Friends of Harbors, Beaches & Parks Winter 2006

OutOutdoorsdoorsin Orange Countyin Orange County

By Honorable Karl Warkomski, Aliso Viejo Mayor

The Riverside County TransportationCommission (RCTC) and the Orange CountyTransportation Authority (OCTA) plan to constructone or more major new transportation corridorsconnecting the two counties. Over the last 18months the RCTC and OCTA, in conjunction withthe Foothill Transportation Corridor Agency, conducted a Major Investment Study. This studyselected several locally preferred alternatives,which will be looked at further. Though the project's alignment has yet to be determined, a fewof the proposed routes include:

- a new six-lane tunnel and road through theCleveland National Forest connecting Interstate 15to the existing 133 and 241 tollroads;

- building a new freeway parallel to the existing91 freeway; and

- adding capacity on the 91 freeway (by addingreversible lanes, widening or double-decking thefreeway).

As Mayor of one of Orange County's southerncities, Aliso Viejo, I am concerned that our localstreets will be hard hit by traffic generated from theInland Empire. The proposed road through theForest would add between 85,000 and 135,000vehicles on the 133 (Laguna Canyon Road). Thecreation of this new corridor would be a directimpact on one of the only routes into Aliso Viejoand our city may not be able to recover from suchcatastrophic traffic jams.

If the tunnel is chosen, there are many reasons commuters wouldn't drive it. First, tofinance the tunnel an estimated $20 one-way tollwould be required, destroying public lands for thebenefit of the wealthy. Second, commuters wouldbe in a high-risk situation should an accident occurwith no way to easily escape. Third, this tunnelwould be the second longest in the world and maybe targeted for a terrorist attack. Finally, there is a

seismic safety hazard since the Elsinore Fault,capable of 7.5 magnitude quake, lies below thismountain range. Would you want to be 700 feetunderground in an 11-mile tunnel when that temblor hit?

One of the major problems with transportationplanning is that agencies are only planning forgetting commuters from the Inland Empire toOrange County (point A to point B). What theyaren't looking at is what will happen to that trafficafter it reaches point B. The commuters willinevitably need to use the 133, 405 or 5 freeways. Orange County's, let alone AlisoViejo's, arterials would not be able to handle theadditional traffic since there is no plan or fundingto improve adjoining streets.

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Aliso Viejo - At the End of the Road... How Decisions in the Inland Empire will Impact this Orange County City

Birds of a feather...Be a part of Friends of Harbors, Beaches & Parks.

Help our practical, realistic projects make Orange County a better home for all of us.

Your help, large or small, is deeply appreciated.

Yes! I want to help Friends of Harbors, Beaches & Parks!

FHBP contributions are tax-deductible. Donors receive newsletters and other information on our conservation activities. Please check the category you wish:

Friend ($50) Benefactor ($500)Associate ($100) Patron ($1000+)Sponsor ($250) Other __________

Name: ______________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________

City, State Zip: ________________________________________________

Phone: ______________________________________________________

Email: _______________________________________________________

Please clip and mail to: FHBP, P.O. Box 9256, Newport Beach, CA 92658

By Greg Gauthier, Wetlands Recovery Project

Jean Watt, President of Friends of Harbors, Beachesand Parks and co-chair of the Orange County WetlandsRecovery Project (WRP) Task Force was presented withWRP’s Leadership Award. The award was presented atthe H2O Conference held in Orange County in October.

Presenter and Orange County Supervisor TomWilson (shown right with Jean), said that “Jean Watt isan outstanding environmental leader committed to theacquisition, restoration and enhancement of wetlandresources throughout Orange County and SouthernCalifornia.

Her calm and determined skill at building truly collaborative approaches to protecting open space,rivers, beaches and other habitats critical to our quality of life is an inspiration to all who join in her

efforts. From the Orange Coast River Park and OrangeCounty Green Vision Project, to her work with the manycomponents of the Wetlands Recovery Project she setsthe highest standard for dedication and vision.”

