El Toro and Its Discontents

I am tired of reading letters from south Orange County residents protesting that the only people who are in favor of an airport at El Toro live in north Orange County. I am proud to be a south Orange County resident who is in support of the airport, and I am sure that there are lots more of us out there.

I realize the economic importance of an international airport in Orange County. It will bring needed jobs to the area and increase business at retail stores and restaurants. Most important, it will bring increased revenue from new industry which depends on an international airport for delivery and shipment of products.

I will welcome the airport and have no intention of boycotting any business in north Orange County or Newport Beach because they might not agree with my position.

FREIDA NEMEC

Laguna Niguel

* Since the development of an international airport on the El Toro site is now assured, concerns of unbridled development and deteriorating quality of life are moot.

However, as a resident of an area which is arguably one of the jewels in Orange County’s crown, I am saddened and incredulous that Orange County’s supervisors are so unwilling to learn from the short-sighted mistakes of their counterparts in other parts of our country.

As so eloquently argued in many newspaper stories, the airport will spur the economy. It will create many service industry jobs: hotels, restaurants, bars, motels, car rental agencies, transport companies. All of these are low-paying, minimally skilled jobs which increase the need for low-income housing, mini-malls and police. The same concrete morass surrounds Los Angeles International Airport.

How many miles must one travel from LAX to arrive in a beautiful neighborhood? The El Toro international airport and its attendant sprawl are the recipe for the degradation and eventual demise of the lovely coastal communities which provide the uniqueness and small-town feel that make our area attractive to so many families.

The lesson is clear. Orange County towns like Irvine, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, as we now know them, will disappear when the interests of opportunistic, nonresident profiteers gain ascendancy over the needs of the residents. The process may be gradual but it is a certainty.

Are Orange County’s leaders content with that scenario? Will that be their legacy?

SUSAN SIMMONS

Corona Del Mar

* South Orange County residents’ arrogance, ignorance and contempt toward north and central Orange County would be almost laughable if it was not so sad. These cities include some of the most affluent areas in the county. Have they not visited Yorba Linda, Villa Park, Lemon Heights, Orange Hills, Anaheim Hills, Fullerton Hills, Brea, to just name a few?

Maybe we better keep our “little secret” of gracious living, low crime, excellent schools and majestic views. Shh! Shh! Do we hear the herds from South County heading to our quiet, tranquil hills?

Oh, by the way, we do know what a plane looks like.

TRACEY BUTLER

Yorba Linda

* Why does it seem that the only people in favor of the airport are those who live in north Orange County? These people will not have to deal with a flight path in their backyard, noise pollution, air pollution, and traffic congestion. Have those of you in favor of the airport been to LAX lately? Have you noticed the surrounding community and its people (the ghetto, adult theaters, etc.), breathed the jet fuel-permeated air or just tried to get there by freeway?

These horrors are just a few examples of what an international airport will bring to south Orange County, which was recently voted one of the top 10 places in the country to live. An international airport will benefit no one in the long run; it will only serve to devalue the entire community.

Let’s use common sense. Let’s stop this instant gratification [from] an airport nonsense, and think of the detrimental long-term effects an international airport will have on our community.

Are you people really willing to sacrifice one of the finest places in the world to live for the “convenience” of an airport, and at our expense? It is easy for those who do not live in south Orange County and won’t have to suffer the consequences to vote for such a nuisance.

An international airport will be the death of south Orange County. North Orange County, either use your head or mind your own business, or we’ll all be sorry.

JENNIFER J. GARRETT

Mission Viejo

* I see that the Cypress City Council has endorsed the conversion of the El Toro Marine Corps air base to a civilian airport. I remember a few years ago when the City Council of Cypress approved a carpet warehouse to be built and they were almost run out of town by the residents of that city! Living in Aliso Viejo, I had no say as to whether this warehouse should be built, even though I’m sure it would have been beneficial to the city of Cypress, and maybe the county as a whole, from a revenue standpoint.

Imagine then my frustration that the Cypress City Council has stated that I should have an international airport in my neighborhood. Cypress residents will not be impacted by dropping real estate prices, noise and air pollution, traffic congestion and safety [concerns]. Have they forgotten the tragic incident involving the Aeromexico airliner that crashed near them [in 1986], killing dozens of people? What if all of us in South County got together and voted for the city of Cypress to build a plutonium storage facility? It would create jobs and bring revenue into the county and hey, it won’t have any negative effects on my family.

I know I’ll be voting yes.

ROGER MCKINLEY

Aliso Viejo

* The tiresome controversy goes on and on. Perhaps all of the effort being spent by all parties would be better directed toward convincing the federal government and Department of Defense to reverse their closure decision and to retain El Toro as a Marine Corps air station. Thus we could end the constant seesaw of bickering about its future use.

CHARLES E. CARTER

Huntington Beach