HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-08-06; Planning Commission; ; SDP 90-05C|CUP 90-03A|CDP 97-05 - PRICE COSTCO GASOLINECity of CARLSBAD Planning Department
A REPORT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION
Item No.
P.C. AGENDA OF: August 6,1997
Application complete date: April 18, 1997
Project Planner: Michael Grim
Project Engineer: Clyde Wickham
SUBJECT: SDP 90-05(CVCUP 90-03(AVCDP 97-05 - PRICECOSTCO GASOLINE -
Request for a Site Development Plan Amendment, Conditional Use Permit
Amendment and Coastal Development Permit for the construction and operation
of an automated gasoline station for Costco members, located on the south side of
Palomar Airport Road, between Armada Drive and Paseo del Norte in Local
Facilities Management Zone 5.
I. RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning Commission ADOPT Planning Commission Resolution No. 4142,
APPROVING the Negative Declaration issued by the Planning Director, and ADOPT Planning
Commission Resolutions No. 4143, 4144 and 4145, APPROVING a Site Development Plan
Amendment SDP 90-05(C), Conditional Use Permit Amendment CUP 90-03(A) and Coastal
Development Permit CDP 97-05, based on the findings and subject to the conditions contained
therein.
II. INTRODUCTION
The proposal involves the construction and operation of an automated gasoline station,
exclusively for Costco members, within the existing Price Club parking lot. The station includes
three pump islands covered by a canopy and an automated controller located within a landscaped
parking island. The gasoline would only be available during operating hours of the Price Club
warehouse and activities would be monitored from within the main Price Club building.
Amendments to the existing Site Development Plan and Conditional Use Permit for the Price
Club are required to add the proposed conditional use to the existing site and a Coastal
Development Permit is needed for development in the Coastal Zone. The project conforms to all
applicable regulations and staff has no issues with the proposal.
III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND
Costco Wholesale, Inc. is requesting approval of a Site Development Plan Amendment,
Conditional Use Permit Amendment and Coastal Development Permit to allow the construction
and operation of an automated gasoline station at their existing site on Palomar Airport Road and
Armada Drive. The station would be located in the northeast corner of the parking lot, just south
of the existing vacant commercial pad. As shown on Exhibit "A", dated August 6, 1997, the
access to the Price Club property would remain unchanged and the gas station would be accessed
off the main entrance drive. Adjacent to the proposed gas station site are Palomar Airport Road
SDP 90-05(C)/CUP 90-03^ o/CDP 97-05 - PRICECOSTCO GASOLINE
AUGUST 6,1997
PAGE 2
to the north, Price Club warehouse and parking to the west, a vacant Planned Industrial site to the
east and a natural drainage area to the south. The proposed improvements can fit within the
existing site and no expansion into adjacent areas is necessary.
The Price Club site has been reviewed by the Planning Commission/City Council on three
previous occasions. First was the original approval in May 21,1991, which included the 121,000
square foot Price Club building and associated parking and loading areas, a graded pad on Paseo
del Norte for a future 15,000 square foot office building and a graded pad on Palomar Airport
Road for a 5,000 square foot retail building. In April, 1996, the Price Club received a Site
Development Plan Amendment to add 12,200 square feet of interior space to the existing
warehouse for meat and deli preparation, bakery and additional sales display areas. Most
recently, on March 19, 1997, the Planning Commission approved a boundary adjustment to the
western portion of the site to facilitate the adjacent Carl's Jr. project's site design.
The current proposal involves an automated gasoline station, with three pump islands covered by
a 17.5 foot high canopy with lighting. The architecture of the canopy would match the existing
Costco warehouse building with its aggregate and brick materials. Also included in the proposed
development would be three underground fuel tanks, an automatic controller enclosure and
landscaping. The pumps must be activated each morning prior to pumping and all operations at
the station are monitored by video camera from inside the Costco warehouse. A phone link is
also provided to assist customers, however only members and employees of Costco can use the
station. The hours of operation would be limited to the same operating hours of the Costco
warehouse to reduce the opportunity for vandalism or unattended fuel spillage. In the event that
fuel does leak, floor drains would catch the runoff and direct it to pretreatment areas before
entering the storm drain system. Alarms installed on the drains would alert Costco employees
that a spill had occurred and automatically shut off the pumps.
