Anaheim City Council approves Disneyland expansion plans

After an hours-long meeting, the Anaheim City Council early today gave preliminary approval to a major Disneyland expansion project.   

The Disneyland Forward project is meant to expand development and add hotel rooms to the theme park by utilizing about 57 acres of parking and unused land. The plan is essentially a shuffling around of previously approved zoning to allow for more attractions, hotel rooms and other entertainment and attractions without expanding the theme park.  

Part of the plan involves using land set aside for hotel room development for the theme park.

The $1.9 billion expansion plan was approved unanimously early Wednesday morning following an eight-hour public hearing that began Tuesday night.

The proposal will return for a final City Council vote on May 7 and would be subject to land-use modifications to pave the way for the Disneyland Forward project to be begin 30 days later.

"When Disneyland grows, Anaheim thrives,'' Mayor Ashleigh Aitken said in a statement. "Last night's vote to approve the DisneylandForward Plan will benefit Anaheim for decades to come. The plan will provide important funding to the City of Anaheim to build affordable housing, enhance parks, and improve infrastructure."  

Aitken also said the project will create thousands of new jobs and allow Disney to further improve their guest experience.

"Our city has a special and unique relationship with the Disneyland Resort, which began in the 1950s and continues to this day. Disney's commitment to partner with Anaheim and invest billions of dollars is a win for our community,'' Aitken said.

During the public hearing, Anaheim residents, Disneyland cast members, and officials from nearby cities spoke about the advantages and problems of the plan.

Part of the proposal calls for Disney to pay $40 million to buy Magic Way, Hotel Way and a part of Clementine Street from the city, roadways around Disneyland.

"The city is transferring responsibility for Magic Way because the road overwhelmingly serves the Disneyland Hotel, Disney employee parking and the south end of the Pixar Pals Parking Structure,'' according to a city statement.

Disney officials want to build new theme park attractions next to hotels west of the theme park and Disney California Adventure, and to add entertainment, shopping, restaurants and theme park attractions in what's now known as the Toy Story parking lot. The development is expected to be done over the next 40 years. Disney has pledged a minimum $1.9 billion investment in the theme park and its retail businesses within 10 years.   

The project also includes $30 million from the company for affordable housing within five years, $8 million for parks in the city in the first year, $40 million from Disney for street and transportation upgrades, and $10 million for sewer improvements along Katella Avenue.

The project would increase zoning for theme park attractions, hotels, retail and dining from 292 acres to 389 acres. Theme park attractions would be added to the Pixar Place Hotel property and on part of the Toy Story parking lot.

New parking would be added in an area east of Harbor Boulevard along Machester Avenue.

There would also be changes in some of the street and roads around the theme park. For instance, a westbound left turn lane would be added at Harbor Boulevard and Disney Way, and northbound and southbound left turn lanes at Harbor Boulevard and Orangewood Avenue.

"Since the project would allow potential theme park uses closer to public streets and residential areas, the amended specific plan would require new criteria called 360-Degree Architectural Treatment for new theme park uses visible from the public right-of-way or abutting residential zones, which would include enhanced architectural treatments at varying heights while utilizing new and existing wall and landscape buffers,'' city officials said in a staff report for the city council.

The project "would provide more flexibility to develop a wider range of attractions, hotel accommodations, restaurants and shopping opportunities, which would support the long-term growth of the Disneyland Resort and enhance the success and vitality of the Anaheim Resort,'' officials said in a staff recommendation of the plan.