Plans for rebranded Girard Avenue storefront and La Jolla Boulevard mixed-use remodel get OK from PDO board

Projects to “refresh” a storefront on Girard Avenue with Parisian flair and to remodel a house on La Jolla Boulevard for mixed use got the blessing of the La Jolla Planned District Ordinance Committee during its Nov. 14 meeting.

The current Trianon Clothing Boutique at 7854 Girard is being rebranded to Julyette Paris, which also involves a change to the facade. The work includes repainting the exterior, adding new lettering and signage, installing an awning and new lighting and placing a planter box with artificial flowers out front.

“As it stands now, it doesn’t give any artful design or demarcation, so we opted to refresh [the exterior] by painting our portion of the facade,” said applicant representative Neil Alan. “The texture of the building will remain the same.”

Other frontage decorations are similar in size and projection with surrounding buildings, he said.

“We thought that adding these little nuances would make the boutique concept a little better … just to bring a little warmth and Parisian flair to the front,” Alan said.

Though in support of the change, PDO trustee Bill Podway asked for live plants in the planter box because “silk flowers fade and look tacky.”

But Alan said “better and higher-quality” silk flowers are available and that “we didn’t necessarily want to use live plants because we have seen water runoff muddy up the sidewalk. We’re happy to do live plants, but we would never use a ‘cheap’ [synthetic] plant. The silk would keep maintenance down.”

The board voted unanimously to support the project.

The board also supported a proposed remodel and addition to a single-family residence at 6825 La Jolla Blvd.

The result would be a multi-unit mixed-use development. The front unit would be renovated to be a commercial space with a second-story residential unit with a roof deck, plus a two-car garage. The rear unit would be residential, with an attached accessory dwelling.

Architect Scott Frontis said the plan includes sidewalk improvements, removal of an existing street tree and addition of a jacaranda tree. He said the residential units would be accessed from Bonair Way.

The proposed floor area ratio (the size of a building in relation to its lot) is 0.98, or “about 1,400 square feet under the [allowable] FAR,” Frontis said.

PDO trustee Andy Fotsch said it was “nice to see something that wasn’t totally maxed out.”

Committee Chairwoman Deborah Marengo said the proposal “looks good” and is “definitely an improvement for that parcel.”

A motion to support the development passed unanimously.

The PDO Committee reviews development applications in areas regulated by the La Jolla Planned District Ordinance to determine whether the plans conform with the PDO.

“For projects requiring no other discretionary permits (for example, building signs, facade renovations), the recommendations are forwarded to the LJCPA [La Jolla Community Planning Association] for ratification before submitting to the city of San Diego,” according to LJCPA. “For projects requiring discretionary permits (coastal development permits, site development permits, etc.), the recommendations are forwarded to the Development Permit Review Committee for their consideration.” ◆