The project received no opposing votes from two La Jolla planning groups.
Two La Jolla planning groups approved a project that would build a new residential unit over an existing parking lot off Bonair Street and La Jolla Boulevard.
The two-story unit would be adjacent to the dentistry building at 6794 La Jolla Blvd., over the current parking lot for the building, enabling the building’s owner to live next door.
After preliminary review by the La Jolla Development Permit Review Committee Oct. 8, the project by architect Claude Anthony Marengo was brought to the La Jolla Planned District Ordinance, which oversees community development following specific guidelines, Oct. 14 and returned to DPR Oct. 15 for final review.
Both PDO and DPR supported the project with no opposition; PDO Chair Deborah Marengo recused herself due to her relationships with Claude Anthony and DPR Chair Brian Will abstained as is customary unless breaking a tie.
The current plans would build a two-story, 3,847-square foot unit and turn the parking lot into a drive-through, gated garage, adding two parking spaces to the current nine, Claude Anthony Marengo said at PDO, and would also widen the La Jolla Boulevard-end of the alley south of Bonair Street to allow fire vehicle access.
The residence would be a single-family residence with an elevator and a stairway; the entire project will preserve view corridors.
Because the original coastal building permit dictates parking cannot be reduced once built, necessitating the building over the current lot, Marengo asked PDO for a deviation from its two-story limit under a special use permit, claiming a “hardship” created by the original permit.
“It renders the rest of the property not as usable,” he said.
PDO members agreed to the deviation under the special use permit.
At DPR, Marengo showed committee members window alignment with those of the adjacent buildings and detailed the color scheme.
Architect Mark Bucon, whose office is adjacent to the property at 6796 La Jolla Blvd., raised objections at all three meetings, among them is that the building will essentially be a third story looming over his.
“That’s kind of ominous,” Bucon said.
Will urged DPR members “to focus on the code and the La Jolla Community Plan, and not what [the project] does to personal views.”
“This is quite a creative way to add housing, which is much needed in La Jolla, while keeping that existing business and the parking,” architect Abhay Schweitzer said during public comment.
DPR member Angeles Leira raised comments with the existing building at 6794 and its sawtooth facade and coloring, wanting Marengo to alter the building in the course of executing the new unit.
“The front building was put together at a time when people were not paying attention” to cohesive design within a neighborhood, she said. “It should be revisited and integrated into the new building.”
“It’s a slippery slope” to agree to modify an existing building in conjunction with or as a condition of a new permit, Marengo said.
Leira moved that DPR approve the project with a suggestion that, because the complete project is mixed use and includes the front building, which is also integral to the special use permit, the front building design be integrated with the new building style.”
The DPR and PDO approval will be forwarded to the La Jolla Community Planning Association for ratification.
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