State releases Crystal Cove plan

Lolita Harper

It is a place so serene that the ocean lulls you to sleep at night

and the birds wake you up with cheerful chirping in the morning.

It is surrounded by the glitz, glamour and money of one of the

richest cities in the country, but stays humble -- nestled in its

isolated beachfront sanctuary.

Crystal Cove State Park is a treasure, say longtime residents who

fought hard to hold onto their little piece of heaven before finally

being evicted, and it is great that the general public will have the

opportunity to experience the magic of the cove.

A $12-million plan to restore the 46 historic beachfront cottages

and reopen them to the public, released by the state Department of

Parks and Recreation last week, came as a relief to some former

residents who once feared a luxury resort would replace the modest

cottages and kill the spirit of the site.

The plan calls for 35 cottages to be offered for less than $100

per night beginning in 2004. Of those available, 31 will be

individuals and 4 would be dormitory-style rentals, officials said.

Rentals would be offered year round and join approximately 15,000

other campsites across the state.

The state is trying to preserve the experience residents had,

while allowing the public access to it, Parks spokesman Roy Stearns

said.

Former resident Jim Thobe said he is anxious for others to get to

know the cove as he did.

“Once you get through the grieving process you move into a state

of acceptance,” said Thobe, who lived in Crystal Cover for 32 years.

“Initially I was so ... territorial of this possession that I had

cherished for so long that I didn’t want anyone here. But if I can’t

be there at least others can experience what I came to love.”

Thobe moved to Crystal Cove in 1969 and leased an 800-square-foot

cottage. In 1979, the state bought the coastline property from the

Irvine Co. for $32 million and the battle over the cove ensued.

He didn’t want to let go of the swift ocean breezes that greeted

him as he stepped out the door or the sight of dolphins frolicking in

the waters just off shore. He didn’t want to lose the majestic

sunsets in the summer and captivating lightening storms in the

winter.

Thobe said he was bitter when finally evicted by the state in 2001

but has had a year to come to grips with the reality of losing the

cottage.

“If you were a realist, you had to believe that your time there

was limited,” he said. “The place is just too good to be true.”

Thobe wants to see some life put back in the historic cottages and

the “aloha spirit” restored.

Laura Davick, a former resident turned activist who pushed for an

interpretive center at the cove, said she also supported the state’s

plan. She called it “an excellent start” and said it addressed the

need for affordable access to not only the spirit of the area but the

historic significance, also.

Davick currently gives historic tours of the cove and its

cottages, which were built around 1930. She said she supports the

state’s plan for educational programs on the site.

“It is very important to give park visitors an opportunity to be

educated about the distinct historic, cultural and natural resources

of the park,” Davick said. “They are unique to our local community

and really give people a chance to step back into the past and take a

walk through time.”

Davick said she expects some fine-tuning as more and more people

become familiar with the proposed plan and offer their input, but

feels it provides a solid foundation.

Activist and retired attorney Jeanette Merrilees said she is still

making her way through the extensive report that outlines the state’s

plans for Crystal Cove and would reserve specific comment until she

has read the entire thing.

In general, she wants to make sure the newest plan gives proper

consideration to the area’s natural resources, such as its bluffs and

archeological treasures. Merrilees is concerned that too much

emphasis is being placed on the cottages and not the land itself.

“A park must focus on natural resources and not the structures,”

she said. “We have some interest that may not have been sufficiently

addressed.”

The public is invited to comment on the plan until Dec. 2, after

which the plan heads to the State Parks Commission. A hearing is

expected some time in February and then the proposal would need to be

approved by the California Coastal Commission.

Stearns said public input so far has been favorable. Like Davick,

he expects some fine-tuning, but said that is all part of the

process. He is confident that the state has adhered to its top goals

for the Crystal Cove site.

“We wanted to preserve the historic area and open it to public

access and we are doing that in a pretty large way,” Stearns said.

* LOLITA HARPER is a reporter for Times Community News. She may

be reached at (949) 574-4275 or by e-mail at

lolita.harper@latimes.com.