Federal agency testimony centers on road's potential benefits and perceived threat to state park, surfing beach.

DEL MAR Opponents and supporters of the proposed Foothill South toll road brought their case before the federal government Monday with passionate speeches, armies of followers and plenty of statistics.

More than 150 speakers addressed National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration general counsel Jane Luxton by 7 p.m., with two hours to go before the hearing's scheduled end.

The crowd likely peaked at the hearing's start that morning at between 1,000 and 1,500, with supporters in orange T-shirts and opponents in green appearing roughly equal in number.

Luxton was to make no decision or statements, but was taking comments for the U.S. Commerce secretary. Commerce is considering an appeal by the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency of the state Coastal Commission's rejection of the toll road proposal in February.

Opponents held a press conference before the hearing to announce a letter signed by 25 members of Congress urging the Commerce secretary not to overrule the Coastal Commission.

“The Save San Onofre Coalition defeated this proposal that would be extraordinarily destructive of natural and sacred resources,” Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the State Parks Foundation, said at the opponents' rally. "We're here to express our enormous opposition to this toll road.”

Supporters, meanwhile, many dressed in orange shirts, chanted “Toll road yes!” outside and inside the meeting hall. The chanting continued until the meeting began.

The Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency says the road is needed to relieve future traffic congestion, and is of national importance – one of the findings the Commerce secretary must make to overturn the Coastal Commission's decision.

As the hearing got under way, Luxton tried to tame the raucous crowd by asking for silent demonstrations.

She said she would “allow you if you wish to raise your signs between speakers. Also, you can put your thumb up or thumb down while the speaker is speaking to indicate your feelings about it.”

The thumbs and signs flew on both sides – but that didn't stop the partisans from cheering or booing loudly when each of the first few speakers finished.

The Commerce secretary must decide no later than Jan. 7 whether the toll road, a 16-mile extension of the existing 241 toll road, is of national importance.

“The project opponents have made many inaccurate claims,” said Tustin Mayor Jerry Amante, the first speaker, causing the crowd to erupt. “But none is a more inaccurate claim than that completion of the 241 does not satisfy the national interest test of the Coastal Zone Management Act.”

State Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego, urged that the Commerce secretary reject the road, which would cut through San Onofre State Beach park.

“This is not a road through a state park,” she said. “This is a road instead of a state park.”

The crowd began to trickle away by midafternoon – unlike at the Coastal Commission hearing in February, when thousands remained into the night.

Among the toll road supporters, most of them on the right side of the meeting room, sat Brent Praegitzer of Newport Beach, a landscape architect who is employed as part of the proposed Foothill South project.

Praegitzer said he was not asked by the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency to be at the hearing, and was in fact allowing himself to get behind on another project to show up.

He knew many surfers were in the audience, worried about the potential effect of the toll road on the famous Trestles surfing beach – although the toll road agency says there will be no effect. Others are worried about the toll road's proximity to a campground at San Onofre State Beach park.

“They're not paving over a beach, they're not taking out a campground,” Praegitzer said. “It's a bunch of lies. So many people have heard so many lies over the years.”

But George Brolaski, 76, of Encinitas, a doctor and a surfer, said the surfing was exactly what he was worried about. Like other opponents, he wore a green T-shirt and sat on the left side of the room.

“My son is a surfer, my grandson is a surfer,” he said. “I'm worried about what will happen. It seems like it all comes down to money. It looks like it's all people hoping to get jobs.”

In fact, some of those who turned out in support did hope to get jobs, and were unapologetic about it.

“I'm concerned about being able to get back and forth,” said David Cordero, 39, of Riverside, a member of a carpenter's union in an orange T-shirt. “And not only that, I hope it will create some work.”

Green-shirted Kathy Feyerabend, who has lived in her San Clemente home for 37 years, wasn't buying any of it.

“I don't feel we need it,” she said. “It's going to be more development in the back country.”

While those seated listened, speakers for and against the toll road took turns at the microphone. Supporters talked about the future traffic congestion the toll road agency says the road is meant to relieve.

Orange County Supervisor Bill Campbell, along with other Orange County elected officials, spoke of a 60 percent increase along I-5 in the area by 2025.

“My constituents tell me how hard it is to drive to San Diego on Interstate 5 to visit friends and family,” he said. “They wonder the Foothill South hasn't been built already.”

The proposed toll road was a more immediate matter for some.

Rebecca Robles of the Acjachemen Nation, an American Indian group also known as the Juaneno Band of Mission Indians, said building the road would intrude upon a sacred site centered on Panhe, an ancient village site where she said many of her ancestors are buried and where rituals are held.

“This road would be devastating for me and my community,” Robles said. “The impacts of the toll road will have a permanent, damaging effect on our ability to practice and maintain the lifeways of our traditional community.”

Tony Moiso of the O'Neill-Moiso family, owners of Rancho Mission Viejo, spoke of the road's potential benefits – although he said development of as many as 14,000 homes on the 23,000 acre ranch is not contingent on the road. The road would go through part of the ranch land, in his family since 1882.

“The completion of the toll road is a real answer to real problems today,” Moiso said. “There is no reasonable alternative that will solve the congestion problems of today.”

But a later statement revealed a split in the family, which owns the 23,000-acre Rancho Mission Viejo. The ranch expects to build as many as 14,000 homes over the next 20 years.

The statement was a letter read into the record from Richard J. O'Neill, also of the ranching family – but an opponent of the toll road.

“The toll road extension would plow through the Donna O'Neill Land Conservancy, 1,200 acres of land that is a key part of the San Mateo Creek watershed, and that is supposed to remain in its natural state into perpetuity,” wrote O'Neill, 85, who identified himself as the retired chairman of the Rancho Mission Viejo Board of directors.

The opponents offered one crowd pleaser: 9-year-old Jake Marshall, of Encinitas, who explained why he opposed the road.

“My family and I love to spend time walking the trails, going to the beach, riding bikes, building surf shacks, and most of all, surfing,” Jake said, reading his statement. “Why are we even considering destroying a place that has been around since the beginning of time?”

He drew a loud burst of cheering and applause from the anti-toll road faction, most wearing green T-shirts.

Still, a steady stream of supporters stepped up to the microphone. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, conducting the hearing for the U.S. Commerce secretary, had screened speakers in advance and chosen the order in which they would speak.

Chip Prather, fire chief of the Orange County Fire Authority, said building the road would enhance public safety.

“The OCFA believes the extension of this road way is an important part of our community fire defense system and will aid in the movement of both emergency response assets and citizens during disaster evacuations,” Prather said.

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