La Jolla traffic board opens the door to temporary road closure for Sunday farmers market

A proposal to temporarily close part of southern Girard Avenue for use by the La Jolla Open Aire Market while construction is going on at La Jolla Elementary School got unanimous approval of the La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board, pending a permit from the city of San Diego.

The farmers market operates from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays on the campus of La Jolla Elementary, typically with more than 150 vendors.

Sherri Ahern, who founded the market 25 years ago as a fundraiser for the school, said at T&T’s April 18 meeting that with the school undergoing a modernization project, the market will not be able to use the campus when school closes in June because construction will completely take over the upper field.

The temporary closure of Girard between Genter Street and the north end of the campus is proposed for 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sundays to include time for vendor setup and breakdown. It would allow the market to continue through the construction, Ahern said.

An illustration shows a proposed Girard Avenue closure and where barriers would be placed at Genter Street (far left) and further up Girard at the north end of La Jolla Elementary School.

(Elisabeth Frausto)

“The market [earns] the money that we use to help pay for teachers and programs,” Ahern said. She added that “people rely on the market; it’s a Sunday ritual for a lot of people.”

Market manager Julie MacDonald said the months-long work on the school grounds (the upper field is to be under construction through November or December) would leave the market only with the staff parking lot, which can hold about 26 vendors.

“That’s a dramatic decrease, which means a loss of ... revenue for the school,” MacDonald said.

A plan to temporarily close part of southern Girard Avenue in La Jolla on Sunday mornings for the La Jolla Open Aire Market passed the La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board.

(Elisabeth Frausto)

Ahern and MacDonald said the road closure would have minimal impact on nearby homes and businesses.

Closing the proposed portion of Girard would block off medical buildings and Gillispie School, none of which operates on Sundays, MacDonald said. There will still be parking for businesses on the southern end of Girard to Pearl Street.

The 7300 block of Girard is home to a few residents who would be affected by the closure, but MacDonald said she spoke to some of them and they told her they don’t have cars and are avid patrons of the market and support the closure.

“They would still be able to come and go … [with] minimal disruption,” MacDonald said.

The proposed closure would include a 20-foot fire lane, and the market would use Gillispie School parking lots under an existing agreement.

Barricades would be erected at both ends of the closure, with room for U-turns.

Market officials have worked with the San Diego Special Events & Filming Department, the permitting agency for the plan, and incorporated the department’s suggestions, Ahern said.

“We’re just trying to do the best we can for a certain amount of time,” she said.

T&T board member Patrick Ryan said “this is an absolute gem of a thing to have in La Jolla. … Whatever we can do to be flexible for six months, I would back it.”

Ryan moved to approve the road closure as presented, conditional on the market receiving a city permit.

Next meeting: The La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board next meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 16, at the La Jolla/Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave. To learn more, email bearley1@san.rr.com. ◆