To accommodate the gas station within the existing parking lot, 87 of the existing parking spaces
would be removed. Fortunately, the number of spaces in the Price Club parking lot is well over
that required by code and, based on site visits, the area proposed for the gas station is
underutilized. With the proposed reduction, the parking supply on the site would total 810
spaces. The warehouse requires 513 spaces and the vacant pad on Palomar Airport Road could
require up to 60 spaces. Therefore, adequate parking remains after the proposed deletion of
spaces for the gas station improvements. Some of the parking lot islands also need to be
redesigned to accommodate the gas station and fuel truck delivery circulation and the
landscaping within those islands would be replaced in the new islands.
The PriceCostco Gasoline project is subject to the following regulations:
A. General Plan;
B. Local Coastal Program (Mello II segment and its implementing ordinances);
C. C-2-Q - General Commercial Zone with a Qualified Development Overlay
(Chapters 21.28 and 21.06 of the Zoning Ordinance);
SDP 90-05(C)/CUP 90-03^ ,)/CDP 97-05 - PRICECOSTCO GASOLINE
AUGUST 6,1997
PAGE 3
D. Conditional Use Ordinance (Chapter 21.42 of the Zoning Ordinance);
E. Growth Management Ordinance (Chapter 21.90 of the Zoning Ordinance);
F. Zone 5 Local Facilities Management Plan.
IV. ANALYSIS
The recommendation for approval of this project was developed by analyzing the project's
consistency with the applicable policies and regulations listed above. The following analysis
section discusses compliance with each of these regulations/policies utilizing both text and
tables.
A. General Plan
TABLE 1 - GENERAL PLAN COMPLIANCE
ELEMENT USE CLASSIFICATION, GOAL,
OBJECTIVE OR PROGRAM
PROPOSED USES AND
IMPROVEMENTS COMPLIANCE
Land Use Site is designated for Regional
Commercial land uses.
Commercial developments should
provide landscaped parking lots and
use harmonious architecture between
buildings.
Gasoline station ancillary
to existing regional retail
warehouse use.
Parking lot is adequately
landscaped and gas station
canopy matches existing
warehouse building.
Yes
Yes
Circulation Provision of safe, adequate and
attractively landscaped parking
facilities.
Reduction of parking does
not lower site to less than
minimum required.
Yes
Housing Achieve a balance between jobs and
housing appropriate to those wages.
Project is conditioned with
standard non-residential
affordable housing linkage
fee.
Yes
Open Space
Conservation
Require adequate buffers between
development and environmentally
sensitive habitats.
Existing NPDES system
and new spillage alarms
with automatic shut-offs
ensure storm water quality.
Yes
Public Safety Design all structures in accordance
with the seismic design standards of
the UBC and State building
requirements.
Gasoline station canopy
and tanks designed in
conformance with all
seismic design standards.
Yes
SDP 90-05(C)/CUP 90-03^)/CDP 97-05 - PRICECOSTCO GASOUNE
AUGUST 6, 1997
PAGE 4
TABLE 1 - GENERAL PLAN COMPLIANCE
ELEMENT
Parks and
Recreation
USE CLASSIFICATION, GOAL,
OBJECTIVE OR PROGRAM
To finance future public park and
recreation facilities.
PROPOSED USES AND
IMPROVEMENTS
Project is conditioned to
pay non-residential park
in-lieu fee for Zone 5.
COMPLIANCE
Yes
B. Local Coastal Program
The Price Club site lies within the Mello II segment of the City's Coastal Zone and is subject to
the corresponding land use policies and implementing ordinances. These policies and ordinances
emphasize topics such as ^reservation of agriculture and scenic resources, protection of
environmentally sensitive resources, provision of shoreline access, and prevention of geologic
instability and erosion. The site is currently developed as a parking lot with landscaping on
which no agricultural or environmentally sensitive lands exist on site. The proposal does not
include grading therefore the grading provisions in the Mello II land use policies do not apply.
