YEAR IN REVIEW – Higher density housing, yoga ban, and new murals

This past year the coastal communities of La Jolla and Pacific and Mission beaches were affected by several ongoing issues such as homelessness, lack of affordable housing, and short-term rentals, as well as new issues like beach yoga banned, higher density, and a proposed 22-story tower on Turquoise Street.

Let’s also remember all the good things in 2024 like fresh new businesses and restaurants, more murals and art projects, a Freedom Fest (above), and student-athletes excelling and winning championships. The following is a look back at some of the more prominent news and happenings during the past 12 months.

JANUARY

New Laws

Of the more than 2,600 bills introduced in 2023 in the state legislature taking effect in 2024 – the most in a decade – Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed 156 and signed 890. The new laws changed the rules in crime, healthcare, housing, schools, workplaces, and on the streets even addressing cultural issues, like lifting the previous ban on “lowriding.”

Homeless Youth

Monarch School, the only public K-12 school in the U.S. serving exclusively unhoused students, was selected as a Prebys Foundation grant recipient, receiving $250,000 for youth success, financial stability, and economic opportunity work.

Homelessness Numbers

Data from the Regional Task Force on Homelessness showed the number of people falling into homelessness continued to outpace the number of people exiting into housing across the San Diego region.

King Tides

San Diego Audubon Society held a well-attended community science event at Kendall Frost Marsh discussing king tides, sea-level rise, and protecting endangered birds while extolling the virtues of wetlands and the need to preserve them.

Orca Hunts

A pod of orcas spied hunting dolphins off the coast led to speculation by Alisa Schulman-Janiger, lead research biologist for the California Killer Whale Project, that their unusual seasonal presence may have been caused by displacement from The Blob, a large mass of warm water continually spreading off the coast of North America first detected in late 2013.

Playground Dedication

A ceremony was held on Jan. 10 to unveil and dedicate a bronze plaque at Maruta Gardner Playground in Bonita Cove Playground in Mission Bay. The plaque memorializes the late former Mission Bay High School principal killed by an intoxicated driver while painting out graffiti in Mission Beach.

LJTC Priorities

Council District 1 elected officials discussed legislative priorities, as well as fielding questions about crime, homelessness, and local government, at a La Jolla Town Council meeting.

Restaurant Anniversary

George’s at the Cove celebrated 40 years of serving up renowned cuisine in the Jewel.

Golf Tourney

La Jolla geared up for the Farmers Insurance Open, PGA Tour’s annual West Coast swing making its annual stop at Torrey Pines Golf Course on Jan. 24-27. The event showcased the La Jolla lifestyle, along with championship golf.

FEBRUARY

Pineapple Express

Ravaged by recent heavy rains, high tides, and flooding, San Diego coastal communities braced themselves once again as two atmospheric river storms, also known as a “Pineapple Express,” arrived from the Pacific Ocean bringing widespread heavy rain and potential flooding.

Honorary Mayor

Eco-entrepreneur Randall Engstrom of Randall’s Sandals was named Pacific Beach’s 2024 Honorary Mayor at Pacific Beach Town Council’s 73rd annual installation dinner at The Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa.

Bike Path Problems

Two and one-half years after opening, the Pacific Beach Rose Creek Bike Path connecting with Rose Canyon continued having problems with graffiti and homeless encampments. “I no longer ride there,” said Nanci Dalzell, who escorted Beach & Bay Press on a tour of the bike path. “I no longer feel safe: Graffiti, torn fences, litter, and homeless have grown exponentially.”

Girl Scout Cookies

The start of Girl Scout cookie-selling season with local scout sellers 6-year-old Sammy Jo of La Jolla and teen Savannah Stack of PB.

MBHS Music

Mission Bay High School and its standout music program led by alum JP Balmat were featured. “Two of the unique aspects of our music program are master classes and professional coaching made available to our students,” said Balmat.

Olympians Honored

On Feb. 3, ZLAC Rowing Club in Pacific Beach honored several of its finest rowing members who have gone on to compete in the Olympics and attain national prominence in competition.

Love Your Wetlands

The 19th annual Love Your Wetlands Day featured bird watching, science talks, and Kumeyaay tule boat building at Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Marsh Reserve in Crown Point.

