 ANAHEIM, CA - (March 1, 2000) - The Orange County Regional Airport Authority (OCRAA) is a Joint Powers Authority currently representing 15 member cities with the County of Orange as an ex-officio member. OCRAA was originally established in the 1970's with the primary goal "to sustain and enhance Orange County's strong and vibrant economy by identifying and promoting a local commercial airport that can satisfy the current and projected commercial air passenger and cargo needs of Orange County into the 21st Century." Research shows that by the year 2020, Orange County land use will generate air passenger demand of 33 million annual passengers and 1.5 million tons of cargo that must be serviced outside of Orange County unless a local alternative is developed. John Wayne Airport (JWA) cannot satisfy current or future commercial air demand because of its small and limited physical size (440 acres), single short-haul runway and limited gate space, and restricted parking area. OCRAA believes that JWA service must be supplemented with a second local commercial airport to handle medium to long hauls domestically and internationally. In 1993, the closure of MCAS El Toro as a military facility was approved by Congress and the President. On November 8, 1994, the voters of Orange County approved Measure A. This initiative called for the County to designate the closed El Toro airbase for "civilian aviation and related uses". On April 5, 1995, the County of Orange was designated by the Department of Defense as the Local Redevelopment Authority; meaning that the County is responsible for coordinating the aviation reuse project at El Toro. OCRAA serves as a forum for member cities to participate in the reuse planning process by obtaining and disseminating providing accurate information to the public on the projected demand, economic and employment benefits, noise, traffic, and air quality impacts of commercial air service. OCRAA is committed to maintaining a strong line of communication between its member cities and the County as it proceeds with the planning process for the reuse of El Toro. The City of Anaheim is a member city of OCRAA. Please take the time to learn how the proposed project at El Toro will affect the citizens of Anaheim. The County has provided links to both sides of this issue on their web page, which can be accessed by clicking on the link provided below. http://www.eltoromdp.org
### ABOUT ANAHEIM - The City of Anaheim, founded in 1857, is one of the nation's premier municipalities and is California's 10th most populous city. Anaheim covers 50 square miles with more than 345,500 residents and more than 3,200 City employees. The municipal corporation's annual budget is $1.4 billion. Anaheim supports a thriving business community with companies such as Carl Karcher Enterprises, Inc., L-3 Communications, Pacific Sunwear, and Disneyland Resort. Successful sports franchises call Anaheim home, including Angels Baseball, Anaheim Ducks, the 2008 Olympic Gold Medal winning U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team, and the 2008 Olympic Silver Medal winning U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team. Anaheim also boasts world-class meeting and entertainment venues with the Anaheim Convention Center, the largest on the west coast, Honda Center, The Grove of Anaheim, The Shops at Anaheim GardenWalk, and Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Annually, Anaheim welcomes millions of visitors to the city, truly making it where the world comes to live, work and play. For more information, please visit www.anaheim.net. |
