Emily Bonilla — who along with Maribel Gomez Cordero were the two Orange County commissioners to oppose the project — brought up multiple issues she had with the project. She expressed concern about the fact the project development and environment study was not provided before the meeting, and thought the route may affect non-wealthy families negatively in favor of the gated communities near the forest.

Bonilla said during the meeting that she preferred a proposed mitigation route that would have brought the roadway closer to the communities near Split Oak, but would have affected the forest less. “I feel we should go back to the drawing board and get a route that is more reasonable,” Bonilla said. “I am not in support of it.”