|
Developers and politicians want to build three-story projects in our
commercial zones, where they have been prohibited for over 20 years!
This is what we have today 
Here's what the community wants 
Here's what Developers want on Girard, Prospect, Herschel, Wall, Pearl, Silverado, Nautilus and La Jolla Boulevard (Click here for 2-story zone map)
We need your help!
|
An Important Message to Our La Jolla Friends and Neighbors
Dear Neighbors,
Challenging times lie ahead for La Jolla. How will our beautiful town thrive into the future, when the current economic downturn pressures our local governments to seek short-term development benefits - at long-term cost?
La Jolla's quaint village charm, cradled in a stunning coastal environment, is what sets her apart from so many other modern coastal towns. But for the past several years, she has been threatened by certain development interests and our city government. Putting profits and politics ahead of our community's wishes, they have worked to erode the zoning laws that have so effectively protected and maintained La Jolla's unique beauty and character.
Enacted in 1984, La Jolla's "Planned Development Ordinance" (or "PDO") is the centerpiece of our local zoning, and protects our community's vision for La Jolla into the future. A cornerstone of our PDO is the "two-story limit" in the commercial areas of the Village, Pearl Street, Nautilus and Bird Rock, which maintains La Jolla's architectural character and scale, and keeps her from being dominated by the dense, generic condo developments that plague so many of California's coastal towns.
The City Council made a bad decision
But recently, this cornerstone suffered severe damage. For the first time, on October 14th, 2008, the San Diego City Council voted to override the two-story limit by approving the first three-story project to come forward in over 20 years -- a bold move by developers who have fought for years to dismantle the two-story limit. When our local planning group denied their project, which they call "Bird Rock Station," the developers went straight to the City and their friend, then-councilmember Scott Peters, to seek approval. There, just before he left office, Peters convinced the majority of the City Council to approve the project, over the powerful and unified objections of the community and a lone councilmember.
This ruling has set a dangerous precedent for approving three story projects where they have been explicitly prohibited for over 20 years. It essentially "busts" La Jolla's two-story limit, and as more developers seek the same exemption for their projects, we could see the charming character of La Jolla eroding, building by building.
A lawsuit is filed
Recognizing the urgency of this situation, La Jollans banded together and took up the one tool available to citizens to challenge wrongful actions by their government: a lawsuit.
On November 17, 2008, the local non-profit, La Jolla Village Residents Association, filed suit in Superior Court under the California Environmental Quality Act, asking for studies of the impact of the project, and asking for a declaration by the court that this three-story project violates a cornerstone of La Jolla's Planned Development Ordinance, and cannot stand.
In many ways, this lawsuit is the culmination of what began in early 2006, when thousands of La Jolla residents joined efforts and stopped the attempt - by the very same people, Mark Lyon and Scott Peters - to eliminate our two-story limit. We were amazingly successful back then. Not only did the threat recede, but newly involved citizens took back the CPA, electing trustees who represent the wider interests of our community rather than select development interests.
But it was always clear that our adversaries would keep trying - they had plenty of money, a profit-motive, and an obvious lack of respect for both the Planned District Ordinance and the community's wishes.
So we find ourselves at the next, and possibly final, step on this journey.
It's time now to finish what we started and win the battle permanently. There is an excellent chance the suit will prevail, the studies will be done, and the builders will have to bring a modified project back to a more educated - and less corrupt - City Council. A possible court decision prohibiting exceptions to the two-story limit would be a stunning victory, and a fitting end to the story.
What do we need to do now?
The time for massive community mobilization is passed. What's needed now is simply for all of us to reach into our pockets and contribute to the lawsuit. The attorneys will do the work.
We can make our greatest contribution from our checkbook right now.
Whatever you can contribute now will make a difference. Though the timing for donations is certainly not ideal, now is when we must take a stand for La Jolla in the courts. By supporting this cause now, we will be enjoying the fruits of our success when the economy is sunnier.
To donate to the lawsuit challenging the City's actions, please click here.
And we love volunteers - if you would like to help in any way, please contact us at info@NoThirdStory.Org
Thank you!
Click here to read updates chronicling the lawsuit and three story project history.