HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-06-20; Planning Commission; ; GPA 07-02 - ENVISION CARLSBAD
The City of Carlsbad Planning Division
A REPORT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION
Item No.
Application complete date: N/A
P.C. AGENDA OF: June 20, 2012 Project Planner: Jennifer Jesser
Project Engineer: N/A
SUBJECT: GPA 07-02 – ENVISION CARLSBAD – Planning Commission focused
discussion on land uses in the Barrio, as related to: 1) the Envision Carlsbad Land
Use Concepts Community Feedback report (previously distributed to the Planning
Commission and available at www.carlsbadca.gov/envision) and 2) the Envision
Carlsbad Citizens Committee (EC3) recommendations on a draft preferred land
use plan; and 3) 2005-2010 Housing Element Program 2.1.
I. RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning Commission discuss Barrio land uses in relation to the Envision Carlsbad
Land Use Concepts Community Feedback report, EC3 recommendations and Housing Element
Program 2.1, and provide feedback to staff that will guide the preparation of a draft preferred
land use plan (Preferred Plan).
II. INTRODUCTION
On May 2 and 16, 2012, the Planning Commission discussed and provided direction to staff
regarding the preparation of a draft Preferred Plan, which proposes land use designation changes
within 11 focus areas throughout the city. This report includes information that supplements the
May 2 and 16, 2012 Reports to the Planning Commission. The supplemental information
includes various exhibits and information related to the Barrio area, as described below.
The March 2011 “Barrio Workshop Summary Report” and Section 6 of Envision Carlsbad
Working Paper #6 “Small Town Feel, Beach Community Connectedness; Neighborhood
Revitalization, Community Design and Livability” are attached to this report as additional
background information on the Barrio neighborhood.
Staff requests that the Planning Commission have a focused discussion on land uses in the Barrio
area, which is located within the draft Preferred Plan Focus Area 1 – Northwest Coastal, and
provide staff with feedback that will refine the draft Preferred Plan relative to the Barrio area.
III. INFORMATION RELATIVE TO BARRIO LAND USES
As reflected in the draft Preferred Plan, the EC3 recommended Land Use Concept B for Focus
Area 1, which includes the Barrio area (the neighborhood generally located north of Tamarack
Ave., south of Oak Ave, west of Interstate 5, and east of the railroad). Staff requests that the
Planning Commission consider the Barrio area in more detail and refine the draft Preferred Plan
to ensure the proposed land uses:
2
GPA 07-02 - ENVISION CARLSBAD
June 20, 2012
PAGE 2
Meet existing requirements of 2005-2010 Housing Element Program 2.1 regarding
housing needs.
Protect the neighborhood character of the center of the Barrio, which consists primarily
of single-family and duplex dwellings on small lots.
Bring existing uses into conformity with density limits. Existing residential development
on many lots within the Barrio exceed the density currently allowed by the existing
General Plan. Increasing allowed density on these sites will bring most of them into
conformance with the General Plan.
Encourage redevelopment around the perimeter of the Barrio by increasing the allowed
residential densities.
A. 2005-2010 Housing Element Program 2.1
Program 2.1 of the city’s current Housing Element (2005-2010) requires that the General Plan be
amended to allow higher residential densities throughout the Barrio. The increased density
described in the 2005-2010 Housing Element would result in the potential for an overall net
increase of approximately 596 dwelling units; 332 of those dwelling units count toward
satisfying the city’s Regional Housing Need Assessment (RHNA) for the 2005-2010 housing
cycle. There are currently 1,114 dwelling units in the Barrio and 50 additional units are
currently under construction for the Tavarua Senior Apartments on the corner of Palm Ave. and
Harding St.
The draft Preferred Plan described below implements Housing Element Program 2.1 for the
Barrio and assists in satisfying the city’s RHNA for the next Housing Element (2010-2020). The
draft Preferred Plan, as recommended by the EC3 and refined per staff’s recommendations, will
result in the potential for an overall net increase of approximately 755 dwelling units, of which
approximately 366 dwelling units may count toward satisfying the 2010-2020 RHNA.
The overall net increase in dwelling units noted above (596 dwellings per the 2005-2010
Housing element and 758 dwellings per the proposed draft Preferred Plan) assumes that every lot
in the Barrio will develop to the full potential density (based on the proposed growth control
point density); however, that is not likely to occur and the actual net increase in dwelling units
will likely be less than what the proposed densities will allow.
B. Refined Preferred Plan for the Barrio
Figure 1 is an exhibit that shows a refined version of the EC3-recommended draft Preferred Plan
for the Barrio area. After reviewing the existing uses within the Barrio, staff recommends minor
modifications to the draft Preferred Plan, as described below. In general, staff has identified the
lots along the perimeter of the Barrio as being appropriate for high density residential uses;
however, within the center of the Barrio staff recommends applying a residential land use
category that would protect the existing single-family/duplex character, and retain the
commercial land use designation on the southeast corner of Walnut Ave. and Roosevelt St.
(Barrio Museum and vacant structures).
GPA 07-02 - ENVISION CARLSBAD
June 20, 2012
PAGE 3
Much of the residential development within the Barrio was built prior to the 1980’s, when the
city approved a General Plan amendment that reduced allowed densities below the density of
existing development. As a result, approximately 45 percent of the residential lots within the
Barrio are currently built at a density that exceeds the density allowed pursuant to the existing
General Plan (see Figure 4). This limits the ability/desire of property owners to remodel or
redevelop their land. As residential structures age, property owners are less inclined to redevelop
if they are unable to retain or increase the number of units on their property. Staff recommends
that the draft Preferred Plan allow residential densities that are consistent with most of the
existing densities.
