Header image with Photo of Supervisor Pat Bates. Followed by office information
March 22, 2013

Pat Bates's Picture

Welcome to this edition of the Fifth District Report, an electronic newsletter keeping you updated about the events taking place in Orange County and in the Fifth District. It is my hope that you find this distribution informative and I would encourage you to contact me regarding any thoughts, comments, or concerns you may have.

PatBates@ocgov.com

IN THIS ISSUE...

1. BOARD BULLETIN BOARD

2. TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION

3. ENVIRONMENTAL MEMOS

4. CRITTER CHRONICLES

5. RECORDER RECORD

6. FIFTH DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT

7. SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR

8. FIFTH DISTRICT WRAP-UP

OUR STAFF...

Don Hughes:
Chief of Staff

Kristen Thornton:
Deputy Chief of Staff

Ray Grangoff:
Deputy Chief of Staff

Sergio Prince:
Policy Advisor

Sabrina Ross:
Policy Advisor

Ruth Strachan:
Office Manager

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Volume 7 Issue 11
BOARD BULLETIN BOARD

County Executive Officer Appointment

The Board considered the appointment of Chandra Waller to serve as the County Executive Officer. Contrary to some media reports, Ms. Waller’s original request for compensation from the outset included her paying the full share of her pension costs. Unfortunately, both sides were unable to reach agreement on her original salary request of $290,000.

In the coming days and weeks, the Board will determine the next steps for filling the CEO position. Please continue to check my newsletter for updates regarding that process.

Auditor Controller Appointment

The Board refined the list of applicants for the position of Auditor-Controller. After deliberation, the Board selected seven candidates to proceed to the interview process by a vote of four to one. In alphabetical order, the seven finalists are:
  • George Beck
  • James Benuzzi
  • Jan Grimes
  • Nick Pham
  • Gustavo Rodriguez
  • Eric Woolery
  • Alexander Yu
The Board will be selecting a date for the public interviews in the near future. I’ll be sure to keep you updated as we move forward in the process.

Responses to Grand Jury Reports

The Board approved final follow-up responses to reports issued by the 2011-2012 Grand Jury. In March each year, the County Executive Office prepares a follow-up response to the Grand Jury, addressing pending recommendations from the prior fiscal year's reports. To read the report, please click here.

The Board also discussed its response to the recent Grand Jury Report on CalOptima. To that end, the Board reviewed the draft response, as well as formed an ad hoc subcommittee comprised of Supervisors Nguyen and Spitzer to further study Recommendations 1 and 2.

Please click here to view a copy of the draft response discussed by the Board. Please click here to view the 5-year update on CalOptima provided by its CEO, Michael Schrader.

Rancho Mission Viejo Tract Maps

The Board approved two Final Tract Maps as part of the Rancho Mission Viejo Planned Community (“Ranch Plan”). Approval of these Final Tract Maps and actions related to the dedication of easements and vehicular access rights provide for streets, street lights, sewer, water, and survey monumentation for portions of the Sendaro development within Planning Area 1 of the Ranch Plan.

Final Tract Map No. 17060 consists of approximately ten acres and contains 73 numbered lots for single-family residential development and seven lettered lots for private parks/recreation, open space, public utilities, and emergency access purposes.

Final Tract Map No. 17059 consists of approximately 7.2 acres and contains 29 numbered lots for single-family residential development and four lettered lots for private streets, slope and landscaping purposes, public utilities, and emergency access.

RMV Community Development, LLC and Tri Point Homes, Inc. are co-owners of both tract maps. For more information, please click here and here.
TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION

Quiet Zone Established in San Juan Capistrano

A quiet zone was established this week at railroad crossings on Del Obispo Street, La Zanja Street, Verdugo Street, Oso Road and Avenida Aeropuerto in San Juan Capistrano. Train horns will no longer be regularly sounded at these railroad crossings.

In 2012, railroad crossing safety enhancements were completed at the railroad crossings, making them eligible for the establishment of a quiet zone. This is the eighth quiet zone to be established as part of the project.

In a quiet zone, engineers are not required to sound the train horns when passing through railroad crossings, except in an emergency. Since 2009, the Orange County Transportation Authority worked to upgrade and install safety features at 52 railroad crossings in eight Orange County cities. Once construction was complete at the railroad crossings, the individual cities were eligible to apply to the Federal Railroad Administration for a quiet zone.

Apply for the Measure M Taxpayers Oversight Committee

Residents of Orange County's First, Third, Fourth and Fifth Supervisorial Districts are invited to apply to join the Measure M Taxpayers Oversight Committee (TOC).

The TOC is an independent committee formed after the passage of Measure M in 1990. The committee monitors the use of Measure M funds and ensures all revenue collected from Measure M is spent on voter-approved transportation projects.

The online application can be accessed here. Applications are due by April 22. Please note that this is a volunteer position and no monetary compensation will be paid to committee members.

For more information, please call the Grand Jurors Association of Orange County's Taxpayers Oversight Committee Selection Panel, at (714) 970-9329 or click here.

OCTA Seeking Applications for Water Quality Projects

As part of the Measure M2 Environmental Cleanup Program, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board of Directors approved $2.8 million for projects that will improve water quality. OCTA will seek project applicants for the funding beginning March 18 and agencies have until May 17 to apply.

OCTA's Environmental Cleanup Program provides funds from Measure M2 to improve water quality in Orange County from pollution caused by transportation. Funds are awarded on a competitive basis to priority projects that improve water quality in streams, harbors and other waterways that are impacted by transportation pollution.

Once applications are received and reviewed, the OCTA Board expects to approve funding by the end of the summer.

