La Jolla Shores Association supports plan to designate part of La Jolla’s coastline as historic
The Historical Society’s Landmark Committee is seeking backing around town ahead of an August hearing by the State Historical Resources Commission.
The La Jolla Shores Association voted unanimously to approve writing a letter of support for an effort to designate part of the La Jolla coastline as a historic district.
The proposal, led by Seonaid McArthur, chairwoman of the La Jolla Historical Society’s Landmark Committee, would create the La Jolla Park Coastal Historic District, including coastal parkland between Torrey Pines Road and Coast Walk in the north and nearly the end of Coast Boulevard in the south.
A state hearing is postponed amid questions about notification, landscaping, and seal and sea lion protections.
The plan does not include any land in The Shores neighborhood, but McArthur nonetheless asked LJSA for its support at the group’s virtual meeting June 14, adding that she also is asking other community groups to back the effort.
The letter of support will go to the California Office of Historic Preservation’s State Historical Resources Commission, which will hear the nomination Friday, Aug. 4.
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The land in the nomination stems from an 1887 map deemed “La Jolla Park,” McArthur said.
The Landmark Committee “had to identify a period of significance that was logical, made sense and justifiable,” she said. “We selected the period 1887 to 1940,” spanning from when the first lots were sold to La Jolla residents to the end of much of the community development along the coast.
The proposal includes areas like The Cove and Children’s Pool and places such as the Casa de Mañana retirement community and the Red Roost and Red Rest cottages.
Benefits of historical designation include code alternatives listed under the State Historical Building Code, more opportunities for grants to support historic properties, California Environmental Quality Act protections and community pride, McArthur said.
La Jolla resident Patrick Ahern praised the committee’s work, saying, “This is something to celebrate and save the historic fabric of La Jolla for now and future generations.”
Other LJSA news
Safety updates: As of Friday, June 16, all city of San Diego lifeguard stations will be fully staffed for the summer, Fire-Rescue Lt. Lonnie Stephens said, including additional seasonal staff.
The summer staffing will remain through Labor Day weekend in September, tapering off after the holiday.
“You will see increased coverage for observation, control, rescue and all the other job duties,” Stephens said.
San Diego police Lt. Bryan Brecht of the department’s Northern Division, which includes La Jolla, also is ramping up staffing with an eye on the Fourth of July.
“We [will] have about 120 officers daily just for the beach areas from Mission Beach up to La Jolla,” he said.
New committees: LJSA has created two new committees and is asking for members to join them.
One is a marketing and membership committee headed by board member Ed Mackey.
The other is the Azure Coast maintenance and beautification committee, led by board member Richard Dahlberg to address messy and overgrown medians on La Jolla Parkway, Dahlberg said.
Next meeting: The La Jolla Shores Association next meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 12, online. Learn more at lajollashoresassociation.org. ◆
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