The La Jolla Community Planning Association appears, for the time being at least, that it will continue to be the community’s recognized advisory group to the city of San Diego on land-use matters. And Harry Bubbins will continue as its president.
On April 4, the group chose a slate of officers for the next year. Bubbins was reelected president, Glen Rasmussen will serve as first vice president, Patrick Ahern will be second vice president, Lisa Kriedeman will serve as treasurer and new board member Adrian Feral will be secretary.
“I’m honored, thank you,” Bubbins said of his nomination, though he encouraged others to throw their hat in the ring as well. When no one did, the board reelected Bubbins unanimously.
“I’m deeply grateful to all the volunteers that have helped; otherwise I would never have taken on this role again,” he said. “[I have] great appreciation and respect for all the time people spent to help me learn how I can serve the community.”
Bubbins was elected to the board in 2023 and almost immediately was chosen as president.
The selection of officers came amid a challenge to LJA’s city recognition. The new La Jolla Community Planning Group, which is competing to be the official local advisory body, filed a complaint March 20 alleging that LJA board were told to fabricate demographic data on the association’s application. It asks that LJA’s application be disqualified and that City Councilman Joe LaCava, whose District 1 includes La Jolla, recuse himself from future decisions in the recognition process.
The complaint was filed with the San Diego Planning Department the day before the City Council’s Land Use & Housing Committee voted 4-0 to recommend to the full council that LJA retain its status as the recognized planning group. The vote came on a motion by LaCava, a La Jolla resident and former LJA board member, leading LJG to question his objectivity.
The full council is expected to vote on which application to approve in May. Emily Lynch, representing LaCava’s office, told LJA she did not have a date for that hearing.
Bubbins encouraged his board colleagues to “help reduce any lingering acrimony from the application selection process and reaffirm that the LJA is welcoming to all, with ideas to channel more collaborative energy and creative ideas to improve our community.”
Other LJA news
Swearing-in: Six of the seven elected to the board March 7 were sworn in at the April 4 meeting. Incumbents Rasmussen, Kriedeman and Brian Will, along with first-time board Feral, Chas. Dye and Alex Matov, were seated. Steven Yang will be sworn in at a future meeting.
“Expressive activity”: During the trustee comment period of this week’s meeting, Ahern gave a brief presentation about the new “expressive activity” areas being placed in La Jolla parks. Currently there are two 4-by-8-foot pads in Scripps Park, two in Kellogg Park and one near the Children’s Pool.
The city’s idea is that by limiting the areas where activities covered by First Amendment protections can take place, the number of people involved in those activities will be reduced. The concrete pads are to be occupied on a first-come-first-served basis.
Ahern said Scripps Park and other open spaces “are what we want” and that the presence of the expressive activity areas disrupts the natural scenery and blocks views.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Ahern said.
Emily Piatanesi, representing the office of San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, countered that “we have to provide reasonable access to the public for people who are truly [engaging in] expressive activity. … We need to provide a place.”
Next meeting: The La Jolla Community Planning Association next meets at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at a location to be determined. The agenda will be posted 72 hours in advance. Learn more at lajollaa.org. ◆
