HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-03-11; City Council; Minutes. 0 0
MINUTES
MEETING OF : CARLSBAD RANCH OVERLAY ZONE WORKSHOP
DATE OF MEETING: March 11,1998
TIME OF MEETING: 2:OO p.m. PLACE OF MEETING: City Council Chambers
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Lewis called the Meeting to order at 295 p.m.
ROLL CALL was taken by the City Clerk, as follows:
Present: Council Members Hall, Kulchin, Nygaard, Mayor Pro Tem Finnila, Mayor Lewis
I. INTRODUCTION - Communitv DeveloDment Director Martv Orenvak
Community Development Director Orenyak overviewed the agenda for the Carlsbad Ranch Overlay Zone
Workshop noting that the purpose of the workshop is to facilitate Council’s discussion and public input
regarding potentially new or additional regulations for the Carlsbad Ranch area.
II. URGENCY ORDINANCE - Planninp Director Michael Holzmiller
Planning Director Holzmiller reviewed the basic provisions and boundaries of the existing urgency
ordinance, which is in effect until August 1998. The urgency ordinance requires all commercial projects,
subject to the Planning Commission review, to also be reviewed and obtain final approval from the City
Council. The ordinance does not apply to industrial, office or residential, nor does it apply to projects that
do not require Planning Commission review.
111. WORKSHOP FORMAT OVERVIEW - Communitv DeveloDment Director Martv Orenvak
Community Development Director Orenyak reviewed the format of the workshop. For each item on the
agenda, staff will make a presentation followed by public input and Council discussion.
IV. WORKSHOP SESSIONS - Senior Planner Eric Munoz
Intent and Purpose - The following points were presented for discussion:
- Regulatory Options - Maintain status quo - Set up a process like the urgency ordinance - Use of “Q” Overlay Zone/Site Development Plan - Overlay zone creation
- What is the “vision” or purpose of the new regulations - Should it be a process or package of requirements
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Decision Point:
1. Should new regulations focus on process only; or should new regulations involve process plus
additional criteria of some kind?
2. Should new regulations address only commercial developments? What about residential? What
about industrial?
3. Should new regulations address only vacant land? What about use expansions on existing sites?
What about use changes on existing sites?
4. Should the Carlsbad RanchLEGO Specific Plan area be excluded from any new/future
regulations related to this effort?
Public Comment:
Bailey Noble, 5470 Las Robles Drive, Carlsbad, stated that Council has an obligation to protect Legoland
and the surrounding area to ensure it doesn’t become another Disneyland. All new and change-of-use
commercial sites should be reviewed by the Council prior to being approved.
Dennis Cunningham, representing Planning Systems, 21 11 Palomar Airport Road Suite 100, Carlsbad,
stated that real issue is to determine whether these projects come back to Council. A lot of these projects
are in the scenic corridor and have specific guidelines that must be met as well has going through the
Special Use Permit process which should address the architectural aspects of a project. Staff works with
the developer through the entire process and is fully aware of everything that is going on. There is not
that much of a difference if the developer has to come back before the Council for approval or not.
Ron Rouse, Attorney with Luce, Forward, Hamilton and Scripps, 600 W. Broadway, San Diego,
representing Ray and Barbara Winters, stated that the concern among property owners is why some areas
of the city have different development standards than others. Mr. Rouse stated that Council needs to take
a look at the comprehensive area outside of the Carlsbad Ranch Specific Plan and once they do, they will
realize that the area remaining is all infill situations; therefore, it is not appropriate to place the remaining
parcels under a different set of development standards. The other issue to consider is the negative effect
of a special overlay zone.
Gary Gill, representing GIA, 5345 Armada, Carlsbad, stated they are fairly neutral on this issue at the
present time. He said they appreciated Council taking the time to look at this issue. Carlsbad Ranch does
have more stringent conditions than the surrounding area as far as development standards are concerned.
He said that he didn’t believe an overlay zone would make things worse, and in fact it might actually
make things better. He said that GIA is comfortable with the planning procedures that are in place.
Richard Apple, representing Legoland, stated they support the concept of an overlay zone if Council feels
it is necessary. If a new overlay zone is developed, Mr. Apple stated they believe the process oriented
approach would be appropriate. He said that it would be important for the zone to express a vision, and
they see the area encompassed by the zone as a destination within the City that many visitors will come to
and when they leave the City they will leave with their visual impression of that zone within the City.
Jan Sobel, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, Carlsbad, inquired as to what kind of uses are allowed in
Planned Industrial versus commercial, and why a gas station is allowed in one and not the other. She
recommended that when Council looks at this area, that they also look as these types of issues as well.
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Decision Point:
Council direction to staff concerning the intent and purpose of the Carlsbad Ranch Overlay Zone was as
follows:
1. The new regulations should involve process plus additional criteria.
2. The regulations should address only commercial developments.
3. Vacant and existing projects are targeted; consider reasonable regulations regarding use
expansions and use changeshntensification of existing sites. The new regulations should address
vacant lands, expansions on existing sites, or changes on existing sites.
4. The Carlsbad RanchLEGO Specific Plan area is to be excluded fiom the newhture regulations
related to this effort.
Boundaries - The following points were presented for discussion:
- Use the current urgency ordinance area
- Set a radius (1/2 mile, etc) around the Carlsbad Ranch Specific Plan area - Focus on streets and corridors and properties fronting on these streets
Public Comment:
Ruth Lovett, representing SDG&E, who has the property north of Cannon Road that is for sale, stated that
she would like to receive notice of any future meetings regarding this issue. Ms. Lovett stated that the
property is for sale, and they recognize that whoever purchases the property needs to develop it in a
responsible manner.
