This slideshow illustrates the various appeals made by the La Jolla Community Planning Association during 2010 (see below for details). If a Sunday stroll down Prospect Street isn’t enough to illustrate how extraordinarily busy La Jolla is — with businesses and people moving in and out, sustaining an active real estate market — just let the numbers do the talking. An analysis of the La Jolla Community Planning Association’s (LJCPA) actions shows the group reviewed almost as many projects last year as the city’s Planning Commission. The LJCPA saw 108 projects come through La Jolla, compared to the city planning body’s total of 117. City planners also see representatives from the LJCPA downtown at City Hall more than any other community planning group in San Diego, as they’ve been known to fight — and win — with a number of appeals. In 2010, there were eight appeals that came out of La Jolla (six of those filed by the LJCPA) and only two of those resulted in losses. The LJCPA rounded out 2010 with the victory of a particularly controversial case — the appeal of a year-round rope barrier at the Children’s Pool — and planners will see a continuation Jan. 20 on a possible two-foot height increase at The Bishop’s School. Glenn Gargas, a project manager for the city’s Development Services Department, has overseen a number of projects in La Jolla, including the recent Bishop’s School plan. Uptown planners are pretty active, Gargas said, but “La Jolla is probably one of the more active.” Gargas also said the LJCPA is “broken up into subcommittees and it’s more complex than others.” “Land prices are high and people have strong feelings about what’s appropriate and what’s not,” Gargas said. “A lot of people invest a lot into properties there, and they want to make sure to protect it and maintain it.” But being such a contentious area can have its drawbacks. LJCPA President Joe LaCava said if a group appeals too often, it could lose its credibility. “There’s this perception of La Jolla that we are always complaining, always appealing, always down at City Hall,” La Cava said. “If you look how many [projects] we complain about compared to how many we are reviewing, the number we appeal may seem like a lot, but it’s a tiny fraction of how many we review.” LaCava said he noticed appeals generally tend to be denied more than they are approved, which enticed him to start tracking the La Jolla planning group’s approval rate. As it turns out, LJCPA’s approval rate is high. In 2010, the association reviewed 108 projects and approved about 80 percent of them. In 2009, it reviewed 103 projects, approving 90 percent of those, and in 2008 it reviewed 106 projects, approving 84 percent. There’s an extra step residents have to take to develop property in a coastal zone such as La Jolla. Before getting a permit to build, they have to pass the LJCPA in getting a coastal development permit. The stringency of the association’s review process, LaCava said, has actually helped a lot of projects get approved. “Our process had been so strong and gained the respect of applicants, so they work with us to redesign projects until they eventually get approval,” LaCava said. Gargas said the city’s Planning Commission only oversees “higher-level” projects, whereas the LJCPA is a recognized body that makes recommendations to the City Council, Planning Commission, city staff and other governmental agencies on land-use matters. “They see all kinds of projects,” he said. “They make recommendations, and it makes sense that they would see a higher volume [than the Planning Commission] in general.” Not only has La Jolla “been a contentious area for a long time,” but Gargas said he’s noticed something interesting about the seaside community: “The recession hits quite a few other areas,” he said. “But La Jolla is recession-proof in a way.” Bishop’s School library 7607 La Jolla Blvd. • Dec. 16: appeal of variance to increase the maximum building height by 2 feet and 1 inch, from 30 feet to 32 feet and 1 inch Continued until Jan. 20 Children’s Pool rope • Dec. 9: appeal of city proposal to keep rope up year-round to perpetually create buffer between humans and seals Won by unanimous vote by the Planning Commission, with City Council saying it doesn’t intend to appeal that decision Whitney project 2206 Avenida de la Playa • Sept. 9: appeal of application to demolish single-story store and construct three-story building with two condos, parking and commercial space, totaling about 8,950 square feet Lost at Planning Commission, but won at City Council Sorokin residence 247 Kolmar Street • July 22: appeal of demolishing single-family residence to construct two-story duplex with two-car garage, two surface parking spots, grading and landscaping CPA’s wishes were granted, as Planning Commission commanded project re-design Aroma Bakery Sidewalk Café 909 Prospect Street • June 17: appeal of application to construct sidewalk café with three-foot rail fencing encroachment into public right of way LJCPA later dropped appeal, making a resolution with the city before taking to hearing Neptune Apartments 6767 Neptune Place • June 3: appeal of permit to demolish the 20,198-square-foot, two-story building and construct 32,780-square-foot, three-story building with 25,150-square-foot subterranean parking garage CPA lost appeal