Supervisors Urged to Halt El Toro Plan
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SANTA ANA — South county residents still fuming over noise made by commercial jets flying over their homes made some of their own Tuesday night before the Orange County Board of Supervisors and its pro-airport majority.
More than 100 residents demanded an end to plans to build a commercial airport at the retired El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, arguing that jets that flew in and out of the military base as part of a noise experiment produced an unbearable roar as they descended over communities from Dana Point to Laguna Woods and departed over Irvine, Anaheim Hills, Foothill Ranch and Coto de Caza.
Newport Beach residents were also in attendance Tuesday night, countering that noise from two days of demonstration flights in June were significantly quieter than what Newport Beach deals with every day from John Wayne Airport traffic.
The ruckus over the demonstration flights echoed complaints aired in late June when a hastily scheduled forum at an Aliso Viejo high school drew about 700 south county residents who were furious over the prospect of commercial operations at El Toro.
The jet noise galvanized many, including those who complained about sound readings as high as 92 decibels reported in Laguna Woods.
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