Military quashes thought of joint-use airport.

The chance, however slim, that the Navy or Marine Corps might free up a portion of a local base for joint use as a regional airport seems to have dwindled to none.

In response to a request from the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, military representatives met with agency officials on the matter in mid-January.

And although the Airport Authority had hoped for a parley on joint use --agency spokeswoman Diana Lucero had said earlier that, "We are looking forward to a productive and cooperative conversation on joint use."--that apparently did not happen, nor is it likely.

With no ideal locale to relocate the county's airport, it was incumbent on the agency overseeing Lindbergh Field to study five military installations, including one in Riverside County that's already devoted to public/private use.

Joe Craver, the chairman of the Airport Authority board and president of Galaxie Management, said it was part of the state's mandate that the agency study military bases as possible relocation sites.

It generated public outcry, particularly from politicians concerned with sending the wrong message to the Pentagon: that San Diego didn't mind losing one of its major military facilities in the face of a Base Realignment and Closure process, which ended late last year with no major shutdowns locally.

The Airport Authority bowed to the criticism and delayed looking at the bases until recently. The military, meanwhile, made clear its position that joint use was out of the question.

According to Angela Shafer-Payne, the authority's vice president of strategic planning, who attended the January meeting, the military essentially reiterated that stance, only in greater detail.

She said the Airport Authority was given an analysis of base operations and security considerations, which included reasons why joint use was not feasible.

"The military basically provided information as to why it (joint use) won't work," she said.

Craver, who had not seen the report, said he would withhold comment until the planning committee had a chance to look at it and make its recommendation to the full nine-member board of directors.

He also said that the Airport Authority has about three months remaining before it is due to name a relocation site for the regional airport so that a recommendation may be placed on the November ballot. To date, the agency's short list includes: North Island Naval Air Station, the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar's sprawling eastern section, and Camp Pendleton near Oceanside. March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County is also on the list, as are sites in the Imperial Valley, Borrego Springs and Campo. Expanding Lindbergh Field is also a possibility.