Cleveland National Forest

There is an inevitable but rarely used linkbetween land use planning and transportationplanning. There are dozens of concepts availablethat would relieve congestion and some don'teven require an investment in the transportation system. Here are a few examples of how wecould eliminate the need for an inter-countytransportation corridor:

· A 2% change in Riverside County's land useto include mixed use, commercial and industrialemployment centers would eliminate the need foranother east-west transportation corridor.

· In Vancouver Canada, planners have implemented a sky rail system to transport peopleto and from work. Wouldn't that be fun?

· If employers allowed a 9-80 workweek ortelecommuting fewer cars would be on the road.This would open up our freeways and allow us tospend more time with our families.

· If the top 200 employers in Orange Countyopened satellite offices in Riverside County, therewouldn't be a need to commute to our job centers.

It is clear to me that you can't build your wayout of congestion. Orange County residentsshouldn't have to suffer for bad land use decisions in other counties. I encourage you toget involved - tell the OCTA how you feel and support the use of alternative concepts to createtraffic solutions. Call 877-SR91-FWY or write to:P.O. Box 14184, Orange CA 92863-1584.

By: Jean Watt, President FHBP

My encounter with the word“imagine” associated with parks andopen space in Orange County camein 1998 when I was called upon toserve as a Public Advisory Committeemember on a new endeavor, theSouthern California WetlandsRecovery Project - “an alliance toacquire, restore and expand wetlandsalong the coast and in coastal watersheds.”

Imagine that, I thought. The governor’s office has set up a 17agency partnership to include localgovernment and non-profit folks and focus on restoration ofwetlands in a five county coastal area, from Santa Barbara toSan Diego. After years of grassroots scrambling to save UpperNewport Bay and Bolsa Chica wetlands, now the need to saveand restore these vital resources has arrived at the thresholdof science and government institutions. They are worthy ofstatewide interest. I am glad to help with that!

Mary Nichols, then California Resources Secretary, chairedthe group and said, “Restoration is a breathtaking concept.When a community commits to it - when people commit to thenotion they can make things whole again - it opens immensepossibilities.” And sure enough, once the group began to meetand form itself into county task forces, everyone’s imaginationtook over. Imagine restoring creeks and channels allowing allthe beneficial uses to prevail - to clean the water, to providehabitat and restore some of the water oriented visions andexperiences city folk long for. Imagine re-creation of streamaccess for steel head trout. Imagine saving some of theremaining great open spaces that still have natural streams

Introducing the Imagine Seriesa Before & After Look at Orange County’s Treasures

After

and habitats. Imagine creatinga River Trail along the SantaAna River with a five mile naturalized stretch even openfor rafting.

Friends of Harbors, Beaches and Parks (FHBP) was fortuitously formed just one year before the WetlandsRecovery Project came into existence and so was the logical non-profit group to provide leadership in OrangeCounty for this project. Natural evolution of thought abouthow to proceed called for maps showing where neededopen spaces, acquisition and restoration projects shouldoccur. Thus the Green Vision Project evolved. Now wehave our maps, our projects identified and some havealready been completed. We also have coordination ofgroups and agencies working toward the completion of ourGreen Vision. Imagine that!

FHBP has made a commitment to our County’s park,open space and wetland needs, as well as to educational opportunities to make sure this commitment thrives and continues. We encourage youto let your imagination run free and help make OrangeCounty’s future green and healthy. Breaking News - TheTrabuco Creek fish ladder has been funded. Imagine that!

FHBP Board of DirectorsJean Watt, PresidentAlice Sorenson, Vice PresidentDon Thomas, TreasurerCarolyn Wood, Secretary

Wayne BaglinStephanie BargerGarry BrownDebra ClarkeHoward DeCruyenaereEvan HenryHelen HigginsFlossie HorganBob JosephStephanie PachecoTheresa SearsMike WellbornDick Zembal

Supporting OrganizationsAmigos de Bolsa ChicaAudubon, Sea & Sage ChapterCaspers Wilderness Park

VolunteersEarth Resource FoundationEquestrian Coalition of O.C.Environmental Nature CenterHuntington Beach Wetlands

