HomeMy WebLinkAbout19 - AWG-CJE Funding RequestMarch 13, 2001
Agenda Item No. 19
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
Office of the City Manager
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Homer Bludau
RE: AWG /CJE Funding Request
DATE: March 13, 2001
The City has received a request from AWG and WE for a grant to fund an El Toro public
information and outreach program (Program). A copy of the Program is attached to this
memo. The Chair of the Airport Issues Committee will make an oral recommendation
regarding this funding request.
homer BI au
City Manager
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Goals
Objectives and Strategy
Overview
Messages and Themes
Direct Communications
Budget
Analysis of S. County Expenditures
El Toro Public Information and Outreach
Prepared by AWG and CJE
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 5
Page 7
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
INTRODUCTION
This outreach proposal regarding commercial aviation reuse at MCAS El Toro
has been jointly prepared by David Ellis representing AWG and Bruce Nestande
representing CJE. The intent of this request is to "re -start" the public information
program following Judge Otero's ruling invalidating Measure F.
This project, using public funds, will be exclusively directed at public education
and information per the guidelines with which we have previously complied.
Through the Public Records Act, we have determined that South County (Irvine +
ETRPA) spent $15 million for FY 00/01. Of this, $9.0 million is earmarked for
public relations, direct mail, cable television, coalition building and press
relations. The balance, $6 million is used for consultants, lawyers and staff.
We have less than a year to educate the community on the need for additional
aviation capacity in Orange County. The nationwide aviation capacity crisis
underscores the need for El Toro Airport. We will capitalize upon this situation --
in addition to correcting the record -- with a community outreach program.
El Toro Public Information and Outreach
Prepared by AWG and CJE
2
GOALS
Reestablish the need for El Toro Airport and credibility of the planning process in
all levels of the community in preparation for the certification of DEIR 573.
➢ Elected officials Outreach. We must start from ground zero with elected
officials — at all levels — to dispel the myths that South County's onslaught of
money have perpetuated.
Opinion Leader Outreach. Through regular mailings, blast e- mails, and
briefing meetings we will make opinion leaders aware of the need for
additional aviation capacity in Orange County.
➢ Monitor and Assist Legislative Agenda in Sacramento and Washington. The
national aviation crisis has created an environment that is potentially
conducive to a legislative resolution to the issue.
➢ Business and Labor Communitv Outreach. All the major business, labor and
community organizations in Orange County must be solicited for support.
Regular communications are essential to keep these organizations focused
on the need for additional airport capacity.
➢ Grass Roots Organization. Using existing organizations as the entry point to
each community, a grass roots operation outside Newport-Mesa should be
formalized.
➢ Retail Public Information Campaign. Using multiple media tools, generate a
coordinated campaign of cable television, direct mail, web - sites, house -file
mailings to recapture public opinion.
➢ Studies and Opinion Research. Determine key issues through polling and
conduct an analysis of the fiscal impacts of non - aviation proposals.
Assimilating this information will serve as a foundation for our public
information program.
El Toro Public Information and Outreach
Prepared by AWG and CJE
OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGY
The public debate over the future of El Toro Airport is reaching the most critical
stage. The next twelve months will determine the future use of El Toro.
This issue has achieved a high degree of public awareness. Based on past
surveys 94% of the voting public in Orange County has an opinion on El Toro,
nearly two- thirds have a strong opinion, and the electorate vacillates on the
issue.
Press coverage of this issue can be influenced, but not controlled. The same is
true of the numerous public and private studies, reports and other information
that continue to fuel the public debate.
The primary objective of the El Toro Airport Public Education and Information .
Campaign should be to produce and distribute high quality, informative,
persuasive communications to the most politically active citizens in the county.
The group selected to receive this information must be large enough to result in a
majority favorably viewing commercial aviation as the ultimate reuse of El Toro.
With that simple proposition in mind, here are the objectives of our proposal:
1) Mobilize public opinion so that a majority can be counted on to defeat any
proposal that would derail the El Toro re -use process.
2) Provide sufficient public and political support to enable the pro- airport majority
on the Board of Supervisors to stay the course on El Toro.
3) Educate the public on the need for El Toro Airport and the limitations of John
Wayne Airport.
