Campbell & Norby Tabbed Chair & Vice

At the January 10 meeting, the Board of Supervisors reelected Bill Campbell to serve a second year as Chairman and selected me as the new Vice Chair. The vote was unanimous and came upon the motion of Supervisor Jim Silva. I’m honored by the trust and confidence of my colleagues and look forward to working with them in 2006.

Toll Road Extension Debated

I’ve attended lengthy hearings on the proposed extension of the Foothill/Eastern (241) Toll Road. The 16 miles link from Rancho Santa Margarita to the I-5 at San Onofre would complete OC’s 67-mile toll road system.

Opponents include those concerned about the highway’s impact on San Mateo Creek and the adjacent state park. Surfers are concerned about the impact on the beaches and the unique wave conditions at San Onofre.

The extension will relieve San Diego-to-LA/OC traffic on the I-5 and thin congestion along South County surface streets, where the freeway currently dumps out on Oso Parkway.

Relatively few Fourth District commuters currently use the Foothill South Toll Road, but the extension would allow North County motorists bound for San Diego County to completely bypass Central OC traffic. The entire system is supported by developer fees and tolls, which are paid at the booths or billed via a transponder system.

I sit on the Foothill/Eastern Toll Road Authority by virtue of my representing Anaheim, where the road joins the Riverside (91) Freeway. With the Governor’s office requesting 30 days to iron out last minute environmental details, a final vote has been scheduled for February 25.

Expanded Sheriff Role for Islands?

The Board of Supervisors is considering an expanded role for the Sheriff’s Department in traffic enforcement in the unincorporated county islands, but key policy questions remain. Under state law, traffic enforcement in unincorporated area is the responsibility of the California Highway Patrol. County Sheriff’s deputies do routine patrols and investigate crimes, but traffic enforcement is up to the CHP.

The Board would like to provide better traffic enforcement, but cost is an issue. Another issue is whether the OC deputies should provide traffic enforcement in private communities like Coto de Caza, which have private streets and are closed to the public by guarded gates.

La Habra Ponders Annexations

The La Habra City Council will be holding a town hall meeting February 15 to hear resident concerns on the proposed annexation of 13 unincorporated county islands in and around that city. The meeting will be at 7:00 in the La Habra City Council Chambers at Euclid and La Habra Blvds.

These scattered islands with about 1,500 people have long been within La Habra’s sphere of influence, but municipal services are still provided by the county. Routinely, however, La Habra police respond to call within the islands without compensation, as the nearest Sheriff’s substation is in Stanton.

The Board of Supervisors has offered La Habra $1.7 million from OC sewer, street and park funds once the annexation is completed, but there are time constraints on the funds and we hope to reach an agreement within the next 2 months. Much will hinge on the support, acquiescence—or opposition—of the island residents involved.

Appointments, Promotions & Openings

I have recently appointed George Miller to represent the Fourth District on the Orange County Veterans Affairs Council. A Korean War vet, Miller has been long active Fullerton’s American Legion Post 142. I’ve also appointed Peter Agarwal to serve on the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee and reappointed Yvonne Mitchell to another term on the Senior Citizens Advisory Council.

Dave Zenger, who represents the Fourth District on the Orange County Planning Commission, was just elected Chairman of the commission.

There remains an opening on the Development Processing Review Committee, which seeks to streamline the County’s building permit process. Interested applicants should call my office at 714-834-3440 and ask for Kara or Eileen.

Upcoming Appearances