HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRE 2019-0019; JEFFERSON LUXURY APARTMENTS; Admin Decision LetterOctober 7, 2019
Bejan Arfaa
2900 4th Avenue, Ste. 110
San Diego, CA 92103
FILE
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Carlsbad
SUBJECT: PRE 2019-0019 (DEV2019-0156) -JEFFERSON LUXURY APARTMENTS
APNs: 203-351-12, -13
Thank you for submitting a preliminary review for a four-story, 44-foot-tall, mixed-use project
located at 3039 Jefferson Street. The conceptual project includes 2,645 square feet of ground
floor commercial uses, a 24-space at-grade parking garage and 15 residential apartments,
including two low-income inclusionary housing units. As part of the request, a 35 percent density
bonus is proposed. The 0.32-acre project site is presently developed with four single-story office
buildings totaling 4,803 square feet.
In response to your application, the Planning Division has prepared this comment letter. Please
note that the purpose of a preliminary review is to provide you with direction and comments on
the overall concept of your project. Furthermore, the project processing questions you
submitted with your application and answers to those questions are included in this letter. This
preliminary review does not represent an in-depth analysis of your project. It is intended to
give you feedback on critical issues based upon the information provided in your submittal.
This review is based upon the plans, policies. and standards in effect as of the date of this
review. Please be aware that at the time of a formal application submittal. new plans, policies.
and standards may be in effect and additional issues of concern may be raised through a more
specific and detailed review.
Planning:
General
1. General Plan and zoning designations for the property are as follows:
a. General Plan: Village (V)
b. Zoning: Village (V-R).
c. The project is located within the Village Center (VC) District of the Village and Barrio
Master Plan (VBMP)**. The permitted density is 28 to 35 dwelling units. Because no
density is assigned to the project site, an allocation of units from the Excess Dwelling
Unit Bank (EDUB) will be required.
d. Coastal Zone: The project site is located within the Coastal Zone.
Community & Economic Development
Planning Division I 1635 Faraday Avenue Carlsbad, CA 92008-7314 I 760-602-4600 I 760-602-8560 f I www.carlsbadca.gov
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**On September 27, 2019; the revised VB.MP will· be effective for properties outside of
the Coastal Zone. As the project site is located in the Coastal Zone, the changes require
final approval from the Coastal Commission which is anticipated on October 16-18.
The analysis provided below assumes Coastal Commission's approval of the
amendments.
2. The project requires the following permits:
a. Site Development Plan
b. Coastal Development Permit
Both permits require approval from the Planning Commission and City Council.
3. The project will be subject to the development requirements of the city's Climate Action
Plan (CAP). A formal application submittal will need to include a completed CAP Checklist
(Form P-30) to determine what requirements will apply to the project. New CAP
requirements are related to energy efficiency, photovoltaic, electric vehicle charging,
water heating and traffic demand management requirements, as set forth in City Council
Ordinance Nos. CS-347, CS~348, CS-349 and CS-350 and City Council Resolution No. 2019-
024 which are available on the city's website at the following address:
http://www.carlsbadca.gov/services/depts/pw/environment/cap/ordinances.asp
To the extent that some or all of the new CAP requirements are in effect at the time of
application for grading or building permits, the project will be required to comply with
the effective requirements even if different than what is proposed in the project's
planning approvals. CAP requirements may impact, but are not limited to, site design and
local building code requirements. Once adopted as part of Title 18 and in effect, plans
submitted for grading or building permits must demonstrate compliance with the new
CAP requirements. If incorporating new CAP requirements results in substantial
modifications to the project after planning approvals are obtained, then prior to issuance
of grading or building permits, the applicant may be required to submit and receive
approval of a Consistency Determination or an Amendment application for the project
through the Planning Division.
4. Staff is unsupportive of the project as currently designed as it is inconsistent with the
intent of the Area-Wide Design Guidelines in Section 2.8 of the VBMP, especially in regard
to building form and massing.
a. The massing of the four-story building is too large and is incompatible with the
adjacent single-story residential land uses. Please redesign the project to
significantly reduce the mass.
b. The parking garage, located on the property lines, is 14 feet tall with a four-foot-
tall landscape planter wall on top. This results in an 18-foot-tall unarticulated wall
on the property line adjacent to single-story homes, which cannot be supported.
