HomeMy WebLinkAboutEIR 93-02; Green Valley; Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (16)February 24, 1994
Mr. Lloyd Hubbs, City Engineer
City of Carlsbad
Engineering Department
2075 Las Palmas Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92009-4859
PBD Technologies Planning
1100 Town & Country Road Suite 300 Transportation
Orange, CA 92668 Environmental
P.O. Box 5367
Orange, CA 92613-5367 Landscape Architecture
Engineering
Economics
FAX 7141953-6989
714J835-4447
An Employee-Owned Company
Re: Leucadia Boulevard Alignment,
City of Encinitas Appeal of CT 92-08
Dear Lloyd:
We have been informed by your staff that the City of Encinitas has appealed the Planning
Commission's approval of CT 92-08. The City of Encinitas wants to have a condition added
to the Green Valley Tentative Map that would require the dedication of Leucadia Boulevard
right-of-way in conformance with Scheme 3. This is illustrated in Figure 5-1 6 of the Encinitas
Ranch Draft EIR, a copy of which is attached. The centerline of Leucadia Boulevard is located
approximately on the property boundaryKity boundary.
This particular alignment has been under consideration for several years. Carlsbad Partners
has indicated on several occasions during the last two years of work on the Green Valley
project that should such an alignment emerge as the preferred alignment, they would
cooperate with both cities on the right-of-way issue. This was reiterated most recently in our
correspondence to Christer Westman dated January 13, 1994, a copy of which is attached.
This spirit of cooperation does not mean we concur with the condition as requested by
Encinitas. It is inappropriate at this time to place such a condition on the Green Valley map.
The alignment has not been finalized and the environmental impacts and relationship to a
variety of Carlsbad policies and ordinances have not been investigated. More importantly, it
would be incorrect to sever this issue from other road alignment issues between Encinitas
Ranch and Green Valley. This was also discussed in our January 13 letter in Item 2. There
are several road issues that should be dealt with as a package.
In summary, we do not agree with the appeal by the City of Encinitas and believe it should
be denied. As an alternative, we believe a Memorandum of Agreement could be devised
relatively quickly which deals with several of the road alignment issues. We would be willing
to participate in this effort in any way you would find useful.
The key conditions of this Memorandum of Agreement would be as follows:
1. Dedication by Carlsbad Partners of right-of-way for Leucadia Boulevard in accordance
with Scheme 3 in the Encinitas Ranch Draft EIR; AND - 2. Deletion of the extension of Via Cantabria into Carlsbad in the location currently shown
in the Encinitas Ranch Draft EIR. This alignment would cause significant and
unnecessary environmental damage to the upland bluff habitat and require the master
planning for the Green Valley retail center to start all over again; AND
Mr. Lloyd Hubbs, City Engineer
City of Carlsbad
February 24, 1994
Page 2
3. If a future connection is made by Encinitas Ranch to Road "A", it will be in
conformance with the Green Valley Master Plan and the Encinitas Ranch site plans that
were distributed through most of 1993. If one of the solutions to the increased traffic
created by that project is to utilize a connection through Carlsbad to Levante Street
and Calle Barcelona, then the improvements necessary to accommodate that traffic
must be agreed are part of the Encinitas project.
Please consider our client's position on this matter. We have diligently moved forward over
the past two years to design a project that recognizes and incorporates items that are
important to the project and the community. This includes an extensive effort at cooperation
on these road alignments. As we approach action by the City Council there is a narrowly
focused effort to deal with finalizing one part of the issue without resolution of what should
be considered as the whole issue. We wish to continue to be a good neighbor and believe our
alternate approach is the way to allow this to occur.
Please call so we can discuss this further.
Very truly yours,
P&D TECHNOLOGIES
John W. Norman, P.E.
Director of Engineering
Attachments
C: Michael Holzmiller
Christer Westman 0
Bob Wojcik
JWN:be
...
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Figure 5-16 Alternative Leucadia Boulevard Alignment Scheme 3
Source: u'Day Consultants (1993)
t
January 13, 1994
Mr. Christer Westman
Associate Planner
Planning Department
City of Carlsbad
2075 Las Palmas Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92009-1 576
Planning PBD Technologies
401 W. “A“ Street Engineering
Suite 2500 Fansportation Environmental San Diego. CA 92101
Economics
6191232.4466 Landscape Architecture
FAX 6191234.3022
An Employee-Owned Company
..
Re: Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan and Leucadia Boulevard Alignment EIR
Dear Christer:
As requested we have reviewed the Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan and EIR, focusing on how
the proposed project and alternatives relate to Green Valley. In general, the documents reflect
a sound approach to planning and environmental analysis. This is reflected in the continuity
of the natural open space systems between the two areas, protection of Encinitas Creek and
revegetation areas. There are three areas where comments are warranted:
1. Leucadia Boulevard Alianment
One of the alternative alignments of Leucadia Boulevard, Scheme 3, is along the City
boundary and Green Valley property line. This would have an impact on the Green
VaIleyZone 23 property and would require right-of-way dedication, grading easements,
and potentially mitigation measures.
If the environmental review process determines Scheme 3 is the preferred alignment,
the owner of the Green Valley property is willing to cooperate in the process and
resolve right-of-way and other issues in a mutually satisfactory manner.
2. Via Cantabria/Road “A”
The alignment of Via Cantabria north of Leucadia Boulevard is shown approximately
1,800 feet west of El Camino Real. This is not consistent with the alignment of Road
“A“ on the Green Valley property; the Master Plan of which has been in process since
1992. It is also not consistent with previously distributed plans of Encinitas Ranch.
The alignment shown in the EIR is directly towards the upland bluffs on the Green
Valley property and would have significant adverse environmental impacts in the City
of Carlsbad.
The Green Valley Master Plan and Master Tentative Map have from the outset included
provisions for the extension of Road “A” (Via Cantabria) to Leucadia Boulevard. This
was not a subject of any comment in the City of Encinitas response to the Green
Valley EIR.
- * - - -*.* -
Mr. Christer Westman
City of Carlsbad
January 13, 1994
Page 2
In that the plans for Encinitas Ranch are not as advanced as Green Valley, it was seen
as important to retain some flexibility to the alignment. To that end Road "A" has
been designed only to within 300 feet of the City boundarylproperty line. Should the
road connection be made to Leucadia Boulevard, the future final design process can
determine where it would most appropriately exit the property. This flexibility, though,
does not allow such a dramatic move to the west.
3. Reduced DeveloDment for Green Valley Master Plan
The development scenario discussed on page 6-30 is not an accurate representation
of the Carlsbad General Plan for the Green Valley property. The current General Plan
would permit medium high residential and mixed retail and office development totalling
over 1,000,000 s.f. The proposed development is a reduction in the intensity of
development producing 5,200 ADT less than that anticipated in the traffic model.
Please call if you have any questions regarding our comments.
Very truly yours,
P&D TECHNOLOGIES I
GWB:be