Richard Apple, representing Legoland, stated they would support using the existing urgency ordinance
boundaries, in addition to having the boundary extended north to the lagoon and the east to College.
Vyto Mittskus, 6805 Watercourse Drive, Carlsbad, stated that the boundaries should include the existing
area as well as extending it to the lagoon and College. In addition, the small parcel of land south of
Poinsettia Lane and east of 1-5 should be included.
For clarification, Mr. Holzmiller stated the existing boundary goes east to Aviara Parkway, and staff
would look at extending that northward to the lagoon.
Council Discussion:
Council direction to staff concerning the boundary was as follows:
1. To amend the coverage area of the currently effective Urgency Ordinance.
2. To consider moving the boundaries northward to Agua Hedionda Lagoon and eastward;
Permitted UsesiStructnres - The following points were presented for discussion based on the initial
intent and purpose:
- Should certain uses prohibited
- Regulations regarding use proliferation - separation standards
- regulations apply to which uses
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Public Comment:
Gary Hill, representing GIA, 5345 Armada, Carlsbad, stated that trashhansfer stations should be a
prohibited use.
Ron Rouse, Attorney with Luce, Forward, Hamilton and Scripps, 600 W. Broadway, San Diego, stated
that once the boundaries are extended some of these new areas will already have underlying zones which
will need to be reconsidered.
Council Discussion:
Council direction to staff concerning the permitted uses/structures was as follows:
1. Focus on proliferation issuedseparation standards for sensitive uses such as liquor stores, gas
2. No outright prohibition supported for any land uses.
3. Take a rational look at seasonal sales and related issues.
DeveloDment/Desim Standards - The following points were presented for discussion based on the initial
intent and purpose:
- Should the overlay zone rely on the underlying zone for development standards
- Should building materials and colors be regulated
- Are the current parking standards okay - Do the current signage regulations need to be modified
- Should the building height or setback standards be modified - Do the landscape requirements need to be modified or increased
- Should separation standards be established
Public Comment:
Ron Rouse, Attorney with Luce, Forward, Hamilton and Scripps, 600 W. Broadway, San Diego, urged the
Council to be fair and open in evaluating what standards get applied. The standards cannot be set as “one
size fits all”.
Council Discussion:
Council direction to staff regarding the development/design standards was as follows:
1. Make reasonable/generalized assessment of existing/potential development standard and design
stations and combined gas stations/liquor stores (mini-marts).
standards to ensure quality development.
Procedures/Amroval Process - The following points were presented for discussion based on the initial
intent and purpose:
- Is the current process okay - Should the urgency ordinance process be formalized - Should the Council be involved on a routine standard basis in the future
- Should special findings be required beyond the standard Conditional Use Permit or Site Development
- Should the Council continue to review all projects or have a selective review only
Plan findings
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Council Discussion:
Council direction to staff regarding the procedures/approval process was as follows:
1. Overall, Council expressed a desire to be part of the standard approval process for commercial
2. Possible adjustment of above stated position based on assessment of proposed ordinance.
Public Inmt:
Dennis Cunningham representing Planning Systems, 21 11 Palomar Airport Road, Suite 100, Carlsbad,
addressed Council and inquired what would happen if an application were processed while this ordinance
is being developed.
For clarification, Mr. Munoz stated that the new ordinance will have an effective date clause written into
it, and since an application is dictated by it’s completeness date, that date will determine whether or not
the project would fall under the new ordinance.
projects/activities in the area around Carlsbad Ranch.
RECESS:
Mayor Lewis declared a recess at 4:lO p.m., and Council reconvened at 4:25 p.m., with all Council
Members present.
VI. STAFF SWARY
Senior Planner Eric Munoz provided a summary of the Council direction as follows:
Overall Decision: Create new overlay zone
Intent and Purpose:
1. Create a process and criteria based overlay zone
3. Vacant and existing projects are targeted; consider reasonable regulations regarding use
2. Commercial and tourist-serving properties only (no residential/industrial/office uses involved)
expansions and use changedintensification of existing sites.
4. Exclude the Carlsbad Ranch Specific Plan from the boundaries of the overlay zone.
Council Member Hall stated that the “vision” would be “To create an overlay zone to ensure quality
development”.
Boundaries:
1. Amend the coverage area of the currently effective Urgency Ordinance
2. Consider northward to Agua Hedionda lagoon and eastward; reduce southward extent especially
residential properties
Uses/Structures:
1. Focus on proliferation issues/separation standards for sensitive uses such as liquor stores, gas
2. No outright prohibition supported for any land uses.
3. Take rational look at seasonal sales and related issues.
stations and combination gas stationsAiquor stores (mini-marts).
March 11,1998 CARLS 9 AD RANCH OVEKAY ZONE WO l!P SHOP Page 6
DeveloumentIDesign Standards:
1. Make reasonable/generalized assessment of existinglpotential development standard and design
criteria options.
Procedures/Auuroval Process:
1. Overall, Council stressed desire for direct involvement; wants to be part of standard approval
process for commercial projectdactivities in the area around Carlsbad Ranch.
2. Possible adjustment of above stated position based on assessment of proposed ordinance.
3. Possible trial period of direct Council involvement.
VII. COUNCIL ACTIONS
City Attorney Ball stated that this will now go through the normal planning process, being presented at
public hearings at both the Planning Commission and City Council levels prior to being adopted.
ADJOURNMENT
By proper motion, the City Council Workshop of March 11, 1998, was adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
h$? ALETHA L. MUTE
City Clerk
Sherrie D. Worrell
Deputy City Clerk