4) Demonstrate the economic and environmental risks to the county that will
result from failure to provide a modern, self- contained system of air
transportation.
5) Undermine the fear campaign of airport opponents by bringing the facts about
noise, traffic, flight patterns, property values and environmental impacts to
South County residents.
6) Explain the significance of the 18,000 acre "no home zone" in protecting
surrounding communities from adverse impacts.
IF- El Toro Public Information and Outreach
Prepared by AWG and CJE
7) Provide a vision of El Toro as a well planned, community friendly,
environmentally sound airport as modeled after John Wayne Airport. It is
important that citizens identify with JWA as a template for a future airport at El
Toro.
8) Prove that the Millennium Plan and the Great Park are economically unsound
and will cost the taxpayers money.
9) Monitor progress toward meeting these objectives with an ongoing program of
public opinion research.
Strategy
We will coordinate the combined resources of the public agencies and private
organizations that support a commercial airport at El Toro into a mass
communications campaign designed to meet the above objectives. The
campaign will primarily use direct mail, but will also utilize press relations, a
public information video, brochures and presentations to community
organizations.
The public information plan being proposed is essentially a communications
strategy that resulted in the pro- airport side to winning two countywide elections
on the specific issue of commercial aviation reuse at El Toro.
El Toro Public Information and Outreach
Prepared by AWG and CJE
5
OVERVIEW
Newport Beach is obviously most impacted by JWA and its potential expansion if
commercial aviation at El Toro does not occur. Clearly no other city will lead a
comprehensive outreach program other than Newport Beach.
Our extensive post election (Measure F) analysis indicated that approximately
2/3 of the yes on F vote was for reasons other than opposing El Toro Airport.
That analysis allows us to conclude that Measure F was not a direct reflection of
the El Toro issue at this time. In addition, our focus group analysis concluded
that the basic arguments for commercial aviation reuse at El Toro remain viable
as opposed to the Millennium or Great Park proposals. The success of the El
Toro reuse plan has been placed in jeopardy by a well- organized and well -
financed campaign of misinformation.
The South County cities of Irvine, Laguna Hills, Lake Forest, Dana Point and
Mission Viejo will spend an estimated fifteen million dollars annually on lobbyists,
consultants and public communications designed to undermine the existing
county reuse process and prevent the conversion of El Toro to commercial
aviation use.
In addition to this publicly financed campaign, South County anti - airport activists
have mobilized and grown in number and strength. This group has proven its
ability to place a repeal measure anti - airport initiative (Measure S) on the county
ballot, the Measure F initiative, and is preparing for another initiative challenge in
March 2002.
Although many countywide business chambers and community organizations
have endorsed the El Toro Airport in the past, this issue is not the highest priority
for most of these groups and they have not been contacted in months.
The same is true of most citizens who live outside of the area immediately
surrounding El Toro. A majority of these citizens have voted for a commercial
airport in two elections, yet they have very little emotional attachment to the issue
and have been constantly inundated with misinformation for the past three years.
News coverage of the El Toro issue increasingly reflects the imbalance by
favoring the anti - airport position.
Coverage in the Times and the Register partially reflects the fact that South
County readers want to see a steady stream of anti - airport stories, while North
County readers are ambivalent.
A continuing, aggressive, and unanswered publicly funded anti - airport campaign
will have the following impacts on the reuse process:
El Toro Public Information and Outreach
Prepared by AWG and CJE
An Eroding and demoralizing of the pro- airport majority on the Board of
Supervisors in addition to our city, community organizations, and voter
support base; with the likely result being the repeal of Measure A.
Newport Beach must step up and lead in order to counter the publicly funded
misinformation campaign of airport opponents.
The activities should include:
Public Information and Education. Monthly Information Bulletins should be
mailed countywide to give the public accurate information on a variety of issues
including the need for El Toro Airport, economic benefits and jobs, tax revenue
creation, realistic projections of take off and landing patterns, and economic
impacts on property values. These communications should also critique the idea
of non - aviation use of El Toro generally, and the Millennium Plan specifically.
Public Opinion Research. Regular polling to measure public opinion on the El
Toro issue. This information will be used to plan communications strategy and to
present accurate information on public opinion to government officials.
