La Jolla permit reviewers OK two home rebuilds

At its Oct. 8 meeting, the La Jolla Development Permit Review (DPR) committee unanimously fast-tracked its recommendation for a Coastal Development Permit (CDP) for artist and High Tech High founding faculty member Jeff Robin to demolish a 1,564-square-foot house, and construct a 2,500-square-foot house, at 5522 Beaumont Ave. in Bird Rock.

“Here is the difference between a homeowner’s house and a speculative home,” said trustee Angeles Liera. “I like the way it’s very small and it’s only one story high, but you have broken the volume into seven units. It’s really cute and it fits the neighborhood. I really commend you for it.”

Two neighbors attended the meeting to weigh in with similarly positive opinions.

Architect Paige Koopman traveled from New Zealand to make her presentation on behalf of her client, chair Brian Will noted, and he didn’t want to make her have to come back.

6515 Neptune Place

The committee voted 5-2-1 to recommend a CDP to demolish an existing house and replace it with a 3,960-square-foot, single-family residence at 6515 Neptune Place in the Beach-Barber tract. The Rau Residence Project was represented by Tony Crisafi and Haley Duke of Island Architects.

Trustee Diane Kane said it’s “a box, but it’s a nice box.”

Community activist Melinda Merryweather attended to ensure that Crisafi knew about the runoff and sea caves underneath the neighborhood. “I know almost every house there has water in the basement,” she said.

Crisafi replied that he knew all about the water running underneath that land, and said construction would only dig as far as four feet.

— La Jolla Development Permit Review Committee next meets 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12 at the Rec Center, 615 Prospect St.