passenger capacity. The San Francisco firm has indicated that the 1985
settlement agreement could be extended.
That agreement put the current restrictions -- a nighttime flight
curfew, 8.4-million annual passenger cap and other controls -- in place.
"I'm anxious about Dec. 31, 2005," Newport Beach Councilman Dennis
O'Neil said. "I believe that Orange County is growing, that it's one of
the most desirable places to locate your business or home."
The city, arm-in-arm with the county officials who own and run the
airport and local civic leaders, will need federal approval to extend the
noise restrictions.
City officials hope to invoke the "grandfather-clause" argument, since
the caps existed before Congress passed the Airport Noise and Capacity
Act in 1990. That law prevents local airports from imposing noise
restrictions.
Committee picks schools to get bond money
After months of quiet following the turbulent election when voters
approved a $163-million school bond in June, residents will begin to see
some results of their vote this spring.
With the start of the new year, the Newport-Mesa Unified School
District should just about finish putting together the 31-member
oversight committee that will keep an eye on district spending of the
funds.
Once the group is formed, they will begin meeting and choose four
additional at-large community members and two senior citizen
representatives.
Meanwhile, each school campus will put together site-based committees,
which will have a say in the work done on the campus each represents.
While those two selection processes are in progress, the district is
working on lining up candidates for a project manager position they hope
to fill by early February, said Mike Fine, assistant superintendent of
business services.
By the end of the school year, residents can begin to look for new
playgrounds and black tops at schools, since those items do not require
state approval.
It then will be up to the districtwide committee to decide where to
begin the refurbishing of campuses this summer.
New plan in place for Crystal Cove
The state parks department should hear an earful at its Jan. 18 public
briefing about the future of Crystal Cove.
Following through on its 1996 hiring of San Francisco developer
Passport Resorts, the state parks department set the meeting to lay out
plans to convert the 46 beach-side cottages into a $35-million luxury
resort.
Environmental groups active on the issue have vowed to block the
