La Jolla Community Planning Association (LJCPA) President Tim Golba has been named to the city of San Diego's seven-member Planning Commission.
Golba said he applied to fill a vacancy for a termed-out city planning commissioner. "You put forth your resume to the council district where you reside, Peters in my case," he said, "and if they think you're qualified, then your name goes to the mayor's office among candidates from all council districts."
Golba applied for the planning commission in December.
A local architect, Golba did design work on All Hallows Catholic Church's recent remodel and addition. As a community planner, he has been involved in reviewing development projects proposed in the La Jolla area.
Before becoming a community planner, he said he sat on the other side of the aisle representing applicants proposing development or redevelopment of their properties. "Having started sitting at the table of the applicant in the audience, that does give you an opportunity to see what needs to be done correctly," Golba said. "It made me more sensitized, aware of the needs of the planning group on the applicant."
Golba said one of his motivations in chairing LJCPA, the city-recognized La Jolla advisory group making land-use recommendations on development projects, for the past three years was to "make sure we do this right, make La Jolla the poster child for the city."
Golba offered this advice for those seeking to redevelop their private property: "Familiarize yourself with the La Jolla codes. Don't come in and say I did this in Ocean Beach or somewhere else. Every district in the city has its own peculiar (planning) quirks, their own separate (land use) overlays, and you better be familiar with them because people sitting on these planning boards reviewing projects will be enforcing them."
The city Planning Commission renders final decisions on proposed land-use projects in the city. The board's decisions are however appealable to the San Diego City Council.
Golba has been appointed to a four-year term on the commission.
One of the first projects he will be reviewing on the commission will be Bird Rock Station, a controversial, mixed-use development proposing a third story of condo development on its upper level with which he is intimately familiar, having dealt with it previously on the LJCPA.
Dave Schwab Dave Schwab is a reporter with the La Jolla Light. Contact Dave at (858) 875-5951 or daves@lajollalight.com.
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