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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975-06-17; City Council; Resolution 36641 2 3 4 5 6 7 a 9 10 11 1% 12 u 2c 21 2: 2; 24 2: 2( 2: 2t QC RESOLUTION N0.3664 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE GENERAL PLAN BY THE ADOPTION OF A REVISED CIRCULATION ELEMENT AND A REVISED PARK AND RECREATION ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD WHEREAS, the City of Carlsbad has undertaken a comprehen- sive review of the General Plan, including the participation of a number of citizens' committees and a series of Planning Com- mission workshops; and WHEREAS, as a result of such review the Planning Commis- sion did on February 25, 1975 and April 22, 1975 after public hear- ings adopt Resolution Nos. 1138 and 1150 recommending to the City Council an amendment to the General Plan (Nos. 33 and 34) adopt- ing a revised circulation element and a revised park and recrea- tion element of the City of Carlsbad General Plan. Said resolu- tions are on file in the Planning Department and are incorporated by reference herein; and WHEREAS, said amendment has met the requirements of the City of Carlsbad Environmental Protection Ordinance of 1972 and has been declared to have a nonsignificant impact on the environ- ment; and WHEREAS, the City Council has held a series of duly adver- tised public hearings to consider said amendments and has received the recommendations, objections, protests and comments of all individuals and parties who desired to be heard; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the r -. ,. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 a 9 10 11 12 12 Q 14 2c 21 22 2: 24 2: 2t 25 2E k u 9C City of Carlsbad as 1. That th follows : above recit 2. That the findings of tions are true and correct. the Planning Commission as set forth in Planning Commission Resolution Nos. 1138 and 1150 consti- tute the findings of the City Council. 3. That the General Plan of the City of Carlsbad is amended as follows: A. A revised circulation element is hereby adopted as shown on Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein. B. A revised park and recreation element is hereby adopted as shown on Exhibit B attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein. C. Resolution Nos. 1940 and 3036 are rescinded as are any other resolutions adopting matters inconsistent herewith. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Carlsbad City Council held on the 17th day of June , 1975, by the following vote, to wit: Councilmen Frazee, Chase, Lewis, Skotnicki and Councilwoman Casler AYES : NOES : ABSENT None None '\ /7 ,ATTEST : (SEAL) 2. ' TO RESOLUTION NO. 3dbY 'I" CITY OF CARLSBAD PARKS AND RECREATION ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN , F.ebruary. 25, 1975 Prepared By: . . CITY STAFF and LAMPMAN AND ASSOCIATES , TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS SECTION I. 11. 111. IV. V. VI. INTRODUCTION A. B. C. Relationship to Other Elements PARKS AND RECREATION STANDARDS AND NEEDS FOR CARLSBAD A. B. Site Selection Standards State Law - Parks and Recreation Element Intent and Character of the Parks and Recreation Element Recommended Parks and Recreation Standards TABLE I - Standards for Park and - Recreation Facilities C. Parks and Recreation Needs TABLE I1 - Present and Proposed Park Facilities GOALS POLICIES ACTION PROGRAM THE PARKS AND RECREATION PLAN A. Service Districts Page . i. ii 1 3 3 4 5 5 5 11 12 13 18 . 20 23 26 26 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Special recognition should be given to the Citizens Committee. (Mr. R. W. Sullivan, Chairman) and to the Parks and Recreation Commission (Mr. Eric Larson, Chairman) for the time and effort they.spent in reviewing and preparing this plan. groups, comprised of citizens of Carlsbad, volunteered their services to become part of the parks and recreation planning process. They both met regularly with the consultant and . City staff to develop, discuss and approve the goals, policies and principles of this document. These two . CITIZENS COMMITTEE R. W. Sullivan, Chairman Betty Wollrich Bea Carlson . Mary Casler R. D. Walker George Flanders .. Tony Kqwa rd-Jone s . ' PARKS AND RECRE3lTION COMMISSION Eric Larson, Chairman Ed Moneypenny Ron Schwab Fred Lance James Kinghorn Betty Wollrich Don Egermayer i * . -' e, SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS The committee had found that Carlsbad has. 8.5 acres of park land that is developed and city owned. The City of Carlsbad has been experiencing rapid growth and the demand for parks and recreation areas has increased. Fortunately, the City has been able to acquire park sites. There are approximately 54 acres of existing park sites throughout the City awaj.ting development. park type from neighborhood to community parks. posed parks can add an additional 823 acres to the parks and recreation facilities. Many of these facilities are planned as regional in nature or special use such as Equestrian Center, Motorcycle Center or the Calavera Park and the HUB Center. There may be possible County participation on some of the regional developments. . These range in Other pro- ANALYSIS OF EXISTING FACILITIES The existing parks and recreation facilities are parks and recreation sites owned by the City, sites that the City has acquired through lease or other arrangement, recreation facili- ties at the local schools, or parks and recreation facilities supplied by the State of California. Table 11 describes all the facilities within the parks and recreation system and classifies them as to size, typ-e of facility and the character of development. At the present time the City has the use of approximately 500 acres of land that is developed for parks and recreation pur- poses. and recreation system. The Carlsbad Beach State Park and the South Carlsbad Beach State Park make up approximately 64 acres While this beach facility is regional in nature, it does also provide much special use or neighborhood park functions, particularly for those people who live within walking or bicycling distance from the beach. Of this, only 8.5 acres belong within the City parks . . of the existing park lands. 4 ii , I I . INTRODUCTION This plan sets forth goals, policies and quidelines which shall serve as a guide for the accruisition and development of a city-' wide system of parks and recreation areas. Recreation.enriches our people and strenqthens our community-- socially and economically. and life experiences--happiness, fulfillment, creativeness, adventure, challenqe, identity, recoqnition, accomnlishment, satisfaction, self-expression, contentment, acceptance, friendk, companionship, health, democracy--are identified today with recreation. We live in a time of great social, physical and economic chanqe and challenqe. These impacts affect all Deople. Within this change leisure and recreation are critical and interwoven seq- ments that must be considered for the well-being of our indivi- dual citizens and for each social group to which they belonq. It is vital to gauge these chanqes, as well as our current pro- jected situation and to estimate their impact, in order to pro- vide for our recreational needs tomorrow, next vear, and for the next twenty years and beyond. In themselves, these chanqing-patterns of life and the necessity to provide for these human needs are not unicrue to our time; however, the rapid urbanization of our City and the concurrent disappearinq.open space; the rise in land and development costs compounded.by chanses in leisure, work, mobility, economics, etc., calls for close attention to this element of our 'planninq. These challenges, brouqht about by accelerated scientific and technological advances and by decreasinq natural resources, have our society embarkinq into the "future shcck" that is beinq increasingly felt as we face the stress which accompanies this change . Some of our most meaningful words AS stress accumulates, increased and new.demands are placed upon our society to provide facilities and programs to meet or provide an "outlet" to constructivelv meet the needs of our citj-zens. Socially and economically it is difficult to provide our people with all the skills, trainins, proqrams, and facilities to cope with this challenge. These facilities must be sunplied for the full spectrum of activities from physical to cultural and fine arts. The fact is that people will attempt to meet their needs in their leisure. As we have seen from other societies, Dast and presen%, we cannot afford the exDense and problems incurred when positive means have not been provided to meet these needs. hand, significant economic and social benefits can be realized by providing for these needs. On the other PR 1 The ever increasing speed and complexitv of our lives, accom- panied by the changes and demands described,, command the wise use of leisure both as a period of recovery and of recreatj-nq, revitalizing, completinq, and enriching the lives of our people. Therefore, we should carefully review the words and meanj-ncis that are synonymous with recreation. It is toward these most siqnifi- cant ends and the aspects of the "qood llife"' which they describe that the recreation facilities of the City of Carlsbad are aimed. .. .. . .