New Parking Structure/Pedestrian Bridge Question

[Darkbeer1]

OK, today's edition of the Anaheim Bulletin (a weekly newspaper published by the OC Register) has a very good article today, alas, I can't find the online version, so I will need to touch on the points made in the article in my own words. FYI, the Anaheim Bulletin can be found throughout Anaheim at racks near stores, etc. Free, just grab one. (It is the paper of record for Legal Notices).

So the article is titled "Disney to Present Eastern Gateway Plans" by Joseph Pimentel.

First main point, the actual Planning Committee hearing on the project will be held Monday at 5 PM at City Hall, and is open to the public. (And I am working on my schedule, so hopefully I will attend).

Projected ending date is sometime in 2018

A second hearing will be held by the Planning Committee on January 23rd. (subject to change)

The project is requesting several conditional use permits for the eastern side of Harbor area and the actual bridge (but nothing about the west side of Harbor, due to the fact Disney doesn't need zoning approval for the property it already owns.

The city council will need to address the Pedestrian Bridge and changes to the Disney Way exit from I-5 southbound.

The pedestrian walkway from Disney Way to the Security check is 620 feet long.

The Bridge will be 15 feet, 65 feet wide wide,and 174 feet long.

Pummba will have 6,901 parking spaces.

The security check area will be 290.000 square feet in size.

So that is the summary. The article talks about the Harbor Blvd owners and not being happy with Disney in regards to details about the project, and Disney has stated they have have held multiple meetings with the owners... (aka He said, she said).

Also they had a nice piece of artwork of the proposed bridge.

So we shall know more in the next few days, as I presume the Business owners will start leaking what they have learned....

 

[mich311e]

Latest Anaheim Planning requests have a request for a 6 story tower with 200 rooms and banquet facilitates on the site of the current Quality Inn (Former Penny Sleeper). Not a surprise, as it will become the closest non-Disney Walking Hotel/Motel to the parks when the project is finished.

But the more important issue, changes to the Disney request have been made, and it was formally re-submitted on November 15th.

Is that the Quality Inn on Manchester? Bummer!

 

[Darkbeer1]

Is that the Quality Inn on Manchester? Bummer!

Yes, it is the QI...

But Choice will have a very nice new Hotel nearby, here is the planning commission report.

http://local.anaheim.net/departmentfolders/planning/PC/Item1A.pdf

 

[Darkbeer1]

Here is a link to the article I mentioned yesterday..

http://ocregister.ca.newsmemory.com/?editionStart=Anaheim+Bulletin

You can see the artwork for the new bridge on page 1.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Good article in today OC Register that talks about the non-Disney business on Harbor, and some of the worries they have about the project.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/disney-738016-harbor-businesses.html

>>The Planning Commission is scheduled to make a decision Jan. 23. Disney needs a permit for the construction of the pedestrian bridge, the new security-screening area, signage and a transportation hub. It also needs approval for the parking structure. The City Council is expected to have the final decision on at least the pedestrian bridge at some point.<<

>>Scott Frisbie, whose family owns the nearby McDonald’s, is concerned that to connect to the new Disneyland gateway, the restaurant would have to give up space for a special walkway.

“It’s an impractical idea,” said Frisbie, 57. “They are asking us to create a walkway for people to walk across our property to their (gateway) entrance.

“But we have a liability and responsibility once we have the public on our property,” he said. “Not only that, but that would require us to remove some of our parking stalls, and parking is already scarce in this area.”<<

 

[GrandBob]

Good article in today OC Register that talks about the non-Disney business on Harbor, and some of the worries they have about the project.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/disney-738016-harbor-businesses.html

Thanks for this, Darkbeer. Another good quote that answers a question for a lot of readers of this board:

"The current Harbor entrance to Disneyland isn’t slated to be closed; Disney has said it will be kept open with a security checkpoint for the immediate future. The businesses want stronger assurance that an entrance will be there forever."

Bob

 

[Darkbeer1]

Note, let me tell you what I have been told this means, and I will be attending the meeting on Monday night, so I can get more details.

The only place to cross Harbor will be at Manchester Ave, next to Mimi's Cafe. The current crosswalk and traffic light will be closed and the Harbor Blvd. Median and fence that is in the middle of it will become one solid piece from Manchester to Disney Way. And due to the new drop off zone shown on the plans, that there will be no pedestrian entrance or sidewalk right there, and that Disney and the city will push people to the new entrance behind the Grand Legacy.

There will be a security check designed for those going down Harbor Blvd on the west side near the base of the new bridge to serve the Toy Story Buses and those few people that decide to walk that pathway, such as those staying at Hotel Menage (or whatever new name it gets after the conversion to a Sheraton brand), and those crossing at Manchester at the traffic light.

