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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979-05-01; City Council; 5836; Request for Zone Code Amendment'}' I' ' ' .CITY OF CARLSBAD AGENDA BILL NO: ^2~^3 £= _ _ \ _ Dept. Hd. \\\ DATE: _ May 1, 1979 _ _ Ctv- Att* Cty. Mgr. DEPARTMENT: Planning Department SUBJECT: FOR ZONE CODE AMENDMENT FOR THE SITING OF MINI WAREHOUSE, RV STORAGE IN RESIDENTIAL ZONE. APPLICANT: JOE SANDY Statement of the Matter Mr. Joe Sandy is interested in developing a mini-warehouse RV storage yard on a property located on the east side of El Camino Real, north of Elm Avenue. The zoning of the property is R-l-10,000 which does not permit a- mini-warehouse or RV storage. The proper zone for mini-warehouse and RV storage is C-M. Mr. Sandy is not interested in pursuing a change of zone and general plan amendment that would be necessary for the use because C-M would be a spot zone in a residential area and the property could be used for incompatible commercial or industrial uses. .Therefore, Mr. Sandy requested that the Code be amended to permit RV storage and mini warehouse in any residential zone with conditional use permit. This would give the City the ability to selectively approve this use on a site basis and set specific conditions to mitigate any adverse impaces it may have on surrounding property. Staff, however, feels that the use is commercial and industrial and incom- patible with residential areas. It will generate traffic, cause security problems and be aesthetically incompatible. Therefore, as indicated in the memo to City Manager, dated April 13, 1979, staff recommends that the Ordinance not be amended as requested. Exhibits Letter, from Mr. Joe Sandy, dated February 7, 1979. Letter from James C. Hagaman to Joe Sandy, dated March 12, 1979 Letter from Mr. Joe Sandy, dated April 6, 1979 Memo from James C. Hagaman, dated April 13, 1979 RECOMMENDATION If the City Council concurs with Mr. Sandy's request you should direct staff to prepare an Ordinance amendment and submit to the Planning Commission for hearing. However, if you concur with staff you should notify Mr. Sandy of your decision and receive and file his request. RP:jd 4/20/79 Agenda Bill No. 5836 Page 2 Council Action: 5-1-79 Council denied the request of Joe Sandy for a Zone Code Amendment for the siting of a mini-warehouse RV storage yard on a property located on the east side of El Camino Real, north of Elm Avenue. In addition, Council directed staff to prepare amendment to submit to the Planning Commission to consider allowing RV Storage in residential the Conditional Use Permit process. an Ordinance for hearing zones under .. ..- ,...^:ivA;., .•;:vv--. s February 7, 1979 Paul Bussey City of Carlsbad 1200 Elm Street Carlsbad, CA. 92008 Re: Siting of Mini V7arehouse and R.V. Storage Facilities by Conditional Use Permit Attached to this letter is .a chronology of events that has transpired between the City and us regarding a request for a zone code amir.endment (ZCA)-. Our original ZvCA request re- sulted from a desire to develop a mini warehouse and R.v. storage facility on residentiaily zoned property not suited for residential development. .. As you are aware, this type of facility, is not specifically provided for in the existing Carlsbad Zoning Ordinance. The ordinance only allows for storage facilities "by right" in heavy commercial or industrial zones (i.e. PIlr CM & H) . It is our position that mini warehouse and R.V. storage facilities should also be oriented toward residential and retail commercial uses. We feel that the zoning ordinance should be ammended to appropriately reflect this unique situation. In addition to considering the relationship of mini warehouse and storage facilities to the zoning ordinance, there are areas zoned residential that because of topography, lot con- figuration, and proximity to adjacent land uses or major circulation systems, may not be desirable for residential development but are suitable for low intensity uses such as mini storage facilities. Based on these arguments, your planning staff has, for the last seven months, performed staff research and has prepared a staff report and appropriate agenda bills for presentation of this problem to the City Council. This item, as documented in the attached chronology, has been pulled from the agenda on three separate occasions. We realize that your staff is busy on a variety of problems, however, we have patiently worked with them since May of 1978 in anticipation of obtaining City Council direction. The Planning Department has also notified us that 2921 Roosevelt Street - Post Office Box 590 • Carlsbad • CA 92008 • (714) 729-8973 c -c February 7, 1979 Page Two Paul Bussey Re: Siting of Mini Warehouse and R.V. Storage Facilities by Conditional Use Permit it will not proceed x^ith our request because of staff work load problems even though, as we understand, all staff work is complete. Our original request was prompted by land use concerns with a specific piece of property in mind. However, we think that mini storage facilities should