\ PR 2 A. STATE LAW - PARKS AND RXREATION ELEMENT f The General Plan of the City of Carlsbad may include a recreation element of any part or phase of the'element. element of the General Plan. It is not a mandatory The Government Code reads as follows concerning the recreation element : "A recreation element (of the General Plan) showing a comprehensive system of are3s and public sites for recreation, including the following and, when practicable, their locations and proposed development: 1. Natural reservations 2. Parks 3. Parkways 4. Beaches 5'. , Playgrounds 6. Other recreation areas B. INTENT AND CHARACTER OF THE PARKS AND RECmATION ELEMENT This document, the Parks and Recreation Element of the General Plan, is a guide for the acquisition and development of a city- wide system of parks and recreation areas, aind for the coordin- ation of the recreation programs of government, private organizations, and individuals. The Parks and Recreation Element emphasizes the importance of public recreation and the development of the city's potential resources in estab- lishing needed recreation programs and the quality of the living environment of this city. The plan: 1. Sets forth goals, policies, and guidelines. 2. Presents methods of preserving recreation open space.and solving park space deficienci-es and outlines specific methods for implementing the plan. 3. Identifies opportunities for access linkages which ties the recreation areas.together by closely coordinating park site selection and the adopted Open Space and Cdnservation Elements. .. PR 3 4. Includes recommendations and cost: estimakes for acquistion and development of additional recreation sites. 5. Coordinates the role or function of each recreation area as it relates to the total park and recreation system. Projects long-range maintenance and operational costs for each existing and proposed site. 6. 7. Defines the recreatioh program responsibilities of the city in light of community needs and resources. Estimates the scope and cost of implementing a community recreation program to meet the above responsibilities. 8. c. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER ELEMENTS Special concern has been taken to specifically design and coordinate the Parks and Recreation Element with the Land Use, Open Space, and Conservation Elements: Residential densities established in the Land Use Element have been related to the type and size of recreation areas. The Open Space and Conservation Elements reflect recreation design prin- ciples in that formal recreation areas are utilized as recreatio .cores and open space linkages tie these core areas together. Flood plains, seismic areas, utility easements, and scenic high- way corridors are utilized as linear recreation and scenic n * amenity corridors. * The Circulation Element was used, at least i.n part, to establish some degree of barrier for service area of park and recreation units. c .- PR 4 11. PARKS AND RECREATION STANDARDS AND NEEDS FOR CAPSBAD A. RECOMMENDED PARKS AND RECREATION STANDARDS As stated in the County-wide Local Park Ilrogram, "while there is no definitive standard for measuring recreation services, the ability of a park system to accommodate increasing use and to adapt to changing recreational preferences is most directly related to the amount and 1ocat.ion of the park land. Thus, an adequate standard based on park size, service radius, population served, and acres per thousand population, with built in flexibility to adopt to varying communities, will be most likely to remain a viabl'e guide," After consideration of the density and intensity of Carlsbad's likely future land use, the goals and aspirations of citizens for their city, and the likely future ability of the city to pay for quality recreational services, it is recommended that the city give consideration in its planning to the standards developed and presented in the County-wide Local Park Program and adopted in the County's Recreation Element as included in Table I. It is clear that these standards, f.or the most part, are appropriate consid.ering the city's topography, future land use pattern, economy, fortuitous possession of public and quasi- public lands, and population and housing characteristics. These standards are basically consistent with the standards developed by the National Recreation and Park Association, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and the U.S. Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission. have done the greatest amount of basic research relating demo- graphic characteristics, recreational desires, and recreational facilities and space standards. An overall standard of 30 acres per thousand persons should be given consideration, of which half should be devoted to regional facilities and half, or approximately 15 acres per thousand persons, devoted to local facilities. The local park standard includes a combination of local parks, riding and hiking trails, school play areas (where designed for public recreational use) , and other public facilities which meet part of the need for local recreational facilities, the local park standard will vary within the needs and priorities Of the Service DistrictsLidentified in Clarlsbadts Parks and Recreation Element. These organizations The actual allocation within B, SITE SELECTION STANDARDS 1. Local Park Site Selection Standards - The State Legislature approved Business and Pro- fessions Code Section 11546, the park land dedica- . tion statute, specifying that\ the governing body . PR 5 0 2i of a citv or county mav hv ordinance recruire the dedication of land, the pavment of fees in lieu thereof, or a combination of both, for park or recreational purposes as a condition to the approval of a final subdivision man, providela that (amona other requirements) :. I' (h) The ordinance includes definite standards for determininq the proportion of a subdivision to be dedicated and the amount of anv fee to be paid. in lieu thereof." "(a) The leqislative b0d.v has adopted a %enera1 plan containinq a recreational element, and park and recreation facilities are in accor- dance with definite txincinles and standards contained therein. In conformance with this statute, t.he Park Dedica- tion Ordinance includes standards Aetermininq land and fee reauirements. In addition, considerinq the acreaqe dedication reauirement, the following standards should be utilized in sel.ectins sites for parks, and are specified as guidelines qovern- ing the acceptance of land dedicated to satisfy the Park Dedication (3rd;-nance No. 9190. Neishborhood Park Site Selection Standards a. b. C. d. Ideally the neiqhborhood Dark should be located in the center of a neighborhood with equal population on all sides. Preferablv it should be surrounded by homes, several blocks deep, but if so it should be improved in a manner equal to the vard improvements of its neiqhbor s . ' The site should have water, storm drains, sewers and electrj-city available. ?he site must have access to llocal streets. ' SloPe Standards for site: ' Maximum slope of 6% over 60% of the area. Maximum slope of 10% over 30% of the area. -- -- -- Faximum slope of 30% over 10% of the area. .\ . 1/2 Park Dedication Ordinance credit for slope areas qreater than 30%: -- PF. 6 e. f. 0 h. .. i. .. -. e The site should provide at least two (2) acres of land for park development, where possible. The service area should not be divided bv natural or artificial harriers such as arterial hiuhwavs, railroads, freeways and commercial or industrial . areas which woiild render the site inaccessible or undesirable as a neighborhood park. neiqhborhood park is prinarilv desiqned for con- venient pedestrian access with a qreat number of vouthful users who shouli! not be recruired to cross these harriers to get to the park facilities.) (The Desi:rable Service Area Radius: Optimum: Maxi": 1/2 mile in urban area 1/4 - 3/8 mile service radius. 