LA JOLLA, Calif. (KGTV) — A local group in La Jolla is celebrating after finding out they do have enough signatures to move forward with their attempt to secede from the City of San Diego.
The Association for the City of La Jolla has been exploring succession for the last three years.
Earlier in the week, the San Diego County Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCO, announced the group behind the push for La Jolla's independence has enough signatures to move to the next step in the process. LAFCO is the local agency that oversees boundary changes.
"I'm thrilled. I'm pleased. I'm excited, and it gives us the confidence to go forward to the next step," said Diane Kane, the vice president of the Association for the City of La Jolla.
The association's board members tell ABC 10News the effort to push this plan forward was all volunteer work.
"It was all grassroots, it was all volunteer, and just hard-working people that could see the vision, says Ed Witt, the association's treasurer.
The group thinks carving off from the city would benefit both the city and La Jolla. They say the move would save San Diego money so it can focus on other underserved communities, and that it would also allow La Jolla to have local control over what needs to be done in the coastal community.
The announcement Tuesday reversed a decision by the Registrar of Voters that initially told the group they had insufficient signatures to move forward.
Mayor Todd Gloria reacted to the news, calling it 'outrageous' and saying the city has serious concerns about the exceptionally broad interpretations to overrule the ROV and signatures it had already rejected.
A judge has ruled in the City of San Diego's favor and against a developer's attempt to prevent the opening of an important expansion of the City's Safe Parking Program.
— San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria (@MayorToddGloria) May 1, 2025
H Barracks is moving forward.
My full statement: pic.twitter.com/hHUioHqaVx
The city filed a formal letter of objection and says it's exploring the legal options available.
LAFCO says it will now move forward with preparing a fiscal analysis.
If the issue continues to move forward, it would ultimately be up to all voters in the city of San Diego to decide La Jolla's future.
