Steps To Address Odor Issues @ La Jolla

It's an issue that lingers in La Jolla like a bad odor. The unpleasant smell left by sea lions and birds at La Jolla Cove is again in the news with a judge having decided the city of San Diego is not responsible for solving the problem. The La Jolla Town Council will hold a hearing Thursday on the next steps in the ongoing battle against the smell left by accumulated animal droppings. Steve Haskins, La Jolla Town Council president, said the smell hurts the nearby businesses. “It (the smell) has a lot to do with the direction the wind is going,” Haskins told KPBS Midday Edition on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, it goes up to Prospect Street where the businesses are located. They say it’s a huge problem for them to keep customers, especially in the outdoor restaurants.” Last month, a Superior Court judge ruled against a group of La Jolla business owners, saying the city doesn't have a duty to control any nuisance caused by wild animals and isn't the cause of the odor. Citizens for Odor Nuisance Abatement, the group that filed the lawsuit, said it plans to appeal. But Norm Blumenthal, an attorney who represents the group, said the damage has already been done. “It’s adversely impacting their businesses,” Blumenthal said. “We’re noted as the most beautiful city in America that stinks. That’s not a very good reputation. This is an issue of health and safety.” City spokesman Bill Harris said the city has recently contracted with marine mammal expert Doyle and Associates to "explore what conditions exist within this colony of sea lions that may provide alternatives for changing behaviors or otherwise reducing the colony’s impact on the bluffs." Doyle and Associates is expected to deliver a preliminary report in a few months. The city also plans to continue the application of a microbial spray until a more permanent solution is found, Harris said. The hearing is open to the public and will take place at 5 p.m. Thursday at the La Jolla Recreation Center at 615 Prospect St. Please stay on topic and be as concise as possible. Leaving a comment means you agree to our Community Discussion Rules. We like civilized discourse. We don't like spam, lying, profanity, harassment or personal attacks.