Since the project site is located 1.3 miles from the nearest water body (Pacific Ocean), no
shoreline development regulations apply. No scenic resources exist on or near the
topographically depressed site. Therefore, the PriceCostco Gasoline project is consistent with
the Mello II land use policies and the applicable implementing ordinances.
C. C-2-Q - General Commercial Zone with Qualified Development Overlay
The Price Club property is zoned C-2-Q and therefore subject to the provision of those zoning
designations. The restrictions contained in the C-2 - General Commercial zone deal mostly with
uses, however there are standards regarding building height and placement on the lot. The
maximum building height allowed in the C-2 zone is 35 feet to the peak of the roof while the
proposed gas station canopy measures only 17.5 feet to the top of the roof. The building
placement standards in the C-2 zone apply only when the property is adjacent to residential
property, which is not the case for the proposed gas station. The Qualified Development Overlay
zone does not contain any specific development standards but does allow the Planning
Commission to increase any standards or impose special conditions that may be deemed
necessary. The project is conditioned to provide additional landscaping upon completion of the
canopy if necessary to augment the existing screening of the landscaped berm and parking lot
landscaping.
While not contained in the C-2 zoning requirements, a discussion of the parking requirements of
the Zoning Ordinance and the project's conformance is appropriate in this section. The proposed
gas station development would remove 87 parking spaces from the existing 897 space parking
lot. The amount of parking required by the Parking Ordinance (Chapter 21.44 of the Zoning
Ordinance) for the entire PriceCostco operation, including warehouse, retail, food service and
office is 513 spaces. In addition, there is a vacant pad at the southwest corner of Palomar
Airport Road and Armada Drive that would require some of the parking in the PriceCostco
parking lot. The original approval for the Price Club site planned for a maximum 5,000 square
SDP 90-05(C)/CUP 90-03^)/CDP 97-05 - PRICECOSTCO GASOLINE
AUGUST 6,1997
PAGES
foot retail use on this vacant pad. Assuming, for the purposes of parking needs assessment, that
the future use would be a restaurant, the future parking requirement for the vacant pad would be
60 spaces. The proposed parking supply of 810 spaces more than accommodates the required
513 spaces for PriceCostco and the maximum 60 spaces needed for future development on the
vacant pad. Given the above, the proposed gas station conforms to the requirements of the C-2-
Q zone.
D. Conditional Use Ordinance
Since the project involves the placement of a gasoline station in a commercial zone, a
Conditional Use Permit is required pursuant to Section 21.42.010(7) of the Zoning Ordinance.
The four findings required for a Conditional Use Permit address compatibility and harmony of
the use with the project site and its existing and future surroundings. The proposed gas station
would be located hi the northeast corner of the existing Price Club parking lot so as to not
produce traffic circulation or parking impacts. The station and underground tanks would still be
over 80 feet from the adjacent vacant commercial pad, and separated by intervening landscaping
and circulation aisles. The canopy height is lower than the existing berm along Palomar Airport
Road, and additional landscaping would be planted around the station to lessen public view
impacts from the arterial. Since the project would generate only 1,280 average daily traffic trips,
the submitted traffic report indicates that Palomar Airport Road can accommodate this traffic
while still maintaining an acceptable level of service.
Section 21.42.010(7) states that automobile service stations may only be allowed in conjunction
with master planned areas, freeway-service facilities, or regional or community shopping centers.
This section of the Zoning Ordinance also contains several development requirements of service
stations, including landscaping, shielding of exterior lighting, enclosed trash containers and full
public improvements as necessary. The proposed gas station is operated in conjunction with the
Price Club, which is a regional shopping use. As shown on Exhibits "A" - "E", dated August 6,
1997 and in the conditions of approval for the project, all required development standards and
public improvements are, or are conditioned to be, in place prior to occupancy. Therefore the
proposed PriceCostco Gasoline project is consistent with the Conditional Use Ordinance.