C. Barrio Center
The center of the Barrio (the area generally between Pine Ave. and Magnolia Ave., and Harding
St. and Roosevelt St.) is comprised of the city’s Senior Center, Pine Avenue Park and Chase
Field, as well as small residential lots developed with individual single-family homes, two
single-family homes, or duplex dwellings. Within this area are several historic structures,
including the Barrio Museum (3304 Roosevelt St.), Ramirez House (3309 Roosevelt St.), Gaus
House (3442 Roosevelt St.) and Mission Santiago (3329 Roosevelt St.).
The majority of lots within the Barrio center are 3,500 square feet in area (25 feet wide by 140
feet in depth); however, the majority of dwellings (small scale single-family and two-family
homes) in the center are constructed on a combination of two lots resulting in 7,000 square foot
parcels. Approximately one-half of the lots in the center are currently developed within the
Residential Medium-High (RMH) density range of 8 to 15 dwelling units/acre (see Figure 4);
however, these lots are currently designated Residential Medium Density (RM), which only
allows 4 to 8 dwelling units/acre (see Figure 2). A few of the lots in the center are developed
with multi-family structures (3+ units).
Staff recommends the following for the Barrio center:
1. The lots designated RM under the current General Plan should be re-designated as RMH,
which will ensure most of the existing non-conforming residential densities will become
consistent with the General Plan, and the vacant lots or the lots with only one house may
develop at a density (2 units) consistent with much of the existing development in the
Barrio Center (approximately 49 percent of the existing RM designated lots in the center
are developed with 2 or more units).
2. Lots within the Barrio center that are designated RMH under the current General Plan
should remain RMH.
3. The draft Preferred Plan as recommended by EC3 shows the lots along Roosevelt St.
between Walnut Ave. and Chestnut Ave. as Residential High Density (RH); however,
these lots are predominately developed with single-family and duplex dwellings,
including the Ramirez House and Barrio Museum. To protect the neighborhood
character in this area, staff recommends that the Barrio Museum lot remain as it is
designated under the current General Plan (general commercial) and the residential lots
be designated RMH, which will allow for the continuation and new development of
single-family and duplex dwellings.
GPA 07-02 - ENVISION CARLSBAD
June 20, 2012
PAGE 4
One concern expressed by some Barrio community members is that applying a land use
designation that would allow a higher density would change the single-family/duplex character
of the center of the Barrio. Staff agrees the single-family/duplex character of the Barrio center
should be protected. Designating the Barrio center as RMH (8 to 15 dwelling units/acre) will
enable most lots to be developed with no more than one to two units, which is consistent with the
existing neighborhood character. In addition, the RMH designation will enable a property owner
to build the same number of units on their lot as a typical neighbor who currently has two units,
but those two units exceed today’s allowed density. Approximately 50 percent of the lots in the
Barrio center, which are currently designated RM or RMH, have two or more units constructed
on them today.
Figure 1 illustrates the draft Preferred Plan and indicates how many units could be built on each
parcel in addition to the existing units if the plan were approved. For example, Figure 1
indicates that several parcels, which are a combination of two 3,500 square foot lots, within the
Barrio center can accommodate one additional unit; the majority of these parcels currently have
one existing dwelling (see Figure 4); therefore, the addition of one unit, pursuant to the draft
Preferred Plan will result in the potential for a total of two dwellings on those parcels.
D. Barrio Perimeter
The lots located along the Barrio perimeter (generally, between Oak Ave. and Pine Ave.,
adjacent to Interstate 5, west of Roosevelt St., and south of Magnolia Ave.) consist primarily of
multi-family dwellings, most of which exceed today’s allowed densities, as well as a limited
number of duplex and single-family dwellings (see Figures 3 and 4). Within this perimeter area
are a few non-residential uses, such as a church and a Pac Bell facility. The lots in the Barrio
perimeter are also larger than those within the Barrio center.
Based on the existing multi-family character and larger lot sizes, staff recommends that this area
be designated for high density residential uses at 23 to 30 dwelling units/acre; with the exception
of the Pac Bell site, which staff recommends be designated as a public use to reflect the existing
land use. The proposed density of 23 to 30 dwelling units/acre is a new proposed residential
classification with a Growth Management Control Point of 25 dwelling units/acre and the
potential for up to 30 dwelling units/acre, subject to City Council Policy 43.
The draft EC3-recommended Preferred Plan shows most of the Barrio perimeter as “High
Density Residential”; however there are three areas that the draft plan does not show as high
density, which staff recommends be changed to high density:
1. The block between Palm Ave. and Magnolia Ave. between Interstate 5 and Harding
Street. This block includes a large parcel on the southeast corner of Palm Ave. and
Harding Street, which is the site of the recently approved Tavarua project, a 100%
affordable senior apartment building for which the city granted a density increase above
30 dwelling units/acre;
2. The area located between Oak Ave. and Pine Ave. west of Harding St., which consists
primarily of a mix of multi-family and duplex dwellings; and
GPA 07-02 - ENVISION CARLSBAD
June 20, 2012
PAGE 5
3. The site of the 40-unit Dolphin Beach Apartments, located at Tamarack Avenue and
Jefferson Street, next to and south of Jefferson Elementary School. These 1970’s era
apartments are currently designated and developed at medium-high density (RMH); re-
designating the site to high density (RH) could encourage redevelopment of the property,
thus providing additional, contemporary multi-family residences at the Barrio’s southern
boundary.
Most of the sites within the Barrio perimeter that currently exceed today’s allowed density will
become consistent with the recommended high density land use category.
V. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The activities associated with Envision Carlsbad Phase 2 (public outreach, analysis, research,
and preparation of draft documents) will not involve or result in any disturbance to the
environment, and is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA). CEQA Section 15306 describes the following activities as being exempt from
environmental review:
“…basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation
activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental
resource. These may be strictly for information gathering purposes, or as part of a study
leading to an action which a public agency has not yet approved, adopted, or funded.”