Adoption Center

San Diego Humane Society held the grand opening of its redesigned Adoptions Center with a ribbon cutting at its San Diego Campus.

Community Care Crew

The Community Care Crew, a new employment program at The Compass Station, Shoreline Community Services’ drop-in resource center in Pacific Beach, was up and running. Shoreline contracted with Discover PB to do street cleaning, trash removal, light landscaping, and graffiti removal in ongoing efforts toward beach beautification.

Leap Day

The papers published a story about things to do near and far on the extra day in February.

Pangaea Anniversary

Pangaea Outpost gift boutiques on Garnet celebrated its 20th anniversary in Pacific Beach.

Aquarium Exhibit

Birch Aquarium in La Jolla opened an immersive art exhibit on kelp forests.

MARCH

Short-Term Rentals

Pacific Beach planner Iain Richardson briefed the Pacific Beach Town Council on the number and location of short-term rentals in the community, arguing such rentals are depleting the housing stock and exacerbating the ongoing housing crisis.

Developmentally Disabled Center

A first-of-its-kind nonprofit community center for young developmentally disabled children, the Includ(ED) Center for Families, opened in Christ Lutheran Church in Pacific Beach at 4761 Cass St.

SVO Amended

The City Council unanimously supported municipal code amendments to the City’s Sidewalk Vending Ordinance addressing concerns about commercial and expressive activities on public property including beachfront boardwalks.

Museum Guide

Museum of Contemporary Art La Jolla launched a free digital guide for visitors.

Whaling Bar Resurfaces

The modernized Whaling Bar at the historic La Valencia Hotel was reborn with a new look, feel, and menu.

New Restaurant

Baja-coastal-inspired restaurant Aldea opened in La Jolla.

Renaming Bridges

It took years, but Kitty McDaniel’s quest to get the Ingraham Street bridges over Mission Bay renamed in honor of her parents, Art and Anne McDaniel, early pioneers in local government and engineering in Pacific Beach, finally came to pass.

Mobility Master Plan

A series of public meetings were held at libraries citywide to provide more information and solicit feedback from San Diegans on the draft Mobility Master Plan, a comprehensive transportation planning effort to create a balanced, equitable, and sustainable mobility system for the benefit of all San Diegans and visitors.

Seafood Eatery

Charli’s Landing in Mission Bay paid homage to the local fishing community with its décor and menu.

Mandarin School

Barnard Mandarin Magnet School in PB broke ground on a Whole Site Modernization project.

Dog Memorial

Fiesta Island Dog Owners, board members, and volunteers installed a new rock memorial for pets in the off-leash area on Fiesta Island replacing an unpermitted memorial removed by the City.

Film Festival

The fifth annual Blue Water Film Festival in La Jolla featured environmentally conscious shorts, and animated and television films about water.

SeaWorld Anniversary

The popular marine mammal park celebrated 60 years in San Diego.

First-Gen Scholars

Mission Bay High School held an open house for First Gen Scholars, a program for grades 10-11 empowering first-generation, low-income students helping them navigate through college admissions to graduate debt-free.

Beach Regulations

Veteran- and minority-owned small-business owners met at La Jolla Shores to protest what they claimed was “an unexpected shift by the City” to ban private businesses from hosting events, including pop-up picnics, on San Diego beaches.

Top Cop

Mayor Gloria selected 25-year San Diego police veteran Scott Wahl, who helped start the police division focused on homelessness and quality-of-life issues, as the City’s chief of police replacing retiring chief David Nisleit.

Organic Reduction

A feature explored an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional burial practices: human composting wherein remains are transformed into nutrient-rich soil.

Natural Plan

The City Council’s Environment Committee unanimously endorsed a compromise plan balancing environmental, active recreational, and waterfront camping needs seeking to fairly re-apportion the northeast corner of De Anza Cove in Mission Bay Park for public use.

Ridable Streets

BeautifulPB filled Pacific Beach Town Council in on a project to make the beach community more bike- and non-motorized friendly with a phased-in network of safe neighborhood routes encouraging people to walk, bike, scooter, or skate to their destinations along with traffic-calming measures and other features to improve safety.

