Katrina Foley
By Supervisor Katrina Foley
Happy Holidays! As the year ends, my office continues working full speed ahead for you.
This month, I gave remarks on behalf of the Orange County Transportation Authority to the State Senate Subcommittee on LOSSAN Rail Corridor Resiliency during its hearing held in San Clemente.
The LOSSAN Rail Corridor is critical infrastructure for our nation, sitting squarely on the crossroads of sea-level rise and climate change.
OCTA has invested more than $2 billion in securing this rail corridor, all while the county invests millions in shoring up our beaches that protect the rail line and private property from the ocean’s advance.
As a county, we’re committed to stabilizing the rail line while awaiting the state’s necessary leadership for this corridor’s long-term reimagining.
In case you missed it, last week, I joined Congressman Mike Levin, Col. Baker of the Army Corps of Engineers, and the San Clemente City Council as we kicked off the Shoreline Sand Replenishment Project.
This project creates a new, 50-foot-wide beach-sand berm using 251,000 cubic yards of sand secured from the borrow point in Oceanside and deposited at San Clemente State Beach. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our local and federal leaders, we successfully secured this sand for long-overlooked South County beaches.
We must manage our beaches like we manage other infrastructure: roads, potholes, parks and buildings. Stay tuned for our South County Coastal Resiliency Plan’s release in early 2024. I pledge to continue to advocate to save our beaches.
At Dana Point Harbor, we continue to make progress on the revitalization project. This January, we will break ground by building the new parking structure, beginning the first phase of the commercial core’s revitalization.
Additionally, I recently signed off on the extension of the Ocean Institute’s lease until 2065. We continue to negotiate final details but look forward to continuing education and adding Coffee Importers at the Ocean Institute.
I brought forward an E-Bike Ordinance for county unincorporated areas to create safety requirements for owning and riding electric bicycles that will help protect pedestrians, equestrians, bicyclists and drivers from accidents involving e-bikes.
The board unanimously approved, and I directed county staff to work with the OC Traffic Committee to draft an ordinance creating new safety regulations.
Looking to 2024, I encourage you to volunteer next month for the county’s “Everyone Counts 2024 Point in Time” count of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness on a given night. The count provides information that helps the county’s Continuum of Care (CoC) better understand homelessness in the community. Volunteer and help shape homeless services for the next several years: everyonecountsoc.org.
Finally, thank you to everyone who helped us spread holiday cheer! I hosted my Fifth District Holiday Food Distribution event at The Shea Center in San Juan Capistrano last week, helping nearly 300 families from the local community.
We provided food packages, grocery gift cards, toys, health services, vaccinations, and opportunities to enroll in CalOptima. Thank you to our partners who made this event a success: The Shea Center, CalOptima, Unidos South OC, Taco Mesa, Mercy Health and the OC Social Services Agency.
I extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who generously donated new coats for kids. I started this tradition 15 years ago, collecting 100 coats on average. This year, I’m happy to share, we broke records together with 600 donated new coats for kids just in time for the rain. I feel grateful for the generosity of our fellow community members in helping us keep kids warm this Christmas.
Enjoy a safe and happy New Year.
Elected in 2022, Katrina Foley represents the Fifth Supervisorial District on the Orange County Board of Supervisors. She was previously elected to serve the Second District from 2021-2022.