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Home My WebLink AboutPRE 2021-0017; LA COSTA GLEN PARKING STUCTURE; Preliminary Review (PRE)Ccicyof Carlsbad PRELIMINARY REVIEW REQUEST FORM P-14 Community Development Planning Division 1635 Faraday Avenue (760} 602-4610 www.carlsbadca.gov PROJECT NAME: La Costa Glen Parking Structure Assessor's Parcel Number(s): 255-012-16-00 Description of proposal (add attachment If necessary): Proposal to construct a 2-level parking structure which will accommodate 96 total parking spaces (48 net). Would you like to orally present your proposal to your assigned staff planner/engineer? Yes LJ No L!J Please list the staff members you have previously spoken to regarding this project. Please state uN/A" if not. N/A FOCUS AREA(S): [!] Site Design D Land Use D Architecture D Zoning Interpretations D Engineering Standards D Other OWNER NAME (Print): Continuing Life Communities LLC MAILING ADDRESS: 1940 Levante St. CITY, STATE, ZIP: Carlsbad, CA 92009 TELEPHONE: (714) 745-5559 EMAIL ADDRESS: wilsonj@msretirement.com I CERTIFY THAT I AM THE LEGAL OWNER AND THAT ALL THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS TRUE AND CORRECT TO THE BEST OF MY '"f~½c SIGNAT RE 5" f, 0'3,/2 oJ. I DAE •owner's signature indicates permission to conduct a preliminary review for a development proposal. CITY USE ONLY Project Number: FEE REQUIRED/DATE FEE PAID: ;st· ll y . oo APPLICANT NAME (Print): Continuing Life Communities LLC MAILING ADDRESS: 1940 Levante St. CITY, STATE, ZIP: Carlsbad, CA 92009 TELEPHONE: (714) 745-5559 EMAIL ADDRESS: wilsonj@msretirement.com I CERTIFY THAT I AM THE LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OWNER AND THAT ALL THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS TRUE AND CORRECT TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE. ~~ SIGNA DATE Development Number: 1) f-\/ 2 O 2. I -O O 8S RECEIVED BY: '--1 , c~ 5/5/2021 V P-14 Preliminary Review Revised: 05/20 II PLANNING I SYSTEMS May 5, 2021 Mr. Don Neu City Planner CITY OF CARLSBAD 1635 Faraday Ave. Carlsbad, CA 92008 RE: PRELIMINARY REVIEW LAND USE/COASTAL PLANNING LANDSCAPE ARCIIlTECTURE • LA3900 POLICY AND PROCESSING ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION LA COST A GLEN PARKING STRUCTURE Dear Mr. Neu: Enclosed with this letter please find an application package for a Preliminary Review for construction of a parking structure for employee vehicles within an under-utilized area of the La Costa Glen senior community. The location and conceptual design of the improveinents are shown on the plan package enclosed with this letter. The parking structure is partially needed to replace employee parking that will be lost when the temporary lot on the Calle Barcelona commercial pad is developed. Additionally, Continuing Life, the management company for the La Costa Glen and five other similar senior communities located in California, has consolidated its regional headquarters within the La Costa Glen community premises. You will recall that La Costa Glen is a Continuing Care Retirement Community ("CCRC"), licensed and regulated by the State of California Department of Social Services. The increased regulations associated with CCRC's, the general success of La Costa Glen and the expansion of the Continuing Life management company have resulted in an increased number of employees, and therefore an increased parking demand. The parking needs for the facility have grown over the last several years. The chosen location for the structure is at the rear [west] of the main portion of the community, not visible from any public street. The location was chosen because it is centrally located, and tucked into a natural canyon bowl,just west of the Canyonview Independent Living apartment building. More specifically, the parking structure is proposed in an area that presently houses two small parking lots, accommodating 48 existing parking spaces, and a slope in between. The parking structure will replace the two parking lots and turn the slope into a hidden retaining wall. As proposed, it will double the number of parking spaces, from 48 to 96 spaces (a net 48-space increase). The structure will be two levels, with separate vehicular entry and exit points for each of the two levels. You will recall that the La Costa Glen retirement community offers basically three (3) levels of living or health service. These levels are intended to provide a continuum of long-term care for elderly people who purchase membership into the La Costa Glen program. Independent Living Units, Assisted Living and Memory Care Units, and a Skilled Nursing Facility, all of which operate seven d_ays per week. Several factors associated with the La Costa Glen community contribute to the need to increase the available parking. 