An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be prepared as part of Envision Carlsbad Phase 2,
which will analyze the environmental impact associated with the new General Plan, Local
Coastal Program and Zoning Ordinance. The EIR will be prepared consistent with CEQA. Prior
to city adoption of a new General Plan, Local Coastal Program, or Zoning Ordinance, the EIR
must be adopted by the City Council.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Barrio Land Use Maps Figures 1 – 4
2. Barrio Workshop Summary Report, dated March 2011
3. Envision Carlsbad Existing Conditions and Issues Exploration Working Paper 6, Section
6 - Barrio Neighborhood Preservation and Revitalization
!
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Figure 1: Barrio
Historic Site
Barrio
Staff Proposed Draft
Preferred Plan
Medium High Density
0 300 600150
Feet
Source: City of Carlsbad, 2011;
SANDAG, 2011; Dyett & Bhatia, 2012.
!
!
!
High Density Residential
Commercial
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Open Space
Residential (8-15 du/ac)
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New Net Capacity#
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!
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VILLAGE
Highways
Railroad
Figure 3: Barrio
Historic Site
Barrio
Existing Land Use
Single Family
Two Family
Multi-Family (3+units)
0 300 600150
Feet
Source: City of Carlsbad, 2011;
SANDAG, 2011; Dyett & Bhatia, 2012.
Commercial
Education/Institutional
Transportation,
Park/Recreation
Undeveloped
Residential
Non-Residential
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Figure 2: Barrio
Historic Site
Barrio
Existing General Plan
Medium Density Residential
0 300 600150
Feet
Source: City of Carlsbad, 2011;
SANDAG, 2011; Dyett & Bhatia, 2012.
!
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Medium High Density
High Density Residential
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(4-8 du/ac)
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VILLAGE
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Figure 4: Barrio
Historic Site
Barrio
Densities and Intensities
0 - 4 units/acre
4 - 8 units/acre
8 - 15 units/acre
15 - 23 units/acre
23 - 30 units/acre
30+ units/acre
0 300 600150
Feet
Source: City of Carlsbad, 2011;
SANDAG, 2011; Dyett & Bhatia, 2012.
!
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!
X.X / X acres / existing units
9.66 / 98
7.1 / 0
3.37 / 0
2.73 / 0
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0 .1 6 / 2
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0 .1 6 / 3
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BARRIO WORKSHOP
SUMMARY REPORT
March 2011
Barrio Workshop Summary
2
INTRODUCTION
As part of Envision Carlsbad Phase 2, a 2 ½ hour workshop was held on March 10, 2011 beginning
at 6:00 P.M. at the City of Carlsbad Senior Center. Approximately 85 community members
participated. Input obtained during the workshop will be considered during the General Plan
update process. The objectives of the workshop included:
Identifying the cultural core of the Barrio and location of other important sites and
features
How to enhance the neighborhood’s culture and identity
Where to locate new multifamily housing to meet the city’s Housing Element goals
How tall should new housing be
What other land uses are desirable
How to improve connections to the beach and adjacent neighborhoods
How to improve bicycle and pedestrian circulation
How to improve street character/streetscape
The workshop was announced through media release, the city’s website, and direct mailing to
residents and property owners within the Barrio neighborhood and within 600’ of the
neighborhood. The workshop consisted of a short presentation on workshop objectives and
background material, followed by three facilitated small-group exercises focused on the
objectives listed above.
This summary report includes:
A summary of the common themes that were expressed by workshop participants
The notes and a copy of the maps from each of the nine small-group tables
A copy of the comment forms received at the end of the workshop
A copy of a letter received the day after the workshop (dated March 11, 2011, from
Richard Norman, addressed to Gary Barberio, Community and Economic Development
Director)
Barrio Workshop Summary
3
SUMMARY
CULTURAL AND HISTORIC CHARACTER
Identifying the cultural “core” and other important sites/features
In general, workshop participants identified the cultural core of the Barrio as being bounded by
Oak Avenue, Chestnut Avenue, Harding Street and Roosevelt Street. Within this broader area,
some groups saw the area directly around Walnut Avenue and Roosevelt Street (surrounded by
Lola’s, Ramirez House and other older buildings) as the core, while others saw the Pine Park and
Chase Field as the primary community amenities and the core of the Barrio. One group did not
see the need to identify a Barrio core—this group felt that the Village forms the core for the
Barrio.
In regard to other important sites and features, most groups identified Lola’s, Pine Park, Chase
Field, the Senior Center, and the Barrio Museum.
How to Improve the Barrio?
Groups offered a variety of ideas to improve the Barrio. Most groups felt that more should be
done to preserve significant older buildings and to repair or demolish buildings in poor condition.
In addition, streetscape improvements, signage and community activities (such as a fiesta, street
fairs and concerts in the park) were offered as suggestions. Many groups indicated that the Barrio
Museum needs to be repaired/upgraded. However, one group indicated that city money should
not be directed toward a private museum; if city money is used to upgrade the museum it should
be a public museum.
LAND USE OPPORTUNITIES
Location/height of new multifamily housing
Two out of nine groups felt that the Barrio should not have additional higher density/multifamily
housing. A couple of other groups had a mixed response—some people in the group not wanting
more multifamily housing and some people not opposed to it. However, most groups were either
supportive of more multifamily housing or were at least willing to identify preferable locations for
such housing. One group indicated that the Barrio had not seen investment in the past decade,
and higher densities were needed to foster economic revitalization and upgrading and/or re-use
of existing buildings.
Generally, most groups indicated the higher density multifamily housing should be located along
the freeway (east of Harding) and near the railroad. Some groups also indicated an appropriate
area for such housing would be the area north of Jefferson Elementary School, south of Chestnut,
and between the railroad and Roosevelt Street/Magnolia Avenue. Several groups indicated that
apartments would not be preferable, but townhomes, condominiums or row homes would be
more preferable. Most groups felt that the geographically central portion of the Barrio—
bounded by Pine Avenue, Magnolia Avenue, Roosevelt Street and Harding Street—would not be
a preferable location for new multifamily housing and should generally have lower densities.
