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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLCPA 90-08B; Carlsbad Ranch Specific Plan; Local Coastal Program Amendment (LCPA) (17)City -~ of- Carlsbad February 23, 1996 Bill Ponder California Coastal Commission San Diego Coast Area 31 11 Camino Del Rio North, Suite 200 San Diego, CA 921 08-1 725 SUBJECT: ACTION ITEMSAND SUMMARY OFTHE FEBRUARY 23,1996 MEETING FOR THE CARLSBAD RANCH SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT LCPA 90- OW) Dear Bill: Thank you and Deborah Lee for meeting today with Gary Wayne, Lauren Sevrin, Monica Browning, and I to discuss issues relative to the Carlsbad Ranch Specific Plan Amendment project’s Local Coastal Program Amendment application which you are currently reviewing. The purpose of this letter is to provide a record of the decisions reached at the meeting and establish a list of follow-up action items. The following is a list of the items discussed, decisions made, and the follow-up actions items identified: 1. LCPA Filing Determination It has been determined that the Carlsbad Ranch LCPA application is complete for processing. Prior to the Coastal Commission packet being distributed 35 copies of the Specific Plan will need to be submitted. Action item: A letter will be sent by the Coastal Commission staff stating that the application has been deemed complete. Hofman Planning Associates, the applicant’s consultant will be informed by city staff of the need for additional copies of the Specific Plan. 2. City of Carlsbad LCPA Notice Procedures The letter from Gary Wayne dated February 21, 1996 to Deborah Lee resolved any issues relative to the city’s procedure for noticing Local Coastal Plan Amendments. __ -_ 9 2075 Las Palmas Dr - Carlsbad. CA 92009-1 576 (61 9) 438-1 161 FAX (61 9) 438-08C)J ACTION ITEMS & SUMMARY OF THE 2-23-96 MEETING (LCPA 90-08(B)) February 23, 1996 3. Conversion of Agricultural Land to Urban Uses Discussion occurred relative to the City's proposal to apply Mello II Policy 2-1 (Conservation of Agricultural Lands) to the areas of the Carlsbad Ranch project that would be converted from agricultural use. This approach is consistent with the Coastal Commission's action relative to areas beyond the 92.6 acres permitted to be developed pursuant to Policy 2-2 (Carlsbad Ranch Specific "Mixed Use" Development) in the LCPA approved for the original specific plan for the property. 4. City's Proposed Exemption from Agricultural Conversion Policy 2-1 The City's LCPA request includes a revision to Policy 2-1 which provides that, "Any acreage under the control of a public entity for a public recreation or open space use shall be exempt from Policy 2-1 and be permitted to convert from an agricultural use without satisfying one of the three conversion options." City staff provided the background as to why this revision is being requested. Coastal staff indicated concern regarding this proposal and its potential precedent. Action Item: Further review by Coastal Staff will occur relative to this request. 5. EIR Transportation Impacts and Mitigation Discussion occurred relative to the circulation analysis prepared for the project. The Technical Appendices for the Carlsbad Ranch Specific Plan Amendment Program EIR contain three traffic studies from which the EIR section was prepared. The Planning Department's Staff Report to the Planning Commission contains a comparison of the traffic generation between the previous Local Facilities Management Plan for Zone 13 and the new facilities plan which is based on the currently proposed land uses. The current project represents a reduction in traffic generation. The City's Growth Management Plan Circulation Performance Standard of Level of Service C in the off peak and Level of Service D in the peak hour will not be exceeded. 6. Project Impact on 1.1 Acres of Coastal Sage Scrub The area to be impacted is on a slope adjacent to Palomar Airport Road. The requirement to mitigate this impact was from the Project EIR and is not an LCP requirement. The EIR mitigation will result in the preservation or restoration/enhancement of habitat within the city's preserve system. Action Item: Coastal Staff will check permits issued for the widening of Palomar Airport Road to determine if planting this slope with coastal sage scrub was a requirement of a previous coastal permit. ACTION ITEMS & SUMMARY OF THE 2-23-96 MEETING (LCPA 90-08(B)) February 23, 1996 7. City of Carlsbad LCP Amendment Processing Deborah Lee indicated that the City’s applications have been assigned to a number of coastal staff members due