The Bird Rock Community Council is the latest La Jolla group to take up a controversial plan to develop a 239-foot-tall residential and commercial building on Turquoise Street in nearby north Pacific Beach.

Pacific Beach Planning Group Chairwoman Marcella Bothwell appeared at the Community Councils Nov. 12 meeting to present her groups opposition to the proposal, which she warned would be followed in other areas by more buildings that far exceed the city of San Diegos 30-foot height limit in coastal areas.

Her presentation followed one at the La Jolla Community Planning Associations meeting Nov. 7.

At that meeting, La Jolla Shores resident Janie Emerson said “this is an issue for our entire community … because once it gets started, we aren’t going to be able to stop it.”

The proposal, which residents are calling “Project Vela” or “Turquoise Tower,” is awaiting a technical guidance letter from the California Department of Housing and Community Development, which ultimately will decide whether it can be built.

Pacific Beach Planning Group Chairwoman Marcella Bothwell, speaking to the La Jolla Community Planning Association on Nov. 7, shows what she called “our representation” of the proposal for 970 Turquoise St. because exact renderings were unavailable. (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)

The $185 million privately funded project by real estate investment and development firm Kalonymus LLC would rise 22 stories at 970 Turquoise St. and feature 213 residential units above ground-floor shops. The plan also includes 311 parking spaces.

That area currently is occupied by The French Gourmet restaurant and other businesses.

A permit application for the project was filed with the city Aug. 20 and is being analyzed by the Development Services Department.

Though Proposition D, an initiative approved by San Diego voters in 1972, established a 30-foot height limit for new buildings in coastal communities such as Pacific Beach and La Jolla, Californias density bonus law requires cities to grant waivers and incentives for projects with units deed-restricted for low-income households. The law was established in 1979, has been expanded over the years and was updated last year to clarify that it supersedes local voter initiatives.

A 2023 bill by state Assemblyman David Alvarez (D-San Diego) offered additional incentives for developers building affordable units.

The Turquoise project would compound several density bonuses in order to surpass the coastal height limit. The plan includes 10 units deemed affordable, five of them designated for households with very low incomes. Also, 139 units are described as visitor accommodations, though developers plan to use them as market-rate apartments.

Bothwell said she believes the development would not be the last high-rise proposed in coastal areas if it proceeds.

She urged members of the Bird Rock community to get involved and voice their concerns.

“At the very least, we’re going to scare them to at least defer some of these developments,” Bothwell said.

The Turquoise plan isnt the first recent high-rise residential proposal in the coastal area, or even the first in Pacific Beach.

The state Department of Housing and Community Development in June 2022 approved the San Diego Community Housing Corp.s plans for a 60-unit, 60-foot-tall residential building called Rose Creek Village at 2662 Garnet Ave., and it is set to break ground in February.

Nearly all the units at Rose Creek Village are to be deed-restricted for households with very low and extremely low incomes.

At the time of the Rose Creek approval, the 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.”

Members of the Bird Rock Community Council board watch a presentation assembled by Pacific Beach Planning Group Chairwoman Marcella Bothwell about a high-rise residential building planned for 970 Turquoise St. (Noah Lyons)

People who spoke at the Bird Rock meeting about the Turquoise Street proposal raised concerns about the densification of coastal communities, the project’s definition of “housing” and the state overruling local initiatives.

Local resident Don Schmidt, who has been involved in land use in San Diego for 25 years, said Sacramento’s policies dont add to affordability.

“People don’t realize that when you densify, all you’re doing is driving prices up,” Schmidt said. “It’s a fool’s errand.”

Community Council board member Janette Williams questioned the developers use of visitor accommodations to increase the projects density.

Kalonymus says the project would help address San Diego’s shortage of housing availability and affordability. Spokesman Matt Awbrey added last month that “the project team has been working with experts for quite some time to craft a building that complies with all applicable housing laws.”

Still, several local elected officials have weighed in against the project. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and City Councilman Joe LaCava, whose District 1 includes La Jolla and Pacific Beach, wrote in a joint letter Oct. 8 that “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.”

Since then, they have been joined in opposition by state Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), who formerly represented the La Jolla-Pacific Beach area, along with state Assemblywoman Tasha Boerner (D-Encinitas) and state Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas), both of whose districts include La Jolla and PB.

The intent of this law is to create meaningful affordable housing, and as it stands, that is not what the [Turquoise] project does,” Blakespear said in a statement.

Bothwell urged Bird Rock residents to take a unified stance against the state policy.

“Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat — both parties — everybody voted for this,” Bothwell said. “So don’t get partisan on this. This is a policy issue.”

Some residents have urged Gloria and LaCava to take legal action against the Turquoise project. But Emily Piatanesi, a policy adviser for the mayors office, said that until they hear from the HCD, no stronger action can be taken.

“I’ve heard people saying the mayor can deny the permit. That is not true,” Piatanesi said. “We cannot deny a permit without the adequate findings to do so. And [Development Services] has yet to make those findings.”

She described Gloria and LaCavas offices as “in lockstep on the issue.

We’re communicating frequently about this, she said. At this point, the most we can do is question it legally.”

Other Bird Rock news

Board election: BRCC also is in the thick of its election season. Three board candidates — Williams, Christine McVay and board President Joe Terry — submitted candidate statements for three available spots.

“You thought the elections were over? They’re not. They’re just beginning,” Terry joked.

Ballots were mailed Nov. 8 to registered Community Council voting members, but emails of electronic ballots were delayed by what the board called a snafu. Terry said the emails would be sent out soon.

Voters have until Monday, Nov. 18, to weigh in on the election. Ballots can be delivered by mail, email or drop box.

Next meeting: The Bird Rock Community Council next meets on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at a location and time to be announced. The event also will serve as a holiday happy hour. Learn more at birdrockcc.org.