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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975-05-13; Planning Commission; ; SP 168 - LAGOON SHORESMEMORANDUM May 13, 1975 TO: THE PLANNING COMMISSION FROM: THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT SUBJECT: SP-168 - LAGOON SHORES ^" I. BACKGROUND The Planning Commission heard the subject application on April 22, 1975. The Commission discussed the proposed conditions of approval for the project at some length, finally voting to continue the application for two weeks to allow staff to further evaluate the conditions of approval. The Commission closed the public hearing and determined that no further public input was necessary. II. RECOMMENDATION ' ' Staff is recommending that the project be approved for the following reasons: 1) The adverse environmental impacts of the project have been mitigated in the following manner: a) Visual access to the lagoon has been preserved through project design. b) Physical access to the lagoon is ensured through provision of three public walkways. c) Siltation of the lagoon will.be. controlled through prohibition of grading during rainy months and planting of erosion control vegetation at the earliest possible date. 2) The project meets all standards for uses in the Planned Community Zone. 3) The project complies with the General Plan in the following manner: a) It complies with the density requirements of the Land Use Element. b) It preserves the scenic and recreational amenities of the lagoon as required by the Open Space and Conservation Elements. c) It provides for a bicycle corridor and preservation of scenic • vistas along Park Drive as required by the preliminary Scenic Highways and Circulation Elements. -2- 4) The project has been assured the availability of Public Facilities by the City Engineer and Carlsbad Unified School District. RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL (REVISED): 1. The approval is granted for land described in the application and any attachments thereto, and as .shown on the plot plan, labeled Exhibit A, the elevations labeled Exhibit B, the garage plan labeled Exhibit C and the floor plan labjeled Exhibit D, all of which.are dated 3/14/75. All buildings, roadways, landscaping, parking and other features shall substantially conform to these exhibits. Exact siting of all structures shall conform to Exhibits A end C. 2. Unless a final subdivision map is recorded for the project within thirty months of this approval, the Specific Plan shall become null and void. 3. All requirements of any law, ordinance or regulation of the State of California, City of Carlsbad, and any other governmental entity shall be complied with. . 4. Any mechanical and/or electrical equipment to be located on the roof of the structure shall be screened in a manner acceptable to the Planning Director. Detailed plans for said screening shall be submitted, in triplicate, to the Planning Director. 5. A detailed landscape and sprinkler plan prepared by a landscape architect shall be submitted to the Parks and Recreation Director for consideration and approval. 6. All utilities, including electrical, telephone and cable television, shall be installed underground and/or shall be completely concealed from view. 7. Any phasing of this project shall require an amendment to this Specific Plan. 8. The applicant shall install permanent bicycle parking facilities at the termini of Marina Drive and the cul-de-sac on the east side of the property. Said facilities shall meet the specifications of the Parks and Recreation Director and the City Engineer. 9. Driveways shall have a 24 ft. clear width. Minimum width of paving at parking areas shall be 44 or 64 ft. (one or two 20-ft. stalls, plus 24-ft. aisles). Parking at the top of garage ramps is not allowed. 10. Adequate facilities, clearances and maneuverability for trash removal and emergency vehicles shall be provided. -3- 11. All structures shall observe a 35-ft. height limit as defined by the Uniform Building Code, with the exception of the four "loft areas" whose location is depicted on the plot plan, Exhibit A, and whose dimensions shall conform to those shown on the elevations, Exhibit B. In no case shall the loft area-s measure more than 41 ft. - in height, as defined by the Uniform Building Code. 12. The roof covering shall be fire retardant per the Uniform Building Code. Additional fire protection shall be ensured through a combination of fire resistant building design materials, construction of water mains and hydrants, and suitable access. This shall be accomplished in a manner acceptable to the Fire Chief. 13. A 5-ft. utility and tree planting easement shall be dedicated along all public frontage. 14. The applicant shall submit for review and approval by the Planning Director a plan for. recreational facilities on the site prior to the issuance of building permits, The recreation plan shall include a recreation area for children. All recreational structures and appurtenant facilities shall be placed so that they do not obscure the view of the lagoon. 15. Prior to issuance of a grading permit, the applicant shall submit for the City Engineer's review and approval, a detailed soils study prepared by a qualified soils engineer. This study shall: a) Determine the soil stability and height of the water table over the entire property. b) Recommend any engineering solutions necessary to stabilize structures and prevent flooding of the subterranean garages. 16. Right of way shall be dedicated to provide a 42-ft. half street • section for Park Drive and public frontage improvements shall be constructed as required by the City Engineer. Rights of access to Park Drive shall be waived. A pedestrian way and separate public bikeway shall be provided within the 10-ft. parkway and 15-ft. 'building setback. 17. Right of way shall be dedicated and public frontage improvements shall be constructed along Marina Drive to provide a 40-ft. curb- to-curb dimension, plus a 7-ft. parkway. The intersection of Park Drive and Marina Drive shall be realigned to avoid acute turning movements and to provide a free right-turn movement on to Park Drive, in accordance with City standards. A 15-ft. easement and improved walkway from Marina Drive to the lagoon shall be dedicated. 