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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975-10-15; Planning Commission; ; CUP 112 - FIRE STATION NO. 3.#- CITY OF CARLSBAD PUI" I NG DEPARTMENT <- STAFF REPORT September 24, 1975 TO: PLANNING COMMISSION FROM: PLANNING DEPARTMENT CASE: CUP 112 APPLICANT: CITY INITIATED REQUEST : CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW A FIRE STATION (No. 3) SECTION I - STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recomnends that CUP 112 be approved based on the following findings: 1) The requested use is necessary or desirable for the development of the community, is essentially in harmony with the various Elements and objectives of the General Plan, and is not detrimental to existing uses or to uses specifically permitted in the zone in which the proposed use is to be located. a) The community is developing to the east, and north and south along El Camino Real. Fire services are needed in this area of the City. b) The activity is compatible with the goal and objectives of the Public Safety Element and the Development guidelines - Utilities and Public Services section of the Land Use Element of the . General Plan. c) Potential hazards and/or undesirable aspects of the activity will be adequately mi tigated by traffic control and noise control. 2) That the site for the intended use is adequate in size and shape to accomodate the use. 3) That all of the yards, set backs, walls, fences, landscaping and other features necessary to adjust the requested use to existing or per- mitted future uses in the neighborhood will be provided and maintained. a) The project will be reviewed prior to building permit issuance to insure the above. . b) Landscaping and maintenance thereof, will be provided to the satisfaction of the Parks and Recreation Director. 4) That the street system serving the proposed use is adequate to properly handle all traffic generated by the proposed use. a) The activity is located at the intersection of two major thoroughfares. Recommended Conditions of Approval: 1) The Conditional Use Permit is granted for the land on the southwest corner of the intersection of El Camino Real and Chestnut Avenue, identified as Parcel 1, El Camino Mesa, Unit No. 1, Map 5493. 2) A system to allow the signal lights at the intersection of El Camino Real and Chestnut to be controlled by Fire Station personnel will be installed to the satisfaction of the City Engineer. 3) Traffic warnings and controls will be provided on streets and intersections that must be used for ingress and egress at the fire station to the satisfaction of the City Engineer. 4) With the exception of emergencies within the surrounding subdivision, siren or klaxon will not be used until the emergency vehicles are out of the subdivision. 5) A detailed landscape plan including provisions for proper screening and fencing shall be submitted for approval to the Planning Director and Parks and Recreation Director before building permits are issued. SECTION I1 - STAFF BACKGROUND REPORT I. Request: The applicant requests a Conditional Use Permit to allow a fire station (No. 3). 11. Location and Description of the Property: The project location is on the southeast corner of Chestnut and El Camino Real. The building pad is graded, and surrounded by chain-link fence. The property slopes to street grade level from the north and west. These unlandscaped slopes drop approximately 15 feet maximum to 5 feet minimum. The existence of these slopes reduces the buildable size of the lot. 111. Existing Zone: Subject Parcel: R-1-8 North: R-1-9 South: R-1-8 East: R-1-8 West: R-1-10 IV. Surrounding Land Use: Subject Parcel : Vacant North: Single Family Residence -2- s South: Single Family Residence East: Single Family Residence West: El Camino Real V. Environmental Impact Information: An Environmental Impact Assessment form has been filed and a Negative Declaration issued on the project. VI. General Plan Information: The General Plan calls for Residential low- medium density for the subject property and surrounding properties. The fire station will be built with a similar design to the surrounding single family homes. The Goals and objectives of the Public Safety Element of the General Plan states : The decisions and activities of the City of Carlsbad pertaining to public safety will be guided by these goals: 1) Minimize injury, loss of life and damage to property re- sulting from fire, flood, crime or hazardous use disaster occurence. Maximize public safety factors in the planning process. Optimize organization and delivery of emergency services upon Occurence of fire, f ood, crime or hazardous use dhaster. The request is compatible with the Development Guidelines - Utilities and Public Services Section of the Land Use Element of the General Plan. VII. Major Planning Considerations: 2) 3) 4) The two major issues in this project are: 1) 2) Is