Judge dismisses Disneyland lawsuit

ANAHEIM, Calif., Sept. 25 (UPI) -- A judge has dismissed a lawsuit Disneyland filed against Anaheim, Calif., to block a condominium and low-income apartment project near a planned theme park.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Stephen Sunvold also ruled hearings in a second Disneyland lawsuit should be delayed until city voters decide the development's fate next June.

Walt Disney Co. sued in February after the city council split on whether to allow the development across the street from where Disney plans to build a third theme park.

While affordable housing advocates praised the plan as building low-cost homes near resort jobs, Disney -- which envisions hotels and tourist venues on the 26.7-acre plot -- argued the city hadn't completed a thorough environmental review, The Los Angeles Times reported.

But Sunvold ruled that because of the council's 2-2 vote, the city hadn't actually approved zoning for the homes. The council reopened debate in March and approved the zoning, 3-2, in April.

Disney contends in its second lawsuit that Anaheim didn't have jurisdiction to rehear the issue, the newspaper said.

"Our suit is about making certain that (developer SunCal Cos.) follows the same planning and zoning standards that any major development in Anaheim would have to follow before being considered," Disney spokesman Rob Doughty told the newspaper.

SunCal Cos., which applauded the ruling, has been paying the city's legal bills.