ANAHEIM : Angels Criticize Arena Traffic Study

Echoing concerns of nearby mobile home park residents, the California Angels say the city did not consider all the problems posed by traffic from the proposed $85-million indoor sports arena to be built near Anaheim Stadium.

Angels Executive Vice President Michael Schreter said Thursday the environmental report prepared by the city does not adequately consider the increased traffic on Katella Avenue that will occur when events are held simultaneously at the stadium and at the arena.

“The traffic in the vicinity of that intersection (Katella Avenue and Douglass Road) and backing up onto the 57 (Orange) Freeway will be terrible, if not gridlocked,” Schreter said. “We are concerned . . . for the safety and convenience of our fans.”

Schreter also said the city underestimated the number of concurrent events that will be held if arena promoters attract professional basketball and hockey franchises to play there.

He said the Anaheim Stadium parking lot cannot accommodate the overflow when 7,000 cars compete for only 2,900 parking places at the arena. In fact, Schreter said, the Angels’ lease prohibits use of the stadium parking lot by arena patrons on days that the baseball team is playing.

“I don’t know what the remedy is,” said Schreter, who stressed, however, that Angels’ owner Gene Autry is “very supportive” of the arena proposal.

“I think this . . . can be worked out without court,” Schreter said.

The Angels’ criticism, in a letter delivered this week to City Hall, follows a detailed, 67-page critical response to the environmental report by Jack Stanaland, president of Campanula Properties, which owns the Orangetree Mobile Home Park on Douglass Road, northwest of the stadium.

Stanaland told The Times he is prepared to go to court to challenge the city, if the current environmental report is adopted.

The arena is to be built on land purchased by the city for $8 million that is next to the mobile home park on Douglass, north of Katella. The arena would be privately built, but deeded to the city and operated by a private firm.

Stanaland claims the city gave inadequate consideration to the effects of traffic and parking on the 400 residents of the mobile home park when preparing the environmental report. He said the city rushed its report to begin construction of the arena before a competing arena can be built in Santa Ana.

Individual residents of the mobile home park have also filed responses to the environmental report, which the City Council is scheduled to consider approving on Dec. 15, said Joel Fick, Anaheim planning director. Fick said the city has also received responses to the report in from “a number of organizations.”

City officials will analyze the comments and prepare responses for the City Council to consider next week, Fick said.

Stanaland claims it would be illegal for the City Council to adopt the environmental report because it contains inaccurate and misleading information. The report must be approved before construction can begin.