1 miJe in estate residential area Neighborhood parks should be located adjacent to elementarv school sj-tes where possihle. J.f a.site is to be .selected for a neighbor- *' hood. park, the first consid.erat:ion should be whether the existinq school has ademate plalr mace to serve both its own educational reauirements and the needs of i.ts neiqhborhood for plavqround snace.' If not, the best'location for a public neishhorhood park wou1.d be adjacent to the schoo:L site--provided, of course, that the propert17 adjacent is reasonably attainable. A sj-te for neiqhhorhood park purposes adjacent to EL school should be of such size and demin- sioris as would accorclmodate the conventional outdoor play activities and facilities that can be used by preschools, adults and senior citizens during the day while school is in session with due consideration of convenience of the school, safety of users and of - neiqhbors, and aesthetics of tlhe neiqhborhood. Since it will be desifahle to pr0vid.e facilities on such a school connected, but citv-owned, neiqhbor- hood park for preschool children, older children and adults, the area should be larqe enough to allow sermration of groups (estxciallv of senior citizens in their outdoor recreational activities) with "buffer" treatment to provide separation. . PR 7' k. l* m. I- n. 0. Every neighborhood park should 'have park-like features, with qrassed surface, shrubs and trees, border landscapinq, and as much more as the size . of the site will permit. The site should ideally be of sufficient size to iinclude a recreation buildinq unless adjacent school facilities can be so appointed and operated to take care of this need. Should a neighborhood site apart from a school be dlesired, it should be so located as to serve a neighborhood removed from the school site. This WOUld afford such a neighborhood with services which to its immediate environs. The site for a neiqhborhood park, especially when not attached to a school, should have street footage. are in some respects supplied by the school Improvement of the streets is as important to the park as to a homesite. up neighborhood, where adjacent: streets are not sufficient for parking, the site s.hould have a parkinq lot. The site should have sufficient level land to permit the conventional games to be plaved on grassed surfaces and paved courts and picnic. areas . Addition- al land for park-like treatment: need not necessarily be-leve3, in fact some undulation of terrain is ad- vant ageous . If locaited in a well-built- A site must always be considered in relation to i.ts soil both as to fertility and suitabilitv for recreational activities. also important. . Adeuuate drainaqe is 3. Community Park Site Selection Standards - a. b. C. A community is a qroup of neighborhoods. munity park may include within itself the essential neighborhood park and playqroulzd facilities; but it is j-ntended to provide additional facilities not capable of being supplied to all neighborhoods. TO serve its purpose well, it should have a minimum size of approximately 20 acres. The site must have water, sewer, electricity and storm drains available. The com- The site should have access to an arterial street. Slope Standards: . Maximum slope of 6% over 50% of the area. -- Maximum slope of 10% over 30% of tfie area. -- Maximum slope of 30% over 20% of the area. -- 1/2 Credit for sloDe areas greater than 30% The site should provide at least 20 acres for park development. -- d. e. Desirable Service' Area Radius: Minimum: 1/2 - 3 miles service radius. Community parks may be located adjacent to junior or senior high school sites and should be located .near a traffic artery or feeder street where possible. f. .. g. - The site should be accessible to the peonle of the ' community by 'foot travel, .bicycle or short automobile ' run. Preferably it should be surrounded bv residential neigihborhoods . h. The site should be of such size and conformation as to permit the develoDment of spQrts fields and courts, chi]-dren's play areas, qreen areas for assembly and picnics, special unit for senior citizens' activities, swimming pool, clubhouse, border and buffer landscaping,. . cultural center, recreation center, water features if practicable, interior parking lots, and other facilities designated for populations of over 10,000 people -- excluding large city-wide facilities. i. The existence of uniaue indigenous flora, geologic formations or ecological systems sometimes commends a s.ite for selection as a community park, especially if it possesses additional open land for functional development. - j. All community.Parks need not he similar in all respects. Community differences and adaptabLlitv of the sites to unique development will indicate variable planning. k. A high school complex, while meetinq some of the needs of the community park, rarely can satisfy all or most of the requirements needed in communitv parks. In- tegration and joint planninq of high school and park is frequent117 advisable wheFe this will not create nrciblems for the school program and facilities or J-- ~ park users and facilities. PR 9 4. Special Purpose .Parks a. Because of the uniaue uses associated with special ' purpose parks, standards cannot be applied. , 4 Id a3 a, kri 2 Ida m a, $ f? E: a, ri m u a 5 m 4 k 3.; +, E: 5' 0 u TI u Id P. Id u 0 0' ' 0 m N 00 00 mo am h, r=l 0 Pi m r-l Id' 4 a, k I 00 000 -0 0 0 rlooo olnrlln 0 . [I) 4J a, k 0 a a, E! -2 . a, u F: Q) 5 8 H E-i i! u 2 L 0 u a, Id N. I -A 00 m v m -a,. k u Id Of Om .m -0 N+, PI 0 0 rl I rl 0 rl I d a m x k Id a a m' x k rd a h v a,. m .'3 rl Id -4 u a, PI VI. a, z PR 11 c. PARKS AN WREATION NEEDS "c- .- Fecreational quidelines, in terms of land for local and reqional parks, can be logically related to no~ul-atiron projections and other demoqraphic and yeoqraphic factors. 1. A projected Donulation of 208,291 (an averaqe of the maximum/minimum densities from Table. I of the Land Use Element) planned use of 15 acres rser thousand for local parks would require 2,010 acres for actiTre recreation purposes and 1,110 acres for passive recreation. The major recreation dav use activities will remire a peak use design capacity for 13,954 persons and a canacitv of 2',450 persons for overniqht use. Translating these generalized park needs into specifics, it is anticiDated that 210 Dlaylots and vest pocket parks, 60 neighborhood Parks, and 9 community parks, or a total of 3,120 acres would be recruired. , 2. The citv has approximately 500 acres of land devoted to parks and recreation purposes. as follows: These mav be cateqorized 8.5 City owned parks 3.7 Privately owned (nublic use) 373.0 Laqoons (State an2 nrivately owned) 68.2 Beaches (State and Countv owned) ' 46.6 School yards and recreation facilities 500.0 3. There are approximatelv 877 acres of land which have heen acquired or have been identified. for Dossible Darks and recreation use. Fifty-four (54) acres of this total have been dedicated to the citv and- reuuire development. Eight hundred twenty-three (823) acres have heen identified for possible park use and should be accruired and developed. Table I1 provides more detailed information. Parks and Recreation Element Exhibit 'A' portravs all existing and proposed parks within the City of Carlshad. The total land which has been dedicated to, or has been identified as, potential parks is 1,377 (500 + 8771, acres or 6.6 acres per thousand population. Thus, 1,742 additional acres, or 8.4 acres per thousand population, would have to be dedicated to rsublic use! if a planninq qoal to achieve a qoal of 15 acres per thousa.nd noDulation is used. Part of this "short-fall" can be offset bv the 253 plus acres of future school areas, consistinq of oven space, plav area and athletic facilities, which may he used by the nu1,li.c during non-school hours. publicly utilized areas such as golf courses, camncfrounds, parks, fountains, raceways, and laqoon development mav furhter . reduce this short-fall and contrihute to the qoal of 15 acres 4. Additional privately funded but . per tho,uhand ponulation for the City of CarlsFad. PR 12 oc 0 rC ln .w r( 4 w C C C Ln r; 4 Cj C LG t- ln l-l 4 C C C ln 4 C 0 0 Ln 4 0 C w hl 4 CI Ln 03 M Ln 4 v C t uj C cn 00 '4 -$ h Ln c- C c.' C- 4 cr: Lo 4' 4 d n c- e rp -03 CC ** -r c d e P. \ 4 4 FL 4 Pi P. 4: k rd P, x k rd PI v1 LR ucu a,u OU kd x k rd A x fd 0 0 U 31 fd e m e .FT . 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GOALS A goal is a desired state.or condition toward which effort is directed. It is an ultimate end to work toward, although it may not be immediately or completely attained. Within the goal to provide a recreation environment for optimum human expression and development, the following sub-goals or ob- jectives have been defined for the City o:E Carlsbad, . A, B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. Provide a full, balanced and readily accessible program of facilities and activities to meet the needs of persons of all ages, physical conditions and socio- economic situations. Enhance neighborhood livability, positive interaction and personal expression, health, enrichment and develop- ment through a complete spectrum of recreational activities. Develop an appreciation of nature by expanding the opportunity for contact.with the outdoors. Develop an appreciation of cultural fine arts by providing programs and the opportunity to learn and use skills in dance, drama, ar.t, music and other performing arts. Develop an appreciation of athletics, sports and physical exercise, health and well-being, by providing tcaining in the skills of and the opportunity to participate in these activities. Provide a balanced park and recreatioln system which recognizes Carlsbad's facility needs, climate and dther physical amenities. To the degree possible, work