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February 1, 2013 |
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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. SOUTH COUNTY NEWS
3. TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION
4. SAFETY SENTRY
5. HARBOR HAPPENINGS
6. CRITTER CHRONICLES
7. TAX COLLECTOR COLLECTIBLES
8. LIBRARY LAUREATE
9. NOTES FROM THE FIELD
10. FIFTH DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT
11. SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR
12. 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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| BOARD BULLETIN BOARD |
Pacific Park/Oso Parkway Traffic Signal Synchronization
The Board approved a cooperative agreement for implementation of the Pacific Park Drive/Oso Parkway Corridor Traffic Signal Synchronization Project.
The Renewed Measure M (M2) Regional Traffic Signal Synchronization Program (RTSSP) is administered by the Orange County Transportation Authority and provides funding for coordination of traffic signals across jurisdictional boundaries. Projects are funded for a grant period of three years, with a required 20 percent minimum local match of the total project cost from the respective agencies.
The proposed project extends from Aliso Viejo Parkway to the State Route 241 interchange and will synchronize 31 traffic signals, spanning approximately eight miles, and crosses five jurisdictional boundaries, including the cities of Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, the County and Caltrans.
“Before and After” studies conducted on previously completed traffic signal synchronization projects throughout Orange County have shown that signal synchronization results in a reduction in the number of stops, an increase in average speeds, while decreasing fuel consumption, greenhouse gases, and other vehicle emissions. The reduction of greenhouse gases is made possible by reducing the number of stops and streamlining the flow of traffic.
The Project includes signal coordination, communication and detection support, new/upgraded communication systems, new/upgraded detection, intersection/field modernization and replacement, and minor signal operation improvements. Traffic signals will be upgraded based on equipment needs of each agency.
Along the Pacific Park Drive/Oso Parkway Corridor, four traffic signals are located within the County's jurisdictional boundary at the intersections of Plaza Drive, Antonio Parkway, Morning Trail, and Meandering Trail. The total cost of the project is $612,777, with the County's required local match being $10,113.
For more information, please click here.
Affordable Housing Ad Hoc Committee Recommendations
Since April of last year, Supervisor Janet Nguyen and I have been discussing new strategies for affordable housing as part of the Board of Supervisors Affordable Housing Ad Hoc Committee. In collaboration with OC Community Resources staff, we have held multiple meetings to discuss the current affordable housing policies, reviewed the existing stock of affordable housing and the existing and future need. In this new post redevelopment world, the County and our partner cities need to look for new ways to address housing needs.
To that end, the Board approved our first set of recommendations that takes our affordable housing strategy in a great new direction. This pilot program will allocate appropriately $2,000,000 toward the purchase and renovation of single family homes and $500,000 toward rental assistance.
Under the Single Family Affordable Rental Housing Program, loans would be provided to developers for acquiring and rehabilitating single family homes, duplexes, or triplexes for low income family, senior, or special needs populations. Developers will be selected through a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) on a first come first serve basis. This new pilot program will focus on expedient, efficient allocation of limited financial resources for affordable housing to take advantage of the current state of the housing market.
The Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program is designed to address the need for permanent housing solutions for low-income individuals, families and seniors that need move-in assistance or rental subsidies. By providing onetime and ongoing subsidies, this program can rapidly rehouse and relocate individuals, decrease the waiting time for other affordable housing spaces, and help in addressing the County’s homeless problem.
I am thankful to Supervisor Nguyen and our County staff for thinking outside the box, as we continue to try to address affordable housing needs in a new reality. For more information about this item, please click here.
Teeter Funding Plan Approved
The Teeter Plan, adopted by the County in 1993, is an alternative method for distribution of revenues from the secured property tax roll to local participating agencies. Orange County participating cities, agencies, districts and taxing entities receive their full share of property taxes from the secured roll, whether or not these taxes have been collected.
The Teeter Plan, by purchasing and financing the participants secured tax delinquencies, provides these agencies with stable and timely cash flow without the collection risk. The County, in exchange for assuming the collection risk, receives the delinquent taxes, penalties and interest for the tax-defaulted properties when paid.
This week, the Board authorized a change from a Letter of Credit Facility with Wells Fargo Bank N.A., which supports the Teeter Commercial Paper Program, to a three-year tax exempt Note Purchase and Reimbursement Agreement. This change in financing mechanism is expected to reduce the County’s Teeter Program administrative costs approximately $800,000 over the three-year agreement term.
For more information about this program, please click here.
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| SOUTH COUNTY NEWS |
Community Forum to Discuss Annual Report on OC Children
On Friday, February 8, please join me and the Orange County Children’s Partnership at Mission Hospital Conference Center from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for the fourth of five community engagement forums to discuss findings of the 18th Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County.
