Business owners speak up at La Jolla Shores Association meeting

BY SHELLI DEROBERTIS

Two business owners came before the La Jolla Shores Association (LJSA) at its July 11 meeting to reveal their companies were suffering due to the recent sudden enforcement of city codes.

Daniel Woods, four-year owner of Beach Shoot San Diego at 2160 Avenida de la Playa, attended the meeting with his wife and newborn infant to tell the LJSA about his wedding and adventure photography business being cut short.

“According to the municipal code, it’s illegal to pay a photographer for a photo taken on the beach,” he said. “That’s unfortunate because my livelihood has come to a halt.”

Woods said he has begun getting tickets from the La Jolla Shores lifeguards for violating municipal code 63.20.20 that states it is unlawful for a corporation to carry on a commercial operation on the beach. He said after four years of shooting images in the Shores area, the city is suddenly prosecuting him.

“There should be a legal way for a family to get their photograph taken on these beautiful beaches,” Woods said.

In that same vein, Camille Berry stood before the board in her blue camouflage fatigues and said that she helps her husband run a very small scuba diving business in Mission Beach called Poseidon’s Divers.

The couple teaches safety education and SCUBA certification at La Jolla Cove and offers specialized training for disabled veterans. But now they need a permit to operate in the Cove waters.

“We were alarmed by the idea of permitting because it would shut down our business,” she said.

The board thanked the petitioners for their comments, but took no action on the matters presented.

In other Shores news:

• Quiet Fourth: Police department community relations officer Alan Alvarez reported that four officers were assigned to The Shores during the Fourth of July festivities and it was an “extremely tame” holiday, with no outstanding arrests.

• Noisy ice cream trucks: Alvarez said ice cream trucks are regulated on the level of noise they produce, but there is no regulation on the number of trucks allowed in an area at a given time. “They are not allowed to block traffic, though,” he said.

• Poliferation of Pop-ups: Alvarez told the board that the closed tents that saturate the beaches during holidays and summer weekends are not allowed, but “if you can see inside the tent, you’re good-to-go,” he explained, claryfying that one side of a tent must be open at all times for it to be “legal.”

• Sewer Pumps: Those in pump station 27 will be replaced starting on July 16, according to Erin Demorest, representative for city council member Sherri Lightner.

• Kudos: The shade structure recently completed above the J.J. the gray whale statue at Kellogg Park has received positive feedback, said Mary Coakley.

• Park Patrol: The LJSA’s June request to the city for a ranger to work at Kellogg Park was denied due to lack of budget funds, but as a result of the query, La Jolla now has two extra police patrolling the area for the months of July and August.

• New Crosswalks: Resident Dan Allen requested the board add to its September agenda a request to the city for crosswalks on Princess Street and Torrey Pines Road, and another location east of Hillside Drive. LJSA does not meet in August.

• Unruly Seagulls. LJSA Chair Audrey Keane suggested someone be hired to put lids on the trashcans and shut down the park each night. Seagulls are pulling garbage out of the open bins and making a mess of Kellogg Park at the end of each day.

• Treasurer’s Report: The LJSA has $782.22, but needs an additional $1,000 to pay upcoming insurance dues.