Council Vote On UCSD Hillel Center Proposal Postponed

LA JOLLA, CA – A longstanding and much-debated proposal to build a community and religious center for Jewish students at UC San Diego will face another delay, with the City Council Tuesday postponing a hearing on the issue until later this year.

The hearing was derailed by a technicality -- notice needed to be provided to the community twice on a particular aspect of the Hillel Center for Jewish Life plan but only went out once, said Councilwoman Barbara Bry, who represents the neighborhood.

Supporters of the proposal want to establish a temporary center at 8976 Cliffridge Ave. until a nearly 6,500-square-foot permanent facility is constructed on a vacant lot at 9009 La Jolla Scenic Drive North. Once the permanent location is completed, the Cliffridge Avenue location would revert back to use as a single-family residence.

Hillel purchased the property from the city in 2006. The project has survived a pair of lawsuits and a Planning Commission denial of a previous proposal for a 12,000-square-foot facility.

The center would offer religious programming for Jewish holidays and festivals, programs relating to Israel as the Jewish homeland, Jewish community building and community service opportunities, according to the website ucsdhillel.org.

Concerns expressed at a Planning Commission meeting include the center being out of character with a residential area, a potential increase in traffic, greater demand for already-limited parking and security.

According to a city staff report, the three buildings that would make up the center would vary in height and sloping roof lines, would allow for "a harmony of scale" between the project and the existing development pattern of single-family dwellings in the neighborhood. A plan to include 27 parking spaces should be enough to handle the anticipated programming, the report said.

If the project is approved by the City Council, the Hillel Center would begin a fundraising campaign to pay for construction.

Representatives of both sides expressed disappointment in the delay. Robin Madaffer, representing Hillel, said she would use the extra time to try to find common ground with the opposition.

Madaffer suggested that the item be brought back to the council on Oct. 2, but no action was taken on a new date.

By City News Service

Image of UCSD campus by Alejandro Mallea via flickr.com, used under Creative Commons