HomeMy WebLinkAboutCUP 2018-0020; AT&T OMNI RESORT NS0060; Admin Decision Letter---(JU_~,~ \'2.·\I · ,r
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Carlsbad
December 10, 2018
Tim Henion
2707 Tiburon Avenue
Carlsbad, CA 92010
SUBJECT: CUP 2018-0020 (DEV2018-0175) -AT&T OMNI RESORT NS0060 -Request for approval
of a Minor Conditional Use Permit {CUP 2018-0020) to allow the installation and
operation of a new wireless communication facility (WCF) generally located on the La
Costa Resort and Spa property, south of San Marcos Creek, in the Planned Community {P-
C) Zone and Local Facilities Management Zone 6.
Dear Mr. Henion,
The City Planner has completed a review of your application for Minor Conditional Use Permit CUP 2018-
0020 to allow the installation and operation of a new wireless communication facility {WCF) consisting of
twelve {12) panel antennas and 24 remote radio units attached to a new 35-foot-tall faux pine tree, and
an equipment storage unit and generator located at ground level. A notice was sent to property owners
within a 300' radius of the subject property requesting comments regarding the above request. No
comments were received within the ten-day notice period (ending on October 22, 2018). After careful
consideration of the circumstances surrounding this request, the City Planner has determined that the
findings required for granting a Minor Conditional Use Permit can be made and therefore, APPROVES this
request based on the following findings and conditions.
Findings:
1. That the requested use is necessary or desirable for the development of the community, and is in
harmony with the various elements and objectives of the general plan, including, if applicable, the
certified local coastal program, specific plan or master plan in that (a) the use is necessary and
desirable for the development of the community because of the benefit and demand for digital
communications and data transmissions for businesses, individuals, public agencies and
emergency service systems in this part of the City; (bl the proposed use is consistent with the
General Plan in that the Visitor Commercial (VC) Land Use designation does not preclude
wireless communication facility (WCF) uses; and (c) the proposed WCF is consistent with City
Council Policy No. 64, Wireless Communication Facilities, in that it is in a preferred location
(commercial zone). In addition, the twelve (12) panel antennas will be mounted to a new faux
pine tree which will help screen them from view and additional equipment and an emergency
generator will be located within ground level enclosures. The project's location and stealth
design comply with General Plan objectives that seek to maintain and enhance Carlsbad's
appearance.
Community & Economic Development
Planning Division I 1635 Faraday Avenue Carlsbad, CA 92008-7314 I 760-602-4600 I 760-602-8560 f I www.carlsbadca.gov
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CUP 2018-0020-AT& T OMNI RESORT NS0060
December 10, 2018 i; __
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2. That the requested use is not detrimental to existing uses or to uses specifically permitted in the
zone in which the proposed use is to be located in that the proposed WCF is located within a
preferred location (commercial zone) as listed in Location Guideline A.1.b. of City Council Policy
No. 64. All aspects of the WCF exhibit stealth design with the antennas installed on a new faux
pine tree, as well as the equipment cabinets and emergency generator located within proposed
ground level enclosures which will have an exterior earth-tone exposed aggregate concrete
finish to match their surroundings. The WCF use is a conditionally permitted use within the
General Commercial (C-2) Zone, which is the underlying zoning designation within the La Costa
Resort and Spa Master Plan. Furthermore, the faux pine tree does not visually impact the
existing site and does not interfere with other surrounding uses. The project has been
conditioned to comply with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) radio frequency (RF)
exposure guidelines.
3. That the site for the proposed conditional use is adequate in size and shape to accommodate the
yards, setbacks, walls, fences, parking, loading facilities, buffer areas, landscaping and other
development features prescribed in this code and required by the City Planner in order to
integrate the use with other uses in the neighborhood in that the proposed antennas are
mounted to a new 35-foot faux pine tree which will help screen the antennas from view. In
addition, the associated equipment and emergency generator enclosures will be located on the
ground level and have an exterior earth-tone, exposed aggregate concrete finish to match their
surroundings.
4. That the street system serving the proposed use is adequate to properly handle al.I traffic
generated by the proposed use in that the proposed unmanned WCF can be accessed by La Costa
Avenue or Costa Del Mar Road and the WCF use requires only periodic maintenance visits and
occasional visits in response to operatlonal problems. The existing streets are adequate to
handle the minimal traffic to and from the WCF.