SVO Enforcement

Enforcement of District 2 Councilmember Jennifer Campbell’s Sidewalk Vending Ordinance began on March 29. The updated ordinance provided clarity on which vending activities are safeguarded under the First Amendment as free speech, and stipulating impounding measures for rogue vendors that fail to comply with health and safety regulations.

APRIL

Slomo Saluted

On April 6, the community turned out to celebrate the 81st birthday of Slomo, aka John Kitchin, a retired neurologist who has skated the boardwalk from Pacific Beach to Mission Beach and back for more than 20 years.

EV Chargers

The City announced plans to install over 400 EV chargers in parking lots citywide.

Cat Rescues

San Diego Humane Society celebrated 15 years of saving kittens.

Homeless Crisis

Shoreline Community Services highlighted the challenges of the homeless crisis in Pacific Beach painting a grim picture of overburdened and outdated service models coping with a worsening crisis.

Pub Anniversary

Duck Dive celebrated its 12th anniversary in Pacific Beach.

Higher Density Protested

Reacting to the City’s longstanding proposal to substantially increase density in part of University City, opponents claimed they were being ignored by the City while insisting densification was an overreaction to mandated affordable housing.

Piano Man

A feature profiled Joe Barry, an 87-year-old piano player who continues to regale friends and neighbors after dinner tickling the ivory at Atria La Jolla at 4025 Pulitzer Place.

Family Tradition

Story on the family tradition of Zoe Kleinbub, co-owner of dual-restaurant concept Paradisaea and Dodo Bird Donuts in Bird Rock along with husband Eric, detailing how the eatery comes by its reliance on whole organic foods naturally.

Take The Plunge

Fit Athletic Club at Belmont Park in Mission Beach invested in four state-of-the-art Qoolpod tubs, using water temperature down to 37 degrees Fahrenheit, a chilling experience both healthful and stimulating.

Dog Walking

Pacific Beach’s latest hot-button issue concerned dog-walking hours at Mission Bay Park, with some advocating completely unrestricted pet-owner access.

Beach Trail

After a 34-year effort, Princess Street Trail in La Jolla Shores was scheduled to reopen in 2025 thanks to the tireless efforts of La Jollans Melinda Merryweather and Pam Heatherington.

Plant Engineering

Story on AI helping Salk scientists in La Jolla engineer plants to fight climate change.

Eco-Tours

Story on marine biologist Cypress Hansen offering eco-tourism tours as North Star Naturalist along the coast in La Jolla and environs.

MAY

MBHS Refresh

A Whole Site Modernization project was announced for 71-year-old Mission Bay High School to repair, renovate, and revitalize its facilities, which were originally built in 1953.

Coastal Resilience

The City received grant funding to develop a Coastal Resilience Master Plan identifying nature-based solutions along the coast to improve local communities’ resilience to sea-level rise, while also benefiting wildlife, habitat, and natural coastal resources.

Zoroastrian Center

The California Zoroastrian Center settled into the former PB Woman’s Club at 1721 Hornblend St.

Super Moms

Feature on local moms being challenged and relaxing on Mother’s Day.

Fiesta Foxtails

Fiesta Island Dog Owners, who heavily use the island, have contended with the City for years over the proper timing of mowing there to eradicate foxtails which burrow into canines causing health issues.

In Memorium

Salk Institute and the La Jolla community mourned the loss of philanthropist Joan Jacobs.

Council Approval

The City Council approved the De Anza Natural Plan.

Graffiti Removal

In the 14th annual Pacific Beach Town Council annual Graffiti Day Clean Up on May 11, 133 volunteers removed over 1,167 graffiti tags and stickers.

Yoga Legal Battle

Yoga instructors hired an attorney as the City’s ban on classes at the beach continued.

Free Speech Protest

Republicans of Pacific Beach threatened to file a lawsuit alleging their free speech rights on the PB boardwalk were violated after the City told them they needed to move their campaign table to a designated spot outside of a high-traffic area.

Habitat Protection

Friends of Rose Creek in PB claimed the City’s equipment was destroying native habitat.

Honorary Plaque

A testament to free diving and human ingenuity, a memorial plaque embedded in a rock at La Jolla’s Scripps Park now honors the “Bottom Scratchers,” a pioneering local dive club formed in the 1930s.