Community Outreach. Tailor the pro - airport message in an effective way to
citizens, businesses, labor and public sector groups desiring additional El Toro
information. This relationship will result in strengthening the existing pro - airport
coalition.
Media Relations. Giving the pro - airport side a loud and unified voice in the
airport debate through a regular series of press briefings, news conferences, op-
ed pieces and letters to the editor.
El Toro Public Information and Outreach
Prepared by AWG and CJE
VA
MESSAGES AND THEMES
The El Toro Airport public information campaign should have a unifying theme
with a series of messages to reinforce this theme.
Most of the messages will be pro - airport. Others will be defensive, refuting
misinformation circulated by opponents.
Five years of polling and two successful election campaigns on this issue have
given us a good idea of what this theme and some of the messages.will be.
Obviously, messages will be modified based upon current information and
trends.
The general theme developed through the Measure A (and Measure S)
campaign is:
El Toro Airport ...
We need it — demand is there.
JWA is inadequate.
El Toro is available -- at no cost to taxpayers.
Messages that reinforce this theme are:
1) John Wayne Airport is inadequate to meet future transportation needs of the
county.
2) The El Toro 16,000 acre no -home zone protects surrounding communities
3) El Toro Airport is necessary for the future economic development of Orange
County, emphasizing international travel and tourism.
4) The airport will preserve future environmental quality of life throughout the
county.
➢ Adequate air transportation in necessary to boost our economy based on
"clean" industries, i.e. tourism, trade and high tech.
➢ A "self contained" Orange County protects the regional environment,
reduces traffic and pollution.
➢ The airport plan is being developed in a community friendly,
environmentally responsible way.
➢ The airport plan incorporates parks and open space.
El Toro Public Information and Outreach
Prepared by AWG and CJE
➢ In the next 20 years commutes to regional airports will be gridlocked.
5) Economic benefits of El Toro:
➢ Jobs
➢ Tax revenues to all cities
➢ Productivity gains, commute time reduction for Orange County workers
➢ Cargo operations resulting in time and cost savings to local businesses
6) A strong economy with a modern system of air transportation will have a
positive effect on property valuation throughout Orange County.
Messages that refute opposition claims include:
1) Realistic flight plans will not seriously impact surrounding communities,
especially Irvine, Orange, Tustin, Villa Park, Anaheim Hills, Yorba Linda,
Fullerton, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.
2) El Toro will be financed by landing fees, not taxes.
3) Requiring Orange County residents to travel to 'outside" airports, i.e. LAX,
San Diego, etc., is economically absurd, environmentally irresponsible, and
reasonable travel time will become unbearable.
4) "Alternate uses" proposed by airport opponents lack credibility.
➢ "Unfairness" of turning taxpayer funded airport over to private developers.
➢ Lack of federal government approval.
➢ Financing problems.
➢ Traffic and environmental impact of new housing development.
➢ The residential housing, retail, and commercial business centers can be
built in other locations, an airport cannot.
➢ Toxic cleanup problems and costs will limit uses and options.
➢ "Opening up" of the 16,000 acre buffer zone for more residential and
industrial development.
El Toro Public Information and Outreach
Prepared by AWG and CJE
DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS
In Orange County, direct communication has been proven to be the only
efficient method of building voter support on issues of public concern.
The Los Angeles metro broadcast market is simply too large to be used
continuously on a cost - effective basis. And even the most aggressive press
relations program will not be as effective in shaping public opinion as a well
planned and executed direct communications campaign.
Direct communications also has the advantage of interactivity. People can
respond to appeals in a variety of ways. They can join an organization, they
can participate in a poll, or they can send letters and petitions to government
officials.
Respondents to direct appeals constitute a list of activities that can then
receive specialized communications requesting further action.
These bulletins will not be campaign mailings and will not advocate a yes or
no vote, but will be designed to counter the kind of misinformation on the El
Toro issue that is often circulated in the heat of a campaign.
The content of these communications will be driven by the public opinion
research and the emergence of issues in the El Toro debate.
Communications will be non - partisan and non - political in nature. The
communication will be exclusively education and information.
