The Newport Beach City Council unanimously agreed during its Tuesday May 28 meeting to hold off on supporting a revised general aviation alternative for John Wayne Airport proposed by Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do.
Newport Beach staff recommended pulling the item from the meeting agenda, pending the release of more information about the revised plan from the county.
Once the information is released, council members will decide whether or not to support Do’s proposed alternative, which would cap private jet expansion at John Wayne Airport.
The alternative, which was proposed at the Board of Supervisors’ May 7 meeting, would keep the number of private jet spaces at 65. It would also make Federal Aviation Administration-required adjustments to general aviation facilities.
The revised plan would kill the construction of an international general aviation facility and increase hangar spaces for small general aviation planes, according to the Newport Beach staff report.
Ultimately, the project adopted into John Wayne’s general aviation improvement program will be determined by the OC Board of Supervisors, which is responsible for creating airport policy.
If the council decides to support Do’s alternative, the city will send a letter written by Mayor Diane Dixon to the Board of Supervisors, requesting that they adopt the project alternative.
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to talk about the county’s General Aviation Improvement Plan on June 25.