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Home My WebLink AboutEIR 93-02; Green Valley; Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (9)AprlI 1,1994 RECEiVED rc APR 0 1 1994 c!l=k” CARURAB Mr. Michael Holzmiller Planning Director Com m un ity Development Building City of Carlsbad 2075 Las Palmas Drive Carlsbad, California 92009-1 576 ~~~~~~~ D Re: Green \/alley Master Plan and Master Tentative Map EIR 93-2/GPA, 93-1/MP, 92-1 ILCPA, 93-61LFMPl 87-23 1 and Appeal of CT 92-8 City of Carlsbad, California Dear Mr. Holzmiller: 1 phoned for Mr. Christer Westman on Tuesday, March 29,1994, and left a message on his voice mail for him to return my phone call, with no avail. Since I did not receive a return call, I visited your department and reviewed the available documents pertaining to the above reference project. I requested, and received a copy of the Environmental Impact Report for said project. I also attempted to discuss the project with your staff, however, the available personnel were not conversant with the project. I requested to see you, but you were out at the time. I am a resident of the City of Carlsbad and reside at 7727 Caminito Monarca #I 01 , which is part of the Monarch Villas Condominium Project. It is important that you are aware that as a resident immediately adjacent to the proposed project, we were not notified of the Cities previous Planning Commission meetings. I am under the opinion that the Notification Requirements for actions of this type, requires Notification of all property owners, of record, within a 300 Foot radius of the project area. Being a Condominium Project, this would require all property owners, of record, within said Project to be Noticed. I dld recelve the Notlce for the proposed Councll Meetlng to be held Aprll 5, 1994. It was this Notice that prompted me to investigate what is being considered. A little history regarding my qualifications to provide these comments, beyond being a concerned citizen, is that until March 15,1994 and for the last 20 years, I was employed by the Hahn Company, 4340 La Jolla Village Drive, as Senior Project Manager, Development Division, with responsibility of developing Regional Shopping Centers throughout the United States. The Centers that you are most familiar with are probably, Parkway Plaza, University Towne Centre (UTC) and North County Fair. I was the Architect for the original Parkway Plaza prior to joining the Hahn Company, and the developer for all of the expansions. In total I have developed some twelve to fifteen Regional Centers, all well over 1,000,000 square Feet in size. Encinitas is also processing a application for a similar center, which is proposed to be located immediately south of this Green Valley Project. It would appear that between the two Cities a race is occurring to be the first to have a approved project, precluding the other from proceeding. The area cannot support both projects, therefor, the addition of the Encinitas Project to the Impacts of the Green Valley Project is not the appropriate conclusion. I do believe, however, that some type of Project will occur as a result of redefined commercial corridor that will been established by this Project. I must tell you that I agree, for the most part, with this proposa1,except for the Medium High Density Residential portion. I don't believe that it belongs anywhere close to this size of a commercial project. The Residential portion of the Project should be scaled back to a sole ownership / Condominium project about the size and quality of Monarch Villas. Apartments and especially low income units do not belong in this type of environment. I am a strong supporter of Cities conditioning Projects and Parcel Maps with items that are needed by the City for the welfare of the citizens, but cannot be funded in the normal course of business, such as Schools Fees, Park Fees, Roadways, etc.. The Cities can also condition projects to cause Power and Telephone lines to be undergrounded. The Developments bring the traffic and people and therefor should carry the cost directly to mitigated problems. The City should lock in and obtain agreements with the developers as soon as possible for all of the conditions outlined within the EIR as mitigating measures including the new roadway from El Camino Real to and including improvements to Leucadia and 1-5 overpass. This agreement should also contain a time frame, backed up by a performance bond,in which each condition will be accomplished. These agreements should be accomplished by the city a the first application made which requires Planning and Council Action. I feel that it is very important that all of the EIR proposed mitigating measures for OFF-Site Work be accomplished prior to the City reviewing and approving any of the Precise Plan Applications for each phase of this development. While at the city, I ask if Park Fees were scheduled for collection as part of the conditions of development imposed on this Project. ! was told that City of Carlsbad does not require Park Fees from Commercial endeavors. While devehping LITC, I paid the City of San Diego, Park Fees in the amount of approximately $58,000.00 per Acre of the total site area, plus was also required to develop the Canyon Park and maintain it forever. At North County Fair, we paid Park Fees as well as constructed many improvement to their existing Kit Carson Park. What I am getting too, with this comparison, is that we have a large Utility Transmission Line, in a easement,running North/South just East of El Camino Real. \YAJlth the Health Hazards that are surfacing regarding the large transmission lines being located adjacent to homes, it would seem feasible to condition the Project to cause the lines to be undergrounded. San Diego Gas and Electric Co. will be Afier re-".iewing this prapased centei ana" unders&&-ding that the city. of i c required, as weii as the wiii want to service this Projed, wouid if forced io do so, mderarniind this line The easement will still have tn remain hilt cniild he araded following the now existing contours and a Park could be developed by doing nothina more than installina a irriaation svstem and seedina in lawn; The developer could also be conditioned to maintain the Park. Thia would remove a Health Hazard, remove a area that is now being used by lllegals in lieu of housing. What prompted my thought relative to the Park idea, was that the City of Carlsbad Fire Department has contacted our Homeowners Association offering to get the Company which presently owns this property is in Bankruptcy and they cannot collect for the Cities Weed Abatement. The Fire Department recommended planting this area in lawn, which would not require weed abatement. While reviewing the commercial portion of this proposal, I noted that the parking space sizes were non standard. Our experience has proven that the best parking standard is 70 degrees with bay to bay spacing of 60' - 0". Standard parking stail size is 8' - 8 x 19 - 0, compact stall size is 8' - 0 x 17' - 0. Compact stall are only used around the perimeter of the site and are used for employee parking. The overall parking ratio should be a min. of 5 parking stalls per 1000 square feet of leasable floor area. Site lighting works well with the 60 - 0 bay spacing by using a 40' - 0 high light standard with a box design fixture using vertical burn, Metal Halide lamp. This lamp is color correct, which allows people to find their car, cuts down on tripping hazards and is generally safer. The lighting level for the parking should be 3 foot candle min. mairltained, driveway areas should be 5 foot candles while the main entry drives should be 8 foot candle% min. maintained all at a height of 30 above grade. I trust that this information will be helpful to you, your staff, City Council members and the developer. a*---- -..--. 3.'-..-. ....- ....-. . ..- ----...-..- ..... -.... ..-.- -- .-...-... , --- ---... -- easemefit, which is adjacent to M0fia:ch 'Y/illas, dedicated to the Asscciatbn as the Sincerely George C. (Tom) Adams 7727 Caminito Monarca #IO1 Carlsbad, Callfornla 92009 Phone: 942-8655 cc . Claude A. Lewis, Mayor Margaret Stanton, Mayor Pro Tem Ann J. Kulchin, Council Person Julianne Nygaard, Council Person Ramona Finnila Council Person