Lido homeowners pledge money for cap fight

Paul Clinton

LIDO ISLE -- To help fight any potential expansion of John Wayne

Airport after 2005, a Lido Isle homeowners group has pledged up to

$25,000 to the Airport Working Group.

Group members said they plan to participate in any future discussions

with Newport Beach and Orange County officials to extend the flight

restrictions at John Wayne. The airport’s 8.4-million annual passenger

cap is set to expire in 2005.

In a Jan. 3 letter to the privately funded group, the Lido Isle

Community Assn. said its members made the donation “to the cause of

protecting our island.”

As a starting point, the community association wrote a $12,500 check

to the Newport Beach-based group, which has also fought for an airport at

the closed El Toro Marine air base.

If Lido residents chip in an additional $12,500, the homeowners board

will match it with a second $12,500.

Board spokeswoman Susan Crossley said the group also supports the

county’s El Toro airport plan.

“It’s not that we’re not for [an airport at] El Toro,” Crossley said.

“We just really want to protect Lido.”

The funds will probably be used to pay legal bills the Airport Working

Group runs up in the settlement-extension talks, group member David Ellis

said. The funds could also be used for mailers.

South County groups haven’t been shy about cracking open their wallets

to oppose an El Toro airport. The El Toro Reuse Planning Authority, a

consortium of South County cities, spent more than $2.87 million during

the 1999-00 fiscal year, records show. Irvine spent $8.1 million in the same period.

“We cannot compete with that, even with Lido’s generosity,” Ellis

said. “They’re using taxpayer dollars.”

While the Airport Working Group won’t use the Lido contribution on El

Toro, Ellis said the two issues can’t be separated.

As the county’s population grows, creating more demand for longer-haul

flights, passenger traffic continues to grow at John Wayne. In a December

report, John Wayne officials said the airport is closing in on its

8.4-million limit.

Fifth Distinct Supervisor Tom Wilson, who represents Newport Beach,

said he welcomed Lido’s expenditure but questioned whether the money

would be funneled to El Toro causes.

“I’m very pleased,” Wilson said. But “is the Airport Working Group the

right target for the money? . . . I’m wondering if commingling of funds

is a good thing.”