South Laguna Development Cited as Model for Planning

The California Coastal Commission’s approval of the Treasure Island project in South Laguna Beach was what some are calling a textbook case of how to develop the coast.

Unlike acrimonious divisions on other projects, the developer of Treasure Island, environmentalists and the commission staff were able to iron out major differences and move forward. While not everyone was satisfied, most were pleased by the unprecedented protection of the ocean.

“This is the wave of the future. We’re at the crossroads where we can’t continue to do business--or pollution--as usual, as we’ve done in the past,” said Susan Jordan of the League for Coastal Protection. “It’s also important because it showed that a constructive relationship can occur between developers and the commission when they’re working toward a common goal of sound, sane development [and] protection of coastal resources.”

Commissioners said they supported the $150-million, five-star resort and housing project because of a laundry list of conditions agreed to in advance by Athens Group of Phoenix. Those conditions include stringent water quality requirements, access for the disabled and public access to beaches and coves that have been off-limits for decades.

The 275-room hotel, 17 homes and 14 condominiums on 30 acres were originally approved by the Laguna Beach City Council in February. Orange County CoastKeeper, Village Laguna, the South Laguna Civic Assn. and two individuals appealed the city’s approval to the commission, which trumps local government.

But by Wednesday’s meeting, CoastKeeper was speaking in favor of the project because the developer agreed to major diversion of water runoff and a five-year monitoring program.