UT: 239-foot high-rise project in Pacific Beach sparks concern in La Jolla
The development would far exceed local coastal height restrictions due to a state density bonus law
A proposed 239-foot, 22-story housing development on Turquoise Street in north Pacific Beach is sending waves of worry through San Diego coastal communities, including neighboring La Jolla, because it would avoid a 52-year-old city law that limits building heights to 30 feet in beach communities.
But whether the project ultimately is approved, and to what extent it would impact adjacent communities, remains to be seen.
Janie Emerson, a former La Jolla Shores Association president and La Jolla Community Planning Association trustee, joined more than 100 residents of Pacific Beach and surrounding communities Oct. 9 outside the Pacific Beach/Taylor Library to protest the project.
Emerson said she is worried that upward growth of Pacific Beach could ripple into other coastal communities.
“I’m a big precedent person,” Emerson said to the crowd. “Once you get the precedent set, then it’s hard to stop it.
“There are many arms that are trying to bust the 30-foot height limit on the coast. This is just one of them.”
A permit application for the $185 million development at 970 Turquoise St. was filed by Kalonymus LLC with the San Diego Development Services Department on Aug. 20. It would feature 213 units, 10 of which are designated for very-low- to middle-income families, above ground-floor shops. A large portion — 139 units — is described as visitor accommodations, though developers plan to use the units as market-rate apartments. The plan also includes 311 parking spaces.
Kalonymus is a real estate investment and development firm that in addition to San Diego is active in the San Francisco, Los Angeles, Central Coast and Miami markets.
In 1972, San Diego voters approved Proposition D to restrict the height of new buildings west of Interstate 5 to 30 feet. The law includes carve-outs for downtown, National City and parts of Mission Bay.
The proposed Turquoise Street project, which currently is being reviewed by Development Services, would bypass that through a state density bonus law that supersedes local voter initiatives and planning rules. The law allows developers to add to their buildings for offering certain quantities of housing considered affordable for lower-income residents.
A recent bill from state Assemblyman David Alvarez (D-San Diego) offers additional incentives for developers building affordable units.
The Turquoise Street development would compound several density bonuses in order to surpass the coastal height limit.
The decision on whether to approve the project ultimately lies with the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
The developers say the project would “truly move the needle” in addressing San Diego’s need for increased housing.
“The project team has been working with experts for quite some time to craft a building that complies with all applicable housing laws,” said Matt Awbrey, a spokesman for Kalonymus. “This is a locally designed project that’s backed by people who believe in San Diego and want to create the new generation of homes that our city needs.”
One high-rise that opponents fear could be the first in a coastal domino effect has already been approved. The San Diego Community Housing Corp. plans a 60-unit, 60-foot-high residential building called Rose Creek Village at 2662 Garnet Ave., also in Pacific Beach.
The project, which received approval in June 2022 from the state Department of Housing and Community Development to bust the local building height barrier, is set to break ground in February. Nearly all the units will be deed-restricted for households with very low and extremely low incomes.
At the time of the approval, HCD sent a letter to the city stating that “the state Legislature can and does preempt local initiatives. The [30-foot height limit] development standard conflicts with state density bonus law and is void.”
The density bonus law was established in 1979 and has been expanded over the years. It requires cities to grant waivers and incentives for projects with units deed-restricted for low-income households. It was updated last year to clarify that it supersedes local voter initiatives.
This summer, San Diego City Council members voted 6-2 to loan $4 million to help fund Rose Creek Village and, acting separately as the city’s Housing Authority, also voted 6-2 to approve a $2 million loan for the plan from the San Diego Housing Commission.
The actions completed the project’s financing and made the development feasible.
Though the California Coastal Act of 1976 protects land along the California coast, it is distinct from the city’s law in that the Rose Creek Village and Turquoise Street projects fall within the city’s coastal zone but are outside the state’s more narrow boundaries.
Scott Chipman, a 50-year resident of Pacific Beach and the lead speaker at the Oct. 9 protest, said “We are like the proverbial frog in the pot. The irresponsible zoning heat is increasing. Are we going to stay in the pot until our communities are cooked or are we going to jump out and fight?”
Chipman implored City Councilman Joe LaCava, whose District 1 includes Pacific Beach and La Jolla, and Mayor Todd Gloria to take legal action to try to prevent the Turquoise Street development.
LaCava and Gloria opposed the project in a joint letter Oct. 8, writing “We must not allow pro-housing policies to be usurped for purposes that do not meet a public benefit or respond to the state’s housing affordability crisis.”
LaCava also had opposed the city’s loan for Rose Creek Village, saying the developers initially were dishonest with community members about the project’s planned height and that taxpayer funds should not be used to override the will of voters.
Emerson expressed concerns over state legislation holding too much priority over local initiatives. Others warned of the “Miami-fication” of the coastal area with ocean-blocking high-rises and increased traffic congestion.
Multi-unit housing has drawn mixed reactions from La Jolla residents, most recently with the Adelante Townhomes project planned for La Jolla Boulevard at Forward Street in Bird Rock. The San Diego Planning Commission approved the proposal Sept. 19.
The development by Murfey Co. would contain 13 townhouses with ground-floor retail space, plus covered parking, a basement and a roof deck. Proponents lauded the developer’s efforts to expand housing in a costly market, while opponents argued that waivers to the La Jolla Planned District Ordinance were improperly applied and that the planned building is not situated properly.
A development summary from the city of San Diego indicates Adelante Townhomes will not exceed the coastal height limit.
— San Diego Union-Tribune staff writer Jennifer Van Grove contributed to this report. ♦