For months The Walt Disney Company has been fighting a plan supported by the Anaheim City Council which would have seen afforadable housing built on land adjacent to the Disney theme parks. It appears the battle has finally been won.
On Tuesday the City Council voted to reverse its decision, effectively killing the proposed project.
Initially the council had supported the project, in which developer SunCal had hoped to build 1500 homes on land that was previously home to a mobile home park. The project could not move forward without re-zoning the land from to residential. Disney publicly fought the plan, forcing a public vote which was scheduled for June 2008.
Meanwhile SunCal ran into its own financial problems and filed suit against the current property owner. Last month SunCal officials informed the City Council that they were no longer actively pursuing the Anaheim project.
Publicly Disney opposed the project on philosophical grounds--they stressed the importance of maintaining a friendly resort / tourist area given its importance to the city's economy. However Disney almost certainly has an interest in acquiring the 26.7-acre plot for itself. Having recently announced an expansion to the Grand Californian Hotel and a $1.2 billion dollar investment in the Disney's California Adventure theme park, this land may someday be home to a third theme park or new resort / DVC villa complex.
Additional information can be found in a story published in the Orange County Register.
