In July La Jolla Shores Association (LJSA) tackled the thorny issue of “campers” at Kellogg Park, as well as endorsing a request by lifeguards to increase operating hours at Shores’ surf camps.
Lifeguard Lt. Rich Stropky told the group it was a relatively mellow July 4 as crowds were down due to overcast conditions. Nonetheless, he noted some people “reserved space” by camping out at Kellogg Park on Friday night before the Saturday holiday.
Stropky admitted camping issues at the park went largely unaddressed noting “resources and the beach team are stretched so thin.”
“People can’t have tents and snooze all night,” said board member Janie Emerson.
“The biggest problem is the tents that are enclosed,” said board member Terry Kraszewski. “I don’t understand why this isn’t enforced and why they’re not required to take it (tent) down.”
“Unless it’s enforced — the problem will never be resolved,” said board member Mary Munk adding smoking and drug use are just two illegal activities that can be concealed within enclosed tents.
Munk said she drove by Kellogg on July 4 noting, despite diminished crowds, that “there wasn’t an ounce of (unpopulated) grass anywhere.”
“I was in touch with (coastal) Ranger (Parish) Rye and it’s a priority thing,” said LJSA chair Nick Lebeouf about anti-camping regulations. “Hopefully, next year, our community will be able to have some enforcement for that.” Surf camps
Noting there are four existing Shores surf camp locations, Stropky said lifeguards are proposing a time change in the next RFP (request for proposals), which spells out operating conditions for surf camps. The new proposal would add one additional hour to their current 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. operational schedule.
“There are no safety issues on our (lifeguard’s) side,” noted Stropky about the proposed surf camp time change adding, “We wanted to give the community an opportunity to weigh-in.”
Stropky said the four Shores’ surf camps are in “the north section of Kellogg Park at the very top end of the boardwalk” in an area he characterized as not “super busy.”
“The time extension would allow for more private lessons delivered by one (surf camp) person for up to five people,” Stropky said. “Now they have to be out of the water at 4 p.m. The new rule would allow them to stay in later, until 5:30 p.m. requiring everyone to be off the beach by 6 p.m.”
The lifeguard lieutenant added new operating hours, if approved by the city, would be effective March through September.
Board member Tim Lucas suggested the new surf camp hours could be “done on a trial basis, a 60-day test period.”
“We’ll see how it goes and if we need to tweak it — we can,” Lucas said.
The group vote was 8-1-2 in favor of the longer surf camp operating hours. In other action:
• LJSA will be dark in August. The group will next meet Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, T-29 Martin Johnson House.
• Discussion of renovation plans by the YMCA at both its Firehouse and Cliffridge facilities was postponed until September. Architect Tim Golba and YMCA executive director Sue Ball are expected to apprise the group of details of redevelopment.
• Board member Emerson objected to the yellow accent color being used at the recently opened Galaxy Tacos eatery in the redeveloped Kellogg Building at 2259 Avenida de la Playa. She contended that it does not comply with La Jolla Shores Planned District Ordinance (PDO) regulations. Once an independent market on the ground level, the retail space has been remodeled to accommodate La Jolla restaurateur George Hauer’s new casual, beach-oriented restaurant.