At 150, Anaheim is in a positively negative mood

Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle accentuated the positives at a recent council meeting that took note of the city’s 150th birthday: more than $1 million had been raised for the Tiger Woods Learning Center, a new museum was opening in the revitalized downtown district, and the reigning Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks were opening their season.

But before Pringle could begin to brag, he had to preside over yet another contentious and sometimes ugly City Council meeting at which a longtime resident threatened to work to recall three of the five council members, another called two-term Councilman Bob Hernandez a moron, and housing advocates lamented the city’s “deepening crisis of working poverty.”

The dark cloud hanging over Anaheim’s sesquicentennial celebration -- and the city in general -- comes in the form of a bitter dispute over a 1,500-unit condo and apartment project proposed by developer SunCal Cos. in the Resort District. The council voted 3 to 2 in April to approve a zoning change that would allow the residential use.

The issue has pitted Disney, tourist officials and their allies against developers, housing advocates, low-wage workers and some religious leaders who argue that the city, and the tourist district in particular, have a pressing need for low-cost housing.

In the past year, the dispute has spawned two lawsuits, three ballot measures and threats of a recall during a time when the city celebrated 150 years by, among other events, having a float in the Tournament of Roses Parade, dedicating a history walk in downtown and burying a time capsule to be opened in 2057.

“It’s disrupted the city and divided it,” said former Councilman Frank Feldhaus. “With the two sides going at it, it is rather embarrassing. We had hoped both sides would come up with a compromise.”

Pringle has sided with Disney, which has steadfastly attempted to protect the land surrounding its two parks from new residential development, saying the two uses are incompatible. Pringle said he had tried twice to forge a settlement, offering a compromise plan six months ago and meeting recently with Councilwoman Lucille Kring, a proponent of the housing project.

“Yes, it would be great if it were all over,” Pringle said. “But I don’t see others interested in doing that.”

If anything, the battle over housing in the resort district seems to be escalating. A Disney-backed referendum that is already on the June ballot could be joined by a second Disney-supported initiative that was certified for the ballot Wednesday, and a competing initiative -- backed by SunCal -- appears to have the three council votes needed to qualify for the ballot.

The SunCal initiative, which would give voters zoning control over the 53-acre parcel where Disney’s third theme park is planned, has created a stir. Some members of the coalition driving the Disney initiatives have contended the rival ballot measure was cooked up by its supporters -- Kring, Lorri Galloway and Hernandez -- in a “backroom deal.” Some advocate recalling the three council members.

“I’m pushing for a recall of all of you as fast as possible!” shouted Steve Goodyear, 54, whose emotional plea received an ovation in council chambers. “We voted for you, not SunCal. We will recall you, and we will replace you.”

Feldhaus, who endorsed Kring in 2006, said he would be inclined to support a recall.

“She had me convinced she was for business and the police and fire departments,” he said. “It seems like she’s turned around 180 degrees.”

Hernandez, who spent five minutes of Tuesday’s meeting fending off personal attacks, said he had never seen his community in such an uproar. “It’s unfortunate it’s gotten down to name-calling,” he said. “There’s a lot of anxiety and misinformation out there, and that fuels anger.”

One city activist is appealing for calm. “I personally don’t appreciate all the innuendoes and mudslinging against these three council members,” said Ed Perez, a former Anaheim planning commissioner. “These people have given us balanced budgets, a lot of amenities and worthwhile projects.

“As a community, we’ve got to be cohesive. I want leadership to step up and tell us everything is going to be OK.”

Amin David, who heads Los Amigos of Orange County, a Latino advocacy group, said he wished he could celebrate Anaheim’s 150th anniversary, but the lack of attention given to low-cost housing hasn’t left him in a partying mood.

“We are not party to the party,” he said. “It appears the city wants to cast us aside and hush us up. It is ironic, and it comes with a great degree of bitterness, that people are celebrating now.”

In Anaheim, the housing debate has become a taboo topic in some circles. “We’ve made a pact with a couple friends not to talk about it at breakfast,” David said, “Because things could get very ugly if we did bring it up. It’s better not to go there.”

Meanwhile, Pringle said he would continue doing the job he was elected to do, in hopes that the Disney-SunCal spat doesn’t dampen the spirit of the city that’s home to the Happiest Place on Earth.

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david.mckibben@latimes.com