La Jolla planners pick new trustee Harry Bubbins as president in a surprise — to Bubbins

Mere minutes after being sworn in as a first-time trustee, Bird Rock resident Harry Bubbins was selected as the new president of the La Jolla Community Planning Association, succeeding veteran member Diane Kane.

Bubbins and a slate of other officers were chosen at the board’s April 11 meeting at the La Jolla/Riford Library.

Kane was selected as first vice president after being ineligible to serve as president again due to term limits. Suzanne Baracchini was chosen as both second vice president and secretary, and Larry Davidson will continue as treasurer.

With a chuckle and a bit of shock at being nominated for president, Bubbins said: “I’m glad to help in any way possible. I’m sure there are a lot of people with great knowledge and abilities, so any way I can help, I will.”

With no other nominees, he was elected unanimously.

Bubbins was elected to the LJCPA board in March, when seven candidates, including four incumbents, ran for eight available seats. In his candidate statement, he said his background is in city planning, including zoning, historic preservation, adaptive reuse and environmental issues. He also is promoting the idea of reducing the speed limit on a portion of La Jolla Boulevard.

“I participate in local environmental projects such as the [La Jolla] Bike Path cleanups,” Bubbins said during a February candidates forum. “I walk, bike, drive and take [public transportation] and I support safe, convenient mobility options. … I value our vibrant Village and commercial areas, understanding that security and beautification help businesses thrive. … Enhancing our local community is important to me. … I value public participation, building consensus and advancing common goals.”

The Community Planning Association is recognized by the city of San Diego to make recommendations to the City Council, Planning Commission, city staff and other government agencies on land-use matters.

The La Jolla Community Planning Association meets April 11 at the La Jolla/Riford Library.

(Ashley Mackin-Solomon)

Other LJCPA news

Consent agenda: Of the eight items listed on the board’s consent agenda — which is usually approved as a slate without discussion — five were pulled for full hearings in the future. They are:

• La Jolla Coastal Historic District, which would designate a portion of the local coastline as historic
• The planned demolition of a historic two-story house known as La Casa de los Amigos to build a new three-story, 10,567-square-foot residence with decks at 6110 Camino de la Costa
• A project that would build a three-story, 10,120-square-foot house on a vacant lot on Castellana Road near Crespo Drive
• A plan to demolish a single-family residence and build a 12,979-square-foot, three-story single-family home at 812 Havenhurst Point
• A proposal to add a new garage, accessory dwelling unit and junior accessory dwelling unit on the same property as an existing single-family residence at 7443 Eads Ave.

The remaining consent items — two construction projects at private residences and plans for the La Jolla Half Marathon — were approved.
SDG&E work: Steve Hadley, representing the office of San Diego City Councilman Joe LaCava, whose District 1 includes La Jolla, fielded questions about the staging of San Diego Gas & Electric equipment between La Jolla Parkway and the south side of La Jolla Scenic Drive South.

He said the equipment is there for the TL673 La Jolla Underground Cable System Replacement Project, which will replace about three miles of power lines between the Rose Canyon substation near Gilman Court and the top of Mount Soledad by way of Via Capri and connect to an existing package of lines down Nautilus Street to a substation at Eads Avenue and Pearl Street.

“[SDG&E is] improving a major transmission line and going under La Jolla Parkway,” Hadley said. A work schedule was not immediately available.

Next meeting: The La Jolla Community Planning Association next meets at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 4, at a location to be determined. Learn more at lajollacpa.org. ◆