Barrio Workshop Summary
4
Some groups indicated that more senior housing was needed (particularly near the Senior Center
and Pine Park).
In terms of building heights, seven groups specified appropriate building heights and/or number
of building stories. Generally, there was a mix of support for two stories maximum up to three or
four stories maximum. Some groups that preferred two stories also indicated a maximum height
of 35 feet, and some who supported three to four stories indicated a maximum height of 45 feet.
Most of the groups that supported three to four stories also specified that those heights would be
appropriate for multifamily or mixed use development along the freeway or railroad (in the areas
where multifamily housing was identified as appropriate). Several groups indicated that the
central Barrio area should have a two-story and 35 feet maximum.
Other Uses
In terms of other desired land uses, a common theme was that the city should “complete Pine
Park.” In addition, several groups indicated support for mixed use development along Roosevelt
Street and Harding Street. There was a range of other desired land uses identified, including
community garden, community pool, and a skate park. There was some mention of a desire for
more retail, such as along the freeway and Roosevelt north of Walnut, but there was also
opposition to any additional retail, because of perceived potential traffic and parking issues and
some felt the Village provides sufficient shopping opportunities.
Parking
The issue of parking came up repeatedly. Most groups felt that the Barrio was under-parked. A
variety of suggestions were offered, dealing with both private and public parking. These included
eliminating or reducing parking requirements for narrow lots, allowing tandem parking to be
counted, and restriping streets to include diagonal parking or even along medians, to increase
parking availability in the neighborhood.
CONNECTIVITY AND STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS
There was near unanimity among the participants that connections to the surroundings—
especially the beach—need to be enhanced, and streetscapes need to be improved for
appearance as well as pedestrian safety. Almost everyone agreed that an underpass/overpass at
Chestnut Avenue across the railroad tracks is desirable, with some mentioning that the needs of
seniors in accessing this connection should be considered, and sidewalks leading to the
connection improved.
Participants agreed that many of the streets are wide, and traffic speeds quickly through the
neighborhood. Traffic calming was a popular solution, with several groups mentioning use of
additional roundabouts/circles. Undergrounding utilities, adding more street lights, planting
consistent street trees, and adding/improving sidewalks all got multiple mentions. There was
some mention of need for additional bikeways and one group mentioned small buses/shuttles
catering to the mobility needs of senior citizens was needed.
Barrio Workshop Summary
5
TABLE NOTES AND MAPS
Barrio Workshop Summary
6
TABLE 1 NOTES AND MAP
Cultural and Historic
Character Land Use and Housing Connectivity and Streetscape
Improvements
“Core” - Pine Park and
Chase Field
Important features:
o Lola’s
o Museum
High density north of Jefferson
Elementary (from tracks to Jefferson St),
including the large parcels in the
southwest
Mixed use along freeway – 3 to 4 stories
Restaurants along Chestnut Ave
Food concessions at ballpark
Update Barrio Museum
Community garden
Pool
Decorative, pedestrian friendly
walkway along Roosevelt St and
Chestnut Ave
Safe railroad crossing at Chestnut
Ave
Traffic circles for calming
Agree with streetscape
recommendations of other groups
Barrio Workshop Summary
7
TABLE 2 NOTES AND MAP
Cultural and Historic
Character Land Use and Housing Connectivity and Streetscape
Improvements
“Core”:
One group favored the
intersection of Walnut Ave
and Roosevelt St. That
COULD become the core, IF
the buildings were fixed up.
o Others thought that Chase
Field, Pine Park and the
Senior Center represent the
core of the Barrio. This area
is significant to the region,
not just the Barrio.
Two areas for high density
housing/mixed use (45’ height max; 3
stories):
East of Harding St between Oak and
Pine avenues
Between Roosevelt St/Magnolia
Ave and the railroad tracks, south of
Chestnut Ave/north of Anchor Way.
35’ max – all other areas
More flexibility on housing density
Condos preferred over apartments
Prefer no underground parking
Community gardens
There has not been much investment
in Barrio in the last 20 years, so we
need the densities to get investment
Quiet zone needed at Tamarack
Ave and railroad
Overpass at Chestnut Ave and
railroad
Traffic calming at Chestnut Ave/
Roosevelt St and Walnut Ave/
Roosevelt St
Pedestrian friendly streets:
Sidewalks
Traffic calming:
Decorative pavements
Narrow streets
Roundabouts
Medians (landscaped)
Greenbelts
Underground utilities
Barrio Workshop Summary
8
TABLE 3 NOTES AND MAP
Cultural and Historic
Character Land Use and Housing Connectivity and Streetscape
Improvements
Don’t need a core in
Barrio. Village is the
core center—we can
use the Village
Important features:
Lola’s
Museum
o Park
Some thought the Barrio has too
many multifamily dwellings – no
need for more
Others thought multifamily
dwellings should be located along
the freeway or railroad
2 stories maximum
Remove empty gas station on
Tamarack Ave – replace with retail
Mixed uses – resident serving
businesses on bottom floor and
residential on 2nd floor
Community garden for Barrio
Remove eye sore on Roosevelt St
(steel building)
Park should be finished
Formal garden (like a rose garden),
with places to sit
YMCA – small scale, swimming pool
Quaint – “Village like”
Install sidewalks and trees
Manmade lakes with greenbelt
Clean streets and alleys
Parking restrictions on front yard
Restrict street parking on some main streets
and replace with bike paths separated from
cars
Underground utilities
Reduce front yard setback to allow a front
porch
Architecture streetlights and addition of
more lights
Access to the beach from Chestnut Ave
Streetlights
Walking trails
Bike path marked on the street
Sidewalks with trees
Underground utilities
Improving street character would encourage
home owners to move back into the Barrio
(most owners live elsewhere)
Barrio Workshop Summary
9
TABLE 4 NOTES AND MAP
Cultural and Historic
Character Land Use and Housing Connectivity and Streetscape
Improvements
“Core” – intersection of
Roosevelt St and Walnut
Ave
Important features:
o Lola’s
o Barrio Museum (needs
to be renovated)
o Historic homes, like the
Ramirez House
o Chase field
Improve landmarks
Enhance Mexican-
American style
Higher density along the tracks and
freeway
2 stories, maximum 3 stories
Parking issues needs to be addressed
Live work units
Professional space
Open space
Light retail/mixed use
Bring back the Fiesta del Barrio
Property west of Pine Park (Madison St
lot): Could be used for event parking.
