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Home My WebLink AboutLCPA 93-02; Residential Density Increases; Local Coastal Program Amendment (LCPA)rq PROJECT PLh,.i\JER CHRIS DECERBO & DATE: TO: FROM: SUBJECT: I. STAFF REPORT OCTOBER 20,1993 PLANNING COMMISSION PLANNING DEPARTMENT LCPA 93-02 -RESIDENTIAL DENSITYINCREASES -, FFORDABLE IOUSING - An amendment to all of the City's six Local Coastal Program segments to add a new land use policy which would allow residential density increases above the maximum residential densities pemitted by the City's Local Coastal Program segments to enable the development of lower-income affordable housing. RECOMMENDATION That the Planning Cornmission ADOFT Planning Cornmission Resolution No. 3545, recommending APPROVAL of LCPA 93-02, based on the findings and subject to the conditions contained therein. 11. PROJECX DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND On April 13, 1993, the City Council adopted a General Plan Amendment to the Land Use Element (GPA 92-08) to add a new policy which would enable the City to grant density increases above the maximum allowable General Plan densities to enable the development of lower-income affordable housing through processing of a Site Development Plan pemit (See Exhibit "A"). This project is a followup to GPA 92-08, and would amend all of the City's six Local Coastal Program (LCP) segments (i.e.; Mello I, Mello 11, Agua Hedionda, East Batiquitos LagoowHunt Properties, West Batiquitos Lagoon/Sammis Properties, and Village Redevelopment Area) to add this new land use policy to each of the above noted LCP segments. Pursuant to Section 30514 of the Public Resources Code, this Local Coastal Program Amendment (LCPA) is necessary to bring the City's LCP segments into conformance with the City's amended Land Use Element. III. ANMYSIS Planninn Issues 1. Will this Local Coastal Program Amendment affect other sections of Carlsbad's certified Local Coastal Programs? - c- LCPA 93-02 RESIDENTIAL DENSITY INCREASES - AFFORDABLE HOUSING OCTOBER 20, 1993 PAGE 2 2. Will this Local Coastal Program Amendment significantly impact coastal resources? DISCUSSION Any project within the Coastal Zone which is proposing a density increase shall be required to comply with all other applicable Local Coastal Program policies and provisions. Therefore, no effects on other LCP sections are anticipated. This proposed LCPA, which would incorporate a new land use policy to allow density increases to enable the development of affordable housing, is not anticipated to result in significant impacts to coastal resources. As discussed above, any project proposing a density increase within the Coastal Zone, shall be required to comply with all applicable LCP policies and provisions, including those dealing with protection of coastal resources. The City's already approved Zone Code Amendment (ZCA 92-02) which would allow development standards modifications to enable the achievement of higher density affordable housing projects provides a mechanism to increase project densities within the unconstrained, developable areas of any given property, without the necessity of having to encroach into sensitive coastal resources. Accordingly, no impacts to coastal resources are anticipated. nr. ENvlR0"rALREVlEw A Negative Declaration was approved for GPA 92-08 on April 13, 1993. This project (LCPA 93-02) is a followup legislative action to GPA 92-08. Since LCPA 93-02 will not revise the environmental findings of the previously approved Negative Declaration for GPA 92-08, the Planning Director has determined that this project will not have a significant effect on the environment and, therefore has issued a Notice of Prior Compliance on June 17, 1993. ATTACHMENTS 1. 2. Exhibit "A" 3. Planning Commission Resolution No. 3545 Carlsbad Local Coastal Programs Segment Boundary Map. CDD:km August 23,1993 ... (REVISED) EXHIBIT x APRIL 13,1993 PROPOSED REVI SIONS TO CARISBAD'S LAND USE ELEMENT The Land Use Element is proposed for revision to add the following language within section "B. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN", "...standards of population density and building intensity to be applied to the land use classifications: 1. Residential", which begins on page 24. All Italic text is from the existing adopted and proposed Land Use Element. Language to be added is in highlighted text. [Beginning on page 251 EXPLANATORY NOTE ON DENSKWRANGES: The densities established for the low and low-medium density residential classifications simply designate the maximum number of dwelling units per gnxs acre that would be permitted if all other requiremen& are met. In those exceptional cases where the base zone is consktent with the land use designation but would permit a slightly higher yierci than that recommended in the low and low-medium density residential classifications, the City may find that the project is conshtent with this element if it is compatible with the objectives, policies, general land uses and program expressed herein and Ihe density ranges established for the medium, medium-high and high density residential categories are NOT