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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCT 93-08; Carrillo Ranch Village O; Tentative Map (CT) (26)Hofman Planning Associates January 25, 1994 Brian Hunter 2075 Las Palmas Drive Carlsbad, Ca. 92009 RE: CONTINENTAL HOMES - INCENTIVES FOR VILLAGE F Dear Brian: This letter provides a list and justification for the incentives and waivers being requested by Continental Homes for Village F of the Rancho Carrillo Master Plan. We understand the City's wish for an exact dollar value for each of the incentives being requested. We may be able to provide an approximate dollar value for some of the incentives being requested, such as not requiring the elimination of a dwelling unit when there are more than 10 two story units in a row. However, it is impossible to place a dollar value on most of the incentives being requested, especially the requested waivers to the City's Engineering standards. The flexibility being requested is necessary for the successful development of the townhomes being proposed for this village. This product type was chosen by Continental Homes because they believe 1) it will allow them to meet the City's affordable housing requirements 2) provide a unit that will have market appeal and 3) be compatible with the homes they are developing on the other Villages within the Rancho Carrillo Master Plan. When reviewing the financial incentives and standards waivers being requested for Village F the City should keep in mind the circumstances surrounding this project. 1. The developers of the Rancho Carrillo Master Plan are required to provide a tremendous amount of infrastructure, such as two major arterials, a school site and park land dedication. 2. Many of the incentives are being requested due to the topography of the Rancho Carrillo Master Plan. Even though Village F is one of flatter portions of the Master Plan and will be rough graded into two large pads there is still a substantial height difference between the high and low points of the site. :619) 438-i-65 As we have stated previously, even with the granting of these waivers and incentives there still will be a significant financial gap that will have to be made up to allow for the development of this project. The exact amount of this gap can not be determined at this time and an exact dollar value can not be placed on the incentives being requested by Continental Homes. However, these incentives will significantly reduce the amount of the financial gap that will have to be made up to allow for the development of this project. On site modifications - Village F 1. Allocate 120 affordable housing units from the excess unit pool in the southeast quadrant of the City to be used in this Village to meet the affordable housing requirement. This would give Continental Homes the ability to transfer an additional 120 market rate units to another site in the Southeast Quadrant of Carlsbad. Approval of this incentive would give Continental Homes the ability to sell these market rate units to the future developer of the Bressi Ranch property. This will help to subsidize the cost of developing the affordable units in Village F. The exact financial benefit of this density transfer is difficult to determine at this time and will be based on the value of the potential units at the tune Continental Homes attempts to market them to the future developer of the Bressi Ranch. 2. Allow for a modification to the requirements of Section 21.45.090.(h)(l) of the Carlsbad Municipal Code to allow 24' wide private driveways to serve this portions of this project. Twenty four foot wide driveways are only proposed for a few of the shorter low volume driveways. The use of 30' driveways in these areas would require a redesign that would eliminate eight units, making this project infeasible or require an even greater financial subsidy to bridge the gap. 3. Allow for a modification to the requirements of Section 21.45.090(g)(6) of the Carlsbad Municipal Code to permit some of the townhome units to have a patio with a minimum dimension of less than 10'. It is difficult to place an exact economic value on this incentive. This incentive would not be needed if some of the units with the smaller backyards were pulled to within 5' of the sidewalks. However this would eliminate extra parking that is provided hi front of the tandem garages. This situation only occurs in a few of the units. 4. Allow for a modification to the requirements of Section 21.44.130 to allow for a double car garage to have less than a 20' x 20' dimension. Allow for tandem parking in a 10.5' x 36' garage to provide one full sized and one compact parking space to meet the two covered parking space requirement of the Planned Development Ordinance. Tandem garages are essential to the design of the project. They allow for the design of an affordable project that provides each unit with two covered parking spaces, while reducing the garage court appearance created by a row of two car garages. Tandem garages have been successfully used in other existing projects in the City of Carlsbad, such as Tamarack Point. We have contacted that property management company for this project, Thompson & Associates and they do not have any records or recollections of having problems with the tandem parking at Tamarack Point. In addition this project exceeds the City's guest parking requirements. An additional 17 guest parking spaces have been provided by this project. See the memo submitted by Rick Planning Group for further justification of the proposed tandem parking. 5. Allow for public ownership and maintenance of the internal driveway system within this project. Allowing for public ownership and maintenance of the driveway system within this project would significantly reduce the monthly Homeowners Fee, thereby making it easier for a low income family to qualify for the purchase of a unit in this project. Offsite Modifications 1. Village O A. Allow for a modification to the requirements of Section 21.45.090(b)(2) to allow for a 15' setback from the right of way from a public street rather than a 20' setback. — This would still provide 20' of parking area between the back of sidewalk and the garage. If these units fronted on a private street rather than a public street this modification would not be needed. It is difficult to place an exact dollar value on this incentive. It will allow the creation of larger back yards which will help in the marketing of the units. B. Allow a modification to the requirements of Section 21.45.090(b)(5) to allow for more than 10 two story units in a row without requiring a 20' separation between units. — Street O-B has 14 lots fronting on it, while Street O-C has 13 lots fronting on it. Approval of this waiver would save two units in this Village. The dollar value of this incentive would be equal to the profit made from the sales of these two units, since the grading and construction of public improvements would be the same if these units were not constructed. 2. Village P A. Allow for a modification to the requirements of Section 21.45.090(b)(50 to allow for more than 10 two story units in a row without requiring a 20' separation between units. - — Street P-E has 12 lots fronting on it. Approval of this waiver would save one unit in this Village. Same explanation as above. Engineering Incentives 1. Entry Road A. Allow for the following engineering standards variances: 1. Maximum grade through intersections of 8% instead of 6%, 2. Corner site distance of 150' instead of 275', 3. Intersection spacing of 175' rather than 200'. Approval of these incentives will allow for the construction of an entry road that meets City requirement for a 25mph design speed, while allowing for the development of the proposed project. If these variances were not allowed it would necessitate the loss of up to 10 units. 2. Minor Driveways A. Allow for the following engineering standards variances: 1. Driveway widths of 24' rather than 30' 2. Corner site distance of 150' rather than 275', 3. Eliminate intersection approach tangent, 4. Eliminate site distance triangles at intersections, 5. Curb return radius of 15' rather than 20' Approval of these incentives would allow for the construction of an internal driveway system that allows for a 25mph design speed. As stated above if these incentives were not granted it would eliminate a significant number of the lots making the development of this project infeasible. 3. Other 1. Allow retaining wall heights in excess of 6'. 2. Allow for the use of private drainage systems rather than surface drainage per GS-15. As stated previously, compliance with these requirements would require the elimination of units which would further increase the financial gap the would need to be bridged to make this project possible. Please feel free to contact me if I can provide any additional information or justification for the incentives being requested. Sincerely, Mike Howes cc Chris Chambers Pat Moroney Bob Wilkinson Ray Martin