HomeMy WebLinkAbout96-8 - Opposing MeasuresRESOLUTION NO. 96 =3—
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
OPPOSING MEASURE S.
WHEREAS, El Toro Marine Corps Air Station (El Toro) is a regional asset
• consisting of 4,700 acres of land, located in the geographic center of Orange County,
near the intersection of the 5, 405, and 133 Freeways; and
WHEREAS, El Toro has two 10,000 foot runways, and two 8,000 foot runways
and, unlike John Wayne Airport which has a single 5,700 foot runway, is capable of
safely accommodating the largest military or civilian aircraft; and
WHEREAS, El Toro is scheduled for closure no later than 1999; and
WHEREAS, In November, 1994, Orange County voters approved Measure A
which amended the County's General Plan to designate a portion of El Toro MCAS
as a commercial airport if conversion to civil aviation was feasible; and
WHEREAS, Measure A established a citizens' advisory committee to develop
an El Toro Reuse Plan that would stimulate Orange County's economy and provide
benefits to all Orange County residents; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Defense has designated the Measure A
planning structure as the official organization to plan for the conversion and reuse
of El Toro; and
WHEREAS, The Federal Government has authorized the expenditure of
more than 2.5 million dollars to develop a reuse plan that analyzes all potential uses
of El Toro, including aviation and non - aviation uses, and the preparation of an
environmental impact report that fully analyzes the potential environmental effects
of the various reuse options; and
WHEREAS, the Measure A planning structure has made significant progress
towards the completion of the reuse plan for El Toro and the related environmental
impact report; and
WHEREAS, Airport opponents have qualified Measure S which prohibits
construction of new regional airport facilities anywhere in Orange County; and
• WHEREAS, Measure S also forces El Toro to remain in government
ownership for 20 years, and abolishes the citizens' advisory committee; and
WHEREAS, Passage of Measure S would effectively prohibit any reuse of El
Toro because any aviation or non - aviation use would be inconsistent with the
County's General Plan; and
WHEREAS, Passage of Measure S would mean that John Wayne Airport
would continue to be the only commercial service airport in Orange County, JWA
can serve less than 50 percent of the current air transportation demand in the
County, and JWA will always be unable to serve a majority of Orange County's air
• transportation demand due to limitations on runway length, number of gates, and
parking spaces; and
WHEREAS, Measure S has the potential to significantly delay the planning
process and indefinitely postpone the conversion of El Toro to any civilian use that
would benefit all residents of Orange County; and
WHEREAS, The Southern California Association of Governments has
determined that El Toro is easily converted from a military airfield to a civilian
airport and could immediately serve more than 4 million passengers annually at no
cost to the taxpayer; and
WHEREAS, The Orange County Regional Airport Authority estimates that
conversion of El Toro to commercial aviation will create more than 53,000 jobs in
Orange County, while passage of Measure S would effectively prohibit
redevelopment and result in no increase in employment opportunities; and
WHEREAS, Conversion of El Toro to a commercial airport will enable
Orange County to service its own air cargo demand and stimulate an industry which
could generate millions of dollars in revenue; and
WHEREAS, Measure S would prevent local governments from receiving
millions of dollars in revenue resulting from the conversion of El Toro to aviation
or non - aviation uses, and prevent Orange County cities from recovering losses
incurred in the Orange County bankruptcy; and
WHEREAS, Measure S misleads voters by claiming to ensure El Toro will be
developed with the highest and best use while actually prohibiting any
development by requiring 20 years of government use and ownership which will be
subsidized by the taxpayer; and
WHEREAS, Measure S misleads the voters by claiming that John Wayne
Airport is capable of serving substantially all of the County's air transportation
• needs when all studies have shown that more Orange County residents go to LAX,
Ontario, and other airports than are served at JWA; and
WHEREAS, Measure S misleads the voters by claiming to relieve the
financial burden of a commercial airport, when, in fact, airport improvements at El
Toro will generate thousands of new jobs, and billions of dollars in economic
growth with airport improvements financed through landing fees, as the County
did in 1985 with the new terminal at John Wayne Airport; and
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Newport Beach resolves
to oppose Measure S and encourages its residents to vote no on Measure S.
• ADOPTED, this 22nd day of January 1996.
ATTEST:
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CITY CLERK
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MAYOR
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