El Toro Airport Issue Qualifies for November Ballot : Land use: Opponents argue that a commercial facility would destroy the quality of life. An emotional battle is expected.

SANTA ANA —  An initiative to convert El Toro Marine Corps Air Station to a commercial airport qualified for the November ballot Thursday, setting the stage for an emotional political battle between supporters who say the airport is needed to stimulate the local economy and opponents who argue it would destroy the quality of life in surrounding communities.

Orange County Registrar of Voters Donald Tanney validated 84,064 signatures on petitions signed by 114,879 people and submitted by the coalition of business and political leaders who are sponsoring the measure. Tanney said 73,373 valid signatures were needed to qualify the measure for the Nov. 8 ballot.

If passed, the measure--called the Orange County/El Toro Economic Stimulus Initiative--would require the county to build a commercial airport on 2,000 acres of the 4,700-acre base. Supporters contend that a new airport would create 21,645 jobs in Orange County and generate $170 million annually to local governments.

However, opponents of the initiative scoff at the contention that it would lead to thousands of jobs and millions in new revenues.

“None of us contest that an airport would create some jobs,” Mission Viejo Mayor Susan Withrow said. “But the idea that it would lead to 21,000 new jobs is over-inflated.”

Withrow and other opponents of the initiative say they oppose it because an airport would negatively affect the quality of life in Mission Viejo and other communities near El Toro.

“I can’t wait to sit by my lake and suck in all those jet fumes,” Withrow said.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), who is a supporter of the initiative, dismissed Withrow’s comments as “a lot of nonsense.”

“Some people opposing this are irrational,” he said. “An airport will have a major impact on thousands of people in this county and will affect the economic well-being of the county.”

The measure is backed by several wealthy businessmen, including George Argyros, who made millions as a developer, and Marion Knott, who is a partner in Knott’s Berry Farm and a daughter of the founder. Argyros and others said they organized the petition drive because they do not trust the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority--the official county board formed to study development alternatives for the base--to make an unbiased decision on a proposed airport.

Irvine Mayor Michael Ward and other airport opponents argued that the initiative amounts to “planning by ballot.”

“Many of the key supporters are developers,” said Ward. “If we would try to plan one of their developments through the ballot box, you can be sure they would be throwing a fit.”

Rohrabacher said airport supporters are resorting to a ballot initiative because the nine-member El Toro Reuse Planning Authority includes four members from the cities of Lake Forest and Irvine who solidly oppose a commercial airport for El Toro.

“So far, all of the information about the (proposed) airport has come from people who think they have a personal stake in it and are violently opposed to it,” said Rohrabacher. “It’s too bad we had to go the route of a direct election, but it’s the best way to give everyone in the county an opportunity to vote on the issue.”

A Times Orange County Poll conducted last month showed that nearly 60% of voters questioned oppose the initiative. But a Times Poll conducted Tuesday of 5,234 voters as they exited the polls showed that 40% oppose the initiative and that 24% responded they did not know how they would vote.

Rohrabacher said supporters were not concerned by the polls and expressed optimism that voters will turn around and support the measure as proponents publicize their position.