Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutRP 83-14A; SEA BREEZE REALTY; Redevelopment Permits (RP)J APPLUm'ION COMPLETE DATE: JUNE 5. 1992 STAFF REPORT DATE: AUGUST 19, 1992 TO: DESIGN REVIEW BOARD FROM: PLANNING DEPARTMENT SUBJECT: RP 83-14(A) - SEA BREEZE REALTY - Request for a Minor Redevelopment Permit Amendment to allow the constmction of an office and storage area at an existing commercial ofiice on the southwest comer of Carlsbad Boulevard and Beech Avenue in Sub area 5 of the Village Redevelopment Area. I. RECOMMENDATION That the Design Review Board ADOPT Design Review Board Resolution No. 191, APPROVING RP 83-14(A), based on the findings and subject to the conditions contained therein. IL PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND The applicant is requesting an amendment to an existing Minor Redevelopment Permit to allow the addition of a 500 square foot office area and a 450 square foot storage area at the existing Sea Breeze Realty. The site is located on the southwest comer of Carlsbad Boulevard and Beech Avenue, within Sub area 5 of the Village Redevelopment Area. Magee Park is located north of the site, across Beech Avenue; and the area across Carlsbad Boulevard to the east is mostly vacant with a small bike shop in the southem section of the lot. To the south of the existing single story real estate office, lies a 700 square foot art gallery and a 630 square foot chiropractor's office in separate single story buildings. These three uses share an unimproved parking area in the rear of the buildings containing approximately 25 spaces, which is just east of the improved parking lot for St. Michael's By-the-Sea. The three commercial buildings are an interim use. St. Michael's By-the-Sea is currently preparing an ultimate development plan for the site which would remove the existing commercial stmctures. The office area expansion has been partially constmcted and the storage area has existed for over 10 years. The office expansion is located on the westem side of the building and is not visible from Carlsbad Boulevard. The storage area is located on the northem end of the building and encroaches 7 feet into the City right-of-way for Beech Avenue. Since the storage area is still setback 10 feet from the curb line which represents the ultimate street improvements for Beech Avenue, the Engineering Department has processed an encroachment permit, approved by the City Council on July 28, 1992, that allows the encroachment as the existing storage area only. The storage area has been recently painted, improving its appearance, and considering the interim use, staff has no objection to the encroachment. The office area was partially constmcted v\tithout building permits RP 83-14(A) - SEA BREfllE REALTY AUGUST 19, 1992 PAGE 2 in late 1991. In December, 1991, theapplicant applied for both a Minor Redevelopment Permit Amendment and a building permit to allow the office area expansion and storage area. According to Section 21.81.030(b)(2) ofthe Carlsbad Municipal Code, a project within the Coastal Zone may be exempt from the requirement of a Coastal Development Permit if the project meets certain criteria. Improvements to existing stmctures may be exempt if: 1) the stmcture or improvement does not lie within fifty feet of the edge of a coastal bluff or within the area between the sea and the first public road; 2) the improvements do not change the intensity of use; and 3) the project does not significantiy alter land forms or beach features. The proposed office and storage area expansion meets these criteria and, therefore, no Coastal Development Permit is being processed. IIL ANALYSIS 1. Is the project consistent with the development standards and design criteria of the Village Design Manual? 2. Is the proposal consistent with the intent of the Village Area Redevelopment Plan? 3. Is the proposed office expansion consistent with the applicable Local Coastal Program? 4. Is the project in harmony wdth the various elements of the General Plan? 5. Is the proposal consistent with the applicable ordinances of the Carlsbad Municipal Code? DISCUSSION 1. Consistency with the \^age Design Manual The proposed expansion of the existing real estate office is consistent with the various development standards and design criteria of the Village Design Manual. The building height, at approximately 18 feet, and building coverage, at approximately 25%, are well below the maximums allowed by the Manual, those being 35 feet and 80% respectively. The real estate office building is setback over 43 feet from the Carlsbad Boulevard right-of- way, which adds to the village character and the open space provisions of the Village Design Manual. While the suggested land use for those parcels in Sub area 5 of the Village Redevelopment Area is tourist serving commercial uses, the real estate office is an existing use and does cater to some vacation rental patronage. Expansion of the existing Sea Breeze realty does not conflict with the long term land use goals of the Sub area. RP 83-14(A) - SEA BREMC REALTY AUGUST 19, 1992 PAGE 3 The proper number of parking spaces are, and will continue to be, provided by the unimproved parking area behind the office buildings. The total amount of parking required for the three buildings, including the proposed improvements to Sea Breeze Realty, is 24 spaces. This total is reached by summing the parking demand for the office and storage uses in the real estate office, the museum and retail uses in the art gallery, and the medical office use in the chiropractor's office, as defined by section 21.44.020 of the Zoning Ordinance. The parcels containing the commercial uses are owned by St. Michael's By the Sea Episcopal Church. The long term goal for the parcels is for other development, making the commercial uses an interim use. Since the proposed improvements under this Minor Redevelopment Permit Amendment are not significant in nature, and these uses are not the ultimate uses, staff is not requiring that the parking area be improved at this time. With regard to signage, the Village Design Manual allows six-tenths of a square foot of signage per lineal foot of building frontage. Since the Sea Breeze realty is located on a comer, both frontages qualify for signage calculations. With 135 lineal feet of street frontage, the building qualifies for 81 square feet of signage. The existing pole sign and wall signage total 75 square feet and no additional signage is proposed with this Minor Redevelopment Permit Amendment. Given that the proposed expansion of the real estate office building meets all of the applicable development standards and design criteria, the proposal is consistent with the Village Design Manual. 