This is why Disney has offered to allow a pathway from between the Mc Donald's and Camelot to the North West corner of the new Disneyland Eastern Gateway project.

But we should get much more info at the meeting on Monday night.

 

[Darkbeer1]

If you watch the video that is part of the OCR article I linked to, Disney has offered for every Hotel on Harbor north of Disney Way to build a pathway connection between the back of their Hotel/Motel to connect directly with the main walkway from Disney Way to the new security checkpoint, which should be a nicer option, as it would all be on private property, and there would be no homeless issue on the public sidewalk. Looks like the Hotel owner will have to pay for and build the connector that would meet some basic Disney requirements to their sidewalk. And I think that is the best solution. I presume they could add a gate that requires a room key to use it.

But the restaurants won't like it, as they totally would be bypassed. Those south of Disney Way will be directed away from Harbor at the Grand Legacy to the new entrance. (There is new entry point sign shown in the video). So that block of Harbor will not have much public sidewalk use. (The Bus Stops are expected to be moved off Harbor and use a short detour to Manchester/Clementine and a stop next to the new Transportation Hub.

We also have a lot more new Lodging Choices opening near the Pummba Parking Structure, the Quality Inn is planning a new 6 story Tower, to be similar to the new Courtyard and Holiday Inn Express. Two new properties are being worked on at the corner of Disney Way and Clementine, a Country Inn Tower, and a new one where the Bergstrom Furniture Store used to be. The JW Marriott at the south west corner next to GardenWalk and the conversion of the Anaheim Plaza to a 4 star Hotel.

All these properties will use the new Pummba Pedestrian Entrance, or a northern entrance next to the Quality Inn for those on Manchester (HoJo's, Courtyyard, HIE and QI replacement).

 

[doomer]

The answers have been there, but some people just don't want to believe them or even want to spread disinfomation.
HoJo reported months ago that the Harbor Blvd checkpoint and a pedestrian crossing to it will still be available after the project is completed.
Some seem to enjoy causing panic by implying, or outright falsely stating, that those staying in the "across Harbor" hotels will have to walk all the way to the Eastern Gateway to get into the esplanade.

 

[GrandBob]

Thanks Darkbeer. Bummer that the crosswalk will be closed. Yes, I do recall that you've mentioned that in the past. Still, the Harbor security entrance would appear to be good news for Candy Cane Inn and possibly Courtyard Anaheim, as well as HoJo's. It sounds to me like things are reasonably well thought out, though inconvenient for some.

Bob

 

[prestoncaldwell]

Good info, Darkbeer....Has there been any discussion over long term plans for the strawberry farm (Toy Story)?

 

[Darkbeer1]

No, it is needed currently for parking. Last weekend, and this weekend, the attached "Katella Cast Member Lot" is being used for guest parking, and CM's that normally park there have to park at the Angel Stadium parking lot and get bussed in. But after Pummba is finished, I can see another Parking Structure being built on the lot. (close one part, operate the other areas for guest parking, and the CM's end up parking elsewhere.

Well, off to the meeting at City Hall, I will post what I learn from the Planning Commission Meeting when I get home.

 

[Darkbeer1]

OK, still working on dinner, but here we go...

The "Public Workshop" dealing with the Disneyland Eastern Gateway had over 200 people, and standing room only, so a lot of interest in the project.

The Workshop started with a look back at the History of the project (1993 to the present), presented by the City of Anaheim Staff.

Next was a presentation by Disneyland, the first part was a walkthrough of graphics/art, maps and video of the planned project, with discussion of a "work in progress" in improving access to the new Security area for the non-Disney Hotels on Harbor near the parks (Basically HoJo's to the Anaheim Plaza). Then we had the head of Security for the DLR talk for a few minutes of the reasons why Security is so important and needing to relocate the checkpoints. He did mention that the western Security Checkpoints will open later this week (rumored to be Thursday).

Then a summary, and the planning commission asking question to staff and others in attendance.

Then it opened up to public comments (limited to 3 minutes per person).

That took about two hours.

)K, lets look at some of the secondary stuff first.

The Western Security Checks are going from 16 stations to 40 this week, and that is also planned when the Eastern Gateway opens. Disney has heard the complaints and is addressing the long waits. This will also have more guests going through the Metal Detectors.

In case you don't know, the Toy Story Lot is only zoned for parking until 2024, and will have to get an extension soon. Disney is planning to build a Security Check inside the lot to open at the same time as the main Eastern Gateway. (And why there is the special Toy Story drop-off on Harbor on the plans, it will be part of the secure area.)