1530 FARADAY AVENUE• SUITE 100 • CARLSBAD, CA 92008 • (760) 931-0780 • FAX (760) 931-5744 • info@planningsystems.net 1. La Costa Glen is a high-end, full-service continuing care community for elderly residents. As such, the facility provides a greater number of caregivers and other services that are not typically provided in standard senior housing projects. Its employee to resident ratio is high and in some cases, state regulated. Thus the number of workers parking on the site at any particular time is above average. These trades include housekeeping, building maintenance, custodians, landscape maintenance, food service, nurses, technicians, medical assistants, rehab/physical therapists, beauty salon, caregivers, dieticians, accountants, administrators, bus drivers, activity coordinators, and more. The number of employees needed for any particular use are typically baked into the required parking ratios; but the La Costa Glen ratios are higher than other, less high-end retirement communities; and as often demanded by the La Costa Glen residents. 2. Federal and state laws exist to safeguard nursing home residents' care. These laws prohibit skilled nursing facilities from discriminating against anyone based on race, color, religion, or location of residence, etc. As such, the La Costa Glen Skilled Nursing Facility cannot legally reject patients who do not live in the La Costa Glen community, unless the facility is fully occupied with La Costa Glen residents (which it is not). In accordance with these laws, the facility does accept patients from outside the community. So visitors, personal physicians and other outside patrons of these offsite patients also utilize the limited available parking. 3. Historically, the La Costa Glen community has operated at 98% to 99% occupancy. Although the average age is 85 years old, most residents have at least a single vehicle, and some singles or couples have more than one. The percentage of 2 vehicles per residence has increased over time. Community policy dictates that all vehicles parked in La Costa Glen possess a parking sticker so that no unauthorized parking takes place. 4. The La Costa Glen project was originally approved by the City of Carlsbad in 1999 (City Council Reso. No. 99-116, approved 4/6/99). Zoning regulations for the Independent Living Units was provided per the zoning regulations at that time; i.e., "Senior Residential" parking was stipulated at "one space per two units resident, plus one space per two units guest" minimum parking requirements. La Costa Glen met this requirement. Eleven years later and separate from La Costa Glen, on August 24, 2010, the Carlsbad City Council approved Ordinance CS-102, for ZCA 07-02, a Zoning Code Amendment, which increased the minimum number of parking spaces required for "Housing for Senior Citizens" developments. This act~on increased the ratio of parking to unit for senior housing projects from the previous "½ resident space and ½ guest space per unit" ( equaling 1 total space/unit) to "1.5 resident spaces per unit plus 0.2 visitor spaces per unit" ( equaling 1. 7 total spaces/unit). Although La Costa Glen was fully vested and coi1structed, and was thus not subject to this new requirement; the City amendment to their zoning requirements has been an acknowledgement that the previous requirement had under-provided for senior community parking. 5. Continuing Life Communities presently owns the offsit~ pad on Calle Barcelona, which is zoned for future commercial development. The ownership temporarily allows overflow employees to park in this lot until the lot is ultimately approved for development. The lot can unofficially accommodate up to 52 vehicles. The ownership desires to eliminate this lot as a parking option when the property is sold and/or developed. Thus it is necessary to replace the parking spaces lost from this temporary parking situation. The proposed parking structure is a costly endeavor. However, the applicant believes that this improvement would be a significant benefit to the residents and employees of La Costa Glen. They are beginning this process with requesting a Preliminary Review (PR) of our plan in order to flush out the anticipated entitlement process, and address any substantive design issues. So with these factors in mind, please review the PR package accompanying this letter and provide us with your comments. Thank you for the opportunity to submit our project for a PR. We have also requested an opportunity to present the plan· in person ( virtual) with your Staff if Staff believes it would be helpful. We await your comments so we can prepare the detailed plans and present an official submittal for the applicable entitlements. Paul J. Klukas Director of Planning cc: Justin Wilson, Continuing Life Communities Enclosures