18. A 50-ft. public parking and access easement shall be dedicated along the eastern boundary of the lot and privately improved and maintained, subject to the review and approval of improvement plans by the City Engineer. The driveway shall intersect Park Drive at a right angle to the ceriterline. An improved public walkway to the lagoon shall be provided. -4- 19. Public walkway shall be dedicated and improved to City standards along the toe of the slope to the lagoon and above the mean high tide. (Therefore, the walkway will be inundated only during a flood.) 20. All public walkways on the project shall be lighted and barred to motor vehicles. This shall be accomplished in a manner acceptable to the Police Chief and City Engineer. III. DISCUSSION ' .P.M. . II-—I I • | 0 A. Justification for Approval: - The justification for approval of the project was enlarged to include findings of fact to support each conclusion. This is in response to recent court cases emphasizing the Planning Commission's obligation to substantiate their findings in their resolutions. B. Building Height: The consensus at the Planning Commission's April 22, 1975 meeting seemed to be that they wished to restrict the building height to 35 ft., except'for the four isolated "loft" areas, provided that the condition could be tied down with specific wording. Staff. has attempted to do this in Condition #15. C. Recreational Facilities: Two Commissioners suggested that a "tot lot" be required. This is included in Condition #14. Staff also added a requirement that recreational facilities be placed so as not to obscure the view of the lagoon from Park Drive. D.. Siltation and Grading Controls: The Commission suggested that a condition be added to control siltation of the lagoon. The Engineer- ing Department has stated that such a condition is not needed (see attached memorandum). However, should the Commission determine to include a condition to control siltation, staff suggests the following wording: In order to decrease siltation of the lagoon, grading for the project shall commence during the spring or summer months and shall be completed prior to November 1. Erosion control vege- tation shall be planted on all slopes upon completion of the grading, in a manner acceptable to the Parks and Recreation Director and City Engineer. ATTACHMENTS: The Engineering, Police and Fire Departments have responded by separate memorandums to questions raised at the April 22, 1975 meeting. Copies of these memorandums have been attached. SDH/br - 5/6/75 . MEMORANDUM May 13, 1975 TO: PLANNING COMMISSION FROM: PLANNING DEPARTMENT SUBJECT: SP-168 LAGOON SHORES The public hearing on Lagoon Shores was closed at the April 22, 1975 meeting. No further public testimony can be allowed unless a new notice of hearing is published. Staff has discussed the revised conditions of approval with the applicant, who has said he can meet all of the conditions. A minor problem has arisen with one condition of approval. Pro- posed condition #17 requires additional street improvements on Marina Drive. In order to provide additional right of way for these improvements, the applicant must shift the two westerly buildings 5 to 10 feet to the east. Condition #1 was amended at the request of one Commissioner, to require the exact ssiting of structures to conform to the approv- ed plot plan and garage plan, Exhibits A and C. These two conditions are conflicting. Staff has seen several examples of how the Marina Drive street section can be changed without involving significant changes to the project. Staff believes that, in order to meet all conditions of approval, certain minor adjustments are inevitable. The portion of Condi- tion #1 which requires the structures to be exactly sited is probably unworkable. Condition #1 already requires that the project shall "substantially conform" to the approved exhibits. Any substantial changes in siting^(such as that necessary to avoid a high groundwater table) would require an amendment to the specif-ic plan. Therefore, Staff is recommended that the last sentence of condition #1 ("Exact siting of all structures shall conform to Exhibits A & C") be deleted. The Fire Department recommended that fire retardant roof materials be required for the project. This was included in Condition #12. However, this requirement would probably double roofing costs. The Commission may wish to weigh the need for fire retardant roof materials against the added costs. DH/vb 5-13-75 MEMORANDUM TO: Dana Hield, Assistant Planner Planning n ^AD s Department FROM: Girard W. Anear, Fire Chief DATE: 4-28-75 SUBJECT: Lagoon Shores SP-168 The answers to the specific questions asked by the Planning Commission are: (1) "The Fire Department services have not kept pace with the growth of the City. It is not sufficiently manned or trained to confine large fires, or to provide necessary aggressive attack and confine fires that have progressed to the flashover stage. Apparatus is adequate and in good condition. The number of companies is insufficient for even median protection. Response time and distance are excessive to many areas of the City, including several high value areas." From the Gage-Babcock Report based on conditions 3 years ago. Basically the only improvement we have made since that time is to increase our on-duty man- power by one man at the La Costa Station! We have the approved plans, real estate, and the budget appropri- ation to build and man Fire Station #3. With the Council's approval we could go to bid immediately. (.2) .Condition #15 would be clearer if it stated: The roof covering shall be fire retardant as per the Uniform Build- ing Code. Additional fire protection shall be ensured through a combination of fire resistant building design materials, construction of water mains and hydrants, and suitable access. This shall be accomplished in a manner acceptable to the Fire Chief. (3) How do you judge the "economic impact" on the fire depart- ment? The need for a second fire station*was justified when the Plaza El Camino Shopping Center was opened. Since that time each additional building built in the city regard- less of size has increased that need. Taxes derived from those buildings will help to pay the costs incurred by the addition of another station. This particular project should contribute more money in taxes than it requires for City services. I have repeatedly stated that the City has two choices pertaining to adequate fire protection. It can either have a large fire department (expensive to maintain) or it can require fire pro- tection be built into the building, i.e., fire retardant construc- tion, sprinkler systems, early warning .fire detection devices, etc. Girard W. Anear *In Carlsbad proper