WHAT: Treasure Island WHAT’S BEHIND IT:...

WHAT:

Treasure Island

WHAT’S BEHIND IT:

Monthly progress reports keep the City Council apprised of

glitches in the Treasure Island project, actions by other agencies

that pertain to the project, changes requested by the developer in

approved plans and administrative approvals of proposals.

WHAT NOW:

The City Council approved some changes in street names in the

Montage Resort and Spa development and got a short history lesson on

the arts and crafts movement.

Colony Drive was changed to Montage Resort Drive, reflecting the

change in the hotel name by the most recent owners. Shreve Drive,

Stickley Drive and Atelier Lane are the other street names in the

resort development, which includes the hotel, condominiums and

private homes.

A less than enthusiastic council accepted the street names, but

questioned their appropriateness.

Stickley and Shreve are names that became important early in the

arts and crafts movement, City Manager Ken Frank told the council.

The movement inspired the design of the hotel.

Stickley manufactured furniture in the style associated with

William Morris, founder of the movement. Shreve, which is still in

business on the corner of Post Street and Grant Avenue in San

Francisco, sells jewelry, flatware, china and crystal.

Montage is an art term, defined in Webster’s Dictionary as the act

or process of producing a composite picture by combining several

distinct pictures, often so they blend with or into each other, as

many are hoping the very different aspects of the development will

do. Atelier is another word for artists’ studio or workshop, which

was favored by the arts and crafts movement.

The council also expressed concerns about hotel employee parking,

which is rumored to be encroaching into the surrounding residential

neighborhood and the shopping center across South Coast Highway.

Developer spokesman John Mansour said supplemental parking options

are being studied.

Councilman Wayne Baglin put the developer and the resort owner on

notice that no public parking is to be eliminated and parking in

residential neighborhoods will not be an acceptable solution.

“I hope the hotel takes a strong position about employees parking

in the neighborhoods,” outgoing Mayor Baglin said.

Mansour reported that the California Coastal Commission

unanimously denied a challenge of the project’s drainage.

Some minor modifications to the CC&Rs; were approved, as was a new

sign, Montage Resort and Spa, which replaced the old, sand-blasted

Laguna Beach Colony sign, a style and name preferred by newly elected

Mayor Toni Iseman.

WHAT’S SAID:

“Why didn’t you tell me you knew all this [art history]?”

Councilwoman Cheryl Kinsman asked City Manager Ken Frank.

“Because you didn’t ask,” Frank said.

WHAT’S NEXT:

Hotel construction is on target for a mid-to-late February

opening. Dedication ceremonies to be announced.

-- Barbara Diamond