El Toro Public Information and Outreach
Prepared by AWG and CJE =1
10
EL TORO AIRPORT
PUBLIC INFORMATION AND EDUCATION
BUDGET
March 1, 2001 through December 31, 2001
Public Opinion Research
Benchmark Poll
$45,000
Tracking Poll
$35,000
Opinion Leader Outreach
Regular luncheons featuring political and
academic experts on aviation and land use
$50,000
issues.
Business community outreach.
$50,000
5 mailings to CEO's and OC business leaders.
Direct Mail /External Communications
One mass mailing monthly. (3/01 - 12/01)
$2,500,000
Q = 500,000 households /mailing
5 million total pieces mailed
Specialized newsletters and follow up to mass
$150,000
mailing respondents
(Appx.90,000) .
Cable Television
$510,000
Monthly 2 week flights
1,380 spots weekly on 12 cable franchises.
$100,000
Production of 10 — 30 second spots.
$100,000
Web Site
Development and maintenance of web site.
OCRAA Activities
Fiscal analysis of non - aviation uses (est.)
$50,000
Toxic remediation analysis (est.)
$50,000
Elected officials outreach. Communicate bi-
50,000
monthly via "FYI" mail alerts. Blast e-mail and
fax alerts as necessary.
TOTAL:
$3,690,000
El Toro Public Information and
Prepared by AWG and CJE
City of Irvine Contracts Regarding the MCAS El Toro
FY 99100
1 /5/01 Saved as Dave Ellis Public Records Act -Irvine
Company
Contracted
Contract
Purpose
Term
Amount
1
Adam D. Probolsky & Assm
4/5/99- 6/30/99
$ 55,000.00
Development and Implementation of a public opinion poll
Newport Beach, CA
2
Alvarado Smith & Sanchez
8130MM130100
$ 157,200.00
Provide legal counsel to the City of Irvine with regard to its efforts
Irvine. CA
on the closure and reuse of MICAS. El Tom.
3
Black & Veatch Corp.
Expires 6130100
$ 40,000.00
Air quality and environmental noise
Kansas City, MO
assessment for the Millennium Plan Phase II
4
BV Engineenng
6/15/99-6130/00
$ 68,800.0,0
Millennium Plan 11 annexation
Irvine, CA
infrastructure. hydrology am act analysis
5
Caldwell Leslie Newcombe & Pettit
10127/99-6/30100
$ 50,000.00
Legal services regarding actions taken
Los Angeles, CA
by O.C. Land Use Commission
6
Cotton Beland Assoc.
6115/99. 6130100
$ 259,920.00
Millennium Plan II revised and EIR
Pasadena, CA
regarding annexation
7
David Evans & Assoc.
Expires 12131199
$ 346,700.00
Preparation of EIR for the City general plan and zoning;
Laguna Hills, CA
and annexation of MICAS El Toro.
8
Deyoung & Assoc.
514199- 6130100
$ 100,000.00
Cable television production
Dana Point. CA
9
Hillary Willett
4/10/99-6117/99
Nothing
Assisting the Legal Affairs Committee
Irvine, CA
found
at the city of Irvine
10
Hogan & Hartson
$ 545,000.00
Washington DC advocacy for Legal Affairs
Washington DC
11
Analysis Group
$ 59,000.00
Professor Dennis Aigner, GSM. UCI
Subcontractors of Hogan and Hartson
Review of Counties Airport Financing Plan
12
National Aviation Research Institute
$ 72,000.00
Review county consultant work regarding El Tom.
Subcontractors of Hoqan and Hartson
flight tracks and traffic flows
13
AEMS. LLC
$ 100,000.00
Air quality analysis of El Tom Airport
Subcontractors of Hogan and Hartson
14
BBN
$ 78,000.00
Review noise element of the Dept. of Navy draft EIS February 2000
Subcontractors of Hogan and Hartson
15
Katz Hollis
811199-7/31100
$ 127,000.00
Redevelopment Agency - Activation
Los An eles, CA
and plan adoption.
16
Kosmont & Assoc.
811199-6130100
$ 6,500.00
Millennium Plan II fiscal impact analysis
Los Angeles. CA
17
Loeb & Loeb
3123199- 8130199
$ 10.000.00
Legal research regarding the Dept. of Defense selection of the County
Los Angeles, CA
of Orange as the Local Redevelopment Authority for MICAS El Tom.
