Relief

BY C. JAYDEN SMITH

The Orange County Transportation Authority Board of Directors unanimously approved on Monday, July 10, a transfer of $750,000 sourced from the City of San Clemente—funds intended to be used for a project to ease freeway traffic through the city.

The Interstate 5 (I-5) Improvement Project from the San Diego County line to Avenida Pico, one of three projects listed in a cooperative agreement that the city joined in September 2021, proposes adding a high-occupancy (HOV) lane in each direction within the 4.8-mile-long area.

It is currently in the environmental review process, with the $750,000 to be used for future activities such as community outreach and project enhancements.

San Clemente joined the South County Traffic Relief Cooperative Agreement along with OCTA and the County of Orange, with the promise that the city’s open space would be protected from traffic construction projects such as a toll road.

The funding comes from a settlement agreement between the city and the California Department of Transportation, related to the payback of legal fees, OCTA board member and ex-officio Ryan Chamberlain explained.

“It was the department and the city’s wishes to try and keep those funds local, instead of having them go elsewhere into a different pot that couldn’t be used for projects and programs in the county,” Chamberlain said.

“We looked at this as a partnering solution to continue to engage with the city, to have more potential public outreach and engagement through the (Planning, Engineering & Design Process) for the I-5 managed lane,” Chamberlain continued.

Monday’s administrative action “solidified” the city’s contribution to the project, according to OCTA spokesperson Eric Carpenter, setting in motion a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would dismiss all outstanding disputes between the city, OCTA, and Caltrans.

OCTA Chief Executive Darrell Johnson will now execute a funding agreement involving the three entities.

City Manager Andy Hall came forward to address the board, reminding the members about San Clemente residents’ leeriness toward the concept of managed lanes, which OCTA defines as “any lanes with controlled access, such as occupancy restrictions or pricing.”

The project is listed within the agency’s Directions 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan as that of a managed lane freeway improvement.

“I just want to make sure that the board is very aware that the City of San Clemente is strongly supportive of any managed congestion in that area being (HOV lanes) rather than any kind of a toll lane or something like that,” Hall said.

Johnson spoke to the project’s status, as a draft of its environmental document is projected to be released

Local Organization Recognized as ‘Small Nonprofit of the Year’ in Nationwide Contest

BY C. JAYDEN SMITH

After eight years in operation, the San Clemente-based Flora May Foundation received broader recognition for its work last month when the American Business Awards announced the organization had earned the Small Nonprofit or Government Organization of the Year award.

Among roughly 1,000 attendees at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, 56-year-old Debbie Hansen, the lone organization representative, was shocked to hear the news.

in mid-August. The public will be able to review and comment on the document, according to Johnson, who also reiterated the agency’s commitment to an HOV lane project.

State and federal regulations require OCTA to evaluate multiple options while planning projects, which ties the I-5 project to more than just carpool lanes.

“By definition, an HOV is a managed lane,” Johnson said. “Truck lanes are managed lanes, toll lanes are managed lanes; you could have transit lanes. Our proposal continues to be an HOV lane, but we’re required to study all of those.”

He added that if the environmental planning process resulted in changing the type of managed lane for the project, it would be brought back before the board.

Katrina Foley, OCTA board member and Orange County Fifth District Board Supervisor, asked OCTA staff to communicate with San Clemente residents in clarifying the definition of managed lanes.

“There are members of the public that think that the way it’s described in the staff report means it won’t be an HOV lane,” said Foley.

Board member Donald Wagner, the current chair of the OC Board of Supervisors, referred to his time on the board of the Transportation Corridor

Agencies (TCA).

During that time, there was contention between the TCA and the city, as city officials feared the TCA would extend the 241 Toll Road to the 5 Freeway by having it cut through town.

He added that the item in front of the board on Monday was related to legal matters that were already settled, and further objections from San Clemente residents stemmed from remaining grievances.

“There’s going to be time for even further input from the residents of the city of San Clemente, but we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do today to get this project moved forward, and not get sucked into some of the issues that exist between a few of the residents of San Clemente and the TCA,” Wagner said.

Wagner then moved for the board to vote on the item, which received unanimous approval.

More information about the I-5 project can be found at o cta.net.

The founder and CEO of the Flora May Foundation had traveled to the other side of the country after previously placing second in last year’s awards, a distinction the organization was “extremely happy” with receiving.

“We didn’t even entertain the thought of winning this year, but we did,” Hansen said, adding: “It was a big deal.”

Founded in 2015, the Flora May Foundation aims to assist families and children. The organization works in varying capacities, with severely ill newborns, families with children battling behavioral and mental health issues, and families who have a child run away.

To participate in the annual American Business Awards, or Stevie Awards, people nominate other organizations, marketing campaigns, customer service teams and more within 14 different categories. The Flora May Foundation, with fewer than 50 employees and annual revenue of less than $10 million, fit within the “small” section of the category for company and organization awards.

Specialized judging committees, organized by the American Business Association, then score entries and rank them by an average score to determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Awards.

Hansen said participating in the Stevie Awards was exciting, because it increased the perception of the Flora May Foundation.

“We reach a wider audience, which we’ve always struggled to do, (and) expands awareness about what we do and how to find us and how we can be a resource to parents, as well,” she said. “It lifts us up social media-wise, (and) it creates a buzz about our nonprofit, which helps donors recognize who we are and increases donations.”

A third-generation hospital volunteer