Review Period Extended for Disney EIR : Project: Concerned parties will have an extra 22 days to analyze environmental impact report on expansion.

ANAHEIM — Bowing to pressure from a growing number of groups, city officials on Monday extended the deadline for the review process on the draft environmental impact report for Disneyland’s $3-billion expansion project.

Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly said the 45-day review period will be extended by 22 days because the city wants “to go the extra mile to ensure that government agencies and the public at large have adequate time to review the analysis and make comments.”

The extension reverses the city’s original position to stick to a Dec. 28 deadline, despite requests for a longer review period. The new deadline is Jan. 19.

For weeks, the city has been under increasing pressure from various groups to extend the review process. They include the cities of Orange and Garden Grove, Anaheim’s two school districts, the Melodyland Christian Center and Anaheim HOME, a neighborhood association.

Representatives from the groups had complained that the 45-day review period--the minimum required by state law--was too short because of the amount of material in the 500-page document and because two legal holidays fell within the review period.

Some critics have accused city officials of trying to rush the draft EIR through the approval process so construction could begin as soon as possible.

The city’s change of heart over extending the review period was warmly received.

John E. Brown, an attorney for the Anaheim City School District and the Anaheim Union High School District, said the city’s action was “very good news.” He said school officials “were confident the city would do the right thing.”

The school districts had asked for more time to address some “fundamental differences” between the findings in the draft EIR and the findings of their own consultants.

The districts’ consultants determined that the draft EIR underestimates the number of students coming to the districts by 576 and the costs by more than $19 million.

Franklyn R. Elfend, who has been representing Melodyland in its talks with the city and Walt Disney Co., said he was “really pleased that the city has decided to give interested parties more time to analyze the huge document.”

Under Disney’s expansion plans, Melodyland would be the site of a multistory parking structure. Disney officials have said the parking structure could be built around Melodyland. Disney is attempting to acquire the property.

Elfend said that some of the draft EIR’s findings concerning his client’s property appear to be in conflict. Further, he said, if Melodyland kept its property, it appears that the document calls for stricter height and density limitations on the land than currently exist.

Garden Grove City Manager George Tindall said he didn’t “know why Anaheim changed its mind, but it’s welcomed. Now we can go back and do a more thorough review.”

Disney officials could not be reached for comment but have said in the past that the length of the review period is an issue for the city to decide.

Under state law, the EIR has to be approved by the City Council before construction can begin. The final report must take into account public comments and criticisms, as well as answer questions raised about the project.

Although the draft EIR is the city’s document, Disney paid the multimillion-dollar cost of having it done.

Disney officials have repeatedly cautioned the city that they have not yet committed to building the project, which would add a second theme park to the Disneyland complex.

A decision to go forward rests largely on the passage of the EIR and a review of the economic feasibility of the project, Disney officials have said.

The expansion plans also include three new hotels, a 5,000-seat amphitheater, a garden and retail district and two of the nation’s largest parking structures.