San Diego planners approved a proposal Thursday for five new mansions in La Jolla.
Owners of the Foxhill Estate plan to build five homes, ranging from 8,493 square feet to 13,544 square feet, on the storied site once owned by the Copley family, former owners of The San Diego Union-Tribune.
The new properties will be adjacent to the Foxhill Mansion, home to tales of high-society dinners, including one time hosting President Richard Nixon.
Following staff recommendation, the San Diego Planning Commission unanimously approved the project Thursday with no comment on its merits or faults.
Investment group Foxhill Invco One LLC bought the property for $35 million in May. A previous attempt to develop the site was approved in 2016 by the City Council. Because that plan is similar to the new one, it made for a smooth approval.
Two neighbors tried to delay the vote. Kathleen Vaughan told the commission that she previously had her home flooded when rain water spilled over from the land now eyed for development. She asked the project be delayed until she saw a more detailed water mitigation plan.
Chris Connolly, chief marketing officer of the San Diego Padres, argued the project would block his views of the ocean, and suspected many of his neighbors didn’t know about the proposal.
“My biggest concern is lot No. 1, which will be presumably be at the highest point on the parcel,” he said. “That will significantly impact my ocean views as well as dozens of neighbors.”
Regardless, Vice-Chair Matthew Boomhower called for a motion to approve the project and the six-person board OK’d the project without comment. It is a running theme through many Planning Commission reports and meetings that property owners are not entitled to views. Also, the city staff report noted a drainage study needed to be submitted before the applicant could receive construction permits.
“Staff has reviewed the proposed project and determined that the project is in conformance with the policies and regulations of the Land Development Code, General Plan, and the Community Plan,” wrote Development Services Department’s Renee Mezo, assistant deputy director, and Robin MacCartee, development project manager, in a staff report.
The five residential lots will have three-story, single-family homes. Each home will have approximately five bedrooms, a basement, pool and outdoor living space. The smallest lot size will be 19,000 square feet, but the other four lots will be more than 30,000 square feet.
The investment group, Foxhill Invco One LLC, includes Larry Hershfield, chief executive of San Diego-based investment firm Ranch Capital. He also serves on the boards of several companies, including Hawaiian Airlines.
Hotel developer Doug Manchester, who also previously owned the property, greatly expanded the estate — buying up adjacent properties and growing its size to 32 acres. There are no plans for the mansion at the moment, only for the land surrounding it.
Manchester, also a former owner of the Union-Tribune, received the approvals for developing the site in 2016, which he called “The Reserve,” but did not follow through with plans.
Foxhill Invco One did not provide a timeline of when construction could begin. While lawsuits over construction are common in the affluent community, it typically involves denser developments.
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