel the remaining nine forums if it continued.