The Foothill-South Toll Road (SR-241) has been the subject of regional planning efforts for more than 20 years. This 16-mile stretch is the final piece in Orange County’s 67-mile network of public toll roads. It’s been the subject of regional planning efforts — and intense emotions — for more than 20 years.

Strategy
Meg’s firm was retained to develop methods to clearly and concisely explain to the pubic the very complicated technical and environmental issues presented by technical consultants, state and local agencies in the EIR. In the past, the Transportation Corridor Agencies message had focused on the fact that the toll roads were built with no taxpayer dollars. Using quantitative and qualitative research, Meg helped developed new messages that focused on key goals of the study.

Results
Waters’ outreach effort laid the framework for building and maintaining support for the Foothill-South. Today, despite intense opposition from opposing forces, more than 60% of residents near the project strongly support the completion of Foothill-South.

Who
ETRPA. The El Toro Reuse Planning Authority. A coalition of ten cities formed to fight the development of an international airport on the site of the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

Strategy
Meg Waters was in the center of this six year battle, acting as the primary spokesperson and community outreach strategist for ETRPA. Using a grassroots, participatory planning process, ETRPA developed the Millennium Plan, a non-aviation reuse plan for El Toro. It included a large park, surrounded by “villages” that focused on education, housing, sports, public facilities such as museums and transportation.

Meg managed all media relations and community outreach programs for ETRPA and the Millennium Plan. She led the campaign to rally public support for non-aviation reuse and opposition to the County’s $3-billion airport plan. She gave several hundred presentations to both supportive and hostile audiences with the goal of educating the public with the facts about the non-aviation plan and the potential impacts of the proposed airport.

Results
When Meg’s firm was retained, anti-airport forces had already lost twice at the polls and El Toro International Airport seemed to be a done deal. Meg framed the debate to focus on the significant safety, noise, economic and infrastructure issues the airport would create. In less than one year, anti-airport sentiment grew 19% countywide.

ETRPA was victorious in two subsequent hotly-contested ballot initiatives. In March 2002, the Department of Defense announced that it would sell the El Toro MCAS property to private interests to be developed into the Orange County Great Park, a concept which had evolved from the original Millennium Plan.