toward seeing that land is acquired and facilities are developed1 on a "pay-as-you-go". basis. This cost should be prorated back to the people who will use and enjoy these faciliti.es via the city's park land dedication or in-lieu fee ordinance. Facilities - not directly serving new living units; should be provided by other revenues 'collected from persons who enjoy Carlsbad's recreational amenities on a city-wide basis, As an example, such funds may include transient or motel-hotel taxes, sales taxes and park taxes. Provide needed recreation facilities within reasonable access of all residents. Maximize the function and use of parks by locating them next to the schools where this is in the best interest of the citizens and service. PR 18 J. #Through physical development, create an invigoratinq, refreshing atmosphere in the City's parks. As a "people-oriented, social service", parks should be financed by methods which enable all residents to enjoy an adeauate'level of service. provided should depend on the total wea:Lth of the total City and not on the fortuitous location of wealthy resi- dents or of taxable property. parks should be located adjacent to school sites, therebv augmenting the open space facilities and recreational aspects of the school facilities. K. The level1 of service L. Wherever possible and best for providinq service, local PR 19 IV. POLICI E# Policy is a widely used term with many connotatj-onS. policy may be-considered as an expression of guidelines for Basically, Goals Statements. The following list of Policy Statements is jintended to perfom that guid.ing function necessary to implement: the Parks and Recreation Plan: A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. 1. J. Promote the cooperation of all private and qovernmental entities in achievinq the acquisition and development of needed public facilities and proqramr; based ._ on a realistic program as approved bY City- Csunc i 1. Encourage the development' of Drivate parks and. recreational facilities, while permanently insuring adequate public local parks and recreational facilities for all cj-tizens of the incorporated areas, regardless of economic status. Integrate planninq for parks with planninq for open space, conservation, hiking, bicycle and equestrian trails, regional parks, and scenic highways. Provide local Dark fa'cilities which are angrogriate for the individual neishborhoods and .communities in which they are located. Insure that local parks are available and developed when and where needed by acquiring them and providing funds to develop them via the subdivision process: Where development occurs which adds to local recreation needs, the majority, if not all of the cost of the added facilities, should be borne by those developments in that affected area. Develop within each site, facilities th.at are attractive, pleasant, functional and safe. Acquire sites and develop facilities to provide for saecial recreation needs including: passive arid active recreation parks, nature areas, aquatic, and athletic facilities, motor activity areas, performing arts center, auditorium and equestrian, pedestrian and bicycle trails . Provide an equitable distribution of recreation facilities in each service area. Continue close working relationship with the School District in order to assure the optimum use of !joint use recreation facilities . ', PR 20 \ K. Continue to encourage and request private owners and public agencies to sell, donate or lease, for minimal fees, surplus lands which are suitable for park and open space uses . In accordance with approved master plans and specific drawings, enc-ourage the help in the development of facilities by ser- vice clubs, civic groups, individual- donors and others. Require the dedication of park land or payment of in- lieu fees, whichever is the best interest of the City in acquiring land and providing the development thereon, by developers to assure the provision of needed park and recreation facilities for residents of that developed area on a local and City-wide basis,, L. M. N. Give credit for private recreational developments only to the degree that these developments conform to the standards as established by this plan. Work and coordinate with private, public and quasi- public agencies for the development and use of resources within the City sphere of influence. 0. . P. Make optimum use of natural, physical and human resources for r.ecreation facilities and progrms. . Preserv,e outstanding natural and historic. resources. Develop methods of acquiring and developing recreation facilities on a pay-as-you-go basis. Provide the necessary physical and social environment to complement the recreation plan in each Recreation Service District. Use innovative park design to relate to the needs of the community. Q. R. . S. T. U. Provide for the development of bicycle, pedestrian and equestrian trails and paths separate from automobile traffic . Provide for development of access walkways around all major water resources except for south shore ofthe outer lagoon of the Aqua Hedionda Lagoon. Give priority to the acquisition of land for recreation purposes so that future residents as well as present residents will have recreation opportunities. V. W. PR 21 . 0 0 *I X, Local park and recreation facilities should be equitably distributed so as to.be accessible to all local resi- dents. Y. -All local park land accepted for maintenance by the city should consider site criteria established by the Parks and Recreation Element prior to acceptance. 2. In general, the time for development of the neighborhood park, and the proportion of the park to be improved, should be related to the anticipated time for completion of a substantial portion of the resident,ial units to be constructed in the neighborhood. AA. The amount of local park.land required for the city should be based on a projection of future community recreational needs. BB. 'Plans for local parks should be integrated with open space plans within planned residential developments as they are developed. CC. Encourage the use of bicycles and horses as an alternate mode of transportation for access toapen space and recreation areas. DD. Encourage employee recreation in business and indxstrial areas in order to provide recreational opportuniti.es for employees. Require developers of condominiums and other multiple- family dwelling subdivisions of over 50 units to provide facilities that should be within close-use and super- visional distance of each home--including tot lots and areas for outdoor relaxation, exercise and socialization as appropriate to the specific subdivision plan. EE. PR 22 . 0 V. ACTION PROGRAM t The adoption of specifjc goals is to indicate an action pro- gram. The type of policy action will depend on the appropriate implementation. However, goals may vary in scope and degree of specificity. A. Develop a long-range Capital Improvement Program and d maintain continual monitoring of the program. B. Pursuant to a Capital Improvement Program, a systematic acquisition plan for areas not obtainable through the subdivision process. C. Continually evaluate and update the existing Parks and Recreation, Land and/or Fee Dedication Ordinance in relationship to Capital Improvement Program needs. of action recommendations and establish policies, actions, and ordinances that will assure that these recommendations are realized. D. The City should periodically review and update this list .. E. Encourage the School'District to help support the main- tenance of jointly used city facilities with Community Service Tax funds. F. Revise existing ordinance to require dedication of land or provision of in-lieu fees on the basis of per capita residency increase in order that a fair and equal fee is paid by the multiple-family dweller as well as single- family unit residents. G. Negotiate agreements with San Diego Gas and Electric Company, Carlsbad Municipal Water Distirict and affected property owners for use of utility easement areas as a trail system to provide lingage within the overall park and recreation system. €I. Give consideration in its planning to the standards developed - and presented in the County-wide local park program and adopted in the County's recreation element. An overall standard of 30 acres per 1,000 persons is recommended;half a€ whkkh should be devoted to regional facilities and half to iocal facilities. I. Adopt and use site selection standards for neighborhood and community parks, as included in this element, as the basis for determining future park sites within the city. J. Adopt a Capital Improvement Program for park and recrea- ' tional facilities integrated with.the city's overall Capital Improvement Program. PR 23 K. L. M, N.. 0. R. S. U, 0 .. 