Conservancy & WildlifeCare Center

Laguna Canyon ConservancyLaguna Canyon FoundationLaguna Greenbelt, Inc.The Newport ConservancySierra Club, Orange CountySurfrider Foundation, Newport

Beach ChapterStop Polluting Our NewportUpper Newport Bay Naturalists

& FriendsSt. Mark Presbyterian Church

Ecophilians

Advisory BoardMarian BergesonConnie BoardmanMarilyn BrewerRoy & Ilse ByrnesLaura CohenJoe DunnRoger FaubelSandy GenisLouise GreeleyShirley GrindleTom HarmanEvelyn HartJack KeatingVic LeipzigMatt RaylClaire SchlotterbeckDan Silver, M.D.Dr. Jack & Nancy SkinnerJan Vandersloot, M.D.

Newsletter CommitteeJean Watt, EditorTheresa SearsMelanie Schlotterbeck, Design

and Layout

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FHBP President Jean Watt Receives Leadership Award

Green Vision Project:Shaping the County’s Open Space Future

by: terry watt, green vision project manager

In 2000, FHBP launched its Orange CountyGreen Vision Project, with the specific missionof increasing funding and support for parks,water quality and open space throughoutOrange County. The Green Vision Project provides the implementation framework -maps, data, outreach - necessary to accomplish FHBP's overarching mission. thecenterpieces of the Green Vision Projectinclude the green vision map, an associatedproject matrix and a funding options reporthighlighting the best approaches to fundingthe Vision.

Perhaps most important is the GreenVision's outreach and education component.Led by the Green Vision management teamand its 36+ member Working Group, in 2005,

FHBP sponsored three green vision Workshops. these workshops provide a means of sharing information,learning about opportunities to build, manage and operate the County's open space system, and to coordinateparticipation by the Working Group in the ongoing dialogues concerning the future of Orange county’s openspace system. the workshops have focused on:

1. the green vision outreach strategy, learning the importance of public policy research/polling to shape messaging and strategic action.2. open space polling completed by Fairbank, Maslin,Maullin & Associates for fhbp and its working group.3. the orange county transportation authority’s proposed renewal of measure m (a transportation tax) and the county of orange’s strategic plan, which will determine the future of the county’s open space.

Workshop attendees debrief the group after break-out sessions.

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as a result of this year’s work:* the base of potential supporters and collaborators for theGreen Vision has been significantly expanded and diversified;

* the Green Vision Project, FHBP and its Working Group are strategically positioned to play a prominent role in determiningthe future of the County's wildlands and wilderness protectionand management thereof;

* refinements and adjustments to the Green Vision Map andMatrix facilitated by the participation of Working Group members and new partners have improved the base of information necessary to draw support and funding for openspace protection. the map has become the centerpiece of theCounty's strategic planning effort and may guide the effort;

* FHBP and its working group members supported polling completed by John Fairbank’s firm. it showed that that 69% ofthose polled are willing to pay higher taxes to support both astate and local conservation measure.

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Friends of Harbors, Beaches & Parks Winter 2006

OutOutdoorsdoorsin Orange Countyin Orange County

By Honorable Karl Warkomski, Aliso Viejo Mayor

The Riverside County TransportationCommission (RCTC) and the Orange CountyTransportation Authority (OCTA) plan to constructone or more major new transportation corridorsconnecting the two counties. Over the last 18months the RCTC and OCTA, in conjunction withthe Foothill Transportation Corridor Agency, conducted a Major Investment Study. This studyselected several locally preferred alternatives,which will be looked at further. Though the project's alignment has yet to be determined, a fewof the proposed routes include:

- a new six-lane tunnel and road through theCleveland National Forest connecting Interstate 15to the existing 133 and 241 tollroads;

- building a new freeway parallel to the existing91 freeway; and

- adding capacity on the 91 freeway (by addingreversible lanes, widening or double-decking thefreeway).

As Mayor of one of Orange County's southerncities, Aliso Viejo, I am concerned that our localstreets will be hard hit by traffic generated from theInland Empire. The proposed road through theForest would add between 85,000 and 135,000vehicles on the 133 (Laguna Canyon Road). Thecreation of this new corridor would be a directimpact on one of the only routes into Aliso Viejoand our city may not be able to recover from suchcatastrophic traffic jams.

