FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2025
Latisha Townsend – Communications Director, Supervisor Foley
(714) 559-8364 | Latisha.Townsend@ocgov.com
Vice Chair Katrina Foley Releases Statement Following Board of Supervisors Meeting Where the Board Voted on Traffic Safety, C-Basin Development, Housing in Orange County, and Fifth District Grants
ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley released a statement following Board actions on items related to traffic safety enhancements in Ladera Ranch, C-Basin Development in Rancho Mission Viejo, Emergency Housing in Orange County, Fifth District Public Works Grants, and more.
“After 20 years, finally the speed limit on Flintridge Avenue is reduced from 55mph to 30mph,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “With thoughtful input from our OC Traffic Committee and research on the collision history and rate of speed on the route, this decreased speed limit will provide much-needed safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers.”
Item #6 (County Counsel) Implementation Agreement with Rancho Mission Viejo for Subarea C Complex: Project to develop the C-Basin in Rancho Mission Viejo as a supplement to the County’s existing water and flood infrastructure in unincorporated South Orange County.
“This effort has been 10 years in the making. The project will save the county and taxpayers $1 million, as the developer has agreed to fund the long-term construction and maintenance of the Basin,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “This is great partnership with the Ranch, our public works team, County Counsel, and our CEO who all worked to move this forward.”
Item #29 (County Executive Office) Report on Grant Applications/Awards: The Board approved $2,804,760 in grant awards to OC Public Works for the Highway Safety Improvement Program, with two grants impacting the Fifth District.
- $1,193,580 for Signalized Intersection Project
- Grant funds awarded to the Signalized Intersection Systemic Safety Improvements project will be used to upgrade all traffic signal backplates within unincorporated Orange County, which will be retroreflective.
- $746,910 for Unsignalized Intersection Systemic Safety improvements
- “These grant funds will increase community safety through the installation of stop signs, crosswalk strips, pavement markings and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons at intersections that are currently unsignalized throughout unincorporated Orange County areas. I look forward to the reassurance this will provide to Fifth District residents,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley.
“Chris Duncan of San Clemente, an attorney at Stein Shostak Shostak Pollack & O’Hara, LLP, previously served over 16 years as a senior attorney at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, focusing on prosecuting corruption, corporate misconduct, and serious crimes like child exploitation and drug trafficking. He was elected to the San Clemente City Council in 2020 where he later became Mayor, advocating for public safety, environmental conservation, and local control over housing and coastal erosion issues. I commend his years of public service, and I look forward to his continued leadership on the Assessment Appeals Board,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley.
“Our annual Public Housing Plan outlines more than $12 million in Emergency Housing Vouchers. But while Orange County is working diligently to get people housed and reduce the cost to the taxpayers, many have valid concerns that the current Presidential Administration’s recent action could rescind the decade of funding we planned to receive for these vouchers,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “This unnecessary action would be a real hit to the work we’ve done over the last five years to improve access to housing for individuals experiencing homelessness or on the verge of homelessness.”
Legislative Support
- AB 303: (Addis): Battery energy storage facilities
- “Moving to clean energy must not override our safety from wildfires. Just yesterday, CalFire released new Fire Severity Maps placed the San Juan Capistrano project in a High Fire Severity Zone surrounded by Very High Fire Severity Zones.” Said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “We have our temporary moratorium in place at the county. And this bill is progress in the right direction. We must ensure companies go through the local regulatory process so we can continue to build trust, increase safety, and give communities a choice, by restoring local community processes for permitting these projects.”
- SB 741 (Blakespear): Amendment to the California Coastal Act to expand the definition of an "emergency" for coastal development permit purposes
- “I support this bill as the Supervisor representing the 31 miles of coastline in Orange County and as an OCTA Board Member. When local environmental emergencies happen, we have seen how quickly it can impact our coast. The cost of continuing to do nothing is too great for our neighborhoods, economy, national security, and way of life,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “Expedited coastal development permits will allow us to make improvements to our rail system and the critical sand renourishment our beaches and rail line need to survive.”
In addition, Vice Chair Foley released statements in recognition of the following resolutions presented during the Board of Supervisors meeting:
“Educators build up the future of our workforce, developing students who will grow up to manage small businesses, protect the environment, build and maintain open spaces and parks, cultivate the arts, enforce neighborhood safety, and more,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “From classrooms to boardrooms, women educators and leaders in Orange County play a pivotal role inspiring transformative action. I am happy to recognize women in every community who educate and inspire. This Sunday for my Fourth Annual Women Making a Difference Awards, I plan to honor women in the Orange County Fabulous Fifth who represent educate and/or advocate for academic excellence and equality.”
“Established in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan, Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month highlights the importance of fostering a society where people with developmental disabilities are empowered to contribute to their communities,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “This month, I’m happy to recognize our community members with developmental disabilities. Their unique experiences and stories further enrich our county and make our communities whole.”
“Surveyors shape the way we live. I appreciate the OC Public Works survey team for the work they’ve done in District 5, including: Performing 31 land surveys for John Wayne Airport, producing maps for the planning of an OC Parks project that would expand the shoreline, providing land surveys of more than 300 curb ramp locations for ADA compliance upgrades, and producing topographic maps for the design of various safety improvements, including bikeway safety enhancements,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley.
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Vice Chair Katrina Foley was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2022 to represent the newly established District 5, which includes the cities of Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, a large portion of Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Newport Beach, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, as well as the unincorporated areas of Coto de Caza, Emerald Bay, Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Rancho Mission Viejo, Stonecliffe and Wagon Wheel. This is her second term on the Board of Supervisors, where she previously served District 2.
Vice Chair Foley’s 2025 Board appointments include:
Chair – Orange County Housing Finance Trust,
Orange County Audit Oversight Committee,
Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA),
Vice Chair – OCTA Legislative and Communications Committee, Regional Transportation Committee, Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA), TCA Joint Capital Improvements and Projects Committee, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Community Engagement Panel,
Co-Chair – Spent Fuel Solutions Coalition,
Orange County Public Libraries Advisory Board, Coastal Greenbelt Authority, Newport Bay and South Orange County Watershed Executive Committees, Ocean Institute, Orange County Community Corrections
Partnership (OCCCP), Santa Ana River Flood Control Protection Agency,
and the Orange County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council.
