HomeMy WebLinkAboutLCPA 02-05; Smith Property Land Use Change; Local Coastal Program Amendment (LCPA) (4),e -, q-/p02-
City of Carlsbad
April 1,2002
Bill Ponder
California Coastal Commission
7575 Metropolitan Drive, Suite 103
San Diego, CA 92108
RE: GPA 02-02, ZC 02-03, LCPA 02-05 - SMITH PROPERTY LAND USE CHANGE
(APN: 214471-53)
Dear Mr. Ponder:
The City of Carlsbad City Council has directed City staff to process a General Plan
Amendment (GPA 02-02), Zone Change (ZC 02-03) and Local Coastal Plan
Amendment (LCPA 02-05) for a vacant 5.12 acre parcel located on the southeast
corner of Interstate 5 and Poinsettia Lane (Smith property).
The property currently has a General Plan land use designation of N - Neighborhood
Commercial and is zoned C-1-Q - Neighborhood Commercial within a Qualified Overlay
Zone. The Local Coastal Plan land use designation is General Commercial. The site is
within the Mello I Segment of the Carlsbad Local Coastal Plan, which states
“commercial uses may be allowed on the two parcels south of Poinsettia Lane and
adjacent to 1-5 on both sides of the freeway provided that 35% of the land area is
devoted exclusively to tourist commercial uses”.
The City Council direction is to change the land use and zoning from commercial to
residential. City staff is analyzing various land use alternatives for the site. The
alternatives are as follows:
Medium density residential (4-8 dulac)
Medium high density residential (8-1 5 dulac)
High density residential (1 5-23 dulac)
0 Office
Maintain existing land use designation - neighborhood commercial
The proposed land use and zone change has the potential to become controversial.
Over a number of years the current property owner (Carolyn Smith) has several times
expressed interest in developing the site with a small shopping center. This interest has
included submitting conceptual plans to city staff for an informal preliminary review. The
property owner has not yet submitted any formal project application to the city.
1635 Faraday Avenue Carlsbad, CA 92008-7314 (760) 602-4600 FAX (760) 602-8559 www.ci.carlsbad.ca.us 43
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GPA 02-02, ZC 02-03, L~PA 02-05 - SMITH PROPERTY LAdD USE CHANGE
April 1,2002
Each time the property owner expressed interest in developing the site for commercial
use, residents of the adjoining Sea Cliffs residential community have expressed to city
staff and the City Council their strong opposition to the site being developed for
commercial use. Residents of the Sea Cliffs community have indicated their preference
for the site to be developed as open space or residential use.
Most recently, staff recommended to change the land use designation of the site from
Neighborhood Commercial to Local Shopping Center as part of a city-wide land use
change of Neighborhood Commercial sites to a new land use designation (Local
Shopping Center). However, residents of the Sea Cliffs community opposed this staff
initiated land use change on the project site. On March 5, 2002, the’City Council voted
against the staff recommendation on the subject site and directed staff to prepare a
GPA and ZC to change the designation from commercial to an alternative land use,
possibly residential.
To avoid complications in the processing of the proposed land use and zone change,
staff would like to receive some initial input from the Coastal Commission. The Coastal
Commission’s position on this proposal will greatly impact the processing of this project.
Therefore, the City is requesting that the Coastal Commission provide a written
response indicating whether or not they would consider supporting any of the potential
land use alternatives listed above.
The Coastal Commission’s time and consideration on this matter is very much ’
appreciated. If you have any questions, please contact me at (760) 602-4637 or
jcoon@ci.carlsbad.ca.us.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Coon
Associate Planner
JLC:CS
c: File Copy