Cleanup Campaign Disappoints Anaheim

A cleanup campaign to persuade residents of Anaheim’s Jeffrey-Lynne neighborhood to clear garages and use them to park their cars fell short of the city’s expectations.

Tenants and apartment building owners were asked to participate in the Oct. 10 cleanup, said John Poole, Anaheim’s code enforcement manager.

During the first week of November, the city will eliminate 84 street parking spaces. It is part of a plan to create no-parking zones on certain streets in an effort to reduce crime and improve the looks of the neighborhood next to Disneyland.

Because many garages are being used for purposes other than parking, the city-sponsored cleanup was held to make it easier for tenants to get rid of unwanted items and inoperable vehicles, Poole said.

The city provided large trash bins and towing at no charge. Alleys were cleaned, weeds were cut and graffiti painted over. To follow up, city officials are offering free exterior security lights to apartment owners and tenants.

City staff and more than 80 volunteers, including youth church members and people assigned to community service, pitched in.

Another cleanup day is set for Nov. 7, after the parking ban takes effect. For the second event, Poole said, “there will be a lot more impetus for people to participate.”

The second phase of the no-parking plan will take place the first week of January, when 83 more street parking spaces will be eliminated.

A total of 143 street parking spaces will either be retained or reconfigured.

In September, when the City Council approved no-parking zones, apartment owners supported the plan, though some residents objected.