5. That the proposed WCF is consistent with City Council Policy No. 64 in that the WCF is located in
a preferred location {commercial zone) as listed in Location Guideline A.1.b. of City Council
Policy No. 64 and exhibits stealth design, as the panel antennas are mounted to a new 35-foot
faux pine tree which will help screen the antennas from view. In addition, the associated
equipment and emergency generator enclosures will be located on the ground level and have
an exterior earth-tone, exposed aggregate concrete finish to match their surroundings, thereby
exhibiting stealth design techniques.
6. That the City Planner has determined that the project belongs to a class of projects that the State
Secretary for Resources has found do not have a significant impact on the environment, and it is
therefore categorically exempt from the requirement for the preparation of environmental
documents pursuant to Section 15303 -New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures of
the state CEQA Guidelines. In making this determination, the City Planner has found that the
exceptions listed in Section 15300.2 of the state CEQA Guidelines do not apply to this project.
7. That the request for a Minor Conditional Use Permit was adequately noticed at least ten (10)
calendar days before the date of this decision pursuant to Section 21.54.060 of the Carlsbad
IVlunicipal Code.
CUP 2018-0020-AT&T OMNI RESORT NS0060
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Page 3
8. The City Planner has reviewed each of the exactions imposed on the Developer contained in this
approval letter, and.hereby finds, in this case, that the exactions are imposed to mitigate impacts
caused by or reasonably related to the project, and the extent and the degree of the exaction is
in rough proportionality to the impact caused by the project.
Conditions:
1. Approval is granted for CUP 2018-0020-AT&T OMNI RESORT NS0060 as shown on Exhibits "A"
-"M" dated December 10, 2018 on file in the Planning Division and incorporated herein by
reference. Development shall occur substantially as shown unless otherwise noted in these
conditions.
2. If any of the following conditions fail to occur, or if they are, by their terms, to be implemented
and maintained over time, if any of such conditions fail to be so implemented and maintained
according to their terms, the city shall have the right to revoke or modify all approvals herein
granted; deny or further condition issuance of all future building permits; deny, revoke, or
further condition all certificates of occupancy issued under the authority of approvals herein
granted; record a notice of violation on the property title; institute and prosecute litigation to
compel their compliance with said conditions or seek damages for their violation. No vested
rights are gained by Developer or a successor in interest by the city's approval of this Minor
Conditional Use Permit.
3. Staff is authorized and directed to make, or require the Developer to make, all corrections and
modifications to the CUP 2018-0020 documents, as necessary to make them internally consistent
and in conformity with the final action on the projec~. Development shall occur substantially as
shown on the approved Exhibits. Any proposed development different from this approval shall
require an amendment to this approval.
4. The Developer/Operator shall and does hereby agree to indemnify, protect, defend and hold
harmless the tity of Carlsbad, its Council members, officers, employees, agents, and
representatives, from and against any and all liabilities, losses, damages, demands, claims and
costs, including court costs and attorney's fees incurred by the city arising, directly or indirectly,
from (a) city's approval and issuance of this Minor Conditional Use Permit, (b) City's approval or
issuance of any permit or action, whether discretionary or non-discretionary, in connection with
the use contemplated herein,. and {c) Developer/Operator's installation and operation of the
facility permitted hereby, including without limitation, any and all liabilities arising from the
emission by the facility of electromagnetic fields or other energy waves or emissions.
5. The Developer shall comply with all applicable provisions of federal, state, and local ordinances
in effect at the time of building permit issuance.
6. This project shall comply with all conditions and mitigation measures, which are required as part
of the Zone 6 Local Facilities Management Plan and any amendments made to that Plan prior to
the issuance of building permits.
7. CUP 2018-0020 shall be reviewed by the City Planner on a yearly basis to determine if all
conditions of this permit have been met and that the use does not have a substantial negative
effect on surrounding properties or the public health, safety and general welfare. If the City
CUP 2018-0020-AT&T OMNI RESORT NS0060
December 10, 2018
Page 4
Planner determines that: 1) the minor conditional use permit was obtained by fraud or
misrepresentation; or 2) the use for which such approval is granted is not being exercised; or 3)
the conditions of approval have not been met; or 4) the minor conditional use permit is being or
recently has been exercised contrary to any of the terms or conditions of approval; or 5) the use
for which such approval was granted has ceased to exist or has been suspended for one year or
more; or 6) the use is in violation of any statute, ordinance, law or regulation; or 7) the use
permitted by the minor conditional use permit is being or has been so exercised as to be
detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare or so as to constitute a nuisance, the City
Planner shall hold an informal public hearing and after providing the permittee the opportunity
to be heard, the City Planner may revoke and terminate the minor conditional use permit in whole
or in part, reaffirm the minor conditional use permit, modify the conditions or impose new
conditions.
