Newport activists want to ground proposed helipad near John Wayne Airport.

Some of the concerns include student safety because Mariner's Christian School is 900 feet away and noise levels for neighbors.

A Costa Mesa developer has applied to build a helicopter landing pad atop an office building next to John Wayne Airport, and Newport Beach officials and activists are lining up to fight it.

At Tuesday's City Council meeting, Newport Councilman Keith Curry asked the city manager to consider opposing the project.

Because most JWA planes take off over Newport, its residents have traditionally fought the hardest against airport expansion and noise.

But the developer and at least one Costa Mesa city official say they have stepped too far in this case. The conflict raises the questions of what is an airport expansion, and how much should Newport Beach residents intervene in their neighbors' affairs.

"Newport wants to clamp down on any expansion of the airport footprint," said Newport Councilwoman Leslie Daigle, who sits on the Airport Land Use Commission.

Source: http://articles.dailypilot.com