HomeMy WebLinkAboutCD 2023-0012; CARLSBAD RANCH PLANNING AREA 5; Admin Decision LetterMarch 4, 2024
Hoffman Planning Associates
5900 Pasteur Court, Suite 200A
Carlsbad, CA 92008
(cicyof
Carlsbad
SUBJECT: CD 2023-0012 (DEV03006)-CARLSBAD RANCH PLANNING AREA 5 (MARBRISA-HOTEL #6)
The City Planner has completed a review of your application for Consistency Determination CD 2023-0012,
(APN: 211-131-19-00) which is a modification to CT 15-08/PUD 15-16/SDP 03-02(A)/CUP 03-0l(A)/CDP
03:.04(A), a request for revisions to a site plan and architectural elevations for a hotel and timeshare
project.
After careful consideration of the request, the City Planner has determined that the request meets all of
the findings below and APPROVES this request. The proposed modifications include:
• Eliminating eight (8) hotel rooms within the Hotel #6 building (northern most wing of
Sheraton Carlsbad Resort and Spa) which reduces the total number of hotel rooms from 40
to 32. The rooms will range in size from 403 square feet to 509 square feet. This change is
consistent with the agreement between the property owner and the city for use and
development of the city owned property in planning area SA, which requires the development
of at least 25 "Junior Suites" at least 370 square feet in size.
• Reconfiguring the building so that there are fewer rooms facing the southwest and the
addition of a housekeeping and storage room within building #6.
• Addition of a stairway and elevator tower at the southeast corrier of the structure.
• Increase the heigh of one stairway and elevator tower from 48 feet to 51 feet.
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 hotel building will remain
at four stories in height and will be architecturally compatible with the existing hotel buildings
on the site. In addition, the reduction in hotel rooms in this building has been replaced by hotel
rooms elsewhere on the site (CD 2018-0002). Therefore, no reduction in total hotel rooms is
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 the exterior building
materials and finishes are consistent with the previous approval and are consistent with the
existing, adjacent hotel buildings. Also, the exterior walkways that connect building 4 to the
existing hotel building include a two-story rotunda feature that breaks up the massing, provides
articulation and visual interest to the walkways.
3) The proposed revision does not change the density or boundary of the subject property in that the
hotel rooms are not included in density _calculations and the boundary of the subject property
remains the same as previously approved.
Community Development Department
Planning Division I 1635 Faraday Avenue I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 442-339-2600
CD 2023-0012 (DEV03006)-CARLSBAD RANCH PLANNING AREA 5
March 4, 2024
Pa e 2
, ____________ _
4) The proposed revision does not involve the addition of a new land use not shown on the original
permit in that a hotel building was previously approved in this area.
5) The proposed revision does not rearrange the major land uses within the development.
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 although a reduction of eight (BJ rooms is proposed, for a total of 32
rooms to be constructed, the total number of hotel rooms approved for Planning Areas 5 and
SA of the Carlsbad Ranch Specific Plan remains at 409 hotel rooms, which includes 121 rooms
and 48 rooms in the two existing Sheraton buildings and 130 rooms and 78 rooms in the two
existing Westin buildings {32+121+48+13D+78=409}. Furthermore, the height of the hotel
building, including stair/elevator tower at 51 feet in height, is not increased by more than ten
percent (originally approved at 48 feet in height). The project maintains compliance with
applicable development standards, including parking, for the proposed hotel building.
7) The proposed change will not result in any significant environmental impact, and/or require
additional mitigation.
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.
10) The proposed change would not be readily discernable to the decision makers as being
substantially different from the project as originally approved in that the proposed hotel building
maintains architecture and exterior colors and materials similar to the previous approval and
similar to the existing hotel buildings on the site.
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.
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 $900. 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 to contact Kyle Van
Leeuwen at (442) 339-2611.
CITY OF CARLSBAD
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ERIC LARDY
City Planner
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c: Grand Pacific Carlsbad, LP., 5900 Pasteur Court, Suite 200, Carlsbad, CA 92008
David Rick, Project Engineer
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