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Please consider a different site design and reducing the size of the bedrooms to
provide significant recesses.
c. Please also consider converting two or three of the two-bedroom units to one-
bedroom units to reduce the mass on floors two and three and significantly
stepping the second and third floors back on the north and south sides to reduce
the mass.
d. Please see the density bonus and parking discussion below for guidance regarding
potential ideas on how to reduce the footprint of the ground floor.
5. Proposed density: Please see the information below summarizing the density bonus
analysis.
BASE DENSITY
Gross Net Allowable Density Range in the VC District;
Acres Acres Min/Max Dwelling Units
Range: 28-35 du/ac
0.32 SAME Minimum: 28 x 0.32 = 8.96 or 9 dwelling units
Maximum: 35 x 0.32 = 11.2 or 12 dwelling units**
**For density bonus projects, any calculations resulting in a fractional number are
rounded up pursuant to state law and CMC Section 21.86.040(G).
Summary of density bonus request:
Base maximum density:
Base maximum units:
15 percent required inclusionary units:
27.5 percent density bonus:
Allowable number of units:
Proposed density:
35 dwelling units per acre
0.32 acres x 35 = 12 dwelling units
12 x 0.15 = 1.8 or 2 units
12 x 0.275 = 3.3 or 4 units
12 + 4 = 16 units
15/0.32 = 46.8 dwelling units per acre
Pursuant to CMC Chapters 21.85 and 21.86, a minimum of 15 percent of the base units
shall be inclusionary units, which shall count toward satisfying density bonus
requirements. Pursuant to CMC Section 21.86.040, Table A, in exchange for the 15
percent, or two (2) units designated as inclusionary units, a density bonus of up to 27.5
percent can be granted. The inclusionary apartments are required to be rent-restricted
and affordable to low income households. Pursuant to CMC Section 21.86.020, a low-
income household.is defined as a household whose gross income is more than 50 percent .
but less than 80 percent of the median income for San Diego County, as determined
annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Pursuant to CMC Section 21.86.050, up to two incenth.1es or concessions are permitted
for projects that include at least 20 percent of the total units for low-income households.
For projects that proposed 15 percent of the units for low-income households, only one
incentive can be granted. Pursuant to the conceptual proposal submitted, one concession
is requested to provide a reduction in the parking requirements. However, pursuant to
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City Council Policy No. 43, ~he request for an allocation of units from the city's EDUB is an
incentive for density bonus purposes so the project will need to provide the required
parking. Alternatively, there are two ways to be granted an additional concession. The
project would need to provide 20 percent of the base units, or three units, for low income
households or provide the two proposed affordable units for very-low income
households.
If the conceptual project is revised to include one of the two above-noted options, please
be advised that the parking calculation changes to 0.5 spaces per bedroom. Staff would
like to see a significant redesign of the project to reduce the massing of the building. A
reduction in the parking count could potentially assist in reducing the footprint and/or
the height of the ground floor and may allow for a different design.
6. Setbacks (VBMP Section 2.7.1.A): Pursuant to the VC District, the required front yard
setback is a minimum of zero feet and a maximum of five feet. The minimum side and
rear yard setback are zero feet. Additional depth may be permitted to accommodate
electrical transformers, utility connections, meter pedestals and other connections.
Notwithstanding the comments staff has on the design and massing in No. 3 above, the
building complies with the setbacks. However, the location of the transformer and
meters is not shown on the plan. Please be advised that the transformer and other utility
equipment is required to be screened with landscaping or located within a utility room.
On the submittal, please note the location of the equipment on the plans and how it will
be screened.
7. Building height and plate height (VBMP Section 2.7.1.G). The maximum allowable height
is 45 feet. Staff is unsupportive of the proposed cut in grade to allow for the 14' plate
height for the ground floor commercial area as it appears to result in a height of 46 feet.
Further, staff does not support a design which requires steps down into a commercial
space. The commercial space shall be redesigned to be at-grade. Please consider stepping
back the third-floor residential area so it is not above the commercial space to allow for
the 14' plate height and to break up the mass of the building as viewed from the north,
east and south~ Please provide detailed cross sections through the building, including the
commerdal area, with the project submittal so staff can verify the building height and
plate height.
