County to Study Urban Park Plan

County supervisors on Tuesday ordered a full analysis of the effect of building a large urban park in the heart of Orange County, in anticipation of a March countywide vote on whether the park should replace plans for an airport.

Board Chairwoman Cynthia P. Coad said voters should know the potential costs of operating and maintaining a sprawling park and university complex, upgrading roads and services.

The study should also examine the county’s “ability to retain business and employment” if the park is built, she said.

The 30-day study by the auditor-controller’s office was approved on a unanimous vote.It will be presented to supervisors Dec. 4--three days before the board could be required to place the park initiative on the March ballot.

Supervisor Todd Spitzer, who opposes the county’s airport plans, called Coad’s motion a “kitchen-sink” approach.

Airport foes have accused the board’s pro-airport majority of stalling to place the park initiative on the ballot.

The county registrar of voters already has certified that enough signatures were collected to place the measure before voters--as long as a panel of appellate judges in San Diego agrees. The judges will consider the matter at a Nov. 16 hearing.

An Orange County Superior Court judge ruled this summer that the initiative’s title and summary were misleading, voiding the petitions. If the appellate judges overturn that ruling and allow the measure to go to voters, it would have to be certified by the county by Dec. 7.

However, the court could order it placed on the March ballot even if the Dec. 7 deadline passes.

Airport supporters argued Tuesday that the county has an obligation to examine the economic effect of the initiative. It would override airport zoning approved by voters in 1994 for the 4,700-acre former Marine base, which closed in July 1999.

Several months ago, supervisors hired a consulting firm, at a cost of $187,000, to study the park plan’s economic effect on the county.

A draft of the consultant’s preliminary findings will be presented Friday to both sides of the airport debate, County Counsel Ben DeMayo said.

The two sides have been asked to review the consultant’s findings by Nov. 14 and return them to Auditor-Controller David Sundstrom, who will use them to help prepare the analysis approved Tuesday.

Sundstrom also will write a 500-word analysis for the ballot on the initiative’s economic effect.