Each Forum highlights the key findings of the 18th Annual Report and expert presentations on the Report’s four discussion topics: Low Birth Weight in the Good Health section; Safety Net for Families in the Economic Well-Being section; STEM Education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education) in the Education section; and Bullying in the Safe Homes and Community section.
In addition to the section presentations, each Forum will feature a Community Collaboration Presentation to illustrate how the topic is being addressed within the Supervisor’s District. The Forums will conclude with a Community Engagement exercise, allowing attendees an opportunity to participate in the discussion on the featured topic.
The Community Collaboration Presentation at the February 8 Forum will focus on the topic of Childhood Immunizations.
For more information, please click here.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission to Hold Public Meeting
The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will hold a public meeting Tuesday, February 12 to discuss NRC’s current regulatory oversight status of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). The NRC staff will discuss the status of its inspection and technical evaluation of Southern California Edison’s October 3, 2012, NRC Confirmatory Action Letter.
The NRC will respond to questions about its current inspection and evaluation activities associated with the replacement steam generators at the SONGS facility. The meeting will be held at Capo Beach Church, 25975 Domingo Avenue, Capistrano Beach, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Self-parking is available and free of charge.
The public is encouraged to view the meeting via a webcast. The audio stream will be available once the meeting begins. The webcast and phone bridge will be one-way only. Questions or comments regarding San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station can be submitted at any time to OPA4@nrc.gov.
A “listen only” teleconference is also offered at (888) 790-2038, enter passcode 47018 to enter the meeting.
For more information, please click here and here.
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| TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION |
Capo Beach Rail Crossing to Become 'Quiet Zone'
Following rail crossing improvements, as part of an $85 million corridor-wide rail-safety improvement plan by the Orange County Transportation Authority, the City of Dana Point applied for and received approval from the Federal Rail Administration to implement the long-awaited Quiet Zone at the at Palisades Drive and Beach Road rail crossing.
The Quiet Zone will become effective on February 14, at which time trains will no longer have to blow their horns.
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| SAFETY SENTRY |
Super Bowl Sunday DUI Patrols
As one of America’s most anticipated and celebrated sporting events, the Super Bowl brings together families, friends and fans each year to enjoy the excitement of the big game. In many instances, fans will gather to watch the game at sports bars, restaurants or Super Bowl-themed parties.
The California Office of Traffic Safety, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Football League, and TEAM (Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management) have joined forces with law enforcement in the Avoid the 38 - Orange County DUI Task Force to promote an important safety message to the public about designating a sober driver on Super Bowl Sunday – Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.
The DUI Task Force will be deploying special roving DUI patrols on Sunday, February 3 in several communities throughout Orange County. They will stop and arrest drivers who are impaired by alcohol or drugs. In addition to these DUI patrols, regularly scheduled patrol officers will be looking for the tell-tale signs of an intoxicated driver behind the wheel.
For more information, please click here.
Protect Your Home from Carbon Monoxide
The threat of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning could be lurking in and around your home, but don’t be alarmed. In 2011, a new law in California went into effect, stating that all single family homes must have a carbon monoxide alarm installed outside of sleeping areas and on every level of the home.
Beginning this year, a new California law states that all multifamily homes must have a carbon monoxide alarm installed outside of sleeping areas and on every level of the home as well.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless and odorless gas, known as the “silent killer.” According to the Journal of American Medical Association, CO poisoning is the leading cause of accidental poisoning in the United States.
There are several sources of carbon monoxide that all homeowners should be aware of, whether their home is old or new. Carbon monoxide comes from anything that burns fuel, such as gas furnaces, stoves, water heaters, barbeque grills, wood-burning fireplaces, and motor vehicles. It is a by-product of incomplete combustion and can easily build up in enclosed or semi-enclosed areas throughout the home.
Some signs of CO poisoning include flu-like symptoms: headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can mimic other illnesses.
To view simple steps to help protect your family against CO poisoning, please click here.
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| HARBOR HAPPENINGS |
Notice of Story Poles in Dana Point Harbor
Story poles have been erected in Dana Point Harbor to illustrate the heights and locations of the proposed Commercial Core Buildings and Dry Boat Storage Building. These story poles have been placed to show the ridgelines and peaks of the proposed buildings in the conceptual Dana Point Harbor Revitalization Plan.
The story poles will remain in place for one week, including this weekend, to give interested parties ample time to view them and see how the new buildings will be situated. OC Dana Point Harbor will be taking photos of the ridgeline display for exhibits to be included in the Coastal Development Permit (CDP) application. The poles will be removed Thursday, February 7.
For more information, please click here.
