California Coastal Commission members raised the prospect of partially closing La Jolla Cove to the public on Friday, Aug. 14, with Vice Chair Caryl Hart calling the ongoing conflict between beachgoers and sea lions "completely out of control" the day after a La Jolla teen pleaded guilty to kicking a protected animal.

The heated discussion, reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune, marks the sharpest language yet from state officials about conditions at the Cove and could signal new restrictions for one of La Jolla's most visited stretches of coastline.

Commissioner Matt O'Malley told fellow commissioners he was "beyond angry" and called for a partial closure until the city demonstrates it can protect the animals.

"I'm left to conclude that where there is a will, there is a way, and I can only conclude there is no will on behalf of the city to protect the wildlife in this area," O'Malley said. "… I'm at the point where I believe a partial closure is the only way to deal with this issue until the city gets their program implementation figured out."

Hart said the situation has gotten progressively worse in recent months. Commissioner Susan Lowenberg noted that other California coastal cities close beaches when sea lions are present, saying alternatives exist to the "chaos" playing out in La Jolla. Commissioner Jose Preciado questioned whether the city needs a "reboot" to preserve the environment while policies are squared away.

City says closure not on the table

Senior policy adviser Emily Piatanesi, speaking for Mayor Todd Gloria's office, pushed back. She told commissioners the city has not committed to closing the Cove seasonally or year-round, adding that officials have not yet entertained the idea.

Instead, Piatanesi outlined enforcement steps the city is pursuing. San Diego Parks and Recreation Director Andy Field previously presented a multi-step plan to keep people and sea lions apart while keeping the beach open. Steps already in place include additional rangers with bullhorns, new signage and traffic cones deployed when visitors get too close to animals. Possible next steps include a viewing platform overlooking the Cove and security cameras.

A core challenge: the city cannot directly enforce the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act. Piatanesi said the mayor's office is working with the city attorney to identify local ordinances that could be used to ticket and fine violators, calling the enforcement piece "the biggest next step we have been working on."

Viral attack put Cove in national spotlight

The commission meeting came one day after Tyler Muehl, 18, of La Jolla pleaded guilty on Aug. 13 to a misdemeanor violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Muehl admitted to repeatedly kicking a sea lion near Ellen Browning Scripps Park on the night of July 22. He faces up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine at his Oct. 20 sentencing in San Diego federal court.

The Point La Jolla bluffs, adjacent to the Cove, are already subject to a seasonal closure from May 1 through Oct. 31 each year under a 2022 Coastal Commission permit. A Coastal Commission staff report found that a 2021 emergency closure of the same area reduced harassment incidents to near zero. No formal vote on a Cove closure was taken at the Aug. 14 meeting, and no follow-up hearing has been announced.