18
Marsha Levine
8124199-11124/99
Nothing
Assisting the Legal Affairs Committee
Irvine, CA
found
at the city of Irvine
19
Dr. Mary Schiavo
511199- 811/99
$ 7.025.34
Anti- airport speech
Ohio State University
and media availability
1 /5/01 Saved as Dave Ellis Public Records Act -Irvine
City of Irvine Contracts Regarding the MCAS El Toro
FY 99100
20
Company
Contracted
Contract
Purpose
Term
Amount
21
Michael Brown and Assoc.
7/27/9941130100
$ 87,500.00
Environmental analysis & coordination regarding
Santa Barbara, CA
El Toro toxic clean-up.
22
Mike Roos & Co.
1119/99-819100
$ 180,000.00
Provide assistance in the identification & acquisition of funds related
Los Angeles, CA
to the development of a suburban Park at MCAS El Toro.
23
MNA Consulting
10128198 - 6/30/00
$ 57,750.00
Development and implementation of annexation strategy.
San Diego, CA
24
Nossaman, Guthner, Knox & Elliott
2111/00 -6/30/01
S 150.000.00
Perform legal work to assist Irvine in its annexation
Sacramento. LA, Irvine
of former MCAS El Toro.
25
Pawns Bahia & Latimer
619/99-6/30/00
S 177,239.81
Legal assistance in developing a legal framework and strategy
Salt Lake atV. UT
in connection with the contamination of MCAS El Tom
26
Peter Zeughauser
4/27199 - 6/30100
S 186.000.00
El Tom Conversion Project
Newport Beach, CA
27
PES Environmental Inc.
3/23/99- 3130/00
$ 222.500.00
Base cleanup issues
Santa Ana, CA
28
RKJK & Assoc.
6 /1 519 9-6 /3 0/0 0
S 153,260.00
Millennium Plan II Traffic Impact analysis
Newport Beach, CA
response to comments annexation committee
29
Robert B. Irani
8/24199-1 1/2 4/99
Nothing
Assisting the Legal Affairs Committee
Irvine. CA
found
at the city of Irvine
30
TAMS Consultants
10/l/98-12131199
S 25,000.00
Assist in evaluating the impacts of the
Chicago, IL
civilian flight testing at MCAS ET Tom.
31
Visual Design Solutions
5111/99-6130100
S 49,495.00
Computer aided land planning for El Toro
Santa Monica, CA
32
Watson & Co.
7/14/98- 6/30199
$ 50,000.00
Explore the long tern feasibility of a new regional
San Diego, CA
airport site in the County.
33
Woodward & McDowell
5111/99 -6/30 /00
S 185.000.00
Provide community outreach activities
Burlingame, CA
I
Focus gmup research and polling.
34
Force & Mollrich
FY 0001
$ 4.521,000.00
Direct mail, televsion, web sites
Newport Beach. CA
35
Ccontz & Matthews. LLP
3123/99- 12/30/99
S 137,500.00
Planning, managing and Dominating all legal efforts to prevent the
San Juan Capistrano. CA
conversion of MCAS El Toro into a commercial airport.
35
Chambers Group
8/1199. 6/30100
S 23,500.00
Provided biological consulting services and prepare responses
Irvine, CA
to comment on the draft program for the millennium plan II.
37
Kathleen Graves
a/24199-11/24199
Notiung
Assisting the Legal Affairs Committee
Irvine. CA
found
at the city of Irvine
Total:
I S BT87,890.15
115/01 Saved as: Dave MILS Public Records Ad-Irvine
§
w
w
2
Q
�
k
d
k
�
$
f
�
«
a
2
w
w
�
�
LL
|
LY
|
)
|
)
2
\�
§§e
12
r�$
0E
k)
o
}§
2
)\E!!
|
»f�(
-
_
{
-
E
_
.
k
/
\
k
§
\
\\((
))�
A!
z
]
«
\\
m\
«
�a
a
\
\
�0
E
■
0
0
0§
!
�
®(�jk\
U)
{§
U)
(
§_%
e
-6
k
)
#
{
/
/
-)�)
kkk:
\
-
\
f■
0
.
|
LY
|
)
|
)
3 -13 -201 5:03PM FROM p 2
KA FAA
Airport Working Group of Orange County, lnc.
