Thanks for sharing your thoughts

By Sherri Lightner

Councilwoman, First District

I would like to thank everyone who contacted our office and attended the City Council hearing on May 17 to provide their input regarding the future management of the Children’s Pool. A special thanks goes to Joe LaCava, president of the Community Planning Association; Michele Addington, chair of the Parks and Beaches Committee; Rick Wildman, president of the Town Council; Joe Parker, president of the Bird Rock Community Council, and Joe Dicks, chair of the La Jolla Shores Association, for their assistance in providing forums for community input on this important topic.

At the council hearing, a majority of the other council members voted to ask the mayor to secure an emergency Coastal Development Permit to allow the rope barrier at the Children’s Pool to remain up year round. The mayor asked the city attorney for an opinion as to whether an emergency exists at the Children’s Pool. The city attorney noted that it will be difficult to make the findings for an emergency and recommended the mayor seek a permit through the regular permit process to keep the rope barrier up year round. We will continue to keep the community updated on this issue.

Recently, we learned the sewer and water construction project in the Village would not be finished in time for the start of the summer construction moratorium. We worked with the La Jolla Business Improvement District to poll local merchants about whether to stop construction for the summer or continue on through the end of June, when the project will be completed, including resurfacing the affected streets. The majority of the merchants who contacted our office requested the construction to continue through the end of June, and the Traffic and Transportation Board voted to continue construction. I recognize the hardship on our local merchants who have been living with the construction impacts for several months. We will continue to work with the contractor to minimize the impacts.

Please contact my office at (619) 236-6611 or sherri lightner@sandiego.gov if I can ever be of assistance.