The city of San Diego is investigating whether a La Jolla Shores house being rented as a mental health services facility can continue to be, given conflicts in what the area’s zoning allows.
The five-bedroom, 3,667-square-foot house in the 2000 block of Torrey Pines Road reportedly is being rented by the Mental Health Center of San Diego to house its clients. Concerns about the facility being in a predominantly residential area were raised during the La Jolla Shores Association meeting Jan. 10.
Soon after the meeting, the city’s Building and Land Use Enforcement Division’s zoning investigators visited the site in an attempt to explore any potential violations.
“The [investigators] were not allowed to perform an inspection at that time but are working with the owner/property manager to allow for a comprehensive inspection,” said city spokesman Richard Berg. “Per the La Jolla Shores Planned District Ordinance, transitional housing or residential care facilities are not permitted within the residential zone, but there are exceptions to this rule that could apply in this case. State law also allows for this use under some circumstances, and the [investigators] are in touch with the appropriate state authorities on this. The city will pursue its investigation to ensure the facility complies with the specific rules applicable to it.”