La Jolla · Neighborhood
La Jolla Alta
A planned hillside neighborhood in south La Jolla, with open space along Soledad Mountain Road.
La Jolla Alta is a planned residential development, or PRD, meaning a group of homes planned together as one project. It’s in south La Jolla, and the city’s La Jolla Community Plan, its long-range guide for the area, uses that name. The plan says Alta set aside over 20 acres of steep slopes and canyons as open space around the homes. It also calls parts of Alta along Soledad Mountain Road very low density, which means few homes per acre. When I show you a home here, I start with the street, the lot and the rules on that lot. That means open space, hillside rules and how a remodel or historic review may apply. A nickname on a flyer won’t tell you that.
The place
Where it is. La Jolla Alta is in the south part of the area the La Jolla Community Plan covers. The plan says Alta set aside over 20 acres of steep slopes and canyons as open space, and that open space gives the homes it surrounds a natural setting. For any Alta lot, I’d check the lot lines on City and county property tax maps.
Open space in the plan. The plan lists La Jolla’s hillside open space, including the slopes of Mount Soledad, La Jolla Heights Natural Park, Pottery Canyon and Soledad Natural Park. Alta’s open space is part of that southern hillside. The acres I mention come straight from the plan’s list. They aren’t a ranking of views.
How many homes per acre along Soledad Mountain Road. The plan’s very low density level allows 0 to 5 homes per acre. It pictures large single homes on lots of 10,000 to 40,000 square feet, with steep slopes or open space. The plan says that fits parts of La Jolla Alta along Soledad Mountain Road. It names three zones for this level: RS-1-4, RS-1-2 and RS-1-1. (Zones are the City’s rules for what can be built.) Don’t assume every Alta address is in this level. Check the zone on your lot.
Roads and fire stations. The land is steep, so there are only a few main ways into La Jolla: Ardath Road from the east, Torrey Pines Road from the north, and La Jolla Boulevard and Soledad Mountain Road from the south. Per the plan, two fire stations serve the Mount Soledad and La Jolla Alta areas: Fire Station 16 on Via Casa Alta on Mount Soledad, and Fire Station 21 in Pacific Beach.
The name vs. the map. When I say La Jolla Alta on this page, I mean the planned homes in south La Jolla with their saved open space. It’s not the same as Heights Natural Park, the Muirlands Drive hillside, the Mesa Drive hillside, the Village shopping area or Mount Soledad Natural Park. Compare with Heights, Muirlands, Mt. Soledad, Village, Country Club, Guides and La Jolla.
Buying or selling. To see how a purchase or sale works with me in La Jolla, start with buying and selling and offer strategy. Selling? See seller prep. You’ll find more on my Guides page.
Building & remodel notes
This area is part of the La Jolla Community Plan, on the southern hillside where Alta’s planned homes sit. The extra rules change from street to street, so I always check the lot on City maps first.
Height: 30 feet. Under Prop D and SDMC §132.0505, no building “shall be constructed with a height in excess of thirty feet within the Coastal Zone.” SDMC is the San Diego Municipal Code, the city’s book of laws. What that means for you: 30 feet is the cap on city land west of Interstate 5. Some eastern Mount Soledad slopes may be outside the Coastal Zone line, so check with City Development Services.
Kinds of homes (from the plan). Planned homes with saved open space. Parts along Soledad Mountain Road fall in the very low density level. City zones apply, and the plan names RS-1-4, RS-1-2 and RS-1-1 for that level. Some lots also have coastal, steep hillside or ESL rules. ESL means Environmentally Sensitive Lands, the City’s rules for steep slopes and sensitive land. Check the zone on your lot, and don’t assume one level fits every address.
Older homes and hillside checks. Under SDMC §143.0212, the City Manager “shall determine the need for a site-specific survey” when a lot has “a structure that is 45 or more years old.” What that means for you: the City may check whether an older home needs a historic review before you get your permit. See my La Jolla 45-year historic review page. Remodel notes: remodel rules. Fire and insurance maps: La Jolla fire & insurance. Guides: Guides. Selling? Start with seller prep.
