ALISO VIEJO : New School OKd Despite Base Protest

Over the objection of El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, the Mission Viejo Co. won approval Tuesday for the development of a private school near the base despite concerns about military air traffic and noise levels in the area.

Col. Daniel P. Pender, the air station’s community planning officer, pressed opposition to the school just before the Board of Supervisors’ vote, going as far as to blame continued development around the base for the federal government’s decision to shut down El Toro.

Supervisor Thomas F. Riley, who was unsuccessful in the local effort to keep the base open, said he was “shocked” by Pender’s criticisms and dismissed the statements as coming “out of nowhere.”

“I considered this project with an eye toward the Marine Corps,” said Riley, whose South County district includes the school site and Marine base. “It is not my intent to compromise existing land-use rules.”

The board’s unanimous approval overturns the Orange County Planning Commission’s decision last month to deny the University Day School a development permit.

To be located about seven miles south of the air station in the community of Aliso Viejo, the school plans for an enrollment of 200 children in kindergarten through the eighth grade.

The development plan calls for the construction of eight modular classroom buildings, one modular office building and a 15,000-square-foot playground. The school is expected to open next spring.

Last month, however, the development experienced a setback when the Planning Commission ruled that the school and its children would suffer because of excessive noise from military jet and cargo plane traffic.

Pender was leading the opposition before the commission and on Tuesday the colonel described the school as a form of “encroachment” that helped persuade federal officials to close down the 4,700-acre base.

“We recognize the need for educational facilities,” Pender said, “but we must adamantly object to permitting construction of a school in a location which exposes children to unacceptable noise levels generated by aircraft overflights at the site.”

Pender estimated that children, while participating in recess activities or organized athletics, would be subject bothersome noise from the 100 flights per day which would pass at about 1,500 feet above the school grounds.

Because of the jet noise, officials included a school operations requirement that would prohibit children from receiving any “outside education” on the school grounds.

Mission Viejo Co. spokeswoman Wendy Wetzel said the company was disappointed with the Marine Corps’ opposition to the school, “especially since the base will be closing.” It is expected that El Toro operations would cease before the end of the decade.

Wetzel said that at least four private schools are located in the same general area and operate despite the noise conditions.