Guest commentary: Mark calendars for Enhance La Jolla Day; more help needed to fight rise in graffiti

Enhance La Jolla Day 2022 is fast approaching. The event, scheduled for 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, April 23, is free and open to the public and will take place in front of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego at 700 Prospect St., La Jolla.

Several tree wells like this one on Girard Avenue were refreshed with new rocks and plants (some plants were there previously) during Enhance La Jolla Day in March 2021.

(Elisabeth Frausto)

Among the activities planned are a family-friendly art project organized by museum staff, a milkweed plant giveaway to promote the local butterfly population, a demonstration by Urban Corps of its eco-friendly pressure-washing equipment used in the La Jolla Maintenance Assessment District each week, music provided by Ron Jones and the La Jolla Town Council, and the opportunity to meet with San Diego City Councilman Joe LaCava and leaders of community organizations.

Graffiti

There has been an increase in graffiti in the Maintenance Assessment District, with markings appearing on everything from sidewalks to walls and windows of businesses, plus planter boxes and even palm trees.

LJMAD vendors, the volunteer painter who supports our operations and San Diego city personnel have worked diligently to remove the graffiti as quickly as it appears, but it has reached the point that additional community eyes and ears are needed when it comes to graffiti reporting.

One of the most effective ways the community can support graffiti mitigation efforts is to use the city of San Diego’s “Get It Done” app. The application can be easily downloaded on any smartphone in a matter of minutes and allows for anyone to capture a photo of anything amiss in public right-of-way areas for reporting issues directly to the city.

Regarding graffiti specifically, such images have proved successful in documenting patterns of vandalism and have assisted in prosecuting those responsible.

For more information about the Get It Done app, visit sandiego.gov/get-it-done.

Landscaping

LJMAD vendors continue to maintain watering and weed abatement efforts in tree wells, planter boxes and hanging flower baskets throughout the district.

Many of the red and pink geraniums planted at the start of this year in hanging baskets are now thriving, as are succulents in various planter boxes along Girard Avenue between Pearl Street and Prospect Street.

One landscaping project in recent weeks placed mulch and rocks in nearly a dozen tree wells housing palm trees and jacaranda trees along Pearl Street between Girard Avenue and Fay Avenue. The tree wells previously contained exposed dirt.

Enhance La Jolla board

The next Enhance La Jolla board of directors meeting will be in person at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 21, in the Seminar Room of the La Jolla/Riford Library at 7555 Draper Ave. For more information, visitenhancelajolla.org.

If you see an issue needing attention in the district, please call Enhance La Jolla at (858) 444-5892 or email manager@enhancelajolla.org.

Mary Montgomery is manager for the La Jolla Maintenance Assessment District. ◆