General information, not legal advice. Check with City Development Services for your address.
Alta vs Heights vs Muirlands
| La Jolla Alta | Heights | Muirlands | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setting | Planned homes in south La Jolla with saved open space | Hillside next to Heights Natural Park (about 42.64 acres) | Hillside homes along Muirlands Drive above the Village |
| What the plan says | Over 20 acres of saved open space; very low density along Soledad Mountain Road | Open space at Heights Natural Park and Heights Park | Hillside homes along Muirlands Drive |
| Building rules | City zones plus hillside and open space rules; 30-foot height | Same height rule; open space and sensitive land rules nearby | City zones plus hillside rules; 30-foot height |
Also: La Jolla · Guides · Mt. Soledad · Village · Country Club · Hermosa · Windansea · Bird Rock · Shores · Farms · Barber Tract · Hidden Valley. The Mesa Drive hillside is a separate area.
FAQ
Where is La Jolla Alta in La Jolla?
La Jolla Alta is a group of planned homes in the south part of La Jolla. The La Jolla Community Plan, the city's long-range guide for the area, says it has over 20 acres of saved open space around the homes. Check any lot you like on City maps.
How does Alta differ from Heights, Muirlands or the Village?
Alta is planned homes in south La Jolla with saved open space, including parts along Soledad Mountain Road. Heights is the hillside next to Heights Natural Park. Muirlands is the hillside along Muirlands Drive. The Village is the shopping area on Girard and Prospect. It has its own PDO (Planned District Ordinance), a special set of City rules for that district. Compare the streets and lots.
What does the Community Plan say about La Jolla Alta open space?
The plan says La Jolla Alta set aside over 20 acres of steep slopes and canyons as open space. That gives the homes around it a natural setting. Check the open space and zone rules for your address on City maps.
What is the height limit in La Jolla Alta?
Under Prop D and SDMC (San Diego Municipal Code) §132.0505, no building “shall be constructed with a height in excess of thirty feet within the Coastal Zone.” That means 30 feet on city land west of Interstate 5. Check your lot with City Development Services.
Are there special remodel or hillside rules in La Jolla Alta?
Often, yes. Many lots have steep hillside, open space or coastal rules. Older buildings can call for the 45-year historic review (SDMC §143.0212). See /la-jolla-remodel-rules, /la-jolla-historic-review, /la-jolla-fire-insurance and /guides. Check the rules for your address on City maps.
Is La Jolla Alta the same as Mesa Drive or Mt. Soledad?
No. La Jolla Mesa Drive is a main street on the south hillside of Mount Soledad. Mt. Soledad is the mountain and its natural park. This guide is about Alta's planned homes and their open space. I'd start with /la-jolla, /la-jolla-mt-soledad and /la-jolla-heights, then check the lot.
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Sources
- La Jolla Community Plan & LCP (Aug 2014) — Alta PRD open-space reservation; Soledad Mountain Road Very Low Density callout; Via Casa Alta fire inventory
- CPA Natural Resources / Open Space excerpt · City La Jolla Community Plan hub
- SDMC §132.0505 · SDMC §143.0212
- Internal: La Jolla, Heights, Muirlands, Mt. Soledad, Village, Guides, buying and selling, offer strategy, remodel rules, historic review, fire & insurance, seller prep
Weston Clark · Founding Member of the Dickinson-Clark Team at Compass · (858) 997-8998 · weston@sandiego.homes
Weston Clark, DRE #02122466 · Compass, DRE #01527365
Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only, compiled from sources deemed reliable but not verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. All measurements and square footage are approximate.
⌂ Equal Housing Opportunity. Place descriptions are general information, not legal, zoning, tax, membership, or permitting advice.