0 Encourage the Countv of San Dieqo to proceed with nlans for the development of reqional parks in the areas of: -- Lake Calavera -- Batiquitos Laqoon Initiate a program for the preservation of historical sites. These sites should become a part of the overall park and recreation svstem. Develop utility easements 'j-n accordance with negotiated agreements. Enter into a lease agreement with San Dieqo Gas & Electric Company in accordance with Ordinance No. 9279 for use of land south of Agua Hedionda Lagoon. Continually update the 'population qrawtih Drojections of the General Plan and take the appropriate stem to accruire desirable recreation facilities in line with the current projections at the apropriate the. Park sites should be chosen and accruired well in advance of development so as to insure better site choices at the best acquisition price. Develop a multiple purpose trail system alonq El Camino Real to serve as a linkage to Dark and recreation facilities. Continue to utilize the existinq Carlsbad State Reaches as a major recreational use. Also, the citv should acquire, or encouraqe the State to acquire, any additional beach front property available to expand the Present system of ' beaches . Prepare and ado& a bikeways and eauestrian plan. These facilities should be coordinated with the County's ororsosed Master System of Bikeways and Equestrian Trails. Provision of these bikewavs for transportation and recreation should be considered in all future plannins and development. Private financial participation should be encouraqed in the development of nark and recreation facilities. The city should periodically explore the use of methods to Provide for any deficiencies in park and recreation facilities and services. PR 24 V. Provide policies and standards which wj-11 enable the city to acquire and develop the necessarv park and recreation.facilities, concurrent with population needs. PR 25 VI. THE PARKS AND RECREATION PLAN r Following the background information concerning goals, policies, and a determination of needs, an analysis of the physical properties of parks and recreation is needed. A. SERVICE DISTRICTS , The City of Carlsbad has been divided into several service districts for parks and recreation administrative functions and to provide the best-possible local services. There is also 'an area called the "HUB1'--the future center of major city-wide recreation activities. Recreation HUB The concept of a central HUB serving the several recreation districts is an axiom of the Carlsbad Parks and Recreation Plan. as follows: Some of the basic advantages of this plan are outlined -- The HUB,is centrally located to population areas and service districts. -- Utility easements, roadways, trails and some water courses extend from parts of various districts into the general area of the HUB. The HUB and the several parks and recreation districts are designed to function as a unit. However, the more broad based parks.and recreation programs will be located in the HUB . The following is a list of factors relating to the develop- ment of the service districts: 1. The service districts will create a device whereby recreation monies derived from construction of new residential units will receive parks and recreation benefits within their immediate area. The monies will not be distributed on an even. basis throughout the city. 2. These districts will allow a measuring device that is smaller than the entire city whereby recreation 'demands and needs can be pinpointed, thus allowing built-h neighborhood areas. 3. The boundaries of the park districts which emanate from the proposed HUB on the San Diego Gas and Electric property will take advantage of the utility easements that emanate from the HUB. These utility easements, connectors between the recreation areas. - in conjunction with streets, can provide physical 4. The districts create an administrative device to . help develop the recreation HUB. PR 26 (1 The HUB Park It is the intent of the parks and recreation plan to make the HUB park a major activity center. allows physical contact or trail linkages to the service districts. The HUB park is intended to comprise at least 100 acres. is anticipated that the easterly portion ofi the San Diego Gas ana Electric multiple use utility corridor area be used as the basis for the HUB. however. Proposed parks and recreation'uses in the HUB park would include a full range of opportunities. as a community-regional style facility. The central location It Some private land may be acquired, The HUB will function park: -- The following is a list of potential development at the HUB Parks and recreation headquarters Parks and recreation - maintenance headquarters Community building Theatre arts building Multipurpose rooms and gym Multipurpose recreation courts * Water oriented sports and activities Play apparatus Open free play area Softball diamonds Tennis courts Picnic areas Riding - hiking trails Model airplane area Little League fields Pop Warner field Soccer fields Golf Course Archery areas Handball and racquet courts PR 27 EX~ITI A to Resolution No. 3664 C ITY OF CARLSBAD GENERAL PLAN C I RCULATI ON ELEMENT (FINAL DRAFT) Prepared By CITY STAFF and LAMPMAN AND ASSOCIATES ' TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION A. STATE LAW - CIRCULATION ELEMENT B. SCOPE AND NATURE OF THE C IRCULAT I ON ELEMENT RELAT IONSHI P TO OTHER ELEMENTS C. 11. GOALS 111. POLICY IV. MOBILITY A. NEEDS B. MODES OF TRANSPORTATION V. CIRCULATION PLAN A. GUIDELINES 9. STREET FUNCTIONS & STANDARDS V I . ENV I RONMENTAL IMPACT CONS I DERAT I ONS 1 1 2' 2 3 3 3 6 6 8 15 ’_ C IRCULAT I ON ELEMENT 1. INTRODUCTION The primary function of the Circulation System is to provide service to the land uses expressed in the General Plan. Traffic facilities are but one element in the overall fabric of the community, and their environmental effect is all too often detrimental. A well-conceived circulation plan will designate a system of streets and highways which will provide adequate links within and between the region and the City, as well as between the components of the Land Use Element, and will meet the transporta- tion objectives of the community. These objectives, in turn, assist and contribute to the achievement of the overall economic, physical, and social goals of the community. The circulation system is a primary determinant of the pattern of human settlement. It has a major impact on the areas and activities which it serves, on community cohesion, and on the quality of human 1 ife. Economic activities normally require circulation for materials, products, ideas or employees, and thus the viability of the community’s economy is directly affected by the Circulation Element. The circula- tion system is one of the chief generators of ehysical settlement patterns, and its location, design and constituent modes have major impacts on air quality, plant and animal habitats, community appearance and other envi ronmental components. A. STATE LAW - C IRCULAT ION ELEMENT Section 65302(b) of the Government Code requires a Circulation Element of all city and county general plans, as follows: A circulation element consisting of the general locations and extent of existing and proposed major thoroughfares, transportation routes, terminals and facilities, all correlited with the Land Use Element of the Plan. B. SCOPE AND NATURE OF THE CIRCULATION ELEMENT The Circulation Element of the Carlsbad General Plan (1) identifies the needs and issues concerning transportation in and around Carfsbad, (2) states the goals and policies based on the total circulation needs of the community, (3) describes the mobility needs and the various modes of transportation, (4) presents guide1 ines for the proposed circulation plan (5) depicts functions and standards for the location, design and levels of service of the street facilities, and (6) contains a map showing the proposed Circulation Plan and a graph showing the Movement-Access Functions of streets. C. RELATIONSHI P TO OTHER ELEMENTS Although the’circulation Element must include input from all other General Plan Elements, it is most closely related to and has been 2 carefully coordinated with the Land Use Element. All circulation facilities have been designed around the General Plan's proposed land use patterns and .these, in turn, have also been kept in scale with the circulation system. In earlsbad, the Circulation Element is aimed primarily at providing for the community needs and improving and eliminating points of congestion within the system. Proposed streets or highways outside the City in currently undeveloped areas are not intended to encourage or influence the direction of future growth but, rather, to provide the needed facilities when such growth occurs, in harmony with the Land Use Element and other related elements of the General Plan. The Circulation Element has been coordinated closely with the Scenic Highways Element. These two elements include inherent differences related to transportation. However, they also both depend greatly on the adjacent land uses for their.efficiency and value to the community. General circulation in Carlsbad and scenic highway systems have been designed to complement each other. 