Native plants/community garden
Add community pool (indoor)
Chestnut Ave bridge at railroad
with a unique statement that
says it’s the Barrio
Roundabouts
Extend the sidewalks at the
intersections (bulbouts) to
increase pedestrian visibility
More benches
Beautification through public art
Pedestrian lighting
Underground utilities
Wider sidewalks
Barrio Workshop Summary
10
TABLE 5 NOTES
Cultural and Historic
Character Land Use and Housing Connectivity and Streetscape
Improvements
“Core” - Pine Park
and Lola’s: toss-up
between the two.
Preserve Lola’s,
museum, pool hall
building
Preserve vintage
homes
Struggle with density. Don’t want
apartments
Talked about encouraging row-homes
50’ wide lots could be split into 25’ lots,
with rowhouses, parking access from alley
Location/height of multifamily
Along freeway (east of Harding) and
along Madison
2 stories/35’ max (allow roof decks)
East of Harding –3 to 4 stories (45’ max)
More mixed-use on Roosevelt St, north of
Lola’s to Village
Industrial uses to stay on Tyler St.
Accommodate youth and cultural activity
Finish Pine Park
Pine Park - more activities like craft shows,
farmers markets, small concerts, etc.
Skate park
PRIORITY - Rail crossing at Chestnut
Ave
Traffic calming on Madison St-
roundabouts
Street signs that are unique:
historical markers.
Decorative streetlights
Extend rail trail to Village
Fix sidewalk along Chestnut Ave
Enhance access under I-5 (Chestnut)
Traffic concerns near Jefferson
Elementary (entrance improvements)
Maintain and improve access to
commercial etc (I-5/Oak Ave)
All lots have City ROW in front. Some
owners do a good job in maintaining
it, others don’t—city assistance with
landscaping would be great
Barrio Workshop Summary
11
TABLE 5 MAP 1
Barrio Workshop Summary
12
TABLE 5 MAP 2
Barrio Workshop Summary
13
TABLE 6 NOTES
Cultural and Historic
Character Land Use and Housing Connectivity and Streetscape
Improvements
“Core” – between
Pine Ave and
Chestnut Ave/
Roosevelt St and
Harding St
Important features:
o The people (a lot of
3rd /4th generation
families in the area)
o Corner of Madison
St and Walnut Ave
o Pine Park and Chase
Field
o Boys Club
Barrio museum - split
opinion – if we are
going to keep it, then
fix it up
Don’t replace single family with
multifamily
Keep zoning as is
Density needs to match zoning
Don’t want cracker box houses – want
every house to be unique
Need site by site assessment to evaluate
quality of buildings – if it’s run-down/bad
condition, then tear it down
Make standards more flexible
Make it easier to maintain and upgrade
homes
Do away the requirement for garage (for
lots with widths of 50’ or less)
Allow tandem parking to count toward
parking requirement
Allowing two driveways (circular
driveways)—where lots are 50’ wide.
Make it more affordable to build modular
homes
Do more to get grants to help people
with their properties
Improve infrastructure
Finish Pine Park
Don’t need more commercial uses
Don’t want change
More activities like Jazz in the Park and
street fairs
I-5 expansion will impact how we feel
about things—need more information
Need more and better street
lights
Need better traffic
management/calming
Undergrounding utilities.
Roosevelt St and Madison St
have been undergrounded.
Improve gas and water lines (in
some cases they are stacked
vertically)
Need street sweeping in alleys
Want a crossing at Chestnut
Ave
Barrio Workshop Summary
14
TABLE 6 MAP 1
Barrio Workshop Summary
15
TABLE 6 MAP 2
Barrio Workshop Summary
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TABLE 7 NOTES AND MAP
Cultural and Historic
Character Land Use and Housing Connectivity and Streetscape
Improvements
Some thought the core
is between Oak Ave and
Chestnut Ave, and
Roosevelt St and Pine
Park
Others thought the core
was larger – between
Carlsbad Village Drive
and Chestnut Ave/
Railroad and Harding St
Important features:
o Lola’s museum
o Senior center
Church - Old St. Patrick
Some thought why have high density
in the Barrio? Density is fine as is.
Don’t increase housing. Will add
traffic
Others thought high density should be
located close to freeway, north of
Chestnut and Walnut avenues
Some people thought density should
not go above 15 units/acre
Others thought 25-28 units/acre is
okay
2 stories, but maybe could go to 3
Allow granny flats
Revitalize Barrio homes – permit
process faster/easier; no
reassessment penalty
Railroad crossing at Chestnut Ave
Community garden
o Educate people on growing food
Holistic/peace center
Fabric shop
Mixed use
Traffic: too fast. Want slower speeds.
Roundabouts would be good
Chestnut Ave open from east to west
Sidewalk on Tyler St (widen street;
parking on both sides)
Overhead crosswalk/undercrossing at
railroad and Chestnut Ave (if overhead
crosswalk – seniors will need elevator
or escalator).
Underground utilities
Plan transit next to high density
Smaller buses/transportation to
transport people/seniors from Barrio
to PO or banks, libraries, beach, at
reasonable prices.