If the tunnel is chosen, there are many reasons commuters wouldn't drive it. First, tofinance the tunnel an estimated $20 one-way tollwould be required, destroying public lands for thebenefit of the wealthy. Second, commuters wouldbe in a high-risk situation should an accident occurwith no way to easily escape. Third, this tunnelwould be the second longest in the world and maybe targeted for a terrorist attack. Finally, there is a

seismic safety hazard since the Elsinore Fault,capable of 7.5 magnitude quake, lies below thismountain range. Would you want to be 700 feetunderground in an 11-mile tunnel when that temblor hit?

One of the major problems with transportationplanning is that agencies are only planning forgetting commuters from the Inland Empire toOrange County (point A to point B). What theyaren't looking at is what will happen to that trafficafter it reaches point B. The commuters willinevitably need to use the 133, 405 or 5 freeways. Orange County's, let alone AlisoViejo's, arterials would not be able to handle theadditional traffic since there is no plan or fundingto improve adjoining streets.

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Aliso Viejo - At the End of the Road... How Decisions in the Inland Empire will Impact this Orange County City

Birds of a feather...Be a part of Friends of Harbors, Beaches & Parks.

Help our practical, realistic projects make Orange County a better home for all of us.

Your help, large or small, is deeply appreciated.

Yes! I want to help Friends of Harbors, Beaches & Parks!

FHBP contributions are tax-deductible. Donors receive newsletters and other information on our conservation activities. Please check the category you wish:

Friend ($50) Benefactor ($500)Associate ($100) Patron ($1000+)Sponsor ($250) Other __________

Name: ______________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________

City, State Zip: ________________________________________________

Phone: ______________________________________________________

Email: _______________________________________________________

Please clip and mail to: FHBP, P.O. Box 9256, Newport Beach, CA 92658

By Greg Gauthier, Wetlands Recovery Project

Jean Watt, President of Friends of Harbors, Beachesand Parks and co-chair of the Orange County WetlandsRecovery Project (WRP) Task Force was presented withWRP’s Leadership Award. The award was presented atthe H2O Conference held in Orange County in October.

Presenter and Orange County Supervisor TomWilson (shown right with Jean), said that “Jean Watt isan outstanding environmental leader committed to theacquisition, restoration and enhancement of wetlandresources throughout Orange County and SouthernCalifornia.

Her calm and determined skill at building truly collaborative approaches to protecting open space,rivers, beaches and other habitats critical to our quality of life is an inspiration to all who join in her

efforts. From the Orange Coast River Park and OrangeCounty Green Vision Project, to her work with the manycomponents of the Wetlands Recovery Project she setsthe highest standard for dedication and vision.”

Cleveland National Forest

There is an inevitable but rarely used linkbetween land use planning and transportationplanning. There are dozens of concepts availablethat would relieve congestion and some don'teven require an investment in the transportation system. Here are a few examples of how wecould eliminate the need for an inter-countytransportation corridor:

· A 2% change in Riverside County's land useto include mixed use, commercial and industrialemployment centers would eliminate the need foranother east-west transportation corridor.

· In Vancouver Canada, planners haveimplemented a sky rail system to transport peopleto and from work. Wouldn't that be fun?

· If employers allowed a 9-80 workweek ortelecommuting fewer cars would be on the road.This would open up our freeways and allow us tospend more time with our families.

· If the top 200 employers in Orange Countyopened satellite offices in Riverside County, therewouldn't be a need to commute to our job centers.

It is clear to me that you can't build your wayout of congestion. Orange County residentsshouldn't have to suffer for bad land use decisions in other counties. I encourage you toget involved - tell the OCTA how you feel and support the use of alternative concepts to createtraffic solutions. Call 877-SR91-FWY or write to:P.O. Box 14184, Orange CA 92863-1584.

By: Jean Watt, President FHBP

My encounter with the word“imagine” associated with parks andopen space in Orange County camein 1998 when I was called upon toserve as a Public Advisory Committeemember on a new endeavor, theSouthern California WetlandsRecovery Project - “an alliance toacquire, restore and expand wetlandsalong the coast and in coastal watersheds.”