meant as "minimum" and "maximum". The lower figure for each of these categories represents a "guaranteed" density and the higher &we represents a potential maximum that could be located in each area if certain criteria are met. The criteria shall be reviewed on a project-by-project basis and shall include such things as slope of lanci, soil stability, compatibility with surrounding land uses, flood plain protection, adequacy of public facilities, onsite amenities and preservation of unique and desirable natural resources. In other won&, the density allocation for any project starts at the low end anci, if a higher density is desired, the proposed development must prove itself worthy of the higher designation. Residential density shall be deteermined based on the number of dwelling units per developable acre of prop*. nte following landr are considered to be undevelopable and shall be acluded fim dens@ calculations: (1) beaches (2) pemanent bodies of water (3) flOodWav~ 1 (4) . slopes with an inclination of greater than 40% (5) significant wetlands (6) significant riparian woodland habitats (7) (8) land subject to major power transmission easements land upon which other significant environmental features as determined by the environmental review process for a project are located. No residential development shall OCCUT on the latah listed above, however, the City Council may pemit limited development of such property if when considering the property as a whole the prohibition against development would constitute an unconstitutional deprivation of propeny. Limited development of accessoy or nonresidential uses may be permitted. Development on slopes with an inclination of 25% to 40% inclusive shall be designed to minimize the grading and slope development provisions of the Carikbad Local Coastal Pmgram shall apply. The City of Carlsbad in implementing its public facilities element and growth management plan has made an estimate of the number of dwelling units that will be built as a result of the application of the density ranges in the Land Use Element to individual projects. ‘Ihe City’s Capital Improvement Bdget, growth management plan, and public facilities plans are all based on this estimate. In order to ensure that all necessary public facilities will be available concurrent with need to serve new development it is necessary to limit the number of residential dwelling units which can be constructed in the City to that estimate. For that purpose the City has been divided into four quadrants along El Camino Real and Palomar Airport Road. The maximum number of residential dwelling units to be constructed or approved in the City after November 4, 1986 is as follows: Northwest Quadrant 5,844; Northeast Quadrant 6,166; Southwest Quadrant 10,667; Southeast Quadrant 10,801. The City shall not approve any General Plan amendment, zone change, tentative subdivision map or other discretionary approval for a development which could result in development above the limit in any quadrant’ In order to ensure that development does not exceed the limit the following growth management control points are established for the Land Use Element density ranges. ALLOWED DWELLING UNIT PER ACRE RLO- 1.5 RLMO - 4 RM4 - 8 RMH 8 - 15 RH 15 - 23 Growth Management Conrtol Point 1 3.2 6 11.5 19 2 f l%e City shall not approve any residentiul development at a density that exceeds the growth management control point for the applicable density range without making the following findings= I. That the project will provide suficient additional public facilities for the density in excess of the control point to ensure that the adequacy of the City’s public facilities plans will not be adverse& impacted. That there have been suficient developments approve4lin the quadrant at densities below the control point to cover the units in the project above the conml point so the approval will not result in exceeding the quadrant limit. 2. [END OF SECTION] A new Residential Guideline (#19) is proposed to be added to the Land Use Element (page 45) as follows: 19. Allow density increases, above the maximum residential densitiespemitted by the General Plan, to enable the development of lower-income afiordable housing, through processing of a Site Development Plan permit. Any Site Development Plan appli;ation request to increase residential densities (either: above the Growth Management Control Point or upper end of the residential density range@), for purposes of providing lower-income affordable housing, shall be evaluated relative to: (a) the proposak compatibility with adjacent land uses; (b) the adequacy of public facilities; and (c) the project site being located in proximity to a minimum of one of the following: a Feeway or major roadway, a commercial center, employment opportunities, a City park or open space, or a commuter: mil or transit center. Any request for a density increase pursuant to this Residential Guideline shall not be permitted to exceed the Citywide and quadmnt dwelling unit limitations of the Growth Management Plan (hop*tbn E)* 3 SEGMENTS BOUNDARY MAP City of Carlsbad I RESIDENTIAL DENSITY INCREASE I LCPA 93-02 I 1