Traffic is horrible by school – need to
study what can be done
Need more parking
Improve timing of street lights
Barrio gets unequal treatment
compared to other areas
(maintenance, trees, etc)
Barrio Workshop Summary
17
TABLE 8 NOTES AND MAP
Cultural and Historic
Character Land Use and Housing Connectivity and Streetscape
Improvements
“Core” – generally
between railroad and
Harding St/Oak Ave and
Magnolia Ave
Important features:
o Roosevelt St/Walnut
Ave intersection
o Chase field and Pine
Park
o Boys and Girls Club
o Roosevelt St as Main
Street
Roosevelt St west to
railroad
West end by railroad tracks –
additional multifamily housing 2-3
stories
East end (Pine-Palm/east of Harding)
higher density/3 stories
Center of Barrio – lower density/2
stories
Perhaps some mixed-use from Lola’s
to Village along Roosevelt St
East of Tyler St 3 stories
Finish park
Neighborhood services and shops
No boxing
Skate park
Roundabouts and crosswalks should
have flashing lights
Roosevelt St roundabouts at
Chestnut Ave and Walnut Ave
Underground utilities
Chestnut Ave through to beach
Roosevelt St and Madison St –
pedestrian friendly (safer crossings)
Quiet Crossings at railroad
Safer railroad crossing at Carlsbad
Village Drive
Wider sidewalks, add bike lanes
Continue rail trail
Barrio Workshop Summary
18
TABLE 9 NOTES AND MAP
Cultural and Historic
Character Land Use and Housing Connectivity and Streetscape Improvements
“Core” – around the
two parks and
extending west to
Roosevelt St
This was the original
play ground
Keep the area around the core
as is
Police substation
If a house/building has been
empty for 20 years, it should
be knocked down
Finish the project across from
Lola’s or knock it down
No more stores
Future Barrio Museum – if city
owned, the city should only
fund a “city” museum, not a
private museum
Retain historical buildings
Improve underpass to Holiday Park and Library
Provide parking between park and Chase Field
Pine trees need to be removed (roots are
invasive) around Senior Center
More benches
Many areas don’t have enough parking
Several homes are overcrowded/illegal
residents
Walking areas should have cobblestones and
artwork displays
Safer underpass
More lighting on all the streets
Banners in Barrio
Build a bridge to beach
Keep wide streets (like Roosevelt St)
Barrio Workshop Summary
19
COMMENTS AND LETTERS
Barrio Workshop Summary
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Barrio Workshop Summary
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Barrio Workshop Summary
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Barrio Workshop Summary
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Barrio Workshop Summary
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Barrio Workshop Summary
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69
The Barrio is primarily a residential neighborhood with a small amount of neighborhood serving commer-cial uses.
6 Barrio Neighborhood Preservation and Revitalization
Established in the 1920s, the Barrio neighborhood first served as a residential enclave for new immi-grants supporting the agriculture economy of the city. Today, the Barrio reflects elements of its past in its many cultural markers and historic buildings, as well as in its long-time residents and cohesive community. As the city evolves over the next 20 years, it will be important to define clear param-eters for improvements and new development in the Barrio that will honor community desires for change and preservation.
This chapter reviews existing conditions in the Barrio neighborhood, including development and streetscape characteristics; as well as planning efforts to date. A community workshop focused on the Barrio neighborhood in particular is scheduled for March 10, 2011, but not in time to incorporate into this paper. Although this chapter does not include perspectives of local residents beyond what was shared during Phase 1 of Envision Carlsbad, following the workshop a separate document will be prepared that summarizes the meeting.
6.1 Neighborhood Context and
Scale
The roughly 150-acre Barrio neighborhood is
situated on the northwestern portion of the city,
just south of Carlsbad Village. The neighbor-
hood is bounded by I-5 to the east and the railroad
tracks to west; Tamarack Avenue, an arterial along
which traffic moves quickly, provides a strong
southern edge. The northern edge of the neigh-
borhood is somewhat amorphous: while from a
planning perspective the Barrio extends up to the
Village planning boundary to Oak and Walnut
70
Envision Carlsbad
www.carlsbadca.gov/envision
Development scale in the Barrio ranges from single family homes to multiple-story structures in large parcels, such as the Public Storage facility.
avenues, boundaries between the two areas are not distinctive.
One of the focus areas in the Barrio is the new Pine Avenue Park and Chase Field, as well as the adjacent senior center. The corner of Walnut Avenue and Roosevelt Street is also a focus area and contains several cultural markers, including Lola’s Market, the only local store and tacqueria serving the area, although technically it is just outside the Barrio planning area. There is community interest in reha-bilitating several of the buildings in this area to create a permanent “Barrio Museum” according to the property owners, as well as to celebrate the house where Victor Villasenor, author of the nationally acclaimed best-seller Rain of Gold, was born and lived.
Land Use Context
Land use in the Barrio neighborhood is primarily residential, comprising approximately 75 percent of the developable land in the area, as shown in Figure 6-1. The neighborhood has mostly small lot single-family/duplex homes that face the street and encourage interaction among neighbors. These homes constitute the heart of the neighborhood along Roosevelt and Madison streets, while higher density residential development is located to the southwest and east along Magnolia Avenue and Harding Street. Public, institutional, and recreation uses comprise much of the remaining land in the Barrio, while commercial uses are limited—located primarily at the corner of Tamarack Avenue and I-5 and constituting a gas station and a few stores.
Development Scale
The neighborhood is fairly heterogeneous in its development character, and buildings are of varied vintage. North of Chestnut Avenue, the neighbor-hood is laid out along a gridded network of streets that extend into the Village. Buildings in this part of the Barrio are generally older than those in the south. Lot sizes and housing densities are extremely varied, as shown in Figure 6-2. Lot and building sizes are generally small along Roosevelt and Madison streets—the area where many of
Community members have proposed to create a permanent Barrio Museum to celebrate the neighborhood.
PINE AVE PARK
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Figure #
Barrio
City Limits
Existing Land Use
Commercial
Education/Institutional
Transportation,
0 500 1,000250
Feet
Source: City of Carlsbad, 2011;
SANDAG, 2011; Dyett & Bhatia, 2011.