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| CRITTER CHRONICLES |
Low-Cost Vaccine & Microchip Clinic
Stop by OC Animal Care and update your pet's vaccines or get a microchip during their monthly Low-Cost Vaccine & Microchip Clinic on Tuesday, February 5. For more information, please click here.
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| TAX COLLECTOR COLLECTIBLES |
Property Tax Auction
The Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s (TTC) property tax auction is scheduled for Thursday, March 14 at 10:00 AM in the Board of Supervisor’s Hearing Room at 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd. in Santa Ana, CA. The list of properties scheduled for auction will be posted on the TTC website one month before the auction.
The Tax Collector annually offers for sale real property located in the County of Orange. The properties offered for sale have become subject to the Tax Collector’s Power to Sell due to non-payment of property taxes for five or more years. The TTC is responsible for the administration of these sales pursuant to the provisions of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
Prospective purchasers for the live auction will be required to register. Registration will be held at the TTC offices Wednesday, March 13 between 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at 625 N. Ross Street, Room G-58 Santa Ana, CA.
For more information, please e-mail or call (714) 834-3411.
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| LIBRARY LAUREATE |
Literary Orange 2013
Registration is now underway for Literary Orange 2013, Orange County’s premiere literary event celebrating authors, readers and libraries. Literary Orange takes place April 6 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Irvine Marriott and will feature J.A. Jance and Tatjana Soli.
For more information, please click here.
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| NOTES FROM THE FIELD |
Laguna Canyon Foundation: Canyon Views
The Laguna Canyon Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting, enhancing and promoting the South Coast Wilderness, has issued the latest edition of its e-newsletter, Canyon Views.
To view the February issue of Canyon Views, please click here.
In special news from Canyon Views, the City of Laguna Beach, Laguna Canyon Foundation, State Coastal Conservancy, and OC Parks worked together to preserve a major portion of Rim Rock Canyon with the recent acquisition of the 56-acre "McGehee" property. One of the most spectacularly scenic areas in Laguna Beach, the long-coveted property provides beautiful vistas and sensitive habitat.
For more information, please click here.
Doheny Update
The Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association (DSBIA) has issued their latest edition of DOHENY UPDATE to better inform the public about events and conditions in the State Park.
To view the DSBIA February newsletter, please click here.
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| FIFTH DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT |
Laguna Niguel Launches Community Video TourBook
The City of Laguna Niguel is proud to announce the launch of its Community Video TourBook, highlighting their beautiful city. The TourBook, comprised of one-minute video segments, includes a message from the Mayor and features on education, recreation, business and economic development, volunteer opportunities, and much more.
The videos, produced at no cost to the City, are intended to showcase their beautiful community to visitors, enhance communication with residents, promote the local business community and Chamber of Commerce, and help attract new businesses to the area.
To check out the videos, please click here.
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| SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR |
Laguna Beach: Friday Flicks at the Forum
On Friday, February 1 at 7:00 p.m., the Laguna Beach Arts Commission will present a FREE screening of the film “Pina” at the Forum Theatre at the Festival of Arts grounds located at 650 Laguna Canyon Road. For more information, please click here.
Mission Viejo: A Living Legacy
Take look inside the making of Mission Viejo – one of the first planned communities in the nation – at a special screening of “Mission Viejo: A Living Legacy" on Wednesday, February 6 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sycamore Room at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center. For more information, please click here.
Rancho Santa Margarita: Tax Preparation Assistance
The City of Rancho Santa Margarita and the AARP Tax Aide group will be conducting the “Tax Preparation Assistance” program from February 6 through April 10 for eligible low- and moderate-income taxpayers residing in the city. For more information, please click here.
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| FIFTH DISTRICT WRAP-UP |
In addition to my many meetings, briefings, and other supervisorial activities, I also:
- Participated in the County’s Count of the Homeless effort.
- Participated in a Special Meeting of the Board of Supervisors.
- Met with representatives of the Orange County Human Relations Commission (HRC) to be briefed on the 2011-2012 HRC Annual Report. To view the Report, please click here.
- Attended the Orange County Business Council annual dinner.
- Was interviewed on Laguna Woods TV6 about my upcoming 6th annual South County Senior Summit taking place Feb. 22. For more information, please click here.
- Adjourned the Board of Supervisors meeting in memory of Jane Glenn Haas of Irvine and Betty Rose Snyder of Laguna Hills.
My office also:
- Attended the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce Board Installation ceremony to present certificates of recognition to the recipients of the 2012 Spirit of Laguna Awards.
- Attended the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce Board Installation ceremony to present certificates of recognition to the Chamber’s 2012 award recipients.
- Attended the Orange County Fire Authority’s Annual Best & Bravest Awards Ceremony.
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.
For an ADA version of our newsletter, click here.
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