The place
When it started. The Muirlands opened for development in 1926, the same mid-1920s wave that opened La Jolla Shores and La Jolla Hermosa.1
The name. The neighborhood is named for Harold Muir, its founder. His own 1928 home at 1205 Muirlands Drive was designed by architect Edgar Ullrich and is now the City-designated Harold and Charlotte Muir House.2,3 Its gardens are said to have been designed by Kate Sessions.2
The setting. City reports describe a low-density, single-family neighborhood, with homes among similarly scaled residences.3,4
Building & remodel notes
The Muirlands is part of the La Jolla Community Plan area.8,9 The La Jolla Shores Planned District applies only within the Shores area (SDMC §1510.0102), so the Muirlands follows the City's standard zones. Look up your parcel's zone on the City's map.10,11
Height: 30 feet. The voter-approved Coastal Height Limit (Prop D, SDMC §132.0505) caps buildings at 30 feet on city land west of I-5, which includes the Muirlands. Only a citywide vote can change it.7
Older and historic homes. Work on buildings 45 years or older can trigger the City's historical review, and several Muirlands homes are already designated historical resources.3,12 Depending on the parcel, a Coastal Development Permit may apply.11,13
General information, not legal advice. Confirm with City Development Services for your parcel.
Muirlands vs the Shores vs Bird Rock
| Muirlands | La Jolla Shores | Bird Rock | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setting | Hillside; low-density, single-family3,4 | Along a mile-long sandy beach14 | South end of La Jolla, next to Pacific Beach15 |
| Opened | 19261 | 19261 | 190615 |
| Building rules | Standard City zones; 30-ft limit7,11 | Own Planned District; 30-ft limit7,10 | Standard City zones; 30-ft limit7,11 |
Notes & sources
- La Jolla Historical Society: La Jolla Through Time (1926)
- La Jolla News, Oct 14, 2024: Jewel Awards
- City of San Diego HRB report HRB-25-023 (6714 Muirlands Dr), May 8, 2025
- City of San Diego HRB report HRB-10-031 (6604 Muirlands Dr), July 16, 2010
- City of San Diego HRB report HRB-07-024 (lists HRB #689, 6751 Muirlands Dr), Apr 12, 2007
- City of San Diego CHRID (historical resources inventory): 6751 Muirlands Dr, Designated
- SDMC §132.0505: Coastal Height Limit (Prop D)
- La Jolla Community Planning Association
- City of San Diego: La Jolla Community Plan
- SDMC §1510.0102: La Jolla Shores Planned District boundaries
- City of San Diego: Zoning
- City of San Diego: Reviews of buildings over 45 years
- California Coastal Commission
- City of San Diego Lifeguards: La Jolla Shores
- Bird Rock Community Council: FAQ
- sandiego.homes: Casi el Cielo, 1320 Muirlands Drive
- Dickinson & Clark Team: Sold
- SDLookup public sales history: 1320 W Muirlands Dr
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, or permitting advice.
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Questions about the Muirlands
Where is the Muirlands in La Jolla?
The Muirlands is a hillside neighborhood in La Jolla, in the City of San Diego, above the Village. Muirlands Drive runs through it. 3,4
Is the Muirlands named after John Muir?
No. It's named for Harold Muir, the neighborhood's founder. His 1928 home at 1205 Muirlands Drive is a City-designated historic house. 2,3
When was the Muirlands developed?
It opened for development in 1926, along with La Jolla Shores and La Jolla Hermosa. 1
The architecture. Muirlands Drive holds a run of City-designated historic homes from different decades, including:
- 1006 Muirlands Drive, the George and Ruth Glendon/Edgar Ullrich House (1928)3
- 1205 Muirlands Drive, the Harold and Charlotte Muir House (1928)3
- 6714 Muirlands Drive, the Wilber and Dorothy Larrabee/Edgar Ullrich House, Tudor Revival (1933, designated 2025)3
- 6604 Muirlands Drive, the Esker and Lullah Cole House, Custom Ranch (1946)4
- 6751 Muirlands Drive, the Lester Palmer/Herbert Mann-Thomas Shepherd House, Spanish Eclectic (1927)5,6
La Jolla · Neighborhood
The Muirlands
A hillside neighborhood above the Village, with winding streets and homes from every era since the 1920s.
The Muirlands is the hillside part of La Jolla, up above the Village. The streets curve with the land instead of running in a grid, and the houses sit back on their lots. Driving up Muirlands Drive feels like a walk through La Jolla's architecture history: Spanish homes from the 1920s, a Tudor from the 1930s, ranch homes from after the war, and new builds in between. When I show homes here, I spend as much time on the lot and the view as on the house.