GOVERNMENT NEWS
Untitled Page
Irvine city officials consider joining airport coalition
The group aims to ensure quality-of-life issues for businesses and residents near JWA.
BY ASHLY MCGLONEPublished: April 11, 2010 10:20 AM
The Irvine City Council on Tuesday will consider joining a coalition of cities that 
includes Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Santa Ana in supporting measures aimed at capping noise and other negative impacts resulting from operations at John Wayne Airport.
With the proximity of the Irvine Business Complex and a number of other commercial and residential properties near the airport, the city has a vested interest in airport regulations.
“As the city and county continue to grow, impacts from JWA, such as traffic and noise, may grow as well,” wrote Irvine Senior Management Analyst Pamela Baird in a staff report for the City Council. “Air transportation demand in the county and the Southern California region exceeds supply, and that shortfall is likely to grow over time. These impacts have the possibility of adversely impacting the quality of life and long-term interests of Irvine residents.”
The county-owned-and-operated airport is the only commercial-service provider in Orange County. It served about 9 million passengers last year, with more than 218,000 total takeoffs and landings.
John Wayne airport sits on more than 500 acres of land and has two runways, and it’s in the midst of a $543 million capital improvement program that includes the planning, design and construction of a new terminal, parking structure and other related projects. A study by the Orange County Business Council estimates the projects will create about 6,700 jobs in the county and have an economic impact of more than $1 billion.
But residents have long voiced concerns over the effect that a growing airport could have on noise, traffic and other quality-of-life considerations. The issue became a focus of a lawsuit, which was settled in 1985 with an agreement that outlined limits on the number of flights and passengers the airport could service per year, among other measures. An amendment was struck in 2002 allowing for an increase in operations – revisions that were supported by the Corridor Cities Coalition, which also includes Anaheim, Tustin and Orange.
If the city of Irvine joins the coalition, it would effectively adopt the group’s stand on noise restrictions and future expansions, including adding or extending runways, among other measures.
Related headlines
Air Canada starts service at JWA
John Wayne Airport's improvement program spurs economic growth
Irvine Co. moves forward with plans for new-home development
|
||||
|
The Irvine City Council on Tuesday will consider joining a coalition of cities that includes Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Santa Ana in supporting measures aimed at capping noise and other negative impacts resulting from operations at John Wayne Airport. With the proximity of the Irvine Business Complex and a number of other commercial and residential properties near the airport, the city has a vested interest in airport regulations. “As the city and county continue to grow, impacts from JWA, such as traffic and noise, may grow as well,” wrote Irvine Senior Management Analyst Pamela Baird in a staff report for the City Council. “Air transportation demand in the county and the Southern California region exceeds supply, and that shortfall is likely to grow over time. These impacts have the possibility of adversely impacting the quality of life and long-term interests of Irvine residents.” The county-owned-and-operated airport is the only commercial-service provider in Orange County. It served about 9 million passengers last year, with more than 218,000 total takeoffs and landings. John Wayne airport sits on more than 500 acres of land and has two runways, and it’s in the midst of a $543 million capital improvement program that includes the planning, design and construction of a new terminal, parking structure and other related projects. A study by the Orange County Business Council estimates the projects will create about 6,700 jobs in the county and have an economic impact of more than $1 billion. But residents have long voiced concerns over the effect that a growing airport could have on noise, traffic and other quality-of-life considerations. The issue became a focus of a lawsuit, which was settled in 1985 with an agreement that outlined limits on the number of flights and passengers the airport could service per year, among other measures. An amendment was struck in 2002 allowing for an increase in operations – revisions that were supported by the Corridor Cities Coalition, which also includes Anaheim, Tustin and Orange. If the city of Irvine joins the coalition, it would effectively adopt the group’s stand on noise restrictions and future expansions, including adding or extending runways, among other measures. Related headlines Air Canada starts service at JWA John Wayne Airport's improvement program spurs economic growth Irvine Co. moves forward with plans for new-home development |
||||
