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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 ... U I 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