Council denies appeal of Adelante Townhomes in La Jolla, affirms planning commission 9–0

The City Council voted unanimously on Jan. 27 to deny an appeal of the Adelante Townhomes project and to affirm the Planning Commission’s approval. The appeal, filed by the La Jolla Village Residents Association, argued the project failed to provide adequate visitor-serving ground-floor commercial space and improperly relied on a set of waivers and incentives tied to state density bonus law.

City staff and the applicant said the project complies with state density-bonus law, local coastal program requirements and the La Jolla Planned District Ordinance as interpreted under the harmonization required by AB 2797 and other recent guidance. Staff concluded the project’s requested incentives and waivers were supported by the record and that rejecting them would preclude delivery of deed-restricted affordable housing on the site. The project proposes 13 condominium units with one very-low-income for-sale unit and a commercial unit at the corner; the applicant said the commercial component was voluntarily included to address community concerns.

Appellants and several community members told the council the proposal erodes the pedestrian-oriented visitor-serving commercial character of Bird Rock, citing the PDO’s ground-floor commercial priorities and the Coastal Commission’s past emphasis on visitor-serving uses. Supporters — including the La Jolla Community Planning Association and a number of local organizations and residents — argued the project replaces a blighted commercial lot, adds rare deed-restricted for-sale affordable housing in the coastal zone and will catalyze revitalization.

After applicant representatives described outreach and design changes and after staff explained legal standards for incentives, waivers and consistency with the community plan, Council President LaCava moved to deny the appeal and affirm the planning commission. The motion passed unanimously 9–0.