be addressed by the Zoning Ordinance and our request should be considered by the Council as it affects other properties as well. We are open to suggestions and are willing to work with staff on an equitable solution. Planning Staff initially has indicated support of our ZCA request (memo to City Hanager dated 1-8-79). Staff has additionally suggested a solution for property as a General Plan Ammendment and Zone Change. However, this zoning solution could allow heavy commercial or industrial use in residential areas. We still feel that the solution lies in a zone code ammendment that would allow mini warehouse and R.V. storage facilities in transitional areas by a conditional use permit, thus giving the City site approval, design control and providing a low- intensity use. In conclusion, we urge that you consider our request and appropriately forward it to the City Council. Sincere P. Sandy \ \ fanning JPS:vc -C -C CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS REGARDING A REQUEST FOR A ZCA 06-09-78 Discussion with D. Rose Re: siting of mini warehouses and R.V. storage facilities. Process; directed to write letter to the Planning Department stating intent and requesting a ZCA application and initial staff reaction. 06-29-78 Letter to City requesting above. 08-07-78 Phone conversation with Don Rose Re: 6-29-78 request as not appropriate. 08-08-78 Revised request for ZCA to City 10-20-78 Discussion with Brian Smith. This City is gathering background data. 11-15-78 Discussion with Brian Smith. Directed to pursue SCA, ' ' GPA and Q overlay. . 11-16-78 Discussion with Dave Abrams to pursue ZCA. 11-21-78 Discussion with Don Rose Re: preparation of an agenda bill for ZCA to Council. " 12-05-78 Agenda Bill pulled from City Council Meeting because Staff did not specifically make a recommendation for Council. . 01-08-79 Staff memorandum to City Manager Re: Agenda Bill. 01-16-79 Agenda Bill pulled from City Council Meeting. 02-06-79 The Planning Staff has indicated that a recommendation to the Council is not forthcoming because of higher priority projects. 02-06-79 Agenda Bill pulled from City Council Meeting. f 1200 ELM AVENUE CARLSBAD. CALIFORNIA 92008 Cit? of Cartefcafc March 12, 1979 Mr. Joe Sandy c/o Don Agatep P. O. Box 590 Carlsbad, California 92008 Re: Mini-warehouse and RV storage in Residential Zones Thank you for being patient with us during our review of your request on the subject matter. As you know, the Planning Department has had some high priority items that have taken a great deal of my attention recently. This, plus the fact that both staff members who reviewed your request have left the employment of the City prior to completing their report to my satisfaction. However as a response to your letter of February 7, I did personally review the matter. Unfortunately, I foresee problems with the request and there- fore have recommended to the City Manager that the Code not be amended as you requested. I feel the uses are commercial in nature; bringing traffic into residential areas, providing Attractive nuisances, and aesthetically are not compatible. Additionally, there is ample and conveniently situated land for such use near Palomar Airport. I agree that the subject uses may be amenable in some residen- tial zoned areas if the siting can somehow be limited to those residentially zoned properties that are not conducive to good residential development. There are some properties like that, i.e., under transmission lines, in floodplains, along major high- ways, etc. However, I believe that these special sites are limited and .the code amendment you are suggesting would open the possibility, of permitting these uses on most residential land. There is some precedent in permitting RV storage in residential zones in that the PUD provisions require such storage. However, the storage area is for the convenience of the residents of the c c Mr. Joe Sandy March 12, 1979 Page Two PUD and the homeowners association is responsible for its maintenance. These PUD storage areas are not commercial in nature. You did request that this matter be forwarded to the City Council. Before this is done, I did want you to know my posi- tion and what I would recommend to the Council. If you still wish to go forward, please advise me and I'll attempt to place it on the next available agenda. Yours very truly. C.