2 visions for Crystal Cove to be unveiled

Paul Clinton

Trumping the state parks department’s first public unveiling Thursday

of development plans for Crystal Cove, a group of local environmentalists

scheduled a news conference today to detail its vision for the historic

beachfront property.

The Alliance to Rescue Crystal Cove, led by Crystal Cove resident

Laura Davick, has been negotiating with the state Department of Parks and

Recreation on an alternative to the $35-million luxury resort proposed by

San Francisco-based developer Michael Freed.

Davick, who founded the grass-roots environmental group, said she has

been working to shore up support for her plan.

She has suggested raising money through private sector grants and

charitable foundations to renovate Crystal Cove’s 46 historic cottages

and having a conservancy or nonprofit agency operate the development.

“What the public can expect [at the briefing] is all the players to

discuss their concerns regarding what’s coming down [Thursday],” she

said. “We’ll also be touching briefly on some alternate thoughts that

we’ve been putting together.”

The briefing comes a mere two days before the first public meeting on

the resort plan, which first came to light shortly after the state hired

Freed in September 1997 as the project’s concessionaire. Freed formed

Crystal Cove Preservation Partners as an arm of Passport Resorts to

implement his development.

Freed has said he would renovate Crystal Cove’s 46 cottages, which

were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and add

amenities such as restaurants and shops.

But environmentalists have lined up to fight the resort, saying it

would keep the average beachgoer away from Crystal Cove.

Freed has said he would charge an average of $375 per night to stay at

the “first-class vintage California beach resort,” as Crystal Cove was

described in the 1997 contract.

Surprisingly, Freed and state Parks Director Rusty Areias have said

they could support the alternate plan floated by Davick and others.

Under her plan, the more than $30 million needed to restore the

historic cottages would have to be raised in the private sector.

Davick said she has enlisted “a big name” as fund-raising muscle but

declined to name the person until the newsconference.

On Thursday, Freed will present an overview of the resort project.

Areias also is scheduled to speak.

The public is invited to comment on the type of project that

eventually will be built.

FYI

* What: News conference by the Alliance to Rescue Crystal Cove

* When: 2:30 p.m. today

* Where: Crystal Cove State Park on Pacific Coast Highway at Los

Trancos Canyon Road. Follow the road in and bear left down to the beach

and cottages.

* What: Public meeting by the state Parks and Recreation Department on

Crystal Cove development plans

* When: 7 p.m. Thursday

* Where: Lincoln Elementary School, 3101 Pacific View Drive, Corona

del Mar