La Jolla · Neighborhood
La Jolla Mesa
Hillside streets of homes around La Jolla Mesa Drive, on the south side of Mount Soledad.
La Jolla Mesa is what locals call the hillside streets of homes around La Jolla Mesa Drive. They’re on the south side of Mount Soledad, inside the La Jolla Community Plan, the city’s long-range guide for La Jolla. The plan lists Mesa Drive with other main streets that should get landscaping where you come into town, and the Street Tree Plan gives Mesa Drive its own row. When I show you a home here, I start with the street, the lot and the rules on that lot. That means the hillside and coastal 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 Mesa is the stretch along La Jolla Mesa Drive, inside the area the La Jolla Community Plan covers. It also takes in the hillside streets of homes on the south and southwest sides of Mount Soledad. For any Mesa lot, I’d check the lot lines on City and county property tax maps.
What the plan says about Mesa Drive. The plan wants better entries into La Jolla, with landscaping that doesn’t block named public views or signs. Where it can be done, it calls for street landscaping on main streets, including Ardath Road, La Jolla Mesa Drive, Soledad Mountain Road and La Jolla Boulevard. The Community Street Tree Plan lists La Jolla Mesa Drive too, with first-choice and backup tree types.
Roads and street layout. 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. Ardath is the only street that takes you straight in from northbound Interstate 5. East of the Village grid, the streets curve along the slopes.
Open space to the south. The planned homes at La Jolla Alta, in the south part of La Jolla, set aside over 20 acres of steep slopes and canyons as open space. That’s helpful context for this hillside, but it’s a different place from La Jolla Alta. The plan’s other hillside open space includes Mount Soledad, La Jolla Heights Natural Park, Pottery Canyon and Soledad Natural Park.
The name vs. the map. When I say La Jolla Mesa on this page, I mean the streets along Mesa Drive and the south Soledad hillside. It’s not the same as Heights Natural Park, the Muirlands Drive hillside, the Village shopping area or La Jolla Alta. Compare with Heights, Muirlands, Mt. Soledad, Village, Country Club, Guides and La Jolla.
Building & remodel notes
This area is part of the La Jolla Community Plan, on the south Soledad hillside. 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). The plan describes single homes on hillside streets along and near La Jolla Mesa Drive, with streets that curve along the eastern slopes. It’s the south Mount Soledad hillside, next to the Alta and Soledad open space. City zones apply (zones are the City’s rules for what can be built). 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 rule set 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.
Mesa vs Heights vs Muirlands
| La Jolla Mesa | Heights | Muirlands | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setting | Along Mesa Drive, on the south Mount Soledad hillside | Hillside next to Heights Natural Park (about 42.64 acres) | Hillside homes along Muirlands Drive above the Village |
| What the plan says | Mesa Drive is on the main-street and street-tree lists, near south Soledad | Open space at Heights Natural Park and Heights Park | Hillside homes along Muirlands Drive |
| Building rules | City zones plus hillside and coastal 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 · La Jolla Alta · Hidden Valley.
FAQ
Where is La Jolla Mesa in La Jolla?
La Jolla Mesa is what locals call the hillside streets of homes around La Jolla Mesa Drive, on the south side of Mount Soledad. It's inside the area the La Jolla Community Plan covers, which is the city's long-range guide for La Jolla. Check any lot you like on City maps.
How does Mesa differ from Heights, Muirlands or the Village?
Mesa is the stretch along Mesa Drive plus the south Soledad hillside streets. 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 Mesa Drive?
The plan lists La Jolla Mesa Drive with Ardath Road, Soledad Mountain Road and La Jolla Boulevard as main streets that should get landscaping where you come into town, where it can be done. The Street Tree Plan gives Mesa Drive its own row too. Check the lot and its street frontage on City maps.
What is the height limit in La Jolla Mesa?
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 on La Jolla Mesa?
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 Mesa the same as La Jolla Alta or Mt. Soledad?
No. La Jolla Alta is a group of planned homes to the south, and the plan notes it for over 20 acres of saved open space. Mt. Soledad is the mountain and its natural park. This guide is about the streets along Mesa Drive and the south Soledad hillside. 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) — Mesa Drive major-street and street-tree listing; circulation access; Alta open-space adjacency
- 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, 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.