SAN DIEGO — The City of San Diego is initiating eminent domain action against landowners in La Jolla so the city can install bike lanes on Gilman Drive.
The land seizure will allow the construction of bike lanes separated from vehicle traffic.
Gilman Drive
City staff members have successfully negotiated with four landowners near UCSD to buy their property, which will enable the city to install Class IV bike lanes on both sides of Gilman Drive.
“This north-south corridor is essential to completing a safe, protected regional bike route from Oceanside to San Diego,” said Councilmember Joe LaCava during a council meeting on July 15.
Gilman Drive already has single bike lanes in both directions. The new lanes would be separated from traffic as part of the Coastal Rail Trail project.
David Laudermilch is one of two property owners along Gilman Drive who have not accepted the city's monetary offers.
“There's already a bike lane there, so when it's all said and done, they're going to take one extra foot,” Laudermilch told the city council. “I got an independent appraisal for $700,000 last week, your proposal to me is ($135,000).”
CBS 8 spoke to the other property owner, Rebecca Robinson-Wood, a retired real estate appraiser. She said the city's offer of $31,000 did not amount to fair market value.
Public speakers at the city council meeting earlier this month disagreed with the city's planning priorities.
“This is for bike lanes. And really, how many people you know actually use these bike lanes compared to driving and other things?,” said one anonymous speaker.
LaCava pushed back, saying the only other alternative was to put a bike lane through the environmentally sensitive, Rose Canyon.
“No matter how good you do your work, how noble the project is, you've changed people's lives forever just by showing up,” said LaCava.
The city council voted unanimously to let the eminent domain legal action move forward to court. Negotiations with the landowners can continue.
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