Pursuant to Section 2.7.1.G.3 of the VBMP, if a four-story building is proposed, a
maximum of 30 percent of the fourth story street-facing fa~ade can have a zero setback
(as measured from the property line). The remaining 70 percent shall be set back a
minimum of 10 feet. In addition, the total square footage of enclosed fourth floor space
shall not exceed 80 percent of the largest enclosed floor space below (floors one, two or
three) However, in no case shall the fourth-floor enclosed space exceed the amount of
third floor enclosed space. The project appears to comply with this requirement.
However, please provide a calculation on the cover sheet with the project submittal
demonstrating compliance.
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8. Building massing (VBMP Section 2.7.1.H). No building fa~ade visible from any public
street shall extend more than 40 feet in length without a five-foot minimum variation in
the wall plane, as well as a change in the roofline. While the project complies with the
plane change, the roof line shall also vary in height. Please redesign the east/front fa~ade
to ensure there is a minimum five-foot variation in the building height.
9. Ground floor street frontage uses (VBMP Section 2.7.1.1). The required ground floor
commercial area shall occupy more than one-half of the habitable space developed on
the ground floor and shall span at least 80 percent of the building frontage. Based on a
review of the concept plans, the proposed commercial area spans 80 percent or 80 feet
of the 100-foot-wide lot. The project therefore complies. Please remove the gaps
between the windows and provide one continuous glass storefront for each of the two
commercial spaces.
10. Residential Open space (VBMP Section 2.7.1.E.3 and Residential Design Guidelines)
Private: A minimum of 60 square feet of private open space shall be provided per unit
and shall have a minimum dimension of six feet in any direction. Please include an open
space exhibit with the project submittal demonstrating compliance. Please ensure that
the dimensions for each deck are noted on the floor plans. To reduce the massing on
floors two through four, please reduce the depth of the private decks (not uniformly
across but in strategic areas to create articulation and reduce the mass). However, please
ensure that a minimum six-foot depth is provided. It appears a few of the decks do not
comply with the requirement.
Common: As the project proposes more than 10 units, common open space shall be
provided at a minimum of 15 square feet per unit with a minimum dimension of 10 feet
in any direction. As currently designed, the common open space is proposed on the third
floor adjacent to a private open space (deck area) for Unit 13. Pursuant to Section 2.7.1(3}
of the VBMP and Residential Design Guidelines (VBMP Section 2.8.3.F), the common open
space shall be purposefully designed as active or passive recreational facilities and shall
provide safe, efficient and convenient access within multi-family developments. Rooftop
open space may satisfy this requirement, provided it is available for use by all residents.
As currently designed, staff is not supportive of the location of the common open space
since it is on the third floor, directly adjacent to private open space for one unit, and does
not provide convenient access for the remainder of the units. Please explore other
alternatives to satisfy this requirement, such as locating the common open space on the
roof of the fourth floor or providing a comm·on courtyard on top of the parking garage.
11.. Parking (VBMP Section 2.6. Table 2-3). One parking space is required for one-bedroom
units and one and a half spaces are required for two and three-bedroom units. In
addition, guest parking is not required. Based on these requirements, 20 parking spaces
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are required for the proposed apartments. The cover sheet notes a requirement of 31
spaces. Please update the parking calculation and revise the site plan.
Parking spaces directly off the alley. The west elevation appears to show two, two-car
garages off the alley with solid walls enclosing the sides of the garage. The site plan does
not show a solid wall on the south side or a dividing wall between the two garages. If
there are addition.al solid walls, please revise the site plan and ensure that the parking
spaces adjacent to the solid walls are a minimum of 10 feet wide.
12. Landscaping. Please provide additional information regarding how the landscaping
proposed adjacent to the private decks on the second and third floors will be maintained.
No access is provided between the decks and the landscape planters. In addition, please
be advised that an apartment tenant cannot be responsible for maintaining the
landscaping. It is the responsibility of the property owner. Therefore, staff is preliminarily
unsupportive of the landscaping adjacent to the decks. If landscaping is required to meet
stormwater requirements, a different option for landscaping will be needed.
In addition, upon project submittal, please indicate whether the large evergreen canopy
tree located in the city right-of-way is a city street tree and if it will be removed and
replaced. A large portion of the tree overhangs into the subject property. If it is a city
street tree and is proposed to be removed, please be advised that approval from the Parks
and Recreation Department will be required. Specifically, a Street Tree Removal Permit
will be required before the formal application can be deemed complete. In addition, it
appears that one additional street tree will be required. Please follow-up with the Parks
and Recreation Department prior to formal submittal.