March 13, 2001
Mayor Gary Adams
City of Newport Beach VIA FACSIMILE
3300 Newport Blvd.
Newport Beach, CA 92663
Dear Mayor Adams,
The purpose of this letter is to clarify our correspondence of March 12, 2001.
The Airport Working Group of Orange County, Inc. (AWG) is in total accord with
the terms, conditions, and time line being negotiated between the City of Newport
Beach and the County of Orange regarding the extension of the JWA Settlement
Agreement.
Our position is conditional upon the City of Newport Beach actively pursuing
commercial aviation at MCAS, El Toro because we believe:
1. Orange County needs additional commercial aviation capacity,
2. El Toro is the only site that offers the ultimate protection to the residents of
Newport Beach so that JWA will not.inherit the entire long -term
commercial aviation demand for Orange County.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call.
Sincerely,
XOWI A01 ,
Tom Naughton Barbara Lichman
President Executive Director
1048 Irvine Avenue • PMB 467 • Newport Beach • California • 92660 - (949) 224 5504
MAR -13 -2001 17:Ar, on..
A
I CGtizerfs for Jobs 8c tFve EcormomyI
d . \on -pr „fir tarp or ari�rr
March 13, 2001
Members, City Council
City of Newport Beach
Citizens for Jobs & the Economy (CJ &E) is in total accord with the terms, conditions,
and time line being negotiated between the City of Newport Beach and the County of
Orange regarding extension of the John Wayne Airport (JWA) Settlement Agreement.
Our position is conditional upon the City of Newport Beach actively pursuing
commercial aviation at MCASET because we believe that (1) Orange County needs
additional commercial aviation capacity, and (2) El Toro is the only site that offers the
ultimate protection to the residents of Newport Beach so that JWA will not solely inherit
the entire long term commercial aviation demand for Orange County.
If there are any questions or comments regarding our position, please give us a call.
Sincerely,
Bruce Nestande
President & CEO, CJ &E
George L. Argyros
Chairman, CJ &E
949 So re th Coast Orire. Suite #600 • Costa Mesa. CA 92 62 6
( 7 1 4 ) 451 -5074 Fax (714) 451 -.5069
q
1
March 6, 2001
Board of Supervisors Meetine
Subject: Support of the $5 Million public outreach program through OCRAA for the El
Toro Airport. Agenda Item # 40.
The Orange County Airport Working Group supports the expenditure of funds from the
John Wayne Airport revenue source to provide factual information as to the need for the
El Toro Airport. This is long overdue.
The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) recognized the need for
the El Toro airport in their regional analysis and recommendation presented last
Thursday.
LAX handled 67,606,831 passengers last year. This was a 5.2% increase over the
64,279,571 passengers in 1999 or an increase of 3,327,260 passengers in just one
year. At this rate LAX will reach its capacity limit of 78 MAP in less than 3 years.
Increase in pass. /vear
• 1998
61,215,712 pass.
(actual)
baseline
• 1999
64,279,571 pass.
(actual, increase of 5.0 %)
3,063,859 (actual)
• 2000
67,606,861 pass.
(actual, increase of 5.2%)
3,327,260 (actual)
• 2001
70,987,172 pass.
(est. at 5 %)
3,380,343 (est.)
• 2002
74,536,530 pass.
(est. at 5 %)
3,549,358 (est.)
• 2003
78,263,356 pass.
(est. at 5 %)
3,726,826 (est.)
Note: LAX today is carrying 77% of the passenger demand in the SCAG region.
The cost to increase LAX capacity from 78 MAP to 89 MAP, a 11 MAP increase,
is 12 Billion dollars.
As you can see from above, LAX has been handling the bulk of the passenger demand in
the SCAG region. If LAX holds to their current capacity of 78 MAP, other airports in the
region are going to have to absorb the increase demand in three years or you will restrict
capacity. Restrict capacity and you will increase cost to the user similar to the current
energy crisis. Only this time you will be working with a true deregulated airline system
that knows how to adapt their price structure to a limited capacity.
Why El Toro and John Wayne airports are needed in the regional plan must be shown
from the factual information available.
Tom Naughton
President
O.C. Airport Working Group