VILLAGE
REDEVELOPMENT
AREA Communication, Utilities
Single Family
Two Family
Multi-Family (3+units)
Residential
Non-Residential
Recreation
Undeveloped
Working Paper 6
Figure 6-1: Barrio
Existing Land Use
PINE AVE PARK
CHASEFIELD
JEFFERSONELEMENTARYSCHOOL
HOLIDAYPARK
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Highways
Railroad
Figure #
Barrio
City Limits
Density
No Residential Units
1 - 8 units/acre
8 - 15 units/acre
15 units/acre - 25 units/acre
25+ units/acre
0 500 1,000250
Feet
Source: City of Carlsbad, 2011;
SANDAG, 2011; Dyett & Bhatia, 2011.
VILLAGE
REDEVELOPMENT
AREA
Figure 6-2: Barrio
Densities and Intensities
Working Paper 6
73
WP6: Small Town Feel, Beach Community Character
and Connectedness; Neighborhood Revitalization,
Community Design and Livibility
the homes are also older. Low-rise multifamily buildings and developments are concentrated west of Magnolia Avenue, and between Harding Street and I-5. Duplexes and townhomes are scattered in many locations, including several concentrations in the southeast. Buildings are of a variety of styles, reflecting their age—from simple early wooden bungalows, to Modern apartment buildings con-structed in the 1960s that are showing their age, as well as an eclectic collection of historical styles. While most buildings are one to two stories tall, there are several three story buildings, and densities can be exceptionally high, up to 62 units per acre—exceeding those currently allowed by the General Plan, and thus non-conforming due to density or other development standards.
6.2 Walkability and
Neighborhood Function
Physical Connections
Figure 6-3 illustrates the Barrio’s structure and con-
nectivity. On a daily basis, children, families, and
other residents can be seen walking to school, parks,
community facilities and other destinations. The
grid pattern of streets and shorter blocks of 250 feet
by 440 feet allow for good circulation on the north
side of the neighborhood. The southern portion has
a more introverted street pattern, with some cul-de-
sacs and a looping network of streets. Because of the
larger block sizes, this area is not as well-connected
within or to the surroundings.
The Barrio has excellent north-south connectiv-
ity to the Village through the gridded network of
streets, but access to the rest of the city is limited
due to the train tracks and freeway. Tamarack
Avenue and Carlsbad Village Drive are the only
connections west over the train tracks to the beach,
leaving the entire Barrio neighborhood devoid of
connections across the rail corridor. The Barrio
community has expressed desire for a pedestrian
connection at the western end of Chestnut Avenue
across the railroad—whether at grade, below or
above—to provide direct access to the beach. To
the east across I-5, Chestnut Avenue provides one
The Barrio is home to several recreation amenities that emphasize walking, including Chase Field, the Senior Center, and the rail trail.
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Barrio
Core
SeniorCenter
PineAvenuePark
ChaseField
5
Development
Impacted by
Freeway
Jefferson
Elementary
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Physical Barrier
No Through Street
At-Grade Railroad Crossing
Bike/Pedestrian Path
Gateway
Activity Node
Key Connection/StreetscapeImprovement Opportunity
Single Family Development
Multifamily Development
Commercial/Retail Core
Barrio Boundary
00010050520
FEETPark/Open Space
Public/Institutional
Figure 6-4
Barrio Neighborhood Form
CITY OF CARLSBAD
Source: City of Carlsbad, 2009;
SANDAG, 2009; Dyett & Bhatia, 2011
Figure 6-3: Barrio
Neighborhood Form
Working Paper 6
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WP6: Small Town Feel, Beach Community Character
and Connectedness; Neighborhood Revitalization,
Community Design and Livibility
additional connection—and a critical one—to Holiday Park and the neighborhood’s middle and high schools, as well as the Library Learning Center and Centro de Informacion.
Streetscapes
In general, streets in the Barrio are too wide for the amount of traffic they carry. With the exception of Chestnut Avenue and some streets that feed to it, streets serve primarily local traffic and have one lane of traffic in either direction. Several streets, such as Hibiscus Circle, have consistently planted street trees; however, most streets are bereft of street trees. While most streets have sidewalks, some sidewalks are discontinuous or narrow, and a few streets lack them. The City has spent considerable efforts in recent years improving streets in the area, including undergrounding utilities; however, many streets still have overhead utilities.
Looking ahead, the Barrio’s character could benefit from strategic streetscape enhancements: consistent street trees and other streetscape improvements, especially on the linkages to the Village; planted medians where feasible; potentially a roundabout at Roosevelt Street and Walnut Avenue and perhaps other intersections, providing focus to the cultural elements; and improved bikeway and pedestrian linkages, especially to the trails along the railroad.
Neighborhood Functionality
The Barrio neighborhood has a strong community identity and an active residential population. Figure 6-4 shows land uses, opportunities, and challenges in the Barrio. As residential uses comprise the majority of uses in the Barrio, it is the activities and needs of its residents that dictate how the neighbor-hood functions. The Barrio has several key elements of a good neighborhood, including ample park and play space, community centers, and an elemen-tary school, all of which provide key community services and gathering space. However, the neigh-borhood lacks in neighborhood-serving retail uses, aside from the Village Plaza and Lola’s Market (both are just outside of the planning boundary); this necessitates residents leave the neighborhood
for most conveniences and services from shopping to dry cleaning, or a quick bite to eat. Addition-ally, higher density residential areas, where most residents are focused in the community, are even further removed from daily activity and services in the Village by the lack of easy access and connectiv-ity to surrounding areas.
There are several key elements that could improve the functionality of the Barrio as a neighborhood—the most primary being access to retail that serves everyday needs. Existing activity centers, such as at Walnut Avenue and Roosevelt Street, in the heart of the Barrio, could be expanded to include more retail options while still preserving the cultural and historical qualities of the area. Additionally, connections to surrounding development, such as to the beach should be explored as a necessary improvement. However, connections should be strategic, and developed in concert with access to key services where none currently exist—whether these are within the Barrio or just outside.