the Fire Station needed at this location? Will there be any adverse affects on the neighborhood resultant from the activity? SECTION I11 - DISCUSSION: The City is experiencing residential and/or commercial development to the east of the main fire station (Elm Avenue) and north and south along El Camino Real. The proposed fire station would serve these areas of current and future growth and also provide a location that has through access to the western parts of the City. -3- In 1973, the City of Carlsbad contracted with Gage-Babcock and Associates, an engineering consulting firm specializing in municipal fire defense services to study current and future fire protection facilities in the City. The report which was generated as a result of this study, Report on Cost/Effectiveness Study and Growth Plan for Fire Defenses, City of Carlsbad, California, found the following in regard to proposed fire station number three: As pointed out elsewhere in this report, fire de- partment service today in Carlsbad is hardly sufficient in terms of coping with the anticipated major fire problems in the City. A fifteen year plan for orderly growth of the City's fire defenses has been developed and is presented in Part IV of this report. Several items of immediate need are included with this plan; e.g., one additional engine company and station. Gage-Babcock concurs with the City's preliminary plan for a new and temporary fire station in the immediate vicinity of El Camino Real and Chestnut Avenue. This need is dictated by several existing and developing conditions and is recommended for the following reasons: a. b. C. d. To meet the response time/distance requirements to the high-value El Camino Plaza complex. Existing street patterns and grades result in excessive response time/distance from the Elm Street station. To provide adequate protection for developing areas along El Camino north of this location, in the south- east portion of the Old City north-east of Hedionda Lagoon, and to the areas to be developed east and northeast of this station location. To provide faster support service (second engine company) to the La Costa station that is essential for adequate protection for that area and the de- veloping industrial areas in the vicinity of Palomar Airport. To provide the necessary? immediate need for a second engine company to respond within a reasonable time and distance to the northern portion of the City; -4- The City's concept that this new station be constructed so as to marketable as a residence in the future is strongly endorsed. With improvements in east-west street patterns as planned for the future, this location will be too far west for optimum fire station distribution, considering the City as a whole. Rather, a location to the north-east would be more effective. Noise will be controlled through building insulation. Alarm bells will be small and oriented to the immediate station area. Only minor routine maintenance of equipment will be done on site. Major repairs will be performed at Station 1, or the City Shop. The traffic signals at Chestnut and El Camino Real will be controlled from the station and the use of sirens seldom necessary until the equipment reaches Kelly Drive or Marron Road. Fire Chief Anear has supplied the Planning Department the following information regarding the fire station's effect on surrounding property values. I personally discussed this residential fire station with the following people: Mr. Charles Hale, Oceanside Savins and Loan; he is their loan officer, Oceanside Office: Mr. Thomas Light, San Diego County Tax Assessor's Office, manager of the Vista office, and Action Realtors, 500 West Broadway, Vista. Mr. Hale stated it would make absolutely no difference to his organiza- tion in financing real estate sales in the vicinity of a fire station. Mr. Light said there was no detrimental effect on property values as far as the assessors' office was concerned, and a check of the tax records verfied this. Action Realty had just sold a dwelling, 2789 College Blvd., two doors north of Oceansides' residential fire station. The price received was one of the highest, identical property has ever sold for in the area. The VA appraisal on this property is identical for any other similar unit in the tract. Staff helicves that the proposed location is an acceptable one ta provide efficient fire protection with a minimum of inter- ference at this time. At the time when additional easward development warrants the permanent location of a fire station at another location, the propased structure could he marketed as a single family home and would be compatible with the character of the surrounding devel apmen t. TH:mdp 10/2/75 Attachments : Location Map Plot plan -5- I' I School District: Mater Sanitation District. rtq *F eAzL3wD .! I' ! I i Case No. CQQ, \I2 Date Rec'd: &-22 DRC Date: 4-rG PC Date 3-26 Description of Request: C.Uop. I=rlZe t