HomeMy WebLinkAboutDI 98-01; I-5 Corridor Master Plan; Discussion Item (DI)The City of CARLSBAJI Planning Department
A REPORT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION
Item No. 0
P.C. AGENDA OF: March 4,1998 Project Planner: Brian Hunter
Project Engineer: Steve Jantz
SUBJECT: DI 98-01 - INTERSTATE 5 CORRIDOR LANDSCAPE MASTER PLAN -
Request for comments on the Interstate 5 Corridor Landscape Master Plan.
I. 'RECOMMENDATION
No formal action is required. Commission comments and any public comments will be
forwarded to the 1-5 Corridor Landscape Advisory Committee and then to Council.
11. INTRODUCTION
Staff is requesting input from the Planning Commission on the draft 1-5 Corridor Landscape
Master Plan document. , The City Council has authorized staff to solicit comments regarding this
Master Plan from the Planning Commission as well as the Arts Commission, Parks and
Recreation Commission and the public. This discussion item will include a staff overview
presentation of the 1-5 Corridor Landscape Master Plan document and associated renderings.
Similar presentations have been made before the other commissions and the Master Plan
document and rendering boards have been displayed at the libraries for public review and
comment. Staff and the 1-5 Committee will review the comments from the Planning
Commission and other City commissions and provide recommended revisions to the Council for
their consideration and direction for the completion of the final version of the Master Plan.
111. PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND
In 1996, City staff was authorized to prepare a landscaping concept plan for the Interstate 5
corridor throughout the Carlsbad city limits, a distance of approximately 6.5 miles. This
direction began as a result of an effort to landscape the recently completed improvements to the
Palomar Airport Road interchange. During the review of that project, staff realized the need to
establish a corridor theme along the 1-5 route because of near term improvements to both the
Poinsettia Lane and La Costa Avenue interchanges. Staff recommended that a landscape
treatment program be established along the entire 1-5 corridor in order to succinctly tie each
interchange and the stretch of freeway in-between in a cohesive, theme-based approach. The
theme would be designed in such a way as to emphasize the coastal nature and historical aspects
of the City.
To assist in the development of the Landscape Master Plan, the Council appointed an ad-hoc
committee, entitled the 1-5 Corridor Landscape Advisory Committee, to assist in the
development of the theme based approach. The Committee consists of one Council member, two
DI 98-01 - INTERSTATE 5 CORRIDOR LANDSCAPE MASTER PLAN
March 4,1998
Page 2
Planning Commissioners, two Arts Commissioners, two members of the business community
and two citizens at large. This Committee was formally appointed by resolution at the May 14,
1996 Council meeting.
The first task of the Committee was the selection of a consulting firm, including an artist, for the
development of the Master Plan document. After the review of proposals fiom interested firms
including an oral interview process, the firm of Kawasaki, Theilacker, Ueno and Associates
(KTU+A) was chosen.
Based on the comments received fkom the Committee, in addition to public input fiom four
community workshops, the consultant team developed several alternative conceptual design
approaches for the 1-5 corridor. The lagoons were identified as key features unique to Carlsbad,
with locations at the northern and southern ends, and one near the middle of the City. The
overall proposed art and landscape theme for the corridor, uses the lagoons to link Carlsbad’s
history with its future by using contemporary and historical art icons and images to accent a
corridor landscape concept. Landscape plantings that simulate the aquatic plants of the lagoons
are proposed to be used to carry the natural theme throughout the corridor.
The Master Plan also proposes a phasing plan emphasizing landscape improvements first with art
structures to follow as funding becomes available. The 1-5 Advisory Committee determined that
landscape improvement should have the highest priority for funding since much of the southern
portion of the corridor is currently lacking adequate landscape planting. Additionally, the
northern portion of the corridor is in need of landscape maintenance and clean up only. The
proposed art and landscape improvements identified in the Master Plan for the entire corridor is
estimated at $3.6 million.
As part of the adoption of the 1996-97 Capital Improvement Program, the Council appropriated
$125,000 for the completion of the 1-5 Corridor Landscape Master Plan. There is currently no
funding available for the implementation of any identified 1-5 Corridor Landscape Master Plan
enhancement project. However, the 1-5 Landscape Master Plan would be the vehicle for the
identification of appropriate landscape enhancement projects which could be implemented as a
part of anticipated freeway improvement projects, such as the construction of HOV lanes
adjacent to the median of the fkeeway. In that the 1-5 Corridor Landscape Master Plan is
however, not an ordinance, the City has no authority to require or condition the implementation
of identified landscape improvements through project review.
No projects are being proposed as part of this action. However, if the Council desires, specific
projects could be included in future Capital Improvement Programs and authorized as part of the
annual budgetary process.
IV. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Planning Director has determined that the 1-5 Corridor Landscape Master Plan will not have
a significant impact on the environment and therefore has issued a Negative Declaration on
January 26, 1998. The environmental analysis (EIA Part 11) concluded that this Landscape
Master Plan will not result in any physical, biological or human impacts. Future implementation
DI 98-01 - INTERSTATE 5 CORRIDOR LANDSCAPE MASTER PLAN
March 4,1998
of the projects described within the Master Plan will be subject to project-specific environmental
review. Therefore, no significant environmental impacts are anticipated to occur. There were no
letters of comment received during the public review period for this Negative Declaration.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. City of Carlsbad Interstate 5 Corridor Master Plan, dated September 1997, on file in the
Public Works Department.
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