The La Jolla Shores Permit Review Committee voted against a residential project proposed for Spindrift Drive because of its size and what board members saw as a lack of consultation with neighbors.
The project would demolish a three-story, 3,221-square-foot house at 1855 Spindrift and replace it with a three-story, 2,759-square-foot home in addition to a basement, an attached subterranean garage and a detached two-story, 778-square-foot accessory dwelling unit. It also calls for a new swimming pool and site improvements including 150 linear feet of retaining walls.
Min Choe, an architect for San Francisco-based Aidlin Darling Design, said the site is “one of the smaller, more compact lots in the immediate area.”
“Because of this tighter footprint, we knew from Day 1 that having a good design meant being mindful of the scale and proportion and critically how the house meets the street,” Choe said. “Our goal was to replace the overgrown structure that’s currently onsite with a home that respects its lot size and feels like it grows naturally from the landscape rather than dominating it.”
However, several people at the committee’s Feb. 19 meeting cited what they see as a lack of consultation with neighbors. And with a visible subterranean garage and three levels above it, some said the project would look like it’s four stories tall.
Though neighbor Erin McConkey said that whatever goes on the property “cannot possibly be as ugly as what is there 1772050687” and that the project has details she appreciates, she believes the new structure would look like a 30-foot tower over her property.
Neighbor Suzanne Weissman said the proposal has an interesting design and “does make good use of the space,” but she emphasized that she wants more information about fencing, the retaining walls and more.
The applicant offered to follow up with neighbors via email about their questions and concerns. But the rising number of requests made PRC Vice President Janie Emerson “very concerned.”
“It’s very obvious to me that neighbors have not been … informed on this,” she said.
Emerson suggested the applicant return to the PRC after consulting with neighbors. But applicant representative Chandra Slaven asked for a vote on the project, even if to oppose it.
Emerson motioned for a vote against the project because of its bulk and scale, which she felt would set a precedent for four-story structures in the neighborhood, and because the applicant had not adequately worked with neighbors.
The motion passed, 5-1, with trustee John Pierce dissenting. He told the La Jolla Light after the meeting that the applicant seems to have been mindful of neighboring properties in the overall design and in changes in the design to improve green space and have a smaller footprint along the street.
“While it would have been preferable for the applicant to come to the PRC earlier in the process, I don’t believe that alone warrants a denial,” Pierce added.
Other PRC news
The committee gave its support to two other home projects.
7872 Esterel Drive: This proposal calls for remodeling a one-story, 3,524-square-foot house and adding 35 square feet to the ground level, 1,636 square feet to the basement and a new 1,391-square-foot lower basement.
The home at the corner of Esterel and Costebelle Drive was built by architect Russell Forester in 1968 on a 0.47-acre lot. It is a potentially historic house that the owner intends to have designated.
Applicant representative Sara Carpenter said the owner grew up in La Jolla and that his parents have lived on Costebelle for three decades.
Carpenter said the applicant formally submitted the project to the neighborhood’s architectural committee last year and invited nearby residents to provide feedback. As a result, the basement was lowered three inches to help avoid blocking neighbors’ views.
Carpenter said four years of work have been dedicated to the proposal.
A motion to support the plan passed 6-0.
2486 Vallecitos Court: The PRC also voted 6-0 to support this proposed addition and remodeling project at a two-story, 4,905-square-foot house.
The project, on a 0.5-acre lot, includes a detached two-story, 1,096-square-foot accessory dwelling unit, a 701-square-foot gym and a new small basketball court.
The property would have a floor area ratio — the size of a building in relation to its lot — of 0.446, just below the allowable 0.45.
The property at 2486 Vallecitos Court is part of a three-house cul-de-sac in La Jolla Shores. (Screenshot by Noah Lyons)
Claude-Anthony Marengo of Marengo Morton Architects said the owners want to expand the house to accommodate the size of their family.
“I like the house that’s there, but I think this is a nice change,” Emerson said. “It works.” ♦