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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLCPA 93-06; Green Valley; Local Coastal Program Amendment (LCPA) (6)I - -. April 15, 1996 Mr. Lee McEachern California Coastal Commission Suite 200 31 11 Camino del Rio North San Deigo, CA 92108 SUBJECT: EL CAMINO REAL AND/OR LA COSTA AVENUE WIDENING Dear Lee: In response to your questions regarding the above-referenced roadway widening at the Green Valley property, the City of Carlsbad offers the following comments: 0 At the time the East Batiquitos/Hunt Properties LCP Segment was adopted, and for many years prior to that date, the City of Carlsbad had designated El Camino Real as a Prime Arterial Roadway with an ultimate roadway width of three lanes in both directions and a landscaped median. El Camino Real is so designated from the northern boundary of the City to the southern boundary, a distance of some seven miles. La Costa Avenue has similarly been designated as a Major Arterial with two lanes in both directions and a landscaped median. No changes to these planned designs have occurred since adoption of this LCP. The LCP states that development within the Green Valley must be compatible with these currentlv planned roadway designations. In a redundant statement the LCP also states that development shall not occur which would require either La Costa Avenue or El Camino Real (ECR) to be constructed any larger than planned at that time. (Land Use Section A(3)(b)) If the subject LCP policy would have intended that ECR and La Costa Avenue remain in their existinq configuration regardless of what development occurred within Green Valley, this point would have been stated. In fact, the widening of La Costa Avenue has already been permitted by the Coastal Commission. (See Coastal Permit No. 6-93-72) 0 Policy 3-7, recently adopted by the Coastal Commission for the Mello II LCP Segment set a precedent which acknowledges the importance of Circulation Element Roadway improvement. (See LCPA 91 -01A) 0 Most of ECR, north of La Costa Avenue and south of Olivenhain Road is improved to its ultimately planned roadway width of three lanes in both directions with a landscaped median. 2075 Las Palrnas Dr. - Carlsbad, CA 92009-1576 - (619) 438-1161 - FAX (619) 438-0894 @ EL CAMINO REAL AND/OR LA COSTA AVENUE WIDENING April 15, 1996 Paue 2 0 The proposed construction of the Green Valley project is not the single event that necessitates the widening of La Costa Avenue and ECR. Both roads serve as transit routes for the subregion. The recent intensification of commercial land uses to the south in Encinitas as well as residential development to the east contributes to the daily volume of traffic on these roadway segments. The Green Valley traffic study concludes that even without development within Green Valley, traffic demands from the subregion require the subject roadways to be constructed to their originally planned widths. Since before adoption of the Coastal Act, it has been the City of Carlsbad’s policy to require the developer to build or fund the construction/widening of Circulation Element Roads which front along the property to be developed. This policy was again reaffirmed through the 1986 adoption of the City’s Growth Management Program. 0 As a prime arterial (three lanes in both directions), ECR is designed to accommodate average daily traffic (ADT) of over 40,000. SANDAG Series 7 Regional Traffic Model shows a buildout projection of 42,000 ADT. (This model run did not include the intensification of commercial uses in the Encinitas Ranch project .) Currently the ECR improvements along the length of the Green Valley project are two lanes on the southbound side and two and three lanes on the northbound side. The existing cross-section of the roadway has been built to allow the widening from 4 to 6 lanes to occur with one additional lane on each side. If the roadway is not widened, its existing capacity is not sufficient to carry the SANDAG projected regional demand. e There are several other instances where Circulation Element Roadways have been allowed to be improved to their planned capacity, with some impact to coastal resources, as long as proper mitigation is conducted. This precedent can be demonstrated in the following projects: 0 (Encinitas) Encinitas Ranch: El Camino Real; Leucadia Blvd; 0 (Carlsbad) Evans Point: El Camino Real; 0 (Carlsbad) Carlsbad Ranch: Cannon Road; 0 (Carlsbad) Kelly Ranch: Cannon Road; and 0 (Carlsbad) La Costa Avenue widening between ECR and 1-5. a The alternative of accomplishing total widening of ECR (two additional lanes) on the easterly side to avoid anv widening-related disturbance of Green Valley riparian vegetation is infeasible for the following reasons: 0 The easterly side of approximately half of the roadway length is already fully developed, and constrained by existing structures and retaining walls. C. EL CAMINO REAL AND/OR LA COSTA AVENUE WIDENING April 15, 1996 Paae 3 0 The remaining half of the roadway length (south of Levante) is constrained by existing 25 foot slopes, and native vegetation, including sage scrub and riparian. The proposed widening on the Green Valley side of ECR, south of Levante, impacts a very small amount of riparian habitat, and this small amount that is proposed for taking for road widening will be replaced at a 3: 1 positive mitigation ratio. 0 In anticipation of the planned equal widening on both sides of the roadway, the centerline of ECR has been established for years. As a result, the roadway has been constructed with a crown-section at the middle of the roadway. Utilities have been designed and installed incrementally, in anticipation of the City-proposed roadway alignment. To revise the centerline of the road at this time would require redesign of reconstruction of these entire facilities to maintain the required design necessary for safe traffic operation. Such a program would be opposed by the City. As is the case with most development proposals within the City, the analysis for support or rejection involves a prudent balancing of sometimes competing goals. In this case, it is the City’s firm position that any small environmental benefits that could result from not widening the roadways, or full widening on only the easterly side of ECR, are far outweighed by the costs and safety benefits, particularly under the existing circumstances, wherein full and adequate environmental mitigation is proposed. Please contact me if you believe it is necessary for us to discuss this matter further. Sincerely, CHRISTER WESTMAN Associate Planner CW:kr c: Planning Director