La Jolla Parks and Beaches, Inc. recently conditionally approved next year’s 15th annual Concours D’Elegance classic car show in Ellen Browning Scripps park next spring, while vetting an unorthodox proposal for finding new community park space.
“Nothing has been changed as far as the (event) layout with cars, tents and everything in the same position as last year,” said Concours spokesperson Michael Dorvillier.
LJPB board member Bill Robbins warned that Scripps Park restrooms “will be demolished, so you have to plan for that.”
In March 2017, LJPB overwhelmingly approved updated plans for the Scripps Park Pavilion/Comfort Station. The La Jolla Cove Pavilion is a long-term project to replace outdated and deteriorating restroom-shower facilities with an attractive, sustainable pavilion honoring the beauty of the Cove and Scripps Park.
Dorvillier was also warned by the group, which makes recommendations to the city on park space in the Jewel, that the city is updating its master plan and that 50-plus pages of new regulations are in-process, which may preclude any group from using all of Scripps Park.
Some LJPB board members have long been critical of “outsourcing” Scripps Park space to special-interest groups, arguing La Jollans should always be given top priority. They’ve contended there should always be some space left open, even during signature events like the Concours, for public use.
“We’ve talked about the possibility of grandfathering in certain events, and this is one of them,” said LJPB board member Tom Brady. “This (Concours) always gets unanimous approval, and it’s healthy for the community, a plus for La Jolla.”
Robbins moved that the Concours be granted approval conditioned on the possibility of rule changes from the City parks master plan being updated which could conceivably restrict the Concours from occupying all of Scripps Park.
During discussion of La Jolla allegedly being “underparked” in terms of having less space than average devoted to public parks, LJPB chair Ann Dynes said there might be alternative space available that has yet to be considered.
“It turns out that the answer might be in public right-of-way in our streets,” Dynes said. “We have a lot of very wide streets that could be reconfigured to accommodate recreational uses and additional green space.”
It was pointed out that nearly half of all city-owned land is tied up in streets and parking lots.
“We all own it (streets),” said Dynes. “We can decide additional things to do with it. We need to take a broader view of parks, including recreational activities, and discussion of the public right-of-way on streets is very much on point.”
In other action:
• In vetting turning the La Jolla bike path stretching between La Jolla High and Bird Rock into possible park space, LJPB planner Sally Miller said, “Everyone I’ve ever talked to wants the bike path left as dedicated open space. That’s what it is in the community plan. They don’t want to do a dog or skateboard park or water or benches that people could sleep on. They just want it left as open and natural space.”
“Sounds like the neighbors just want the bike path to stay under the radar,” said chair Dynes.
“No, they just want it to be used by everybody,” replied Miller.