to the number of amendments included in the City’s first submittal for 1996. The amendments have been targeted for the April 9-1 2 Coastal Commission Meeting in Carmel because of the 90 day deadline to take action on an LCP Amendment application. Gary Wayne was asked to identify the projects within the submittal package which could be deferred to the May Coastal Commission Meeting if it is determined that the Coastal Staff cannot review and prepare all the necessary staff reports in time for the April meeting. Gary Wayne indicated that the amendments related to Affordable Housing and the Biological Habitat amendment were of a lower priority than the remainder of the items in the City’s submittal. 8, Specific Plan Building Setback from the Agricultural Area The proposal includes reducing the building setback from the agricultural area from 50 feet to 25 feet. The reasons why the City supported the reduction are included in a letter from the Soil and Plant Laboratory, Inc. Action Item: Don Neu is to provide a copy of the letter form the Soil and Plant Laboratory, Inc. describing the reasons why the 25 foot setback is appropriate. 9. Buffer Requirement Applicable to the Riparian and Freshwater Marsh Areas The area adjacent to Palomar Airport Road containing these two plant types was discussed along with the buffer area proposed around each. The city is requesting that the provision in Policy 3-8 which allows for a buffer width of less than those identified in the policy based on site-specific information be permitted. Action Item: Bill Ponder will consult with the appropriate wildlife agencies concerning a determination on the appropriate buffer width for these specific resources. 10. Golf Course Trails A brief review of the trail locations required in the specific plan occurred. The specific plan does not require trails within the golf course planning areas. The trails are proposed on the perimeter of the golf course planning areas as shown in Figure 15 on page 52 of the Carlsbad Ranch Specific Plan. The City believes the specific plan contains a good pedestrian circulation system. Trails were not required within the golf course because of safety issues relative to the golf course and constraints they would place on the course design. ACTION ITEMS & SUMMARY OF THE 2-23-96 MEETING (LCPA 90-08(B)) February 23, 1996 Page 4 Action Item: Coastal staff will review this issue further and may field check the site to review the issue of trail locations for the golf course planning areas. 11. Scheduling of the Coastal Development Permit for the Master Tentative Map The City and Carltas requested that the Coastal Development Permit for the Carlsbad Ranch Master Tentative Map be scheduled for the April 1996 Meeting along with the LCPA. This request was made so that grading for the project could occur in April so as not to delay the schedule for opening LEGOLAND or impact the ability to plant the flower crop for next year. Deborah indicated that the Coastal Commission’s attorneys do not like to process applications this way as it causes problems for them in establishing the standard for review of the Coastal Development Permit. Action Item: Coastal staff will consider the request and make a decision the week of February 26. Carltas Representatives and City of Carlsbad staff will be informed of the decision between February 26, 1996 and March 1, 1996. 12. Coastal Staff Report Timeline The date for the staff report to be mailed to San Francisco is March 21, 1996. A request was made by Lauren Sevrin to establish a date on which the draft staff report would be available for the City and project applicant to review. Action Item: Coastal staff will review the processing deadlines for the project and contact Lauren Sevrin during the week of March 26, 1996 to provide a date upon which a draft staff report will be available for review. Attached is a copy of the letter from the Soil and Plant Laboratory, Inc. for your review. Should you need additional information concerning the Local Coastal Program Amendment for the Carlsbad Ranch project please contact me at 438-1 161, extension 4446. Sincerely, DON NEU Senior Planner DN:kr Attachment C: Michael Holzmiller Lauren Sevrin Chris Calkins Gary Wayne Monica Browning Bill Hofman Deborah Lee Orange Office Lab No. 81522 March 2, 1595 <> ! i’ .’ ,,, ? *> SOIL AND PLANT LABORATORY, INC. ,.si ., I w ._ ;:. ’/, -:’ . .- . .I. .. 2. ,-. .