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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-05-15; Planning Commission; Resolution 6977 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE VILLAGE MASTER PLAN AND DESIGN MANUAL TO REVISE SOME PARKING AND DESIGN STANDARDS AND MAKE MINOR HOUSEKEEPING CHANGES FOR PROPERTIES GENERALLY LOCATED IN THE CITY’S DOWNTOWN AREA AND ZONED “VILLAGE REVIEW” (V-R) AND, EXCEPT FOR HOUSEKEEPING CHANGES, LOCATED OUTSIDE THE COASTAL ZONE. THE VILLAGE MASTER PLAN AND DESIGN MANUAL REGULATES PROPERTIES IN LOCAL FACILITIES MANAGEMENT ZONE 1. CASE NAME: VILLAGE MASTER PLAN CHANGES CASE NO: MP 12-01(A) WHEREAS, the City of Carlsbad, “Developer”, has filed a verified application to amend the Village Master Plan and Design Manual that constitutes a request for a Master Plan Amendment as shown on Exhibit “A” dated May 15, 2013, attached hereto, as provided in Zoning Ordinance Section 21.35.150; and WHEREAS, other than minor “housekeeping” edits, the verified application does not affect properties within the Coastal Zone and therefore does not require a local coastal program amendment; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission did, on May 15, 2013, consider said request; and WHEREAS, at said public hearing, upon hearing and considering all testimony and arguments, if any, of all persons desiring to be heard, said Commission considered all factors relating to the Master Plan Amendment. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED by the Planning Commission of the City of Carlsbad as follows: A) That the foregoing recitations are true and correct. B) That based on the evidence presented at the public hearing, the Commission RECOMMENDS APPROVAL of VILLAGE MASTER PLAN CHANGES – PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 6977 PC RESO NO. 6977 -2- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 MP 12-01(A) based on the following findings and subject to the following conditions: Findings: 1. The proposed amendment is consistent with the General Plan in that it provides standards to stimulate and encourage development and activity in the Village outside the Coastal Zone; as examples, proposed revisions add microbreweries and wineries as permitted uses, reduce parking requirements for restaurants and professional offices, permit the conversion of building space from less to more intensive parking uses without the need to provide some or all of the additional parking when determined appropriate by the city, and establish requirements for legitimate, quality ground floor commercial uses as well as minimum ground floor building width. As a result, the amendment is consistent with the General Plan Land Use Element and in particular the two following goals: a. Village Goal A.1 - A City which preserves, enhances, and maintains the Village as a place for living, working, shopping, recreation, civic and cultural functions while retaining the village atmosphere and pedestrian scale. b. Village Goal A.2 – A City which creates a distinct identity for the Village by encouraging activities that traditionally locate in a pedestrian-oriented downtown areas, including offices, restaurants, and specialty retail shops. 2. By reducing parking requirements for multi-family residential uses and eliminating the roof pitch requirement in land use districts with the highest residential densities, the proposed amendment may encourage the construction of more and/or smaller housing units. In turn, this would comply with the following Housing Element provisions: a. Goal 2 - New housing developed with diversity of types, prices, tenures, densities, and locations, and in sufficient quantity to meet the demand of anticipated City and regional growth. b. Policy 2.6 - Encourage increased integration of housing with nonresidential development where appropriate. 3. The proposed reduction of parking standards for multi-family residential units, restaurants, and offices and the increase in properties (outside the Coastal Zone) eligible to satisfy 100% of a development’s non-residential parking requirements through parking in-lieu fee payment, are supported by the Village’s availability of public parking and transit, flat topography and street-grid pattern, and design standards, all of which are conducive to walking and reduced on-site parking standards. Therefore, the proposed amendment is consistent with the following Circulation Element goal and policy for alternative modes of transportation: a. Goal – A City which promotes, encourages, and accommodates a variety of transportation modes as alternatives to the automobile. b. Policy C.2 – Encourage pedestrian circulation in commercial areas through the provision of convenient parking facilities, increased sidewalk widths, pedestrian-oriented building designs, landscaping, street lighting and street furniture. PC RESO NO. 6977 -3- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 4. The proposed revisions satisfy the goals and objectives of the Village Master Plan and Design Manual, including those listed below. Proposed amendments implement Master Plan policies by encouraging new commercial uses, relaxing parking standards for multi-family residential and desirable commercial uses and by modifying design standards to require pedestrian-oriented and quality commercial design and uses. These changes stimulate new development and reinforce the desired pedestrian nature of the Village. Further, the proposal to remove the roof pitch requirement in the Master Plan land use districts allowing the highest density housing may help these densities to be reached and thereby increase the number and affordability of housing in the Village and contribute to the intensity of development. Overall, proposed changes seek to implement the goal of the Village as a “quality shopping, working, and living environment.” a. Goal 1 – Establish Carlsbad Village as a quality shopping, working and living environment; b. Goal 3 – Stimulate property improvements and new development in the Village; c. Objective 1.1 – Remove barriers to desired development from the Village; d. Objective 1.5 – Reinforce pedestrian retail continuity within the Village commercial areas; e. Objective 1.8 – Increase the number, quality, diversity and affordability of housing units within the Village; f. Objective 2.1 – Minimize pedestrian/vehicular conflicts along major pedestrian walkways; g. Objective 3.3 – Increase the intensity of development within the Village. 5. The proposed amendment to the Village Master Plan and Design Manual reflects sound principles of good planning in that it maintains internal consistency with the document’s goals and objectives and other provisions not proposed for amendment, clearly identifies the provisions applicable inside or outside the Coastal Zone, and cleans up miscellaneous misspellings, incorrect text and other minor errors and edits to make the document easier to use. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of Carlsbad, California, held on May 15, 2013, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: Chairperson Siekrnann, Commissioners Black, L'Heureux, Schumacher, Scully and Segall Commissioner Anderson 10 :: -K\"'t K s,~ ~ KERRY K. SIEKMANN~rson 13 CARLSBAD PLANNING COMMISSION 14 15 16 17 ATTEST: DONNED 18 City Planner 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 PC RESO NO. 6977 -4- RESOLUTION NO. 6977 EXHIBIT “A” SEE SEPARATE PDF AND/OR HARDCOPY OF DRAFT CARLSBAD VILLAGE MASTER PLAN AND DESIGN MANUAL