JUNE

Mosaics Saved

The historic mosaics inside and outside the long-vacant Chase Bank building at the intersection of Mission Bay Drive and Garnet Avenue in Pacific Beach were safe as new owners of Family Health Centers of San Diego confirmed they’d heard the community’s call to preserve the building and its historic artwork.

Climate Change

“We sadly continue to break records in the CO2 rise rate,” said Ralph Keeling of UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, son of Charles Keeling, discoverer of the Keeling Curve. “The ultimate reason is continued global growth in the consumption of fossil fuels. This recent surge shows how far we still need to go to stabilize the climate system. Stabilization will require that CO2 levels start to fall. Instead, CO2 is rising faster than ever.”

Outstanding Students

Mission Bay High School announced Jake Seecof and Maixime Vergnet as the 2024 graduating class valedictorians and Ellie Bauer as the salutatorian.

Roundabout Resumes

After a rain delay, construction resumed on a roundabout at Foothill Boulevard and Loring Street in PB.

Car Show

A Father’s Day Car Show at Belmont Park featured 150 classic cars.

Coastal Recognition

La Jolla Park Coastal Historic District received the official designation.

New Hideaway

The restaurant space that was formerly Fat Fish was transformed by new owners into Hideaway Pacific Beach, a new SoCal lifestyle-inspired restaurant/bar lounge.

Crystal Pier Closed

Iconic Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach was closed temporarily as the City reallocated funds to perform storm damage repairs.

Utilities Debate

Pacific Beach civic activists debated the pluses and minuses of corporate versus nonprofit utilities.

Summer Spectacular

SeaWorld’s Summer Spectacular featured new shows and fireworks.

Coastal Concerts

Concerts by the Sea sponsored by La Jolla Kiwanis Club returned with a wide variety of music.

JULY

Wrongful Death

The parents of a 12-year-old girl who was struck and killed while she was paddle boarding in Mission Bay filed a wrongful death suit against the City and County of San Diego alleging negligence.

Trusted Vet

ABC Veterinary Hospital Pacific Beach at 2032 Hornblend St., a full-service hospital run by Dr. Nicole Zaranek welcoming routine and urgent pet care visits by appointment, added mobile veterinary care to clients in their homes to its repertoire.

Freedom Fest

The fourth annual Freedom Fest returned to Belmont Park on July 6. The park in Mission Beach was converted into an all-out patriotic rave, carrying on the Fourth of July spirit into the holiday weekend.

Superhero Summer

A costume-themed fundraiser titled “Superhero Summer Hoopla” benefiting Shoreline Community Services in Pacific Beach was held July 25 at Maverick’s Beach Club.

Summerfest La Jolla

The Conrad at 7600 Fay Ave. presented SummerFest 2024: a music festival featuring award-winning classical and jazz artists from all over the world with live music experiences from July 26 through Aug. 24.

Gwynn Mural

Mandarin House in La Jolla added a mural of Tony Gwynn to the outside of its building at 6765 La Jolla Blvd.

Well-Being Center

Interior designer-turned-wellness entrepreneur Charmaine Haworth created 8th Harmony, an emotional well-being center in La Jolla after helping her son Joseph recover from a rare degenerative disease.

Hypnotherapy

New hypnotherapy center, enso-nia, run by Dr. Sonia Gupte and husband Jit opened on Ivanhoe Avenue.

Sea Lion Warning

The City called a news conference in July urging summer crowds flocking to San Diego coastal areas to keep their distance from sea lions in La Jolla.

Sixty For Sixty

La Jolla minister David C. Nagler continued his tradition of riding as many waves as his age on his birthday. Turning 60 on July 13, he rode 60 waves at Tourmaline Surfing Park in North Pacific Beach to benefit the Surfrider Foundation.

Top Dog

Fiesta Island’s dog park was named the best in the nation in USA Today’s 10 Best announced in the 2024 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Dog Park.

Concerts On The Green

Pacific Beach Town Council’s largest annual event, Concerts on the Green in Kate Sessions Memorial Park, was bigger and better than ever with live music on Sundays.

Over-The-Line

The 71st annual Over-the-Line World Championships was held on back-to-back weekends at Fiesta Island.

Mystery Author

Mission Beach-based author Lee Silber released his latest mystery novel titled, “Harper’s Bay: Rebuilding an Inn, and a Life.”

