Public comment sought on proposed Westcot park

Ever since the environmental impact report for the proposed $3 billion Disneyland expansion was released five months ago, sharp conversation about the project and the boons and burdens associated with it has gripped this city. Next week, residents can express their opinions to the planning commissioners who will review the project. The public hearing has been set for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Park Plaza Ballroom of the Inn at the Park Hotel, 1855 S. Harbor Blvd. The Walt Disney Co. wants to add a world's fair-type theme park, two multi-deck parking garages (capable of housing more than 34,300 cars), and three large hotels to Disneyland. The changes would more than quadruple the park's size to 470 acres, gobbling up scores of small motels and other properties. Plans also call for extensive landscaping and improvements to Katella Avenue, Harbor Boulevard and West Street, which will be re named Disneyland Drive next to the park. The new theme p"Westcot," would have up to 3.35 million square feet of attractions, pavilions, an amphitheater, restaurants and retail stores. A 2,300-page report, which is contained in five volumes the size of big-city phone books, outlines the details of the expansion. Construction could be complete as earlv as 1998. At the hearing, the seven-member Planning Commission will listen to Disneyland neighbors who say they're worried about Westcot potentially creating noise, crime, congestion and pollution. Disney officials and supporters of the project say the majority of environmental impacts can be mitigated to insignificance. They pitch Westcot as a savior for Orange County's ailing economy, pointing to an annual economic impact in Anaheim of $1.2 billion. After planning commissioners digest earfulls of comments, they'll be charged with the task of shaping the plans of one of the largest developments in Southern California's history. "This is a momentous project and it's obviously important not just for the city of Anaheim, but for the region," Planning Commissioner Julie Mayer said. "I think we need to hear what everyone has to say. Hopefully, it won't be repetitious and groups will have a spokesperson represent them." She said she has spent several hours listening to differing opinions about the project, and recently sifted through a three-foot stack of related documents. Commissioner Phyllis Boydstun said Disney representatives will present an hour-long "show" that will explain the impact and scope of the project from their perspective. "I don't mean a show, really, but a presentation. They will have slides and walk through it so people can see exactly what they want to do." Disneyland officials have said Westcot is one of the biggest planned projects in the world right now. "There's lots of interest, so I'm sure there will be lots of people there. It will be the first time the public actually will see (the project plans)," Boydstun said. "Looking at an EIR, for people who have never seen one, it's very difficult to picture in your mind what they're doing." She previously has expressed concerns about the enormity of the parking garages. "I was afraid it would put traffic into the neighborhoods from the west, but they have changed all of that. Everything will come off West Street or the freeway." The plans have been revised to turn the garages, which would be built on West Street, away from residential neighborhoods. "They're also going to tier back another floor and have more landscaping, so it won't be such a 'wall' experience," Boydstun said. Representatives of Anaheim HOME and other homeowners groups have said the garage will create noise and bring car burglars into their area. Commissioner Mitch Caldwell said he plans to listen very closely to neighbors' concerns. "I'm very pro-resident and I'm going to side with the residents a" he said. "They're the charter members of the Anaheim club." Caldwell believes there won't be many gray areas when in the project's plans. "I think the project appears to be something everyone wants, but we will see." He said he and the other commissioners will be asking lots of questions. "It's right in our backyard and we want to make sure it happens with the utmost care and concern of everyone involved."