El Toro’s Future: Discussion Continues

* Obviously the problem of how best to use the El Toro Marine Base property has been solved for everyone by current events. The latest being the tragic end of lovely and innocent Polly Klaas perpetrated by a man that should never have been released from prison and probably would not have been had there been available space for him and a little less leniency shown a violent felon.

Richard Allen Davis is just one of a long line of repeat offenders who have been released back into society to repeat their heinous crimes once again. It has been admitted that they are walking the streets because of the above reasons.

This piece of land would be ideal for the construction of a large prison facility and possibly for housing for their staff. Leftover ground could be used for a small factory and a farm to be worked by the lesser offenders. The need is screamingly clear.

The BIG MONEY of Newport Beach and the greedy people of Disneyland should not protest this as it is painfully clear what should be done.

Remember, you Newporters, John Wayne Airport was already there when you developed your Big Canyon areas, etc., so it’s all yours to keep.

You people of Disneyland and Anaheim tax collectors could come up with an inexpensive way of transporting folks from John Wayne Airport to your facilities, thereby getting off the backs of us in South Orange County.

Time is of the essence and this needs to be addressed now. Squabbling and procrastinating will not get the federal help we so vitally need, so ONWARD, FORWARD and THANKS for listening.

MARIE MULLARD

Newport Beach

* We lived in Newport Beach for 35 years and were well aware of the expanding John Wayne Airport. A larger airport should be somewhere else!

Three years ago we moved to Laguna Niguel with full knowledge of the El Toro Marines overhead. A commercial airport was not in the plan.

As we drove south today toward San Diego we were again impressed with the vast expanse of open space called Camp Pendleton, roughly the size of the State of Rhode Island.

There are scattered buildings, barracks, housing, storage and a small airfield, all dwarfed by this huge open space area . . . worth billions . . . and a perfect site for a super-sized international airport. Let’s please at least consider the possibility before the dogfight over the El Toro site progresses further.

The possibility of sharing this locale with the military seems entirely practical, given the land involved. A completely open and safe place for all aircraft would be realized and there are no homeowners whose property would be devalued by noise & traffic. It is hard to believe that the military could make the case that this expanse of prime coastline is needed for training purposes.

By all means retain the beaches and open space, one of our last windows to the sea, but let’s see commercial airliners share the sky.

The sale of El Toro to private developers could generate millions. Use that capital to develop a commercial airport on part of the Pendleton site. On the other hand, the sale of Camp Pendleton could pay off the national debt. What say you?

M. STEWART

Laguna Niguel