La Jolla does not have an architectural committee nor a design review committee; instead, we work closely with the City of San Diego and its application processes.
If the City’s Municipal Code allows a private project under Process 1 (simple building permit) then the LJCPA has no involvement unless the project’s classification comes into question. However, we encourage applicants to work with neighbors as well as the Homeowners Association (if any). The exception is sign permits or façade changes in the Village or the Bird Rock merchant district (see below). Various street changes and issues also require LJCPA review.
If the City’s Municipal Code requires a discretionary permit such as a Coastal Development Permit (CDP), Site Development Permit (SDP), Neighborhood Development Permit (NDP), Conditional Use Permit (CUP), or Tentative Map (TM), then the LJCPA is empowered by the City to review the project and offer its recommendation on the project, including the its alignment with the goals, principles, and provisions of the La Jolla Community Plan, the La Jolla Planned District Ordinance, and/or the La Jolla Shores Planned District Ordinance as appropriate. Reviews at both the committee and Trustee levels are done in an open public forum.
| Project type | area | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| La Jolla Planned District (zoned LJPD-) | La Jolla Shores Planned District (zoned LJSPD-) | La Jolla non-PD (zoned RS-, RM-,…) | |
| Process 1 permits, such as remodeling or utility upgrades within an existing structure | (no LJCPA review required) | (no LJCPA review required) | (no LJCPA review required) |
| Facade renovation, signs, change of use, sidewalk cafes,… | PDO → LJCPA | (no LJCPA review required) | (no LJCPA review required) |
| Process 2-5 (CDP, NDP, SDP,…) applications, including City projects | PDO → DPR → LJCPA | PRC → LJCPA | DPR → LJCPA |
| Project-related street issues, such as street/ROW vacations | PDO → DPR → T&T → LJCPA | PRC → T&T → LJCPA | DPR → T&T → LJCPA |
| Public street issues including striping, parking, stop signs, street closures, special events, etc. | T&T → LJCPA | T&T → LJCPA | T&T → LJCPA |
Starting the Community Review
The LJCPA requires applicants to first make their application to the City of San Diego. Once the City deems the application complete that is the time to approach the LJCPA. Specifically the LJCPA and its subcommittees require the following to be complete before review can begin.
- The site has been posted.
- The Notice of Application has been mailed out.
- The LJCPA has received the first set of City comments.
The City and your assigned City Project Manager will guide you on these items.
Once all three have been completed the project can be scheduled for hearing by the appropriate subcommittee(s) and the La Jolla Community Planning Association Trustees.
LJCPA and its Joint Community Committees and Boards
The LJCPA relies on its Joint Community Committees and Boards for the first level of review. As outlined above, which committee(s) and/or board(s) review a project depends on the nature and zoning of the project. One can determine what zoning categories apply by looking up the project’s address in the City’s Zoning Validation system (https://apps3.sandiego.gov/siteinfoweb/).
- Planned District Ordinance Committee (PDO, meets 2nd Monday each month). This committee reviews facade renovations, signs, change of use, sidewalk cafes within the La Jolla Planned District (that is, those with LJPD- zoning)
- Traffic & Transportation Board (T&T, meets 3rd Wednesday). This committee reviews all public street changes (striping, time-limit parking, stop signs, street vacations, traffic calming, etc.), including street changes associated with development or remodeling projects.
- La Jolla Shores Permit Review Committee (PRC, meets 3rd Monday). This committee reviews all permit applications (CDP, SDP, TM, etc) in the La Jolla Shores Planned District (LJSPD- zoning).
- Development Permit Review Committee (DPR, meets 2nd and 3rd Tuesday). This committee reviews all permit applications (CDP, SDP, TM, etc) in the rest of La Jolla, plus development or construction projects that have been reviewed by PDO.
Some projects are reviewed by more than one committee/board. In such cases, usually T&T reviews projects before PDO, and PDO reviews before DPR. In all cases committee/board reviews must be complete before LJCPA Trustees consider the project.
Presenting Your Project
Committees have a fixed meeting schedule and typically need 1 to 2 weeks advance notice to place a project on the agenda. The days of simply showing up at a meeting unannounced or on short notice are long gone.
The applicant must present all information that is required by the City. Some applicants opt to come as soon as they have the first set of City comments, while others opt to go through 2 or more rounds of city comments before presenting. The choice is the applicant’s. Keep in mind that the plans presented for community review must be the same as have been submitted to the city.
Except when public health emergencies or other special circumstances arise, PDO, PRC, and DPR meet in a small room with 8 to 11 committee members offering an intimate, less formal setting. Use of standard architectural drawings is typically adequate for display purposes. Members typically have not seen the plans before the meeting and may not know where the property is located, so maps and streetscape illustrations are often helpful.
If you a project is to be presented before the full LJCPA a different approach may be required. LJCPA has 18 trustees and meets in a larger room. The process is necessarily more formal. There are typically 10 to 30 members of the public in attendance as well. Accordingly, display of architectural drawings can make it difficult for the trustees to understand a project. Some applicants choose to have a projected display or provide handouts for a more informative presentation.
PRC and DPR typically require presentation at two meetings, the first informational, the second for decision. Either group can choose to approve a project with only one meeting if the project is non-controversial and fully complies with the city’s regulations and the community plan.
All LJCPA committee, board, and Trustee meetings are open to the public and the committees encourage neighbors and the public to participate in the discussion.
Both the LJCPA and the subcommittees avoid Conditional Approvals; that is, they either “Recommend Approval” (“findings can be made”) or they “Recommend Denial” (“findings cannot be made”) and provide reasons for the denial. Historically, conditional approvals fell out of favor because applicants did not follow through on requested changes or the City ignored the conditions in making its decision. Accordingly subcommittees may ask for the applicant to return with updated plans or to attest legally that the changes will be made.
LJCPA Recommendation
Once a recommendation is issued by the subcommittee, it is automatically placed on the Consent Agenda of the LJCPA’s next regularly scheduled monthly meeting. The Consent Agenda allows the LJCPA to ratify all the recommendations of its subcommittees in a single vote with no presentation or debate. Anyone may request that a consent item be pulled for reconsideration and full discussion. Items pulled from the Consent Agenda become full action items at a subsequent LJCPA meeting.
General Advice
Successful projects that move through the LJCPA’s review process in an efficient manner are those that adhere to the following advice:
- follow the regulations under the Municipal Code and the La Jolla Community Plan
- meet with the neighbors early and often to gain their support or at least try to address their concerns, and
- provide clear, complete materials to LJCPA and its committees so that decisions are based on full information.
Some portions of La Jolla continue to be governed by private homeowner’s associations (HOAs). Neither the City nor the LJCPA enforce the Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&Rs) agreed to by such HOAs; those are enforced as specified in the HOA bylaws or through private litigation.