11. GOALS Provide a comprehensive circulation system to serve the present and future needs of Carlsbad and the greater San Diego County area. This system will require a balance among travel modes based on safety, convenience, attractiveness, costs, social impacts and travel needs of the citizens of Carlsbad. 111. POLICY A. 9. C. D. E. .. F. G. !Improve operational efficiencies of streets by using modern design standards and the latest available technology. Include provisions for emergency and pub1 ic service vehicles. Construct each addition to the circulation system so that it will provide a usable link in the total system. Minimize disruptive effects on human life c:aused by the construction and expansion of transportation facilities and utility services. Provide bikeways for school routes, commuter routes and recreational uses. Also, make provisions for bikeways in virtually all new major, secondary and scenic roadways. Coordinate implementation of bikeways with Parks and Recreation element. Encourage and assist in the planning and development of a regional mass transit system with other appropriate agencies. Provide adequate traffic safety measures at a1 1 intersections involving vehicular, pedestrian, and/or railroad traffic. Coordinate the circulation plan with the development of the scenic route program (covered exclusively in the Scenic High- ways Element) for the preservation and enhancement of the scenic qualities of selected corridors. i .lV. MOBILITY e A. Needs 3 Although there will be additional population growth, the Land Use Element indicates that 'the Carlsbad area will continue to be predomin- antly low density in nature, with higher densities along the coast. New residential development can be expected to come in the form of low-rise apartments, condominiums, or townhouses, as welT as tradi- tional single-family homes. Many of these, especially in the hill- side areas, will be clustered or a part of planned unit residential developments. The 1. 2. 3. 4. B. 1. 2. 3. basic mobility needs of the future are generally agreed to be: Personal: The individual and family needs for transportation to and between areas of employment, shopping, education, church and medical faci 1 ities. Recreational: The need of the residents and visitors for access to points of interest and recreational areas. Commercial: The needs of retailers to transport goods to their places of business and to deliver merchandise to homes or other purchasers. industrial: The need of the industrialist t:o bring raw materials to his facility and to transport the finished products within and beyond Car 1 sbad. Modes of Transportat ion Freewa s: Controlled-access freeways, the San Diego Freeway iT--y- Interstate 5) and Vista Freeway, (State Highway 781, constitute the principal regional system and form the backbone of the traffic network. The location, design and construction of the freeway system is a responsibility of the California State Department of Transportati on. Streets: Street standards presented in the Circulation Element for highways identified on the Circulation Element Map should prove adequate to serve anticipated volumes of traffic. However, unusually heavy traffic demands may require that parking lanes be removed along some highways in the already developed portion of the City, particularly in commercial and industrial areas. This alternative appears realistic in light of the fact that the pri- mary purpose of arterial highways is to move traffic. In a few cases, roadside development excludes the p0s:jibility of further street widening and normally creates additional demands for access. By removing parking and providing left turn lanes, it is possible to increase highway carrying capacities of arterial surface streets and highways by approximately twenty-five pet-cent. Railroads:, An average of six passenger trains and six freight trains of the Santa Fe Railroad daily traverse the City of Carls- bad. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 4 Although there is no passenger depot currentlly in use in Carlsbad, there is periodic discussion that provisions be made to restore the old Santa Fe depot and provide for future development as a commuter station. i ( 0 Transit Service: A'recommended bus transit plan for North County is being implemented so that over 70 percent of the study area population will be within a quarter mile walking distance of a bus line. This plan includes three levels of improved transit service--local, intercommunity and regional service. To insure efficient and economical operation, the plan recommends that the entire North County Transit System be managed and operat- ed by the Oceanside Transportation System. jurisdiction may contract with the City of 0c:eanside for the type and level of local service it desires, plus its share of the inter- community service. Park and ride facilities shall be planned when wa r ranted. E:ach North County Air Travel: Palomar Airport is presently operating as a general service airport near the City of Carlsbad with a predominant amount of its current 210,000 annual operations being single engine aircraft. The airport is primarily usled for recreational and business purposes. With the forecasted increase in the neighboring population, a doubling of aircraft operations is expected, as this type of facility is dependent on the suburban population. The aircraft utilizing the airport are primarily single and twin engine planes. Pedestrians: There are ways to make walking more pleasant and safer. One way is the separation of pedestrian and vehicular traffic in areas such as malls or enclosed shopping centers. Parking structures decrease the distance from car to store, thus making the trip more enjoyable. - In the commercial areas, pedestrian movement can be improved through other means such as providing additiolnal parking in strategic locations, increasing sidewalk widths and adding land- scaping or other types of visual barriers between people and vehicular traffic. The construction of parks increases pedes- trian movement and enjoyment. Such parks are useful as visual relief areas and rest stops or- other purposes such as lunch time get-togethers, or conversation and meeting places. Equestrians: Equestrian trails should take advantage of natura1 areas of scenic, educational , or unique value. Ecologically significant areas, as pointed out in the Open Space and Conserva- tion, and Parks and Recreation Elements, often provide excel lent opportunities for the development of equestrian and hiking trails. Utilities easements and right of way also may be potential trail routes, as are railroad right of ways. Bicyclists: It will be necessary and desirable to develop a comprehensive bikeway system which includes both the recreation and transportation aspects of bicycle use. The growing use of the bicycle, particularly for short and intermediate t-rips, is proving to be a viable alternative to the automobile. planned routes are provided, the bicycle can help reduce traffic congestion (traffic volumes) and air pollution. If properly 5 Various terms pertaining to bicycle facilities are used in bicycle pTanning. Generally, the terms "bikeway" and "bicycle route" are used to denote any facility specifically designated for bicycle travel. Bicycle routes can basically be divided into three classi- fications: i. ii. iii. Shared Route: a part of the roadway which is identified by "Bike Route" guide signing only. There are no special lane markings, and bicycle traffic shares the roadway with motor vehicles. Bicycle Lane: a part of the roadway in which the lane is designated by signs and painted markings on the pavement. This route is also to be shared with moving motor vehicles. Bicycle Path: an exclusive or semi-exclusive right of way for use of bicycles separated from roadway. This route may parallel sidewalks, but should be physically separated from . pedestrian movement where possible., ' (CrossFlows by' pedestrians and'motofi sts a re mi nimi zed. whenever poss i ble. ) On the "Bicycle Routes" map, (page 14) bicycle corridors are shown rather than specific locations and classifications. As the City develops, it will be necessary to prepare more specific plans for individual bicycle routes. In the meantime, the following course of action for establishing bike routes within the City shou4d be implemented: a. Virtually all the arterials (prime, major and secondary) on the circulation system should incorporate bike routes within or near their rights of way. This can be accomplished by either constructing a separate bike path paralleling the roadway (minimum eight feet wide for two-way bike traffic), or by painting a bike lane (minimum five feet wide) on each side of the arterial, in place of the on-street parking. If parking is to be allowed, additional roadway width will have to be supplied. However, for safety, parking should be discouraged where bike routes are proposed. b. If parking were eliminated on some of the existing arterials, bicycle lanes and/or left turn pockets could be painted. c. Separate bike trails (eight feet minimum width) could be constructed along various utility easements, and could be designed within planned communities and new developments. d. The bicycle routes for-the City include those depicted in San Diego County's "1990 General Plan - Circulation Element - Bicycle Network". The roads which include these routes are Carlsbad Boulevard, El Camino Real, Palomar Air- port Road and Rancho Santa Fe Road. e. Coordinate the development of bike routes with the Park and Recreation element of the General Plan. f. Connect existing cultural and educational facilities i, 6 by bicycle routes and provide routes for future facilities. 