The Toll Roads VIEWSLETTER

The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) has released its March edition of The Toll Roads VIEWSLETTER. To view the TCA publication, please click here.
ENVIRONMENTAL MEMOS

Orange County Coastal Coalition

Please join me Thursday, March 28 for the Orange County Coastal Coalition. The meeting will begin at 9:00 AM at Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, 3535 Harbor Blvd., Suite 110, Costa Mesa.

Patrick Bauer from the City of Costa Mesa will be presenting about the Fairview Park Wetlands & Riparian Habitat Restoration Project; and Dr. Sandy DeSimone from Starr Ranch Sanctuary Audubon California will be presenting about the Riparian Invasive Control, Restoration, Monitoring, and Education at Audubon Starr Ranch Sanctuary.

Their presentations will be followed by a Question & Answer session. For more information, please click here.
NOTES FROM THE FIELD

2013 Spring Habitat Tours: Responsible Regional Restoration

Please join The Toll Roads for the highly-anticipated 13th Annual Spring Tours. Experience the natural beauty of South County on a guided walk through land set aside and protected through the regional open space planning efforts of the Transportation Corridor Agencies.

Led by the restoration specialist and biologist who has spent the last two decades restoring these sites to their native habitat and contributing to The Toll Roads’ award-winning environmental programs, this year’s tours focus on the comprehensive efforts and commitment to environmental conservation and restoration, as well as provide an exclusive glimpse into special areas that few have ever seen.

For more information, please click here.
CRITTER CHRONICLES

Animal Shelter Night at Honda Center

Please join OC Animal Care and the Anaheim Ducks for Animal Shelter Night at Honda Center on Sunday, March 24 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Hockey Spot!

For more information, please click here.
RECORDER RECORD

Record “Passport Day” Prompts Additional Event

The Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department processed a record number of passport applications on Saturday, March 9, as part of a special “Passport Day in the USA” held nationally. By day’s end, 65 passports were processed with 55 photos sold, compared to 37 passports and 22 photos from last year’s Passport Day.

As the event was so successful, the department has scheduled another Passport Day for Saturday, April 27, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Old County Courthouse in Santa Ana. To save time, passport applications can be filled out in advance online at www.ocrecorder.com. Walk-ins are welcome to complete the process but appointments are encouraged by calling (714) 834-2588.

For more information, please click here.
FIFTH DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT

South County: 1930s Video Retrospective

With everyone having access to camcorders inside cellphones, personal videos shot today perhaps won't seem that amazing to future generations when they're feeling nostalgic for the good old days of 2013.

But for those of us currently above ground, we can still be fascinated by things like grainy, black-and-white home movie footage of Dana Point, Mission San Juan Capistrano and Laguna Beach, long before there were huge resort hotels, cars or crowds.

I invite you to watch a 10-minute video clip put together by San Clemente High School teacher Duncan Wilson in 2006 and recently uploaded to the YouTube page of the San Clemente-based Surfing Heritage Foundation. It's fascinating from a historical perspective, as it features many things that no longer exist, including Princess Point, which was excavated to build Dana Point Harbor, as well as wide open spaces of the South County seaside.

To view the 1930s video, please click here.

South County Surfers Dominate at State Team Tournament

Surfers from South County held a majority of the titles handed out March 10 at the National Scholastic Surfing Association's (NSSA) state team tournament in Huntington Beach, including:
  • High school – Lulu Erkeneff of Dana Hills High won the high-school women's title and Mason Klink of San Clemente High the longboard title.

  • College – Taylor Pitz of Laguna Beach took the women's shortboard title for UCLA.

  • Middle School – Alexxa Elseewi of San Clemente's Bernice Ayer Middle School is the girls' champion; Jacob Atwood of San Clemente's Shorecliffs Middle School the boys' champion.

  • Junior Varsity – San Clemente's Conner Dand took the boys' title.

  • Teams – San Clemente High scored its fifth straight NSSA state title.Shorecliffs took its ninth straight middle-school title.
For more information, please click here.
SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR

San Juan Capistrano: Swallows Day Parade

The 55th annual Swallows Day Parade and Mercado Street Fair will take place in downtown San Juan Capistrano on Saturday, March 23, beginning at 11:00 AM. The Swallows Day Parade is the nation's largest non-motorized parade. For more information, please click here and here.

Aliso Viejo: Spring Celebration & Pancake Breakfast

The Aliso Viejo Community Association’s Spring Celebration and Pancake Breakfast takes place Saturday, March 23 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Grand Park. The breakfast is from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the Aliso Viejo Town Center. For more information, please click here.

Dana Point: Free Community Electronic Waste Day

Monarch Bay Plaza is sponsoring a Free Community Electronic Waste Day to safely dispose of old computers, printers, monitors, cell phones, TVs and more on Saturday, March 23 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. For more information, please click here.

Laguna Niguel: Track and Field Meet

Boys and girls ages 6-15, born 2006-1998, are invited to participate in the City of Laguna Niguel Track and Field Meet on Sunday, March 24 at 1:00 PM at Aliso Niguel High School. For more information, please click here.
FIFTH DISTRICT WRAP-UP

In addition to my many meetings, briefings, and other supervisorial activities, I also:
  • Presented a certificate of recognition at the grand opening of Hamilton Oaks Winery in San Juan Capistrano.
  • Attended the San Clemente City Council meeting to present a proclamation to outgoing City Manager George Scarborough and introduce an Orange County Transportation Authority update on South County transportation projects.
 My staff and I look forward to continually providing you updated information in our Fifth District Newsletter and website.

Please feel free to contact my office with your concerns, comments or questions at (714) 834-3550. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your Supervisor for Orange County's Fabulous Fifth District.

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