Controversial Housing

San Diego City Council voted 6-2 for a loan package to build affordable rental units in a five-story structure exceeding the 30-foot coastal height limit at 2662 Garnet Ave.

AUGUST

Trilogy Anniversary

Yoga studio, wellness center, gift shop, and vegan cafe Trilogy Sanctuary in La Jolla celebrated its 10th anniversary with a three-day festival.

Homeless Encampments

Reaction to Gov. Newsom’s executive order calling for state officials to begin removing homeless encampments aroused strong sentiments locally with unsheltered providers opposed, while some government officials claim it was a necessary first step toward turning the tide on spiraling homelessness.

Classic Cars

Pacific Beach Town Council sponsored a class car show on Garnet Avenue on Aug. 10.

Slow Streets

The majority of residents testifying at a Pacific Beach Planning Group meeting adamantly opposed an existing traffic-calming measure on Diamond Street employing bollards.

Restaurant Refurbished

Guava Beach Bar & Grill has a new and improved look while retaining its same old comfy vibe in Mission Beach.

Club Donation

Mission Beach Women’s Club’s annual fundraiser took in a record $65,000 in donations benefiting Girls Rising Above Child Exploitation.

Megashelter Opposition

Homeless advocates attorney Ann E. Menasche and social activist Scott H. Silverman opposed the mega-shelter homeless model backed by the City.

Sunbreak Ranch

Activist George Mullen discussed his long-term model proposed for dealing with San Diego’s homelessness crisis: the creation of Sunbreak Ranch.

New Leader

Ryan Stock took over leadership of the grassroots nonprofit beautifulPB promoting sustainable mobility and community enhancement.

SOHO Honoree

Dr. Diane Kane of La Jolla was honored for lifetime achievement in Save Our Heritage Organisation’s 42nd annual People In Preservation Awards.

New Chef

La Valencia Hotel named Alex Pailles executive chef heading up the iconic property’s restaurants.

Mural Defaced

A vandal spray-painted graffiti over the iconic John Lennon mural at 1020 Garnet Ave. damaging it beyond repair.

Mural Dedication

Pacific Beach’s newest public mural, “Explore PB’s Wild Side,” was formally unveiled.

Woman Of The Year

Caryn Blanton, executive director of Shoreline Community Services in Pacific Beach, was honored with a state proclamation naming her Woman of the Year for her work in providing homeless services at The Compass Station.

SEPTEMBER

SDUSD Superintendent

The Board of Education named Fabiola Bagula, Ph.D., as interim superintendent.

Business Profile

Arbor Collective at 936 Garnet Ave. serves all the seasonal needs of boarders, whether they’re riding on waves or sidewalks.

Personality Profile

La Jollan and promoter Sherry Ahern, creator of both the La Jolla Open Aire Market and La Jolla Art & Wine Festival, was profiled.

Festival Returns

The La Jolla Art & Wine Festival returned to La Jolla Village for its 16th year.

Lot Rebranded

The Lot in La Jolla went one step further in re-branding its expansive outdoor dining facilities.

Olympic Regatta

Women Kenley Edwards of Crown Point and Malia Terry Voisard of Bay Park qualified to represent the U.S. national team to race High-Kneel “sprint” Canoes” in the Olympic Hopes Regatta in Hungary.

Club Anniversary

La Jolla Woman’s Club celebrated its 110th anniversary.

Fireworks Displays

Mission Bay Parks Committee urged SeaWorld to end its summer fireworks displays.

The Lodge Renovations

The Lodge at Torrey Pines announced renovations to its A.R. Valentien restaurant.

Hairstyling Salon

Belle Sirène Salon of La Jolla offers luxurious experiences for all hair budgets.

Books Unbanned

Local libraries like Pacific Beach/Taylor branch participated in the San Diego Public Library’s Books Unbanned program.

OCTOBER

Walter Munk Day

An annual tribute to the late Scripps oceanographer Walter Munk was held on Oct. 5 at Kellogg Park at La Jolla Shores.

PB Pathways

PB Pathways, a beautifulPB project works to increase safer walking, biking, and skating in the beach community.

Firefighters Aided

Mustache Madness fundraiser at Mavericks on Oct. 17 raised funds to support local firefighters.

Bollards Out

The City removed the orange bollards creating a slow street on Diamond Street.

