The Anaheim City Council tonight takes up the environmental impact report for the planned Platinum Triangle project, and all of the school, park and housing issues that go with it.
The plan for the Platinum Triangle business and entertainment district has been supported by the city for nearly a decade, but a lawsuit challenging its shortage of community infrastructure and, now, the struggling economy have brought progress to a near standstill.
However, with a reconstituted City Council and a new mayor taking over in December, the current council seems eager to make some progress on the project.
The project was originally docketed for the Nov. 9 meeting but was moved to tonight.
The three main issues facing the 800-acre project — which sits between the Santa Ana River and the 5 Freeway, are those revolving around schools, affordable housing and parks.
Critics of the project are expected to be vocal at tonight’s meeting.
“They’re really building a whole new community here, within the city,” said Eric Altman, executive director of Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development (OCCORD), which forced tonight’s vote on the environmental impact report by challenging the old one in court.
When built-out, Altman said, the Platinum Triangle is planned to have 28,350 residents — larger than the city of Seal Beach — according to the Center for Demographic Research at Cal State Fullerton.
Altman said his organization “can’t find any substantive changes” between the old environmental impact report and the new one.
He said that under the new plan there still aren’t enough schools in the area to mitigate current problems and add increased population. Altman added that the new plan doesn’t provide for low-income housing.
There is enough affordable housing nearby, according to plans for the project. And a city staff report says that the parks will come later.