Imagine that, I thought. The governor’s office has set up a 17agency partnership to include localgovernment and non-profit folks and focus on restoration ofwetlands in a five county coastal area, from Santa Barbara toSan Diego. After years of grassroots scrambling to save UpperNewport Bay and Bolsa Chica wetlands, now the need to saveand restore these vital resources has arrived at the thresholdof science and government institutions. They are worthy ofstatewide interest. I am glad to help with that!

Mary Nichols, then California Resources Secretary, chairedthe group and said, “Restoration is a breathtaking concept.When a community commits to it - when people commit to thenotion they can make things whole again - it opens immensepossibilities.” And sure enough, once the group began to meetand form itself into county task forces, everyone’s imaginationtook over. Imagine restoring creeks and channels allowing allthe beneficial uses to prevail - to clean the water, to providehabitat and restore some of the water oriented visions andexperiences city folk long for. Imagine re-creation of streamaccess for steel head trout. Imagine saving some of theremaining great open spaces that still have natural streams

Introducing the Imagine Seriesa Before & After Look at Orange County’s Treasures

After

and habitats. Imagine creatinga River Trail along the SantaAna River with a five mile naturalized stretch even openfor rafting.

Friends of Harbors, Beaches and Parks (FHBP) was fortuitously formed just one year before the WetlandsRecovery Project came into existence and so was the logical non-profit group to provide leadership in OrangeCounty for this project. Natural evolution of thought abouthow to proceed called for maps showing where neededopen spaces, acquisition and restoration projects shouldoccur. Thus the Green Vision Project evolved. Now wehave our maps, our projects identified and some havealready been completed. We also have coordination ofgroups and agencies working toward the completion of ourGreen Vision. Imagine that!

FHBP has made a commitment to our County’s park,open space and wetland needs, as well as to educational opportunities to make sure this commitment thrives and continues. We encourage youto let your imagination run free and help make OrangeCounty’s future green and healthy. Breaking News - TheTrabuco Creek fish ladder has been funded. Imagine that!

FHBP Board of DirectorsJean Watt, PresidentAlice Sorenson, Vice PresidentDon Thomas, TreasurerCarolyn Wood, Secretary

Wayne BaglinStephanie BargerGarry BrownDebra ClarkeHoward DeCruyenaereEvan HenryHelen HigginsFlossie HorganBob JosephStephanie PachecoTheresa SearsMike WellbornDick Zembal

Supporting OrganizationsAmigos de Bolsa ChicaAudubon, Sea & Sage ChapterCaspers Wilderness Park

VolunteersEarth Resource FoundationEquestrian Coalition of O.C.Environmental Nature CenterHuntington Beach Wetlands

Conservancy & WildlifeCare Center

Laguna Canyon ConservancyLaguna Canyon FoundationLaguna Greenbelt, Inc.The Newport ConservancySierra Club, Orange CountySurfrider Foundation, Newport

Beach ChapterStop Polluting Our NewportUpper Newport Bay Naturalists

& FriendsSt. Mark Presbyterian Church

Ecophilians

Advisory BoardMarian BergesonConnie BoardmanMarilyn BrewerRoy & Ilse ByrnesLaura CohenJoe DunnRoger FaubelSandy GenisLouise GreeleyShirley GrindleTom HarmanEvelyn HartJack KeatingVic LeipzigMatt RaylClaire SchlotterbeckDan Silver, M.D.Dr. Jack & Nancy SkinnerJan Vandersloot, M.D.

Newsletter CommitteeJean Watt, EditorTheresa SearsMelanie Schlotterbeck, Design

and Layout

Mou

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FHBP President Jean Watt Receives Leadership Award

Green Vision Project:Shaping the County’s Open Space Future

by: terry watt, green vision project manager

In 2000, FHBP launched its Orange CountyGreen Vision Project, with the specific missionof increasing funding and support for parks,water quality and open space throughoutOrange County. The Green Vision Project provides the implementation framework -maps, data, outreach - necessary to accomplish FHBP's overarching mission. thecenterpieces of the Green Vision Projectinclude the green vision map, an associatedproject matrix and a funding options reporthighlighting the best approaches to fundingthe Vision.