Disney met with ART today, and is asking for a new ART Route that would basically do the one block circle, aka, start at the new transportation hub, head south down Manchester to Disney Way, make a right, and a right on Harbor with a couple of stops, then turn right on Manchester and return to the Transportation Hub to drop the guests off.

Since the Town Hall held at the GCH late last month for the non-Disney businesses, Disney has started to address the issues brought up, and has offered to allow access to the Hotels touching the new Pedestrian Walkway from Disney Way to where the Security Checkpoint starts.

And to build a new entrance at the north west corner, if the private landowners are willing to allow a access pathway from Harbor Blvd to that corner. (So think McDonald's heading east). Once again, a work in progress.

Due to these new issues and large interest in the project, the project will not be part of the January 23rd meeting, and instead of the normal 10 days, they will give a 30 day notice prior to the official hearing.

So that is the "news" that came out of the meeting.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Here is a link to the Orange County Register news article regarding tonight's meeting.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/disney-738246-security-bridge.html

>>The proposal irked some, if not all, of the more than 25 business owners along Harbor Boulevard. They argued at a community workshop last week and again Monday that the bridge is an inconvenience to their guests – who can now cross Harbor to the esplanade – and will decrease foot traffic along Harbor, the majority source of their patrons.

Placing the security behind their businesses also struck a nerve with some owners, who said Disney is bolstering the safety of their main entrance while making increasing the vulnerability of customers and employees of the local businesses.

“Our family is also interested in safety and security for our guests and employees,” said Greg Eisenman, general manager of Tropicana and Camelot Inn hotels. He added that putting a security screening area behind the local businesses put the puts the risk “in our backyards.”<<

 

[Darkbeer1]

Still Images of the graphics...

https://darkbeer.smugmug.com/Anaheim-Planning-Commission/

About two hours of video of the entire Project Workshop presentation...

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIK3Pv1RyctKt6oCILDYlqqobgjFH6wMx

 

[VandVsmama]

I do hope that the hotels/motels along Harbor Blvd consider building connectors from the backs of their properties to the Disney transportation/security center. It will make staying at places like BWPPI, Tropicana, etc. continue to be very desirable locations. This also, in turn, makes staying at Hojo's & the new hotel next door a lot more desirable.

 

[GrandBob]

I do hope that the hotels/motels along Harbor Blvd consider building connectors from the backs of their properties to the Disney transportation/security center. It will make staying at places like BWPPI, Tropicana, etc. continue to be very desirable locations. This also, in turn, makes staying at Hojo's & the new hotel next door a lot more desirable.

In principle I agree. But if you look at Disney's suggested pedestrian corridor for that purpose, it goes through the easternmost block of rooms for both Tropicana and Park Vue. I don't see them tearing down large blocks of rooms for that purpose.

Bob

 

[Nonsuch]

In principle I agree. But if you look at Disney's suggested pedestrian corridor for that purpose, it goes through the easternmost block of rooms for both Tropicana and Park Vue. I don't see them tearing down large blocks of rooms for that purpose.

The motel owners might be underestimating the value of a direct connection to Disney property.
There are often threads on this board about safety on Harbor, one person even worried about crossing Disneyland Drive to PPH. Direct access to the Eastern Gateway makes these motels part of the "Disneyland Bubble", which might be more desirable (and valuable) than the existing crosswalk.

 

[Darkbeer1]

The motel owners might be underestimating the value of a direct connection to Disney property.
There are often threads on this board about safety on Harbor, one person even worried about crossing Disneyland Drive to PPH. Direct access to the Eastern Gateway makes these motels part of the "Disneyland Bubble", which might be more desirable (and valuable) than the existing crosswalk.

It seemed the real complainers were the McDonald's, IHOP and Denny's at the meeting. The Hotels/Motels were interested in the offer to allow a gate on the east end of the property for the most part.

And I agree, it will be the Restaurants that will be the big loser as they depend on the foot traffic.

While the Lodging folks might lose a few folks, others will take their place, and due to most guests booking in advance (no more are folks just jumping in the car and driving to a Hotel hoping to get a room) they will still have a healthy business, because many first time customers will see the location on the map, and don't care if they use the west side or east side exit.

 

[GrandBob]

It seemed the real complainers were the McDonald's, IHOP and Denny's at the metting. The Hotels/Motels were interested in the offer to allow a gate on the east end of the property for the most part.

McDonalds - Given that Disney has offered pedestrian access to security via the Camelot property, it seems to me that McD's doesn't have much to complain about. Yes, their customers will have a longer walk. Things change. But those customer will presumably get back through security faster than before.

IHOP and Denny's seem be be kinda screwed. I can understand their complaints.

What about Tony Roma's? Were they represented? Will there still be a pedestrian crosswalk at Disney Way? If so, their customers aren't put out too much.