6.3 Recent Planning Efforts
The Barrio’s organic growth over time and resulting eclectic neighborhood fabric pose a challenging planning framework, in that community interests are diverse and sometimes opposing, and common goals and a vision for the neighborhood are hard to establish. Several planning efforts have been conducted for the Barrio, as described below. These efforts and their recommendations serve as a basis for understanding past community concerns and desires, and are described below.
Draft Barrio Specific Plan (1995)
At the request of Barrio residents, the Barrio Specific Plan was drafted by the city in 1995 following two years of planning analysis and community outreach, including stakeholder inter-views, a community tour, workshops, and open houses. However, the Barrio Specific Plan was not adopted by the City Council. The draft plan divides the neighborhood into five planning areas, each of which exemplifies unique characteristics. For example, the oldest part of the Barrio (along
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Envision Carlsbad
www.carlsbadca.gov/envision
Madison Street) is one planning area, which is characterized by small lot single-family homes, duplexes, and small apartments in a range of archi-tectural styles.
The draft plan provides goals and policies for land use, such as promoting compatible uses and a tran-sition buffer between the Village and Barrio. It segments housing policies into three categories: promoting owner-occupation of units to reduce absentee landlord impacts, encouraging housing rehabilitation to improve structural and visual conditions; and improving affordability of rental housing to reduce overcrowding and the cost burden of housing. Development standards and policies seek to maintain existing densities and single-fam-ily character. Other policies include improving streetscapes and pedestrian safety (e.g. adding crosswalks and public art), adding entry markers to signify entrance into this unique neighbor-hood, and instituting neighborhood improvement programs (e.g. graffiti removal, abandoned vehicle abatement, etc.).
Draft Colonia District Master Plan (2007)
The Colonia District Master Plan (prepared by a private party) proposes policies and standards for land use, design, and development in the Colonia District (otherwise known as the Barrio neighbor-hood). The District is generally bounded by Oak Avenue to the north, I-5 to the east, Carol Place and Anchor Way to the south, and the railroad line and Madison Street (from Walnut Avenue northward) to the west. This master plan is in the draft stage, has not been submitted to the city as a formal appli-cation and has not been adopted.
The Colonia District Master Plan cites that the city’s development standards are successful in suburban portions of the city, but do not apply well to the Colonia District. In response, the plan proposes a new zoning district and a partnership between landowners and the city to provide incen-tives to developers/property owners to revitalize the neighborhood. These incentives include: allowing higher densities to increase economic opportunities and the vibrancy of the neighborhood; providing
community improvements, such as a connection on Chestnut Avenue across the rail line and a greater mix of uses to allow neighborhood-serving retail; and establishing more flexible design standards (e.g. revisiting setbacks, heights, and parking require-ments). Like the 1995 Draft Barrio Specific Plan, the Colonia District Master Plan envisions distinct planning areas within the district, each of which proposes allowed and conditional uses, and appro-priate development standards.
2009 housing Element Update
The Barrio represents a critical part of the City’s strategies to meet its regional housing needs allo-cation and state law. According to the City’s most recent Housing Element, vacant and underutilized sites with the potential for redevelopment at below-market rates are concentrated in the Carlsbad Village Redevelopment Area and the Barrio neigh-borhood. The Housing Element includes a specific program that identifies potential for 330 new units in the Barrio, as a result of redevelopment of aging structures, homes in disrepair due to absentee landlords, and/or locations where the structure value is less than the land value. The Barrio is identi-fied as ideally located next to major transportation, shopping and recreation, but with a substantial number of older, underutilized properties with high absentee ownership, that may be appropriate for redevelopment. The Housing Element envisions that a future master or specific plan would establish a new or unique land use designation for the neigh-borhood that permits higher densities in excess of the current RMH and RH land use designations, which permit a maximum of 15 and 23 units per acre, respectively.
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Senior affordable
apartment building
built to 75 units per
acre located
between Tyler
Street and the
railroad.
Freeway
underpass at
Chestnut Avenue
Housing density
varies from single
family homes to
higher density
structures such as
this aparment
building.
(1) Carlsbad Senior Center
and (2) the playground at Pine
Avenue Park
Historic
commercial
building
(4) Lola’s (left) and “Barrio Museum”
(right) at Roosevelt Street and Walnut
Avenue. (5) Ramirez House was built
in 1918 by one of the rst families
who moved into the Barrio.
(6) Fences at Chestnut Avenue
terminus at railroad tracks. (7)
Dedicated bike path and trails along
the railroad from Tamarack Avenue to
Carlsbad Village Drive in the Village.
(8) Older apartment project on
approximately nine acres, with density
of ten units per acre.
Alley
between
residential
properties
Most roads are
wide, without
consistent street
trees and some
with utility poles
overhead.
Retail use within
the Barrio
neighborhood
Landscaped medians
and street trees
along Tamarack
Avenue
Single-family
attached homes
along Magnolia
Avenue
2
3
3
4
5
9
4
1
7
8
8
9
7
6
6
2
1
10
10
11
Gaus House, a bungalow house built by
Louis Gaus, the only electrician in
Carlsbad in the 1920’s.
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Vacant parcel
18
A variety of architectural styles exist
such as this apartment structure.
19
Building (right) shows the variety of
scale of existing buildings.
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Apartment project off of Magnolia Avenue
21
Example of older apartments in the
neighborhood
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17
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13
13
14
14
15
15
16
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Source: City of Carlsbad, 2011; SANDAG, 2011; Dyett & Bhatia, 2011
Railroad and Station
Barrio Boundary
0 500 1,000
Feet
Working Paper 6
Figure 6-4: Barrio Opportunities
and Challenges