2. Consistency with the Village Area Redevelopment Plan The objectives of the Village Area Redevelopment Plan include the provision of land uses in a village setting rather than a strip or sprawled marmer, to arrest decay and decline through restoration of stmctures, and to stimulate private investment. The three existing office and gallery stmctures are separated from Carlsbad Boulevard by a landscaped setback and all stmctures are one story, adding to the Village atmosphere. The Sea Breeze Realty building has been recently painted to improve its appearance and incrementally reduce blight. Allov^ng the expansion of the real estate office also contributes to the viability of the business and the continuation of commercial property tax revenue. This proposal is therefore consistent with the objectives of the Village Area Redevelopment Plan. 3. Consistency v/ith the Local Coastal Program The Local Coastal Program for the Village Redevelopment Area consists of the Village Design Manual and the Village Area Redevelopment Plan. As discussed in the above sections, the proposal complies with all development standards, design criteria, goals, and objectives of these documents. As mentioned in the project description and background section, and as expounded in the municipal code conformance section below, the project is exempt from the necessity of a Coastal Development Permit. The proposed office expansion is therefore consistent with the applicable Local Coastal Program. RP 83-14(A) - SEA BRE™ REALTY AUGUST 19, 1992 PAGE 4 4. Harmony with the General Plan The land use designation for the site is CBD (Central Business District) which includes retail stores, offices, restaurants, financial institutions, and service facilities. The existing real estate use is consistent with these uses. The implementing policies and action programs for both the Land Use and Circulation elements call for adequate off-street parking and loading facilities. While no loading area is needed for the real estate office, there is adequate off-street parking on the lot west of the office building, as elaborated below. All public facilities needed to serve the office expansion are already in place, providing consistency with the goal and objective of the Public Facilities Element. Considering the above, the proposed expansion of the current real estate office is consistent with the various elements of the General Plan. 5. (insistency with the Municipal Code Any new constmction in the V-R zone requires the prior approval of a Redevelopment Permit. In addition, the project is located within the Coastal Zone, which would typically necessitate the processing of a Coastal Development Permit. Section 21.81.030(b) of the Carlsbad Municipal Code states that a project could be deemed exempt from the requirement of a Coastal Development Permit if the project involves insignificant changes in the intensity of use on a stmcture not located between the sea and the first public road. Since the proposed office expansion meets this criterium, it has been determined that no Coastal Development Permit is required for this minor proposal. As discussed in section 1 above, the existing office and the proposed improvements conform to the applicable standards with regard to building height, building coverage, parking, and signage. Given that all necessary permits are being processed and the proposed expansion meets all applicable development standards, the project is consistent with the Carlsbad Municipal Code. IV. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW Since the project involves minor alterations to an existing building under 2,500 square feet, the Planning Director has determined that the project is exempt from environmental review per Section 15301(e)(1) of the Califomia Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines and, therefore, v\till issue a Notice of Exemption upon project determination. SUMMARY Considering that the development is a minor expansion for an existing use which has no adverse impact on the site, and the project is consistent with the Village Design Manual, the Village Area Redevelopment Plan, the Local Coastal Program, the General Plan and the Carlsbad Municipal Code, staff recommends approval of RP 83-14(A). RP 83-14(A) - SEA BRE^I REALTY AUGUST 19, 1992 PAGE 5 ATTACHMENTS 1. Design Review Board Resolution No. 191 2. Location Map 3. Background Data Sheet 4. Disclosure Statement 5. Exhibits "A" - "B", dated August 19, 1992 MG:vd:lh July 7, 1992 SITE ST lELD lELD GARF BEECH AVE Q CO CHRISTIANSEN WY AU O D OD O D OD a: < o GRAND AVE City of Carisbad SEA BREEZE REALTY RP 83-14(A) BACKGROUND DATA SHEET W CASE NO: RP 83-14(A) CASE NAME: SEA BREEZE REALTY APPLICANT: SEA BREEZE REALTY REQUEST AND LOCATION: A MINOR REDEVELOPMENT PERMIT AMENDMENT TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF AN OFFICE AND STORAGE AREA EXPANSION ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF CARLSBAD BOULEVARD AND BEECH AVENUE. LEGAL DESCRIPTION: NORTHEAST PORTION OF BLOCK 6 OF MAP 775 IN THE CITY OF CARLSBAD. COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO. APN: 203-143-01 Acres 0.41 Proposed No. of Lots/Units _0 (Assessor's Parcel Number) GENERAL PLAN AND ZONING Land Use Designation CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT Density Allowed _0 Density Proposed _0 Existing Zone V-R Proposed Zone V-R Surrounding Zoning and Land Use: (See attached for infonnation on Carlsbad's Zoning Requirements) Zoning Land Use Site V-R REAL ESTATE OFFICE Nortii V-R CITY PARK South V-R ART GALLERY East V-R VACANT West V-R CHURCH PARKING LOT PUBLIC FACILITIES School District CARLSBAD Water District CARLSBAD Sewer District CARLSBAD Equivalent Dwelling Units (Sewer Capacity) .55 Public Facilities Fee Agreement, dated N/A ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Negative Declaration, issued Certified Environmental Impact Report, dated Otiier, NOTICE OF EXEMPTION. FILED UPON APPROVAL MG:vd:lh <3)