8. This Conditional Use Permit is granted for a period of 10 years from December 10, 2018 through
December 10, 2028. This permit may be revoked at any time after a public hearing, if it is found
that the use has a substantial detrimental effect on surrounding land uses and the public's health
and welfare, or the conditions imposed herein have not been met. This permit may be extended
for a reasonable period of time not to exceed ten years, unless determined otherwise by the.
decision-maker per Carlsbad Municipal Code Section 21.42.110, upon written application of the
permittee made no less than 90 days prior to the expiration date. The City Planner/Planning
Commission may not grant such extension, unless it finds that there are no substantial negative
effects on surrounding land uses or the public's health and welfare. If a substantial negative effect
on surrounding land uses or the public's health and welfare is found, the extension shall be denied
or granted with conditions which will eliminate or substantially reduce such effects. There is no
limit to the number of extensions the City Planner/Planning Commission may grant.
9. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, owner/applicant shall submit to the city a Notice of
Restriction to be filed in the office of the County Recorder, subject to the satisfaction of the City .
Planner, notifying all interested parties and successors in interest that the City of Carlsbad has
issued a Minor Conditional Use Permit on the real property owned by the owner/applicant. Said
Notice of Restriction shall note the property description, location of the file containing complete
project details and all conditions of approval as well as any conditions or restrictions specified for
inclusion in the Notice of Restriction. The City Planner has the authority to execute and record an
amendment to the notice, which modifies or terminates said notice upon a showing of good cause
by the owner/applicant or successor in interest.
10. This approval shall become null and void if building permits are not issued for this project within
24 months from the date of project approval.
11. Developer shall report, in writing, to the City Planner within 30 days, any address change from
that which is shown on the permit application.
12. Developer/Operator shall comply with the Federal Communication Commission's guidelines on
limits for human exposure to radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields. Within six (6) months
after the issuance of occupancy, and with any time extension or amendment request, the
Developer/Operator shall submit to the City Planner either (1) verification that the project is
categorically excluded from having to determine compliance with the RF exposure guidelines per
47 CFR §1.1307(b)(1); or (2) a project implementation report which provides cumulative field
CUP 2018-0020-AT&T OMNI RESORT NS0060
December 10, 2018
Page 5
measurements of RF emissions of all antennas installed at the subject site. The report shall
quantify the RF emissions and compare the results with the exposure limits established by the
FCC guidelines. Said report shall be subject to review and approval by the City Planner for
consistency with the Project's preliminary report on RF exposure submitted with the initial project
application and for consistency with the FCC guidelines. If, on review, the city finds that the
Project does not meet the FCC guidelines, the city may revoke or modify this conditional use
permit.
Code Reminders:
13. Approval of this request shall not excuse compliance with all applicable sections of the Zoning
Ordinance and all other applicable city ordinances in effect at time of building permit issuance,
except as otherwise specifically provided herein.
14. Premise identification (addresses) shall be provided consistent with Carlsbad Municipal Code
Section 21.41.040.
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CUP 2018-0020-AT&TOMNI RESORT NS0060
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NOTICE
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Please take NOTICE that approval of your project includes the "imposition" of fees, dedications,
reservations, or other exactions hereafter collectively referred to for convenience as "fees/exactions."
You have 90 days from the date o.f final approval to protest imposition of these fees/exactions. If you
protest them, you must follow the protest procedure set forth in Government Code Section 66020(a}, and
file the protest and any other required information with the City Manager for processing in accordance
with Carlsbad Municipal Code Section 3.32.030. Failure to timely follow that procedure will bar any
subsequent legal action to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul their imposition.
You are hereby FURTHER NOTIFIED that your right to protest the specified fees/exactions DOES NOT
APPLY to water and sewer connection fees and capacity charges, nor planning, zoning, grading or other
similar application processing or service fees in connection with this project; NOR DOES IT APPLY to any
fees/exactions of which you have previously been given a NOTICE similar to this, or as to which the statute
of limitations has previously otherwise expired.
This decision may be appealed by you or any other member of the public to the Planning Commission
within ten days of the date of this letter. Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Planning Division
at 1635 Faraday Avenue in Carlsbad, along with a payment of $876.00. The filing of such appeal within
such time limit shall stay the effective date of the order of the City Planner until such time as a final
decision on the appeal is reached. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please feel to contact
Chris Garcia at 760-602-4622.
Sincerely,
·re--~-
TERI DELCAMP
Principal Planner
TD:CG:dh
c: Ed Stacy, Omni Hotels & Resorts, 4001, Maple Avenue, Suite 600, Dallas, TX 75219
Don Neu, City Planner
Tecla Levy, Project Engineer
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