The applicant asked for a vote after failing to produce requested project details to remodel and add to an existing, dilapidated property.
Rather than return again to address concerns, a representative for a project at 625 Wrelton asked for a decision from the La Jolla Development Permit Review Committee Feb 11, receiving a unanimous vote to recommend the city of San Diego deny the application.
DPR last heard about the project Jan 14, when Matthew Khalil, attorney for the project, brought forth revived plans to remodel and add to the existing two-story, single-dwelling unit to create a three-story, single-dwelling unit consisting of a 186-square-foot first floor addition, 2,074- square-foot second-floor addition, 115-square-foot penthouse and decks.
Committee members in January asked Khalil to return with a floor plan of each floor showing the proposed new floor plan over the former; setback lines for each floor plan; height limits for every elevation and section; section illustrations; and reason this is an amendment to a previous permit instead of a new project.
The storied house has sat unoccupied since 2019, when the previous owner died and authorities later discovered unstable, illegal chemicals requiring evacuation of neighbors and controlled detonations.
The house sold in 2020 but by 2022, the house had become covered in graffiti, with neighbors concerned about teenagers using the house for parties and drugs.
The house, which overlooks the Tourmaline Surfing Park parking lot, now stands in a state of disrepair, without walls and still mired in graffiti and dead landscaping.
The designs amend a 1991 coastal development permit and update a 2023 application to change the architectural style of the house, make it larger and more.
At the Feb 11 return, Khalil said he “was unable to get a revised set of plans,” though he “did get some assurances the plans will follow closely” the current 30-foot height limit set for the coastal zone and other confirmations that code regulations are met.
Khalil apologized for not providing the requested drawings and information.
With only verbal reassurances and no detailed measurements, “we’ve really got nothing to review,” DPR Chair Brian Will said.
Architect Phil Merten, speaking during public comment, also called into question whether the architects were licensed in California; DPR trustees expressed concern that the architects have declined numerous times to appear to present.
“Working drawings have a purpose … for the actual building of the project,” said DPR trustee Angeles Leira. “Presentation drawings are different … [and] are part of the vocabulary of this project and are important to us because they show us precedent … and how the building is going to fit into the neighborhood.”
“I’m really disappointed,” she added.
DPR trustee Greg Jackson asked Khalil whether he preferred returning to “respond to everything we asked the first time” or proceeding to a vote.
“We’re ready to proceed to a vote,” Khalil said.
Jackson moved that the La Jolla Community Planning Association (which ratifies DPR votes) recommend the city reject the project as proposed; the motion passed with Will abstaining as is customary for the chair.
The Wrelton project will now appear on a future CPA consent agenda, unless Khalil or someone else pulls it for a full CPA presentation.
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