Since the COVID shutdown in 2020, a group of restaurants and shops along Avenida de la Playa has been allowed to operate temporary outdoor dining spaces with a special events permit.
That permit, issued by the City of San Diego, expired Saturday.
The La Jolla Shores Business Association took the lead in negotiations with the City to continue to block car traffic on the street between El Paseo Grande and Calle de la Plata Street. For the past five years, there have been short term agreements and applications for a special events permit to close the street all day and into the evening. The street was only opened overnight.
“It allowed for people to come back and start dining in the area. It worked well to get everything back and rolling during that time, and it’s kind of evolved ever since,” said Sharon Luscomb, owner of La Jolla Kayak and a member of the association.
M.G. Perez
M.G. Perez
As of Saturday, this section of Avenida de la Playa is only open to pedestrians. There is an exception for emergency vehicles, La Jolla, CA, August 9, 2025.
As the expiration date got closer for the most recent special events permit, business owners negotiated with the city for a long term resolution.
Thursday, the City of San Diego Development Services Department approved the application for a right of way permit. That permit converts the closed stretch of street dining space into a permanent promenade for pedestrians only.
The action means there is no expiration or renewals of the permit required.
“The right of way permit allows us to have a promenade, and the most important thing about the promenade is it keeps traffic off the street,” said Phil Wise, a long-time La Jollan who started the street closure campaign in 2020.
It also requires business owners to replace 11 parking spaces that were eliminated. They have to make ADA safety improvements and cosmetic renovations, too. They say they will. The estimated cost for all that is at least $500,000.
The association has money in reserve, but has started accepting donations to raise additional funding needed.
Some people in the neighborhood have complained about trash in the streets and the lack of parking. Margo Schwab has lived in The Shores since the 1970s. She remained skeptical about promises the association has made.
“(Yes I have) concerns about the lost parking. They say they have something allocated to replace it. I give them 40 days to deliver,” Schwab said light heartedly.