HomeMy WebLinkAboutCD 2022-0029; BLOOM ENERGY - VIASAT (NORTH INSTALL); Admin Decision LetterDecember 6, 2022
Bloom Energy
Jennifer Horta
4353 N. ist St.
San Jose, CA 94134
8FILE COPY
{'city of
Carlsbad
SUBJECT: BLOOM ENERGY -VIASAT (NORTH INSTALL) -CD 2022-0029 (DEV 2022-0055}
The City Planner has completed a review of your application for a consistency determination to allow the
installation of a Bloom Energy fuel cell server, located within the parking lot of the west campus of ViaSat
(APN: 213-100-23-00), including a new CMU walled enclosure for screening, which is a modification to
SUP 98-03/PIP 98-07, which approved the development of a 50.23-acre site know as Lincoln North Pointe.
The proposed modifications include:
• Installation of a Bloom Energy fuel cell server located within the parking lot of the west
campus of ViaSat near the northeast corner of the northcentral building, addressed 6161 El
Camino Real.
• New CMU-wall enclosure, with color and texture to match the existing buildings, for screening
of fuel cell server approximately 75 feet, 4 inches, in width and 16 feet, 8 inches, in depth.
• Modifications to the landscaping located in the parking lot, retaining the same number of
trees within the parking lot area.
• Minor modifications to the northcentral office building to facilitate the connection point to
the fuel cells.
• Removal of seven (7) parking stalls.
In order for a Discretionary Permit Consistency Determination to be approved, all of the following findings
must be made:
1) No project condition, feature, facility or amenity is changed or deleted that had been considered
essential to the project's design, quality, safety or function in that the light Industrial building will
continue to be used as such and is substantially consistent with PIP 98-07. The elimination of
seven {7) parking spaces will reduce the number of spaces allocated to building three (2) of the
west campus to 233 spaces1 which exceeds the 230 required spaces for building three (3) {531451
sq. ft. office I 250 sq. ft. = 214 spaces and 61549 sq. ft. warehouse I 400 sq. ft. = 16 spaces). No
changes to the exterior finishes and details of the buildings are proposed.
2) The request represents an upgrade in overall design features and or materials and improves upon
the project's compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood in that no changes are proposed
to the exterior finishes and details of the building and adequate parking is provided. In addition1
the new fuel cells are located near the center of the west campus. The fuel cells will be screened
by a new CMU-wall enclosure having the same color and texture of the existing structures1
Community Development Department
Planning Division I 1635 Faraday Avenue Carlsbad, CA 92008-7314 I 442-339-2600 www.carlsbadca.gov
BLOOM ENERGY -VIASAT (NORTH INSTALL)-" CD 2022-0029 (DEV 2022-0055}
December 6, 2022
Pa e 2
which is also screened from the public right-of-way by existing building one (1) and mature
landscaping located along El Camino Real.
3) The proposed revision does not change the density or boundary of the subject property in that no
residential units are proposed, and the boundaries of the Jot will stay the same.
4) The proposed revision does not involve the addition of a new land use not shown on the original
permit in that the fuel cell installation facilitates the existing approved use and is not considered
a new land use.
5) The proposed revision does not rearrange the major land uses within the development in that no
changes to uses within the existing structures are proposed.
6) The proposed revision does not create changes of greater than ten percent provided that
compliance will be maintained with the applicable development standards of the Carlsbad
Municipal Code in that no additional square footage is proposed; the loss of seven {7} vehicle
parking spaces effects approximately 3% of all spaced provide for building two (2) and the
remaining number of parking stalls (233) is adequate to support the established uses with the
building; and the addition of the fuel cells and $.5-foot CMU enclosure is Jess than the maximum
35-foot height limit.
7) The proposed change will not result in any significant environmental impact, and/or require
additional mitigation in that the fuel eel/installation is proposed on an area of the site that is
already developed as a parking Jot and the installation is consistent with the McClellan Palomar
Airport Land Use Consistency Plan.
8) The proposed change would not result in any health, safety or welfare impacts.
9) There were not any major issues or controversies associated with the original project which would
be exacerbated with · the proposed change in that no issues with the original project were
identified.
10) The proposed change would not be readily discernab/e to the decision makers as being
substantially different from the project as originally approved in that no changes are proposed to
the exterior finishes and details of the existing buildings and the new CMU walls will have the
same color and texture of the existing structures.
Therefore, the City Planner has determined that the application QUALIFIES for a consistency
determination with the approved permit and APPROVES the changes to the project based on Planning
Division Administrative Policy No. 35.
Please submit two (2) blueline copies (24" X 36") of all applicable exhibits for the project file of the
amended site plan. The copies must be submitted, stamped "Consistency Determination," and signed
by the City Planner prior to issuance of any grading or building permits for the project. The Consistency
Determination Title Block stamp, and other Title Block stamps, can be downloaded from the City's
website at https://www.carlsbadca.gov/departments/community-development/permits-applications-
forms/planning-applications-forms. The Title Block (stamp) is located at the bottom of the page.
BLOOM ENERGY -VIASAT (NORTH INSTALL) -CD 2022-0029 (DEV 2022-0055)
December 6, 2022
Pa e 3
NOTICE
Please take NOTICE that approval of your project includes the "imposition" of fees, dedications,
reservations, or other exactions hereafter collectively referred to for convenience as "fees/exactions."
You have 90 days from the date of final approval to protest imposition of these fees/exactions. If you
protest them, you must follow the protest procedure set forth in Government Code Section 66020(a), and
file the protest and any other required information with the City Manager for processing in accordance
with Carlsbad Municipal Code Section 3.32.030. Failure to timely follow that procedure will bar any
subsequent legal action to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul their imposition.
You are hereby FURTHER NOTIFIED that your right to protest the specified fees/exactions DOES NOT
APPLY to water and sewer connection fees and capacity charges, nor planning, zoning, grading or other
similar application processing or service fees in connection with this project; NOR DOES IT APPLY to any
fees/exactions of which you have previously been given a NOTICE similar to this, or as to which the statute
of limitations has previously otherwise expired.
This decision may be appealed by you or any other member of the public to the Planning Commission
within ten days of the date of this letter. Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Planning Division
at 1635 Faraday Avenue in Carlsbad, along with a payment of $847. The filing of such appeal within such
time limit shall stay the effective date of the order of the City Planner until such time as a final decision
on the appeal is reached.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please feel free to contact your project planner, Kyle Van
Leeuwen at (442) 339-2611 or by email at kyle.vanleeuwen@carlsbadca.gov.
CITY OF CARLSBAD
ERIC LARDY, AICP
City Planner
EL:KVL:JC
c: Levine Investments LP, 2801 E. Camelback Rd., #450, Phoenix, AZ 85018
Jennifer Horta, 17734 Gerritt Ave., Cerritos CA 90703
David Rick, Project Engineer
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