Razing of Green Dragon Can Continue, Judge Rules

The final stages of demolition work on four historic cottages that make up La Jolla’s Green Dragon Colony--halted earlier this month by a court order--can be resumed, a Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday.

Two parties seeking to save what is left of the buildings, the California Coastal Commission and La Jolla architect Tony Ciani, said they will appeal the ruling by Judge Barbara Gamer.

The owners, who want to sell the land, agreed not to resume demolition until the appeal is resolved, their attorneys said. That could take six months or more.

Gamer, who earlier this month issued an order authorizing the demolition permits and later issued a restraining order on the demolition, ruled that the owners had followed the necessary hearing and public notice procedures.

“I think her decision (Tuesday) was based upon what she understood was the chain of events . . . and I think she misunderstood that chain of events,” Ciani said.

“This eventual loss of my rights and other people’s rights to participate in the decision-making process is a sham,” said Ciani, who had argued that San Diego Trust & Savings Bank, trustee for the owners, failed to go through proper channels and obtain Coastal Commission approval for demolition.

The owners started tearing down the cottages July 11. The cottages were built in 1896 and had been a retreat for some of the best-known artists and writers of the 20th Century. State attorneys had argued that the owners, led by retired La Jolla architect Robert Mosher, ignored state Coastal Commission laws by beginning demolition without a 10-day appeal period.

The whole question may be moot because “the buildings aren’t out there any longer. It’s just debris and a matter of cleaning out any health and safety concerns,” said Charles Berwanger, an attorney for San Diego Trust.

But those who want to save the cottages disagree.

“It’s not pretty,” Deputy Atty. Gen. Jamee Patterson said, “but my understanding is that there are some walls standing, and there are some building materials that can be salvaged.”