13. Area-Wide Design Guidelines (VBMP Section 2.8). As discussed in Comment No. 5 above,
staff does not support the conceptual building design. Listed below are a number of
design guidelines that the project design needs to address.
a. Landscaping (VBMP Section 2.8.2.G(2)). Utilize landscaping to buffer and screen
properties.
Comment: Please explore creative ways to incorporate landscaping that can be
maintained in a common area to soften the building as viewed from the adjacent
single-story homes to the north and south.
b. Building Form and Massing(VBMP.Section 2.8.3.A).
1. Reduce the appearance of tall buildings by stepping back from street level on
elevations above the ground floor.
2. Utilize horizontal and vertical articulation to break up monolithic street walls
and facades.
3. Utilize techniques to reduce massing, such as variation in wall plane and
height and variation in roof form and levels.
4. Consider adjacent low density uses when designing and orienting building.
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15.
5. Minimize the vertical emphasis of architectural design elements by
incorporating features such as horizontal bands, reveals, trims, awnings, and
overhangs or other ornamentations, along different levels of the wall surface.
6. Minimize blank walls by providing recessed glazing and storefronts, changing
color and texture along a wall surface, varying the planes of the exterior walls
in depth and/or direction.
7. Add trims, projections and reveals along different wall surfaces.
8. Articulate the building facades by varying building elements to create
-contrast.
9. Design roofs to accommodate a solar photovoltaic system.
10. Utilize details such as walls surfaces constructed with patterns, changes in
materials, building pop-outs, columns, and recessed areas to create shadow
patterns and depth on the wall surfaces.
11. Consider transitions between the height o.f new development and height of
adjacent existing development.
12. Utilize windows and open wrought iron balconies to provide opportunities
for residents to passively observe and report suspicious activity.
13. Utilize recessed windows where appropriate to the architectural style, to
provide depth.
Comments: Significant changes are needed in the design to reduce the mass
and scale of the building and comply with the design guidelines. Architectural
elements appear to be tacked on; the bedrooms are excessively large (20'
wide x 20' deep); the location and design of the stairway tower detracts from
the design and should be located at the corner or more central to the
building; the balconies should be open (i.e., no walls) and should be reduced
in size to allow for articulation; and significant recesses need to be added to
break up the mass. In addition, landscape planters are proposed that cannot
be maintained and add mass to the building; the parking garage wall is too
imposing and needs to provide visual relief next to the single-story, single-
family homes; and changes in the roof line are needed.
Please consider reducing sizes of bedrooms, closets and living rooms in
certain areas to allow for steps in building planes that will create shadow lines
and decrease the monotony of the elevations.
Waste management. Please clarify how residents will be able to access the trash
enclosure off the alley.
All necessary application forms, submittal requirements, and fee information are available at the
Planning counter located in the Faraday Building at 1635 Faraday Avenue or on _line at
www.carlsbadca.gov. You may also access the General Plan Land Use Element and the Zoning
Ordinance on line at the website address shown; select Department Listing; select Planning Home
Page. Please review all information carefully before submitting.
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Land Development Engineering: 1
1. Complete a Stormwater Standards Questionnaire. This questionnaire will guide you and
the City in determining what type of reports and storm water mitigation must be
completed to satisfy state and City storm wafer quality requirements. The questionnaire
can be printed from the following website link:
http://www.carlsbadca.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?B1ob1D=22711
Preliminary analysis suggests that the project is a Priority Development Project and is
therefore subject to designing and installing numerically sized water quality basins via a
Storm Water Quality Management Plan (SWQMP) per Chapter 5 of the Carlsbad BMP
Design Manual in addition to installing site design and source control BMPs per Chapter
4 of the Carlsbad BMP Design Manual. Plot proposed BMPs, including required water
quality basin(s), on the site plan. The project is exempt from hydromodification
requirements per the Hydromodification Exemption Analysis for Select Carlsbad
Watersheds dated September 17, 2015.
If BMPs are not at ground level (i.e. flow through planters on decks only accessible to
residents) or at ground level and not readily accessible for city staff, describe in the
maintenance section of the SWQMP how access will be made available to city staff for
periodic inspection of on--site BMPs.
2. Submit a current title report with your application and plot all easements listed in the
report. For any easements that cannot be plotted due to insufficient data, list the
easement on the site plan with a note stating such.