Pernicano’s Property

The old Pernicano’s property at 711 Turquoise St. was sold and was being redeveloped into 44 total dwelling units.

Police Honored

SDPD’s Northern Division was honored by PBTC at the 44th annual Police And Emergency Services Appreciation Night at Crown Point Shores Rotary Club Pavilion.

Fanuel Restrooms

Following an expose by San Diego Community Newspaper Group, the City acknowledged that a lack of cleanliness at Fanuel Street Park restrooms was an ongoing issue.

Birdstock

The third annual BirdStock Music Festival and Artisan Market took place on Oct. 19.

Grassroots Effort

A push to separate La Jolla from the City of San Diego and turn it into its own municipality was well underway.

Garden Addition

New lighting and a seating area were added to the Pacific Beach Community Surf Garden at PB Rec Center.

Guilty Plea

A jet ski user pleaded guilty to manslaughter of a girl in Mission Bay.

Housing Protest

About 200 residents gathered outside Pacific Beach/Taylor Branch Library to protest two proposed developments in the beach community that would exceed the 30-foot coastal height limit.

Surf Documentary

Film and cast members from La Jolla who produced “Saltwater X,” about adaptive surfers overcoming their disabilities with the ocean’s healing and therapeutic power, were profiled.

Cat’s Meow

The 38th Fur Ball fundraiser was held by the San Diego Humane Society benefiting animals in their care.

NOVEMBER

Housing Tower

At its November meeting, Pacific Beach Planning Group discussed the proposed Vela 22-story building project dubbed the “pencil tower.”

Election Results

Mayor Gloria and Supervisor Lawson-Remer were re-elected, Prop. 3 and Prop. 36 passed.

Trolley Security

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System was on track to hire 34 new Code Compliance Inspectors.

Vets Honored

An annual ceremony honored Korean War veterans at La Jolla’s Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial.

Problematic Coyotes

Reported coyote sightings, and missing pets, in Bird Rock.

Ice Cream

A business profile revealed how Pacific Beach Ice Cream scoops the competition.

Rose Creek

Environmentalists bemoaned Rose Creek’s not being included in a zone qualifying it for wetlands restoration funding.

French Soap

Story on Au Savon de Provence, a La Jolla Village boutique selling Marseille soap from France.

Comedy Store

On Mitzi Shore, the woman who shaped modern comedy in La Jolla at The Comedy Store.

Dog Adoption

San Diego Humane Society introduced Dog Day Out, a new program allowing prospective dog owners to take available dogs out on a trial run.

SeaWorld Education

SeaWorld offers schools youth education programming and a STEM Day.

Climate Change

The Climate Action Campaign vowed to keep fighting for San Diego’s environment as a new federal administration unreceptive to warnings of climate change was reelected.

Playground Equipment

The City removed playground equipment deemed unsafe from Fanuel Street Park to the chagrin of locals.

Realtors Recognized

Feature on longtime PB Realtor Chris Love and daughter Lauren Powell joining Weichert, Realtors – SoCal Living.

School Renovation

La Jolla Elementary School celebrated the completion of the school’s Whole Site Modernization project involving classroom and campus-wide upgrades.

Murals Expanding

Story on Murals of La Jolla program continues to grow in association with the Athenaeum Arts & Music Library.

DECEMBER

Housing Protest

Two local groups – Neighbors for a Better California, and San Diegans For Responsible Planning – formed to protest developments region-wide exceeding the 30-foot coastal height limit.

Santa Run

The 12th annual San Diego Santa Run took place on Garnet Avenue before the Holiday Parade.

Lawsuit Threatened

Two local environmental groups initiated a potential lawsuit against SeaWorld alleging ongoing Clean Water Act violations in and around Mission Bay connected with the fireworks displays and wastewater discharges.

Historical Housing

Architectural preservation group Save Our Heritage Organisation, SOHO, and the city disagreed on whether historic homes interfered with the building of new affordable housing.

Curry Closes

World Curry at 1433 Garnet Ave. closed after nearly three decades of serving a diverse array of curry dishes.

Name Change

San Diego Audubon Society changed its name to San Diego Bird Alliance.

SantaCon

The annual SantaCon raved at Belmont Park in Mission Beach.