Perhaps most important is the GreenVision's outreach and education component.Led by the Green Vision management teamand its 36+ member Working Group, in 2005,

FHBP sponsored three green vision Workshops. these workshops provide a means of sharing information,learning about opportunities to build, manage and operate the County's open space system, and to coordinateparticipation by the Working Group in the ongoing dialogues concerning the future of Orange county’s openspace system. the workshops have focused on:

1. the green vision outreach strategy, learning theimportance of public policy research/polling to shapemessaging and strategic action.2. open space polling completed by Fairbank, Maslin,Maullin & Associates for fhbp and its working group.3. the orange county transportation authority’sproposed renewal of measure m (a transportation tax) and the county of orange’s strategic plan, which will determine the future of the county’s open space.

Workshop attendees debrief the group after break-out sessions.

Phot

o:M

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as a result of this year’s work:* the base of potential supporters and collaborators for theGreen Vision has been significantly expanded and diversified;

* the Green Vision Project, FHBP and its Working Group arestrategically positioned to play a prominent role in determiningthe future of the County's wildlands and wilderness protectionand management thereof;

* refinements and adjustments to the Green Vision Map andMatrix facilitated by the participation of Working Groupmembers and new partners have improved the base ofinformation necessary to draw support and funding for openspace protection. the map has become the centerpiece of theCounty's strategic planning effort and may guide the effort;

* FHBP and its working group members supported pollingcompleted by John Fairbank’s firm. it showed that that 69% ofthose polled are willing to pay higher taxes to support both astate and local conservation measure.

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Orange Coast River Park Grant

Visit www.fhbp.org

Orange CoastRiver Park

1

2

2FHBP was one of 47 grassroots groupsawarded the national Kodak AmericanGreenways Grant providing seed money tospark creativity in outdoor recreation, conservation and trail and greenway development. The grant will help the RiverPark team with their Trails & InterpretationMaster Plan - an outreach effort for designand development costs of the OCRP entrygates - which will evolve out of a youth designcontest. According to the grant administratorand President of The Conservation Fund,Larry Slezer, “The projects selected this yearrepresent some of the best grassroots conservation and greenway development

efforts in the United States.”

Got River? Workshop

Visit www.SantaAnaRiverWatershed.orgSanta Ana River

3The Santa Ana River WatershedAlliance, a project of Earth ResourceFoundation, hosted the first in a series ofworkshops to promote protection and restoration of the Santa Ana River. Dr. FraserShilling of UC Davis presented useful information on watershed assessment andvisioning. Two panels were organized, thefirst included local experts on river parkwayplans and they helped the audience learnhow conservation groups and counties are protecting the river. The second panel educated participants on methods cities andcitizens can employ to conserve water.Supervisor Correa offered his vision for the

River and updated the group on threats.

3

4

5

East Orange Project Vote

Visit www.EastOfOrange.org

A six-mile long 4,000 unit tract-housedevelopment in the hills of East Orange wasapproved by Orange’s City Council. TheIrvine Company project, stretching fromSantiago Canyon Road and Jamboree toIrvine Lake, would be built on one of the lastlarge undeveloped parcels in the County. Theproject does not add any supporting infrastructure to the currently rural region.Citing unacceptable traffic congestion, overcrowded schools and multi-year deficits,a group of concerned residents are working tostop the project. Following the Council’sapproval last month, the group is exercising

all available options to continue the fight. Irvine RanchLands

6

Canyon Activists Win Court Battle

Visit www.SaddlebackCanyons.org

In a great victory for natural resourcesand open space, the Court of Appeal unanimously held that approvals of two proposed housing projects - SaddleCreek andSaddleCrest - be overturned. The project siteshave 600 acres of mainly oak woodland andnative chaparral. The court ordered the Boardof Supervisors to vacate its approvals andamendment to the Foothill-Trabuco SpecificPlan that would have allowed the destructionof nearly 1000 oak and sycamore trees andmass-grading for the 162-unit project. InOctober, the California Supreme Court deniedthe developer’s and County’s petitions to