• 'JAMES C. HAGAMAN Planning Director JCH:BP:jd April 6, 1979 City Council City of Carlsbad 1200 Elm Avenue Carlsbad, CA. 92008 Re: Siting of Mini-Warehouse and R.V. Storage Facilities On June 29, 1978, a request was submitted to the City to review the potential for allowing mini warehouse and R.V. storage facilities by conditional use permit (CUP). The reasons for this proposal were: There are no specific provisions for these types of facilities in the existing zoning ordinance. There is a need for these types of facilities, expecially in close proximity to residential areas. These facilities will encourage off-street boat and R.V. storage. There are properties throughout the City that are, for reasons of topography, lot configuration, or proximity to transmission lines or major circulation networks, not suitable for development as outlined in existing zoning or General Plan. Mini warehouse and R.V. storage facilities may be appropriate for some of these locations. Mini warehouse and R.V. storage facilities are a low intensity use, however, the existing ordinance only allows them by right in PM, CM and M zones which, incidentally, also allow high intensity commercial or heavy manufacturing uses. Although our request was prompted from the desire to develop a particular piece of property, we felt" that a zone code amendment 2921 Roosevelt Street • Post Office Box 590 • Carlsbad - CA 92008 - (714) 729-8973 April 6, 1979 Page Two City of Carlsbad Re: Mini-Warehouse & R.V. Storage Facilities was appropriate as similar situations could be found in other areas of the City as well. • After several months of review, City staff informed us that although they were aware of the situation, a proposal to allow mini-warehouse and R.V. storage facilities by CUP would open the possibility of permitting those uses on most residential land. We are therefore back to our original problem. We have a parcel ideally suited for low intensity mini-warehouse and R.V. storage facility use, however, the existing ordinance does not provide for this specific use without a zone change which would also allow several undesirable uses. The parcel in question (Figure 1) is located East of El Camino Real and South of Plaza South (G.P.=RM Zoning-Rl 10,000). In the past, the City has identified a potential traffic problem on the property if a high intensity use were allowed. Secondly, the site's close proximity to El Camino Real makes it undesirable for residential development. During initial discussions with the planning staff, they have indicated that a mini-warehouse and R.V. storage facility with proper design, would be ideal for the site, however, it would require a GP amendment and zone change. As you know, this approach would most likely be denied -as a zone change would allow other high intensity uses which the City would not allow. In considering our situation, the City should also consider that mini-warehouse and R.V. storage facilities offer the following: 1. low traffic generation 2. no demand for park or school services 3. no increased demand for sewer services 4. provide an alternative to on-site/on-street R.V. and boat storage 5. generates a high tax base We still maintain that a zone code amendment with proper controls, may be appropriate. However, we will work with the City if the Council wishes to pursue other solutions. We therefore, respectfully present this problem and ask the Council for your guidance. Respectfully, Sandy inning Consultant MEMORANDUM DATE: April 13, 1979 TO: Paul Bussey, City Manager FROM: James Hagaman, Planning Director SUBJECT: SITING OF MINI-WAREHOUSE AND RV STORAGE FACILITY Staff first received the request on this matter last summer from Mr. Joe Sandy to consider amending the Zone Code to permit RV storage and mini-warehouse in residential zones. This was to specifically accommodate a lot fronting on the east side of El Camino Real and on the north side of Elm Avenue. At that time staff indicated that the matter needed to be reviewed. However, we unofficially indicated to Mr. Sandy that the site in question was a difficult site for development and possibly the use of warehousing could be compatible of that particular lot. The lot is zoned R-l-10,000, but because of poor access and steep terrain it would be difficult to develop by a normal R-l subdivision. Staff concluded that because poor access and the high volume of traffic on El Camino Real, staff would not suggest changing the zone to a more intensive type use that would generate more traffic. The possibility of amending the code to permit RV storage and mini-warehouses by conditional use permit was considered as a possibility. Staff contacted various cities in the area and found few cities allow mini-warehousing or RV storage in residential zones. Most cities were concerned that such use would be disruptive to residential areas. Planning staff agrees and believes such use would generate traffic in residential areas, cause security problems and be aesthetically incompatible. Also, it would be difficult to deny a use of this nature on a particular lot if the proposed development met all minimum requirements. Therefore, even though the lot Mr. Sandy was interested in maybe suited for this type of use, on most residential lots it would be incompatible and cause disruption to the area. Therefore, staff explained to Mr. Sandy that we would not support an amendment to the code and in addition staff believes that the particular site was capable of being efficiently developed with low-density residential through a Planned Unit Development. This type of development has been proposed in other areas along El Camino Real. Page 2 Recommendation Staff recommends that a Code Amendment not be initiated to permit mini-warehousing and RV storage in residential zones by a Conditional Use Permit. BP:ar