Anaheim Planning Commission approves Beach Boulevard Specific Plan
By Brooklynn Wong
The run-down stretch that was once “the road to summer” is now on track to regain some of its former glory.
Beach Boulevard once was a popular thoroughfare for vacationers heading to Orange County’s beaches, lined with attractions. However in recent decades it has fallen into disrepair, lined now with aging motels and shopping centers, and an attractant for high crime rates.
But at the Oct. 29 meeting of the Anaheim Planning Commission, Anaheim approved a plan to beautify its 1.5-mile stretch of Beach Boulevard.
Senior City Planner Gus Gonzalez presented the item, calling it a “new vision for this corridor,” and the campaign even has a name: “Improve the Boulevard: Set the course for Beach Boulevard and the surrounding West Anaheim community.”
The Beach Boulevard Specific Plan would guide future development of properties along Beach.
Artist renderings were shown of potential business and housing developments, which would be primarily focused at Beach & Lincoln and Beach & Orange.
The crowd, commissioners, and speakers all seemed to be very supportive of the plan.
But one point of minor contention had to do with the density of housing that would be built.
Resident Ryan Bayliss said he is glad the plan would eliminate crime and “spruce up” the area, but is worried about the increase in traffic.
He said, “I wish we didn’t have to put up with so much density.”
Conversely, two representatives from the group People for Housing OC spoke in support of the housing density this plan would bring, saying increasing the housing stock is a good thing, and that high-density would help with affordability.
An environmental impact study done by the city found that building these developments would impact air quality and traffic, but benefit economic growth and employment.
The item was approved 7-0.
Dear Ms. Wong,
I’m not excited about the new “development,” and neither are several home owners in the area.
We don’t look forward to the construction, driving delays, noise and congestion it’s bound to bring!
But obviously, the handful of residents who could attend the planning meetings couldn’t sway the project planners.
Sure, meetings are a formality; we know the decision was made before they started.
How can the meetings be considered “fair” if the power rests on one side of the motion?