HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-12-05; Planning Commission; ; DI 90-03 | CUP 87-09 - SOUTH CARLSBAD LIBRARYSfAFF REPORT
DATE: DECEMBER 5, 1990
TO: PLANNING COMMISSION
FROM: PLANNING DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: DI 90-3 FOR CUP 87-9 -SOtrm CARLSBAD lJBRAR.Y -Review of the final
design of the proposed City Library located west of El Camino Real, south of
Dove Lane.
I. RECOMMENDATION
The Library Board Building Review Committee has voted, (with one dissenting vote) to
recommend approval of the current South Carlsbad Library site and building design to the
Planning Commission. Agreement with this recommendation would require that the
Planning Commission ADOPT Planning Commission Resolution No. 3171 APPROVING
DI 90-3 based upon the finding and subject to the conditions contained therein.
II.
A.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND
Project History
The proposed South Carlsbad Library is part of a larger mixed use development
including a shopping center, six-plex movie theater and post office. This project was
approved by the Planning Commission on February 1, 1989 through Site
Development Plan Number 86 -11 (A) and associated permits, including Conditional
Use Permit Number 87-9 that specifically allowed the library use on site. When the
project went before the Planning Commission, the library was planned on a
conceptual basis only and the Conditional Use Permit required that the final design
of the library be reviewed by the Commission prior to issuance of building permits.
A conceptual elevation of the library was made part of the exhibit package. The
original conception of the new South Carlsbad Library outlined in The Strategic Plan
for Library Space Needs, was for a 58,000 square foot single story library facility.
The shopping center itself was designed with shared parking and access to prevent
a separation in circulation and parking lots. To accommodate this, a reciprocal
access and parking agreement was entered into by the City Council in May of 1990.
On April 10, 1990, the City Council approved an increase of the library to 64,000
square feet and the newly chosen architectural firm of Cardwell/Thomas and
Associates began designing the enlarged building. Over the last eight months, the
Library Building Review Committee has been working with the architects to
assimilate the desired programs and organization into the library proposal. The
current design and construction schedule is based upon an opening date of July 1,
1992. This discussion item represents the review of the final design as required by
CUP 87-9.
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B. Project Design
The South Carlsbad Library project is interesting as it has been designed from the
inside outward. The driving factor for most of the design has been the program
space desired by the Library Board/Building Review Committee. Included within
the library design are a 192 seat auditorium/production stage, an art gallery, a
children's library with exterior courtyard, and a Friends of the Library book sales
area. Although these special program areas have combined into a large building,
approximately 64,000 square feet, the architectural style has broken the structure
into several smaller elements. As seen in Exhibit "A" -"G" dated December 5, 1990,
the auditorium, art gallery, entry courtyard, and children's reading room are distinct
elements attached to the main, two-story library building.
The architects have derived the building architecture from early California Missions.
The exterior surface is stucco plaster, lighter in color than the shopping center, and
includes stone trim as a base material. The main element of the building is crowned
by a tile-roofed clerestory, similar in color and material to the neighboring retail
buildings. The entry courtyard is framed by an arcade that leads pedestrian traffic
from the parking lot into the library. The courtyard is proposed to include
decorative paving, a specimen oak tree, and a water feature. Windows on the front
and sides of the building have been kept small in both size and number to cut down
on glare within the library. The building footprint has been reduced and the eastern
parking lot design has been rotated to allow for more landscaping and a drop-off
area in front of the library.
The current library proposal .has been reviewed by the Planning, Engineering and
Fire Departments for conformance with the appropriate codes and standards. With
regard to the building itself, the Fire Department is working with the architects to
incorporate all required safety devices. The structure conforms to all required
setbacks and, while the clerestory element extends above the 35 foot height
maximum, it qualifies as a skylight and may exceed the height limit as it does not
provide additional floor space. The circulation and parking lot design are very
similar to the original site development plan and have been reviewed by the
Engineering Department for feasibility. Landscaping within the parking area is
equivalent to that approved through SOP 86-ll(A).
During the course of the Planning Department's review of the project, it became
evident that the current library parking standard of one space per one-hundred-fifty
square feet of floor area (1:150) was perhaps inappropriate and overly restrictive.
After preliminary research, staff recommended a reevaluation of the library parking
in Resolution of Intention (ROI 184) presented to the Planning Commission on
October 17, 1990. Because no survey of library parking adequacy was conducted
prior to adoption in 1986 of the current standard of 1: 150, staff believed more
research in this area was necessary.
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DECEMBER 5, 1990
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This research involved polling numerous jurisdictions as to their library parking
standards, investigating existing library developments and their parking supplies,
and searching periodicals for pertinent studies. The results of this research indicated
that a standard of between 1 :200 and 1 :350 was a logical and adequate
requirement.
On December 5, 1990, the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing
regarding the Zone Code Amendment for library parking standards which proposes
to change the standard from one space per one hundred-fifty square feet of floor
area (1:150) to one space per two hundred square feet (1:200). The current
64,000 sq. ft. South Carlsbad Library design, if parked at 1 :200, would require 320
spaces. The proposed site plan provides 350 parking spaces on the library parcel.
Because this ratio does not meet the current ordinance, approval of this discussion
item has been conditioned subject to approval of ZCA 90-1. Should the Planning
Commission and/or City Council reject the suggested parking standard amendment,
either a reduction in building size or a redesign of the library parking lot to include
a parking structure would be necessary. The provisional site plan for a parking
structure including elevations is shown on Exhibits "H" -"I" dated December 5,
1990. If the Zone Code Amendment is approved, the new library would provide
more parking than is required.
The final item of analysis is the topic of compatibility with the Plaza Paseo Real
Shopping Center. It is the Planning Staffs understanding that the Planning
Commission intended the library to be similar in architecture to the rest of the
center. This is reflected in the conceptual library elevation contained in the exhibit
package for SOP 86-1 l(A). During design of the library, however, the architects
and the Library Board/Building Review Committee have concluded that the library
building should be distinctive in architecture. According to Richard Cardwell of
CardwelVThomas and Associates, since the library is a municipal building, the
structure should reflect a more timeless architectural style than the shopping center.
This was accomplished by "emphasizing the calm dignity and permanence which
belongs to a public building." This included a less decorative, less rounded building
design and a lighter exterior coloration. The architects, while designing the library
to be a "good neighbor'' to the retail buildings, felt that distinctive architectural style
was necessary to set the building apart from the center. The existing library pad is
20 feet above the rest of the center, further setting it apart from the retail complex.
If the intention of the Planning Commission was to have a library building designed
with similar architecture to the shopping center, then the Planning Department staff
recommends that the proposed design does not meet this intention. If the Planning
Commission was intending the library building to be distinctive from the center, as
in the rationale described above, staff agrees that the current proposal accomplishes
this goal.
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In summary, approval of this discussion item would satisfy condition no. 4 of Planning
Commission Resolution No. 2815 and allow the design and construction schedule of the
South Carlsbad Library to proceed.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Planning Commission Resolution No. 3170
2. Location Map
3. Exhibits "A" -"I", dated December 5, 1990
MG:km
November 9, 1990
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City of Carlsbad
CARLSBAD SOUTH LIBRARY DI 90-03