<. .?. -- .. Fr. Michael Holzmiller, Director of Planning City of Carlsbad 2575 Las Pdtlmas Zi-Lyv-e Carlsbad, CA 92008 CARLSBAD WCH UNIT I11 Reference is made to our report of August 1388 dealing with th.3 lar.5 swa? requested that certain recommendations made in that report 3e reviewed and re-evaluated as the details of the proposed development begin ;3 take shape. In 1588 no specific plans had been made because -,’ne boix-clari?s had not been finalized. cgnsideration for portions of the Ecke Carlsbad Ranch. It 1s Ilsw . ,7 -I The current issue deals with the grade separation and the ~~~iAZ:~-~~ setback requirement for a single parcel in the development plans. Gn pages 10 and 11 of our prior report, certain recommendations wers rnade with respect to a physical barrier (2’) between the farF,ing (flower far^,:^ and development areas with a suggested setback distance (59, 1 f.=r development buildings from the barrier. The development plan now includes a hotel site in the south west corner (parcel 14) , fronting on the main entrance street (Armada Drive) fr5m Palomar Airc.3-c Rcad. An amendment to the Specific Plan proposes a --_L*-._ ;-3+h=-k -; ..,_ ?C’ ~.uitL, 3 waI!. senzrati.ng the farminq from the urban areas. buff-r area is primarily intended to mitigate (1) tne impact ~f d~st arid 3:P-s~ air borne materials on developed areas and :he asscclated ccnf llcts between agricultural and urban development , (23 che risk of cninvited human intrusion into the agricultural area, and (3) where relevact, the impacts of light and shadow on agricclcural. Based on cur review we have concluded that each of these functions is equally or better fulfilled by the proposed use of a 6’ wall and 25’ development buffer. No other parcels are proposed for an exception to the original setback, since Armada Drive plus promenade and parkway plantings will occupy a minimum 110‘ between barrier and other parcel boundaries. - P 0 Box 6566 Orange California 92613-6566 / (7141 282-6777 FAX (714) 2824575 PO Box 153. Santa Clara California 95052-0153 I(408) 727-0330 FAX (408) 727.5125 PO Box 1648. Bellevue Washinglon 98009-1648 / (206) 746-6665 FAX (206) 562-9531 SOIL AND PLANT LABORATORV,INC. c@ Page 2 Mr. Michael Holzmiller, Director of Planning March 2, 1995 The present development plant calls for the 5' high masonry wall at the flower field boundary on the south and most of the west sides as opposed to the minimum 2' grade separation in our prior recommendations. The development side of the wall will provide for promenade sidewalk and parkway plantings at an elevation 3' above the base of the wall, leaving a 3' wall along the promenade for cDnvenient spectator viewir,g. The south and west boundaries of parcel 14 will accommodate the promenade sidewalk (15' ) and landscape strip (io' ) , which would therefore liinit t3-e building to a minimum 25' setback from the barrier wall. Cther Considerations 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 5. The flower farming operation will utilize a service rcad adjacent ts its' side of the masonry wall (15-20') and would therefare provide additional distance between agricultural activity suc3- 3s sprayir-g and culrivating from structures in the development. The increased height of the barrier wall (5') on the flower fiild side, as opposed to the suggested 2' barrier, would be t;lrie z:~.es as effective in reducing dust or chemical drift towar5 :ks development. The soil texture on the flower farm side is quite low in silt ar.d clay content (one of the reasons for recommending it for farming ir. the first place) and, therefore, low in potential for dust generation, particularly if soil is moist during operations. The flower farm elevation recedes from the barrier at a ;5%-i7% slope which provides added protection from drift tcward the deviiopmerLt . Pre=.aiiing air movement is from west to east but is normally gencle. The strong winds which occasicnaily occur are from the east or ncrt'n 1:Santa Ana conditions) , and would therefore minimize flower farm activity impacting the atmosphere of the development. None cf the proposed or existing crops is photoperiodic. The presence of lighting from the development will not require mitigation for the agricultural area. The proposed buffer will not significantly impose a "shadow" effect on the flower farm crops. Conclusions In consideration of all factors noted and listed above, it is our opinion that the proposed setback for parcel 14 structures is reasonable and Goes Page 3 Yr. Michael Holzmiller, Director of Planning March 2, 1995 not compromise the overall objectives of either the flower farm or the development. The 25' setback with proposed wall will adequately mitigate the impacts and provide a superior buffer over the original recommendations. Om: he cc: Carltas Company