HomeMy WebLinkAboutV 01-05; Tiburon Unit 4; Variance (V)/h -
1.e City of Carlsbad Planning Departmeh.
P.C. AGENDA OF: November 7,2001
A REPORT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION
Application complete date: June 25,2001
Project Planner: Christer Westman
Project Engineer: Jeremy Riddle
ItemNo. @
SUBJECT: SDP 01-07/PUD 90-04B)N 01-05 - TIBURON - A Site Development Plan to
approve floor plans and elevations for 63 single-family residential homes on
approved lots that are a minimum 7,500 square feet; the proposed entry
monumentation, fence design and location; a Minor Amendment to the project’s
Planned Unit Development Permit to allow for reduced front yard setbacks; and,
to change the project’s internal streets from public streets to gated private streets
on the 33.27 acre site generally located east of Rancho Santa Fe Road and north
of Calle Acervo in Local Facilities Management Zone 1 1.
I. RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning Commission ADOPT Planning Commission Resolutions No. 5062, 5063 and
5098 APPROVING a Site Development Plan, Minor Planned Unit Development Permit
Amendment, and Variance.
11. BACKGROUND
This item was scheduled on October 17, 2001, but was continued because a single inconsistency
with the Planned Development Ordinance was identified just prior to the hearing. After
discussing possible solutions to recti@ the inconsistency, it was determined that a variance could
be and has been included in the project application.
The issue is that when a project includes ten or more structures in a row the Planned
Development Ordinance requires separation between those structures determined by their
number of stories. The separation between three and two-story structures is 20 feet. The
separation between two-story and single story structures is 15 feet. The separation between two
single story structures is 10 feet. Although separation between two two-story structures is not
specifically identified in the Planned Development Ordinance, an Administrative Policy was
established to require 20 feet of separation between two-story structures when they are part of a
row of ten or more structures on a single street.
The Tiburon subdivision was approved with a single row of lots greater than ten. Subsequently,
homes were proposed for the subdivision and located within each of the residential lots using the
R-1 side yard setback standard of ten percent of the lot width versus based on their number of
stories.
Special circumstances apply to the subject property in that the site’s natural topography dictates
several approaches to subdivision design including longer streets which run parallel to the
hillside contours versus perpendicular to the hillside contours. Longer streets result in longer
SDP 01-07/PUD 90-04(Bp J 01-05 - TIBURON
November 7,2001
Page 2
rows of residential lots. Reducing the overall development area by reducing lot sizes to a
minimum 7,500 square feet versus 10,000 square feet was preferred because of the hillside
terrain.
Although the project lots were established by Planned Unit Development, the proposed building
separation is consistent with the R-1 standard of side yard setbacks equal to ten percent of the lot
width. Adjacent subdivisions have been developed with similar street configurations without
benefit of 20 foot separation between two-story buildings. A strict application of the zoning
ordinance could therefore be determined to deprive this property of privileges enjoyed by other
property in the vicinity under the R-1-10,000 and PC zoning classifications.
Additional special circumstances apply to the subject property in that the project is not subject to
the Small Lot Architectural Guidelines, however, the project’s buildings have been designed and
distributed throughout the subdivision to implement the guidelines to a great degree. The
guidelines were established by City Council Policy and are another approach to providing visual
relief when there are several homes in a row on a single street. The applicant has proposed a
new plan which is single story for use within the entire project and along Avenida Aragon. The
remaining plans along this street all have single story elements at the fiont of the building. Plan
two has a full single story edge along the rear and plan three has a 23 foot wide by 28 foot deep
“cut out” which creates the impression of an additional 23 feet of building separation. All of the
proposed homes have four building planes along the fiont. Further more, no home is proposed
with three garage spaces side-by-side. All of these elements reduce the visual impact of ten or
more two-story units in a row on a single street.
Another special circumstance applies to this property since the project is subject to a Planned
Development Ordinance which is currently being revised to eliminate the “ten in a row”
requirement and replace it with architectural standards which will satisfy the intent of reducing
the visual impact of several two-story buildings in a row. As a result of architectural design and
the inclusion of a single story floor plan the project complies with some of the draft replacement
architectural standards. More than 20 percent of the proposed homes have a single story building
edge. All proposed homes have some single story element along the fiont. No home is proposed
with a three-in-a-row car garage. Finally, more than 75 percent of the homes are proposed with
visible fiont doors.
Support for the requested variance may be derived fiom the Small Lot Architectural Guidelines
which determined that on a case by case basis the decision makers should determine if the intent
is met to ensure that the project does not appear “boxy” or as “row housing.”
As provided in the foregoing findings the project substantially conforms to the intent of reducing
the visual impact of ten or more two-story structures in a row on the same street and Staff can
support the requested variance. A resolution for the approval of a variance has been included in
the Planning Commission’s packet.
Denial of the variance will require the applicant to take an alternate course of action including
but not limited to the design of new floor plans for the rows of lots in question, drop
development on key lots to create a break and therefore eliminate “ten in a row”, andor relocate
more single story plans (Plans one and two) to the rows of lots in question.
P
SDP 01-07IPUD 90-04(By J 01-05 - TIBURON
November 7,2001
Page 3 ,
ATTACHMENTS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Planning Commission Resolution No. 5062 (SDP)
Planning Commission Resolution No. 5063 (PUD)
Planning Commission Resolution No. 5098 (V)
Staff Report dated October 17,2001 with attachments