challenge the appellate opinion. Trabuco Canyon

7

6

7

Articles: 1, 3 & 8 Melanie Schlotterbeck, 2 Patsee Ober, 4 & 5 Claire Schlotterbeck, 6 Theresa Sears, 7 Gloria SeftonPhotos: 1, 3 & 4 Melanie Schlotterbeck, 2 Patsee Ober, 5 Dr. Jeff Hansen, 6 Helen de la Maza, 7 Karl Kasarda, 8 Gail Prothero

8

El Morro to Be Open to the Public

Visit www.YourBeach.org

Crystal CoveState Park

4The public has waited twenty-sevenyears for access to the El Morro portion ofCrystal Cove State Park - the wait will soonbe over. Trailer tenants who have been livingon the site and sued repeatedly to remainthere, have finally agreed to leave March 1,2006. Once the trailers are removed andwhen the site is cleaned and restored thepublic will have access at long last to thisbeautiful canyon. Soon thereafter overnightcampgrounds will be built. Unfortunately, thedelay created when the tenants refused toleave, escalated the cost of building the campground. Consequently, State Parks willneed to cut back on some of its plans to keep

the project within budget.

State Parks Commission Meeting

Visit www.FriendsOfTheFoothills.org

A State Parks Commission Meeting washeld in San Clemente to hear public testimony on the proposed extension of theFoothill-South Toll Road. In a record breaking turn out over 1000 concerned citizens came to express their opinions on theproposed Toll Road, which would cut throughSan Onofre campground and San MateoState Beach. The road proposal woulddestroy the only remaining intact coastalwatershed south of Malibu and ruin Trestles,a world famous surfing beach. The StateParks Commission heard the public comments and passed a resolution that

protects the Park from the Toll Road.

8

Map: GreenInfo Network310-558-3660

Orange County Orange County GreenGreen VVisionision MapMapResource Conference a Hit!

Visit www.lgc.org

FHBP, Local Government Commissionand Institute for Local Government hosted aregional Resource Conservation Conference.With over 230 participants, speakers fromaround town to around the state, and sponsors representing a variety of facets - thedaylong event was hugely successful. Dr. DickJackson, former State Public Health Officerhumorously armed the audience with statisticsabout health and our environment.Assemblyman Tom Harman was the afternoonkeynote, and the day’s panelists includedexperts on water rates, land use and acquisition, community design, state bonds

and other funding sources. Tom Harman

1Celebrating 40 years of LWCF

Visit www.HillsForEveryone.org

The Land and Water ConservationFund (LWCF) grant program celebrated its40th year and will award its 40,000th grant toChino Hills State Park. The 13,000 acreState Park, located at the juncture of fourSouthern California counties, will receive $4.2million dollars from LWCF. The grant will beused to pave the now dirt and gravel roadthrough the Park’s main entrance in BaneCanyon. In an event held at the end ofNovember by the National Park Service andCalifornia State Parks, federal and state staff and representatives, county supervisorsand non-profit organizations gathered to

enjoy a day in the Park and celebrate!

5

Chino HillsState Park

San OnofreState Beach

This map is the result of an ongoing collaborative project between Friends of Harbors, Beaches & Parks and localconservation organizations and agencies. It is a work in progress and is intended for use as a general planningtool only.

*Protected lands data compiled from a variety of sources, including the Orange County Resources and DevelopmentManagement Department, the California GAP Program at the University of California Santa Barbara and theCalifornia Resources Agency Legacy Project, 2003.

A Green Vision for Orange County...

Key Conservation Priorities

Current Protected/Public Lands*

Other Map Layers

Public Conservation Land

Private Conservation Land

Nature/Education Center

Sacred Site

Wilderness Area Boundary

Watershed Boundary

Watershed/Wetlands Project

Watershed Management Plan

Active Project

Proposed Conservation Land

Military Land

County Line

Highway

River/Stream

Priority River Greenway

Key Habitat Connector

Key Watershed, Wetland, or Riparian Projects