May’s meeting of La Jolla Parks and Beaches, Inc. turned into a referendum on coastal access, pitting longtime community planner Melinda Merryweather against trail users and neighbors on Coast Walk and at Black’s Beach Lookout.
Merryweather, a longtime La Jollan who’s been documenting beach accesses throughout the community for years to protect them and keep them open, has long contended changes have been made to Coast Walk rock outcroppings and vegetation, which she claims have impaired coastal views and site access.
La Jolla Coast Walk Trail runs from La Jolla Shores beach to the trailhead just north of the Cave Store at La Jolla Cove. It is a popular, scenic hiking trail along the bluffs overlooking the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park.
“Some of the plants put in at Coast Walk have grown more than 10-feet tall and are blocking views of the ocean,” Merryweather contended.
Brenda Fake, representing a nonprofit neighbors group known as Friends of Coast Walk, characterized claims made about Coast Walk vegetation and manipulation of landforms as “misinformation.”
Fake gave a presentation noting Friends have banded together to raise funding to do public trail and other improvements on Coast Walk. She said her group, among other things, has cleaned out area homeless encampments.
“Our 501 (c)3 nonprofit status allows us to clean and maintain that street (Coast Walk),” said Fake adding, “Coast Walk trail is in a state of deterioration, the bridge is damaged, and it is no longer accessible by the public. We have never ever taken anything away from anybody wanting to access that trail.”
Fake pointed out Coast Walk “is a street, not a trail, and serves as a sidewalk and its upkeep is 100 percent funded by private citizens.”
The nonprofit spokesperson said Friends are “more than happy to work with other community members” to resolve issues with cliff erosion and beach access at Coast Walk.
LJPB hair Ann Dynes suggested Merryweather and Friends members meet to discuss their differences and report back to the advisory group.
In March, LJPB board member Patrick Ahern suggested improvements to the Black’s Beach lookout serving surfers. He advocated restoring the site’s luster with native, drought-resistant plantings and a park bench. His proposal was seconded by Merryweather, who, after visiting the lookout recently was disappointed noting, “Not only was there no bench — there was no place for a bench.” 
Merryweather added one neighbor near the Black’s lookout is now opposed to placing a bench there.
“You need to talk with neighbors before anything is done,” suggested LJPB board member Dr. Jane Reldan.
“Who would pay for this bench, and who would be responsible for it?” asked chair Dynes suggesting a working group be formed, chaired by board member and immediate past president Dan Allen, to further study the situation.
In other action:
• Heath Fox, La Jolla Historical Society executive director, addressed the parks board defending the Society’s biggest annual fundraiser, the spring Concours D’Elegance classic car show held on Scripps Park lawn.
“The Concours brings economic benefit to the community for businesses, especially those in the hospitality industry by guests who patronize restaurants, and shop at other local retail businesses,” said Fox noting Society givebacks from the fundraising event are “not bribery, influence peddling or illegal activities.” LJPB is one of several groups benefiting from the Society’s annual Concours fundraiser.