9. Utilize State and Federal monies for acquisition and construction of bicycle routes. h. Locate bicycle routes along designated scenic highways whenever poss i bl e. i. All bicycle routes shall be designed in accordance with the “Bike Route Standards”, Section 7-1000 of the State of California Highway Design Manual. V. CIRCULATION PLAN lntroduct ion The Circulation Element consists of a narrative (,text) and maps (page 13 and 14). Since all of these constitute the Circulation Element, one should not be amended without considering the other. The local circulation plan should serve as an integral part of the broader regional transportation network, including a balance between various alternate modes of transportation such as highways, mass transit, air, rail and water facilities that will1 satisfy local and regional transportation needs and the needs of various age and socio- economic groups. A. Guide1 ines 1. New freeways and major streets should not bisect or isolate indi- vidual communities, neighborhoods, the City and business areas, parks or other homogeneous areas. 2. Coordinate the distribution, character and intensity of all land uses with the Land Use Element to preclude the increased levels of traffic which would be generated beyond the capacity of the existing or planned street system until such time as adequate facilities can be provided. so that development pressure on undeveloped areas is minimized. 3. Route major thoroughfares and plan road construction schedules 4. Minimize freeway and prime arterial access to encourage their use as throughways rather than an access to adjacent properties. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14: 15. 16. 17. 18. 7 'e Minimize private driveway access onto both major and secondary arterial 'roads. Design roads so as to minimize conflicting traffic movements such as turning, curb parking, uncontrolled access and frequent stops. Safe, adequate, and attractively landscaped off-street parking faci 1 ities should be provided in residential, commercial, in- dustrial, institutional and public areas. Assure sufficient off-street parking with all new developments and encourage joint pub1 ic-private efforts to improve parking and circulation conditions in existing developed areas. Provide adequate sidewalks and other pedestrian ways. All new cons t ruc t i on, i nc 1 u d i ng a ny f u t u re redeve 1 opmen t , s hou 1 d cons i de r the amount and design of pedestrian spaces in relation to the land uses and parking faci 1 it ies available. A concerted effort should be made by the City, business establishments, and other int.erests to coordinate parking, loading, pedestrian and vehicular movement in the Central Business District and other activity centers. Minimize the number of intersections wherever possible. Secondary arterials should form T-intersect ions with major arterials whenever possible to provide for maximum capacity and to reduce the number of potential conflicts. Discourage and minimize the use of residential neighborhood streets as thoroughfares. a. Designate truck routes for the use of commercial and industrial . traffic. b. Prevent neighborhood through traffic by routing traffic to peripheral collectors or larger streets. c. Streets in residential neighborhoods should move the traffic efficiently to and from homes in that neighborhood and not generate additional unrelated traffic because of its avail- abi 1 i ty as a "short-cut". Construct roads, following the natural contours to minimize cuts and fills; avoid grid street patterns. Design roads to enhance scenic areas; encourage roadside and median landscaping. Separate pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular traffic where possible. Also, establish a separate system of hiking trails, bicycle paths and equestrian trails from which motorized vehicles would be banned. Protect existing railroad rights-of-way as a land resource. Provide railroad grade separations for safety and the reduction of the negative impact of noise on adjacent land uses. Provide adequate street' safety 1 ighting. f 8 $ B. Street Funcans I Standards Past practice has been to establish arbitrary st:andards for right-of- way widths, pavement sections, parkway widths;: etc., for the various classifications of streets. However, experience has shown that better results can be gained from the consideration of established standards as being guides as to what is reasonable or desirable rather than as inflexible rules. Right-of-way requirements and necessary street widths are directly related to the function a roadway is to serve, to the type of abutting development, to the traffic volumes anticipated to be carried, and to the possible provision of facilities for other purposes such as bikeways. The following is a description of the functions and standards of the various categories of streets into which Carlsbad's circulation system has been divided: 1. Local Streets: The principal purpose of a local street is to pro- vide vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle access to property abutting the public right of way, and moving traffic: is 'only a secondary function of the local street. Since land service is its primary purpose, the local street should not carry through traffic, and buses and heavy trucks should be excluded except where the local street is in a commercial or industrial area of the City. Cross sections of local streets vary with building practices, abut- ting land uses, parking requirements, p1ant:ing of street trees, and other considerations, Where both sides of the street are served equally, the common right of way width for a local street is 60 feet with a pavement width 36 feet in single-family residential areas with scattered parking. In multi-family areas where there is more or less continuous parking throughout the day and night, a minimum of 40 feet of pavement is required in order- that room for two mov- ing lanes of traffic be available. In commercia1 areas, a minimum pavement width of 40 feet is considered necessary as well, while in industrial areas consideration of the predominant type of trucking and whether or not maneuvering of trailers must be provided for will dictate the width of pavement to be provided. When pavement widths exceed 40 feet on local streets, right of way must be increased above 60 feet correspondingly. The overall system design of local streets can greatly affect traf- fic since unduly long streets build up traffic volurnes and cross streets and intersections with acute angles are likely to cause accidents. Good practice precludes carrying local streets into arterials since such intersections create unnecessary friction points and cause accidents and related congestion on the arterials. A far better approach is to bring local streets into collectors which then feed into arterials. 2. Collector Streets: The collector street is intended to serve as the connecting link to handle traffic between local streets and the secondary and major arterials. Additionally, collector streets provide access to abutting property and will include those streets which provide for traffic movements within a relatively small area such as *a residential neighborhood. Generally speaking, traffic using the collector streets will have an origin or a destination within the local area. 9 Collector streets are anticipated to carry traffic volumes of up to 5,000 vehicles per day. A collector street will normally have one moving lane in each direction and may provide for on-street parking; therefore;a minimum pavement width of 40 feet is re- commended, which can be accommodated within if 60 foot right of way. In areas of the City where collectors, or sections of collectors are anticipated to carry traffic volumes greater than 5,000 vehicles per day, pavement widths and rights of way may be increased to facilitate the additional traffic. Collector streets are not illustrated on the circulation element map since they are only locally important and are related to the design con- cepts utilized within a neighborhood. 