The Bird Rock Community Council (BRCC) met Feb. 7 to update concerned citizens regarding a slew of break-ins, a proposed Chase Bank location and to perform the annual budget review. Crime report update Michelle Fulks, the Bird Rock Neighborhood Watch chairwoman, along with officer Bannon of Northern Division, elaborated on the series of burglaries from November to mid-January. “There have been 10 burglaries since November, so we decided to call a meeting in direct response to this problem,” said Fulks. “One burglary was domestic, and detectives did a fantastic job in cracking the case early.” The nine other cases, according to detectives, are being viewed as unrelated. Bannon noted that most of the break-ins have occurred during daylight hours, and recommended that residents be wary of people moving door-to-door around their neighborhood. “The detectives were able to nab a suspect who was trying to use gift cards they stole from a home,” said Bannon. “In this particular case, it was a nanny who had staged the same thing a year or so prior. Currently, we are still working on the other cases.” Chase Bank proposed location Steve Laub, the Land Solutions consultant to Chase Bank for the Bird Rock project, discussed concerns regarding the bank’s move. Chase’s ultimate goal is to open a location at the former Bird Rock Surf Shop, which would require a neighborhood-use permit change from a retail location to a service location, he said. The big question concerning the BRCC, citizens and Chase Bank is: “How does the community feel about the move?” Although no official voting action was taken, none in attendance outwardly opposed the proposed location. “Chase wants to be part of the community, and the closest branches are two miles or so between Pacific Beach and La Jolla,” said Laub. “The property is too small to create a much larger building.” Roundabout roundup BRCC President Joe Parker delved into some ongoing projects, including the pipeline project in Bird Rock, which entails about eight miles of sewer. “When it was decided to do the undergrounding project, areas were picked out of a hat,” said Parker. “The idea was to have a fair distribution of that project among the various neighborhoods of La Jolla.” The BRCC, Parker said, recently made an application to the Business Improvement District (BID) Council for a grant for special funds regarding merchants and infrastructure. The day of the meeting, the BRCC received notice it had been approved for the grant, which would be in the ballpark of anywhere from $5,550 to $8,500. The BRCC has brought up the notion of a “locals only” card in past meetings. The goal of the card is to create cooperation between the BRCC and local merchants for deals in area shops and restaurants. Members would sign up for the card would receive offers and specials from local merchants, who would have a direct way to market to residents. The idea has been in the works for a few years, and a similar program recently began in La Jolla Village. The program, Parker said, has begun to take force. On a lighter note, Parker said that as early as March, the BRCC would be meeting openly for happy hour. MAD Review “We are trying to educate the community about the different organizations throughout La Jolla,” said Parker. “The BRCC is the designated contractor to manage the Maintenance Assessment District (MAD). MAD extends up to La Jolla Mesa, and when they put on these hats, they are a contractor with the City.” The cost for total services and supplies are the same as what was on the budget mailed out to Bird Rock citizens. There was, however, an increase in a portion of the budget dealing with a special district administration fee. This fee is based on the percentage of the actual assessment. Also, there was an increase on the estimate for utilities. Furthermore, the city added a line item on the budget for a cash advance that equals out to around $47,000. “We tend to be about three months behind from getting reimbursed on what we have spent,” said Parker. “Hopefully with the advance, we will have more funds. This changed the bottom line on the budget, not by much, so we are operating under a deficit. The difference between the cost we have to pay, and the revenue that is coming in, is less this year.”