UCI

Public support for the plans to convert the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station into an international airport has dropped in the past year, and most Orange County residents now think it is unlikely that the airport project will ever be realized.

Only 35% of residents now say they favor having an airport at El Toro, while 54% are opposed, and 11% are undecided. The number opposed to the airport has risen 8 points since last September. Even in the North County, which traditionally has favored the airport, opponents (45%) now outnumber supporters (41%). In the South County, 78% oppose the El Toro Airport and only 18% are in favor. Among Orange County voters, 57% oppose the airport plan, 34% approve and 9% are undecided.

In the wake of Measure F's passage, fewer than half of Orange County residents (43%) think it is likely that an international airport will be built at El Toro, with 14% saying it is very likely and 29% saying it is somewhat likely. Half (49%) think it is unlikely that El Toro will be developed into an international airport, with 25% saying it is somewhat unlikely and 24% saying very unlikely, while 8% are uncertain. North County residents (47%) are more likely than those in the South County (32%) to think the El Toro airport will be built. Among residents who are registered to vote, more than half (55%) think the El Toro airport is unlikely to be built.

Most residents (50%) want John Wayne to be the county's only commercial airport, while a third want to develop an international airport at El Toro and continue to use John Wayne as a commercial airport. Only 7% want to close John Wayne and have El Toro as the county's main airport. This is similar to past years. In the South County, seven in 10 think John Wayne should be the county's only airport, and only 19% want both airports in operation. Even in the North County, more residents want to have John Wayne only (43%) than both airports (37%). Among voters, 54% want John Wayne to be the sole airport, and 31% want both airports.

Opinions on the Board of Supervisors' handling of the airport issue are even more unfavorable than they were last year. Now, half (49%) disapprove of the job the supervisors have done, and fewer than one in four approve. The number with negative opinions has risen 7 points since last September. Residents are overwhelmingly negative in the South County (66%). North County residents are also more likely to disapprove (43%) than approve (24%) of the way the supervisors have handled the base conversion. And among voters, a solid 55% disapprove of the job the supervisors have done.