La Jolla permit reviewers support conversion of historic property from commercial to residential

A historic building in the heart of La Jolla’s Village that has been used as offices for years could be heading toward conversion into a residence following a vote of support from the La Jolla Development Permit Review Committee. 

The applicant team is seeking coastal development and neighborhood development permits to turn a 6,504-square-foot commercial structure at 836 Prospect St. into a 7,811-square-foot house with a subterranean garage. 

Applicant representative Chandra Slaven said during an initial DPR review in December that the project is a “historic adaptive reuse” and that the “scope is intentionally conservative to protect the historic character” of the property. She said the exterior would not be modified.

The building, known as the Sarah Beckwith House, was originally constructed in 1922 as a single-family residence but recently has contained offices, according to a city report in May.

The rear of the property, where many of the changes would take place, was renovated in the 1970s and therefore is not part of the historic designation.

At the proposal’s second review during the Jan. 13 DPR meeting, the applicant team presented more details and new exhibits to illustrate what would remain and what would change.

Among the changes, property owner Dawn Davidson said, are the addition of a retaining wall to join an existing retaining wall, changes to a rear stairwell and adding skylights to the attic. There also would be changes to the interior, such as converting an upper-floor porch into a study. 

Davidson also discussed plans for fencing and landscaping in the area facing the street.

“At the very front … there are two pillars where we would like to add a gate,” she said. “Currently, people just walk in, [take] the roses and leave. [Or] they go in and sit at a little table we have and eat lunch. So we would like to have some privacy because it is right on the street and right in The Village.” 

She added that “we want to take it back to its old glory, keeping roses and keeping a manicured garden.” 

After a brief discussion about the treatment of certain windows that are not currently visible to the general public, DPR trustee John Shannon commended the applicant team for “making these great efforts in order to make this a personal residence.” 

A motion to recommend that the city of San Diego approve the project passed 5-0. 

Other DPR news

Monte Vista Avenue: A project in the Barber Tract area — along with its controversial carport — was denied on its third review. 

The proposal would demolish a 3,290-square-foot house at 7404 Monte Vista Ave. and a 1,395-square-foot house at 7406 Monte Vista. In their place would be two new two-story, 3,752-square-foot single-family homes over basements, a new 800-square-foot accessory dwelling unit and a new three-vehicle carport.

When the plan was heard in December, DPR trustee Angeles Leira had questions about whether the carport qualifies as such and therefore doesn’t contribute to the project’s floor area ratio (the size of a development in relation to its lot). She argued that the use of support structures on two sides to hold up a balcony above the carport would prevent those sides from being completely open, as required by city code to qualify as a carport.

Applicant representative Michael Morton acknowledged that if the carport’s square footage were included in the FAR, the project would be larger than local zoning regulations allow. 

When the project was heard again Jan. 13, Morton presented excerpts from San Diego and California building code sections that apply to carports and garages.

“Local codes dictate local requirements. However, when they are silent [on a topic], the California building code … would be superior to the local code,” Morton said. He added that based on the applicant team’s interpretation of the state building code for carports, the project conforms. 

“So as far as the city is concerned, we meet the requirements for a carport at this location,” Morton said. “They provided their comments. … I understand that some people disagree on this one small point. However, I feel we have met [the] requirements.” 

Nevertheless, a motion that the city deny the project passed 5-0 based on the assertion that the carport actually would be more like a garage and that its square footage should be included in the overall calculation. That would cause the development to exceed FAR limits. 

Next meeting: The La Jolla Development Permit Review Committee meets the second and third Tuesdays of each month, pending items to review. The next meeting is at 4 p.m. Jan. 20 online. The agenda will be posted 72 hours in advance at lajollacpa.org.