Yes, all Seven Members were replaced as part of the Tait/Moreno majority taking control in early 2017, right when TDA was getting ready to present the proposal to the commission. (And that was very stupid of TDA to delay the presentation, something that was done 98% over a year earlier). And the change of the commission delayed the hearing even longer.
A friend wrote this...
>Let’s see how Councilman Moreno’s approach has worked for the citizens of District 3 so far. Before the 2016 Board and Commission Purge 3 members of the Anaheim Planning Commission lived in District 3. Two of those 3 had between them 40+ years of community service and involvement in planning, zoning, development, and other neighborhood related groups, projects and issues. All were removed and Councilman Moreno’s appointee for District 3…..Steve White. Although I know he grew up in the area I cannot name one significant District 3 community effort, project, or group he has been involved with at least in the 33 years I’ve lived there. What has his major contribution been? Apparently co-founding the group Anaheim HOME, a group that shares and reflects Moreno’s own Anti-Disney/Anti-Resort agenda. And of course Anaheim Home is the group who’s probably best known for their representative who, at every council meeting, speaks out against their target de jour and includes his signature misogynistic and homophobic name calling, including “, , ” and the real show stopper—“evil Jew ” targeted at city council members. Yeah, it’s all about “by district representation”. Right.<<
Yes, Mr. White is that out of the norm. Just to make it clear, the "representative" of Anaheim HOME mentioned is not Mr. White. And the nasty things he says include the above, but some much worse things.
Here is an OC Register article.
Over the years, Disney had spent more than $100 million acquiring nearby properties to prepare for the Eastern Gateway.
www.ocregister.com
>Over the years, Disney had spent more than $100 million acquiring nearby properties to prepare for the Eastern Gateway.
But as Disney announced the project, they failed to garner local support. Almost immediately, some neighboring businesses along Harbor Boulevard pushed back. A
new City Council came in, with a different agenda, and then the council later dismantled and then reassembled the city’s planning commission.<<
>Since the new Anaheim City Council took over in December, the city has undergone several major changes. The city attorney and city manager were let go. The city’s planning commission was dismantled in February and later reappointed in May.
Disney needed the planning commission to approve its site plan and a conditional use permit that covers the bridge over Harbor Boulevard, the transit hub, the security screening area, pedestrian walkway, and the new signage and landscape in the area. The commission also needs to look at variances of bridge height and its setback on the sidewalk.
Disney then needed approvals for two permits from the City Council – one for new signage near the exit ramp off Disney Way and the bridge.
A Disneyland spokesman said since December, they re-evaluated the Eastern Gateway project and decided to move on with developments on the west side of the Disneyland Resort.<<
So basically the Tait/Moreno majority could use the complaints from a couple of restaurants to stall the project, and even if it got out of the Planning Commission, an appeal would have gone to the city council, where Disney was sure it would fail, unless they gave into all of Dr. Moreno's demands.
So the Western Project was quickly drawn up, since all the land was included in the designated Disneyland Resort Master Plan, which allows Disney to do basically whatever it wants, and bypassed the Planning Commission/City Council approval.
Now, the city is about to go through new appointments to all the boards in March. (Some discussion was held at last night's council.)
Once a more friendly Planning Commission is in place, and ready to accept new submissions, Disney will be submitting a new Eastern Gateway Proposal, yes with access modifications and a better looking bridge. But the basic plan is the same, Parking Structure (already approved in the 1990's, and freeway infrastructure was built back then to prepare of the Pumbaa Structure), Security Check, and Transportation Plaza. And as soon as the Eastern Gateway is finished, the former Transportation Plaza will be used for DCA Super Hero Land expansion.
Now, Disney does want to address as many of the complaints as possible, but as for the IHOP and Denny's, well, looks like they won't get everything they want.