Bird Rock residents were told the time is overdue to replace 53 existing Neighborhood Watch signs around the community as well as being updated on a grass-roots movement to fight “mansionization.”
“The Neighborhood Watch signs are looking pretty faded,” said Barbara Dunbar, treasurer of the Bird Rock Community Council, at the advisory group’s March 1 meeting.
Dunbar noted the group is seeking donations to purchase replacement signs at $42 apiece. When asked if replacing the signs was worth the cost, she answered, “Yes. Police say if the signs look fairly well maintained or new that crooks feel the Neighborhood Watch program is fairly active. It does cut down on the amount of crime within the neighborhood.”
Council board member Jim Ragsdale said a committee previously formed by the La Jolla Community Planning Association, which makes land-use recommendations to the city, is continuing to review zoning laws governing oversize housing developments.
“In January, the committee filed a preliminary final report,” noted Ragsdale, adding the committee plans to host several more meetings on so-called “McMansions.” The parleys are to be held at La Jolla Library on March 9, 16 and 26 and April 13. He said the series of meetings will culminate in a Saturday public workshop. The meetings will be held between 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
In other matters:
• District 1 council aide Barbara Mohondro reported there are numerous volunteer positions available on city boards and commissions on such issues as parking, senior affairs and libraries. For more information, email [email protected] or call (619) 236-6611.
• Group discussion of a mixed-use project in Bird Rock being done by Marengo Morton Architects has been postponed a month. The project, to be located at 5656 La Jolla Blvd., includes four residential units with a collective roof deck to the ocean and a 300-square-foot retail space divided into two stores. Parking is to be abovegrade off the alley with a clean and contemporary look that “allows the transparency of the retail to be connected to the sidewalk and the passerbys,” said Marengo. “The residential is more intimate but has lots of planters and trellises with balconies to give it some life at the upper levels.”
The next Bird Rock Community Council meeting will be Tuesday, April 5 starting at 6 p.m. at a site to be determined. For more information, visit birdrockcc.org.
