Solving the seal dilemma was a topical and central issue of discussion at the La Jolla Village Merchants Association’s (LJVMA’s) monthly meeting July 11. “I don’t think anybody in their right mind wants to do any damage to the seals,” said group chairman Phil Coller on the same day the California Coastal Commission unanimously endorsed having a rope guideline barrier put up year-round at Children’s Pool. Coller asked for a group motion to write a letter endorsing a recent San Diego lifeguard union counterproposal to the rope barrier which calls for substituting movable artificial boulders for the nylon rope at the pool. Under the lifeguard’s plan, boulders would change positions in summer and during seal pupping season in the winter, preserving shared beach use without resorting to a perpetual rope barrier. “I support the pool for the seals,” said LJVMA director Michelle Ciccarelli Lerach, who owns Cups La Jolla, an organic Village cupcake boutique. “I personally have witnessed people throwing rocks at the seals. People aren’t perfect. We need to find ways to create coexistence, especially during (seals) pupping season, a very delicate time.” Others shared their viewpoints on the issue. “I used to take my kids down there when they were little, but frankly, I wouldn’t now with all the things (seal waste) floating around in the water,” said Sherry Ahern, a community activist who promotes the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival in conjunction with the LJVMA in October. “I don’t think this is an issue we can ever win on.” Coller noted his motion was strictly an attempt to arrive at a group consensus on rock versus rope as a guideline barrier at the pool, not siding one way or another with pro-seal or pro-beach-access advocates. “You’re just saying the rocks replacing the rope is a good idea,” said LJVMA director Robert Lane. Lerach replied: “If the rocks strengthen limitations on people’s encroachment on the seals — it‘s a good thing.” The group unanimously voted in favor of Coller’s motion. “We are very pro-seal and very pro-people,” said Coller after the LJVMA meeting. “The group’s consensus is that they would just like to see a way worked out where people and seals can live in harmony.” The remainder of the year, LJVMA has more promotional fundraising events planned, including Haute La Jolla Nights on July 21, shared hosting of the San Diego Film Festival headlined by Hollywood director Gus Van Sant from Sept. 26-30 and the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival on Oct. 13 and 14. Coller said he’s pleased with the LJVMA’s progress, which has been in existence a little more than a year. “We’ve identified a lot of stuff and we’re doing a lot of stuff,” he said, adding there’s one thing holding the group back. “We need a lot more volunteers.” Coller said the Business Improvement District (BID) presently has about 30 volunteers and would like to have 100. “We’re only asking people to contribute three to five hours a month,” Coller said, adding volunteers don’t have to be LJVMA members. The merchant’s group has also created associate memberships allowing businesses to join which are outside LJVMA’s service area’s boundaries. Coller said LJVMA is also reaching out to businesses that are not traditionally members of BIDs. “We’ve invited the kayak businesses in La Jolla Shores to join so that they will have a voice,” Coller said. For more information, visit www.lajollabythesea.com.