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Case Study

Honoring the Past, Building for the Future

How Idea Hall Helped Secure Unanimous Approval for Orange County’s First Public and Veterans Cemetery in Over a Century

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Services

  • Community Outreach, Content Marketing, Public Relations

Industry

  • Government Agencies

With strategic insight, storytelling, and stakeholder engagement, the Orange County Cemetery District navigated a complex approval process to bring the county’s first public and veterans cemetery in over a century to life.

The Situation

Over the past two years, Idea Hall has worked as an extension of the Orange County Cemetery District Team to listen, inform, and advance the development of the proposed Public and Veterans Cemetery at Gypsum Canyon in the City of Anaheim. Our work supported critical approvals from the City of Anaheim City Council.
Key Stakeholders included: the Orange County Board of Supervisors, District 3; Anaheim Mayor, Yorba Linda Mayor, Councilmembers, City of Anaheim Planning and Building department, and OC Public Works.

The Solution

We analyzed the political landscape and community sentiment, then developed a 12-month communications plan with immediate and long-term objectives.

  • Storytelling of the need and the vision
  • Crafting key messages, Q&A materials, and presentations as well as developing a project webpage and newsletter content.
  • Ensuring outreach aligned with City of Anaheim’s requirements.

We also created tailored materials, including a leave-behind booklet, project timeline for public meetings, an informational video featuring local leaders, and ongoing media support with proactive and reactive outreach.

We built strong relationships by ensuring accurate communication with key stakeholders and the community. Through compelling storytelling, key messaging, and video content, we rallied support and shared information at both public meetings and online. A dedicated project website provided transparency, highlighting the cemetery’s story and updates.

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The Impact

PROJECT APPROVAL!

The first in more than 130 years, the Anaheim City Council unanimously approved the development documents for the Gypsum Canyon Memorial Park. Idea Hall’s strategic communications and community engagement positioned the Cemetery District for success as it now moves into the construction phase.