The Morning Report
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An agreement to seek state legislation that would allow seals to remain at the La Jolla Children’s Pool is up for a City Council vote on Tuesday.
The vote stems from a settlement offer from La Jolla Friends of Seals, which sued the city last year to prevent the city from shooing away harbor seals from the cove.
The seals have been the source of dueling lawsuits — one filed in state court by a former resident seeking to expel the seals, and a federal suit by the Friends of Seals that led a judge to temporarily halt the removal of the animals.
City Attorney Jan Goldsmith is strongly recommending the council approve a resolution to support state legislation that would amend a 1931 trust governing the Children’s Pool to allow seals to remain.
Residents who support a seal-free Children’s Pool cite the hazards that seal poop poses for kids and say the area can’t be safely shared.
The City Council previously heard about the settlement proposal in closed session and voted to hear the issue in open session. The council is slated to vote during its 2 p.m. session.
Update: I just talked to Deputy City Attorney George Schaefer about how the state lawsuit would be affected if state lawmakers amend the trust, as is called for in the proposed ordinance. He said city lawyers believe that if the legislation passes, both the pending state and federal lawsuits would become moot.