3. Secondary Arterials: The main function of a secondary arterial is to conduct traffic from collector streets to and from major arterials or freeways. Land access is only EI minor function of a secondary arterial and, therefore, parking should be discouraged and residential buildings should not have driveways entering a secondary arterial. Additionally, it is good practice to avoid ' I situations where secondary arterials cross major arterials to form a continuous system, since this might result in a tendency for traffic to use the secondary arterial in lieu of a major arterial for long trips. Traffic volumes in the range of 5,000 - 20,OCIO vehicles a day should be accommodated by secondary streets. Secondary arterials usually have two moving lanes and one parking lane for each direc- tion of flow and, therefore, require a pavement width of 64 feet which requires a right of way of 84 feet. Where necessary, a secondary arterial can fulfill the role of a major arterial through the expedient of prohibiting on-street parking and establish- ment of a central median divider, either raised or painted. 4. Major Arterials: The function of the major arterial is to provide for the movement of traffic. The major arterial carries traffic gathered from cof lector streets and 5econdaryl arterials through- out the community to other col lector streets and secondary arteri- als or to the freeways within or surrouding the community. Land access and parking should be provided by other classifications of streets. Traditionally, however, this separation between the movement of traffic and the need to serve adjacent land uses has not been well recognized. To encourage this recognition and to move traffic efficiently and safely, adequate medians should be -provided and the number of 'driveways and cross street intersections should be minimized, on-street parking should be eliminated where- ever possible, and off-street parking for adjacent development should be provided. Traffic volumes in excess of 20,000 vehicles a day necessitate the construction of major arterial streets to carry such volumes safely and efficiently. Major arterials will generally have four lanes of moving traffic and, depending upon adjacent development and service needs, may or may not have parking lanes. Where parking lanes are provided, major arterials will have an 82-foot wide curb separation within 102 foot right of way. An 18 foot median divider may be provided. f f .I 10 5. 6. A divided arterial provides an outstanding opportunity to improve the appearance of the street and of the community by attractively landscaping the dividing median. Prime Major Arterials: The primary and most: important function of prime major arterials is to move large volumes of vehicles including automobiles, trucks and buses; and, as its name implies, it should handle longer through trips. The facility will be able to carry traffic volumes in excess of 40,000 vehicles per day. Prime major arterials will be able to be expanded to six lanes or moving traffic. This facility may be designed with a curb separation within a 126 foot right of way. Also included is an 18 foot median divider. Freeways: The term "freeway'' means an access-free, high speed road with grade separated interchanges; and it has only one function- to carry traffic. It is intended to expedite movement between rela.tively distant areas in a community, metropolitan area, or region. The freeway is a major visual element in the City and in cut, at grade, or on fill, it constitutes a major barrier separating land uses on one side from those on the other. Planning, design, and construction of freeways in California are usual ly undertaken by the State Department of Transportation and, as a result, fall outside the jurisdiction of a city. Nonetheless, the City should play an important role in the selection of freeway routes, in the determination of the number of lanes required to carry projected traffic loads, and encouraging the installation and maintenance of attractive landscaping so that the freeway right of way can become integrated with and be an attractive part of the community visual scene. The street cross section standards discussed abovle are suggestions which will provide the quality of traffic flow and capacity that future traffic volumes will require. All intersections of major and second- ary arterials will require signalization at an early date and the provision of left turn lanes will substantial iy increase capacity. Another concept which should be considered with respect to the inter- section of major and secondary arterials is the acquisition of addi- tional right of way and construction of widened pavements at the approaches to intersections so that separate turning lanes, both for left and tight turns, can be installed with the resultant material increase in traffic carrying capacity. The above recommendations i 1 lustrate reasonable and desirable standards, but it should be recognized that compromises are sometimes necessary in .. order to maintain a practical approach and to accommodate the variations which are a part of community growth. The accompanying chart (page 12) illustrates the relationship between the movement and access functions of the various components of a circulation system. The major thrust of the chart is to show that, as the movement function or volume of traffic handled increases, the amount of local access (driveways and number of intersections) should be reduced. 11 Except where street rights of way already exist, the alignments of streets shown on the circulation system map (page 13) are general only, and the map is not intended to portray a specific location. Precise a1 ignments can only be developed after complete and detailed design studies have been undertaken. .. /- .. .. . *. .. , CUL- C E-S AC L 0 Increcsing proporlion of through iraffic traffic, increasing speed. . No Icxal traffic MOVE M E NT FU NCTI 0 N CHART 1 rYl0 \/€A4 ENT-A CCFSS FUPlfC:Ti’3f?r’ OF ROADWAY TYPES . 4 S' VI. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT CONSIDERATIONS 15 Two types of environmental impacts are general ly attributed to trans- portation systems. One is the actual physical impacts created by the installation and/or usage of the system itself. The other is the potential growth-inducing impact created by improved accessibility. The physical impacts of installation are primarily linked to the exist- ing environment that would be disturbed or eliminated within the pro- posed right-of-ways, Environmental factors that should be considered at this stage of the system's development include, but are not limited to, topography, flora, fauna, soi 1 stabi 1 ity, archaeology, hydrology, and seismic hazards. Because of the general nature of this Element, these types of impacts cannot be adequately evaluated. The physical impacts normally attributed to the usage of the different systems include, but are not limited to, air pollution and noise. The extent of these impacts, that is, the amount of usage, is primarily determined by the intensity of the surrounding land use. The effects of these impacts also depend on what the surrounding land uses are. These land uses are governed largely by the Land Use Element of the General Plan. The final impact generally attributed to transport systems is growth inducement. There is no question that increased accessibility to an area increases the potentiality of development in that area. However, this fact does not necessarily imply an adverse impact. The Land Use Element of the General Plan designates today's concept of the ultimate land use pattern of the City. Programs are offerred within the Element that would guide the City in attaining that end product in the most efficient and beneficial manner. Therefore, areas that are prime for development, for all of the different reasons, can be influenced by this factor of increased accessibility. Obviously, then, transport systems within areas not ready for devejopment can be deterred unt i 1 the appropriate time. As mentioned here, and earlier in this Element, there is a very strong relationship between the Circulation and Land Use Elements of the General Plan. The Land Use Element was developed over many months with maximum citizen input. Numerous alternative plans were developed and evaluated. Each alternative land use pattern was coordinated with an appropriate circulation plan. This Element represents the final circulation plan developed as a result of the adopted Land Use Plan. As a result of the necessity of an ongoing review process to keep the General Plan current, the following policies are hereby establ ished: (1) Upon completion ad adoption of all the mandatory Elements of the General Plan, the City shall prepare a comprehensive environ- mental impact report for the entire General Plan and process it according to the provisions of the City of Carlsbad Environmental Protection Ordinance of 1972 and the California Environmental Quality Act. . I 16 (2) The City shall require specific environmental review, according to the provisions of the City of Carlsbad Environmental Protection Ordinance of 1972 and the California Environmental Quality Act, prior to the construction of any of the transport systems recommended in this Element.