3. Submit a preliminary grading plan with your application for discretionary permits. Plot
proposed grading quantities. Show on the site plan that half the alley along the project
frontage will be replaced with full depth AC. Show the existing driveway on Jefferson
Street to be replaced with curb, gutter and sidewalk and note that any existing
improvements fronting the property in poor condition shall be replaced. Use standard
concrete stipple pattern for all PC. Screen existing features to distinguish from proposed
features. Plot several scaled cross sections extending beyond the property boundaries.
Scale plan using an engineer scale.
Also, on the preliminary grading plan, plot neighboring topography/spot elevations,
drainage patterns, trees and structures within approximately 25 feet of the property.
Extend information further than 25 feet if needed to illustrate existing drainage patterns.
The proposed development shall not im.pede existing drainage flow from adjacent
properties such that it would cause a nuisance or flooding where none existed before.
4. Plot the existing lot lines between Lots 23, 24, 25 and 26 and add a note that the lot lines
are to be removed via an adjustment plat to consolidate all lots into one lot. A condition
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will be added to the project requiring application for an adjustment plat prior to issuance
of a grading permit.
5. Include a demolition plan with your application for discretionary permits that only shows
existing features, including topography and landscaping, and identifies which features of
the project site will remain or be removed. If any trees are removed within the public
right-of-way, a separate permit is required through the Parks and Recreation Department
prior to removal.
6. Plot location of proposed SDG&E electrical transformer. Unless serving multiple
properties, the transformer shall be located on private property (outside the public right-
of-way). An existing transformer is noted on the site plan but because of conflicts with
the proposed building this transformer will need to be removed.
7. Remove the clear zone from the driveway/alley intersection. The 7.5-foot clear zones per
the Village & Barrio Master Plan is intended for establishing driver visibility of pedestrians
where street sidewalks intersect with alleys or driveways. It is not intended for driveway
access onto an alley where no walkways exist.
8. Plot proposed fire services with back flow device, domestic water service with meter and
back flow device, landscape service with meter and backflow device, and sewer lateral.
All backflow devices are to be located on private property at the property line.
9. Clarify if the commercial portion of the building is proposed under separate ownership
from the 15-unit apartments. If so, submit application for a two-parcel subdivision map
and condominium permit with your applications for discretionary permits. Separate
public water services and meters may be required for each condominium.
10. Add project Average Daily Trips (ADT) to the site plan and show calculations (15
apartments x 6/DU = 90 ADT. 2,645 SF Commercial Retail x 40 ADT/1000 SF= 106 ADT.
106 ADT + 90 ADT = 196 ADT). Per the Transportation Impact Guidelines, and assuming
the planning department determines the proposed development conforms with current
Zoning and the General Plan, a Level 1 traffic study would be required based on this
information alone. However, the requirements for a traffic study are based on the net
increase in ADT. Therefore, assess the ADT from the existing commercial use to be
demolished and subtract from the total ADT of 196 to determine the net increase. If more
than a net increase of 110 ADT, submit the Traffic Study with your application for
discretionary permits. Refer to the Transportation Impact Guidelines for proper Tier level.
11. Plot the lower level decks, landscaping, patio, podium, driveway, parking, etc. on the roof
plans so that it is clear what is covering the portions of the parking lot/floors that are not
covered by roof. Show drainage flow in these areas. Drainage shall not drain onto a
neighbor's property. Plotting drainage flow on this plan will h~lp in designing and
reviewing the storm wa'ter quality BMP layout.
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12. See redlined plans enclosed.
Any comments received from the Fire Department will be provided under a separate cover.
Building:
1. The project shall comply with the Climate Action Plan requirements and the 2019
California Codes will be effective January 1, 2020.
If you would like to schedule a meeting to discuss this letter with the commenting departments,
please contact Shannon Harker at the number below. You may also contact each department
individually as follows:
• Planning Division: Shannon Harker, Associate Planner, at (760} 602-4621
• Land Development Engineering: David Rick, Project Engineer, at (760) 602-2781
• Building Division: Mike Peterson, Building Official, at (760) 602-2721
• Fire Department: Randy Metz, Fire Inspections, at (760} 602-4661
Sincerely,
~~
DON NEU, AICP
City Planner
DN:SH:mf
Enc: Engineering redlines
c: Bruce Baker, P.O. Box 669, Poway, CA 92074
Don Neu, City Planner
David Rick, Project Engineer
Randy Metz, Fire Prevention
HPRM/File Copy
Data Entry