E. Growth Management Ordinance
Since the PriceCostco Gasoline project involves no residential uses, many of the facilities
regulated by the Growth Management Ordinance are not affected. Table 3 below shows the
project's compliance with the applicable Growth Management facility requirements.
TABLE 3 - GROWTH MANAGEMENT COMPLIANCE
Standard
City Administration
Library
Impacts/Standards
N/A
N/A
Compliance
Yes
Yes
SDP 90-05(C)/CUP 90-03(~yCDP 97-05 - PRICECOSTCO GASOLINE
AUGUST 6,1997
PAGE 6
TABLE 3 - GROWTH MANAGEMENT COMPLIANCE
Standard
Waste Water Treatment
Parks
Drainage
Circulation
Fire
Open Space
Schools
Sewer Collection System
Water
Impacts/Standards
3EDU
N/A
PLDAC
1,280ADT
Fire Station No. 4
N/A
CUSD
3EDU
660 GPD
Compliance
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
F. Zone 5 Local Facilities Management Plan
The PriceCostco Gasoline site is located within Local Facilities Management Zone 5. There are
no special development conditions in the zone plan that apply to the non-residential project
except for the requirement for a 40 cents per square foot park-in-lieu fee. The project is
conditioned to pay this fee at time of building permit issuance. In addition, the gas station
proppsal is conditioned to pay the appropriate public facilities fee as well as being conditioned to
conform to all current and future requirements of the Zone Plan. The PriceCostco Gasoline
project is therefore in conformance with the Zone 5 Local Facilities Management Plan.
V.ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Earlier analysis of development on the Price Club property has been conducted on two occasions.
First was through the Master Environmental Impact Report for the 1994 General Plan Update
(MEIR 93-01), which reviewed the potential impacts of buildout of the City's General Plan,
including transportation and air quality impacts. Second was the Conditional Negative
Declaration for the original Price Club store (SDP 90-05), which reviewed the potential impacts
of development on the Price Club site.
Since the project involves the construction and operation of a gas station within an existing
commercial parking lot, the potential impacts in the areas of land use and planning, population
and housing, regional transportation and circulation, biological resources, energy and mineral
resources, hazards, public services, utilities and service systems and cultural resources have also
already been discussed and addressed in the Master Environmental Impact Report. Therefore,
with regard to these potential impacts, there will be no additional significant effects due to this
development that were not analyzed in the MEIR and no new or additional mitigation measures
SDP 90-05(C)/CUP 90-03^)/CDP 97-05 - PRICECOSTCO GASOLINE
AUGUST 6,1997
PAGE 7
or alternatives are required. All feasible mitigation measures identified in the previous MEIR
which are appropriate to this project have been incorporated into the project.
The potential impacts to visual aesthetics and local circulation from the proposed automatic gas
station were not fully addressed in the previous environmental reviews, therefore these potential
impacts were analyzed through the current environmental documentation, including the EIA
addendum. Upon review of the canopy development and proposed landscaping, the Planning
Director determined that no significant adverse environmental impacts would result from the
proposed development and, therefore, issued and duly noticed a Negative Declaration on July 11,
1997. No comments were received during the public review period.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Planning Commission Resolution No .4142
2. Planning Commission Resolution No. 4143
3. Planning Commission Resolution No. 4144
4. Planning Commission Resolution No. 4145
5. Location Map
6. Disclosure Statement
7. Local Facilities Impact Assessment Form
8. Background Data Sheet
9. Exhibits "A" - "E", dated August 6,1997.
\
PRICECOSTCO GASOLINE
SDP 90-05(C)/CUP 90-03(A)/
CDP 97-05
City of Carlsbad
Planning Department
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
Applicant's statement or disclosure of certain ownership interests on all
applications which will require discretionary action on the part of the City
Council or any appointed Board, Commission or Committee.
The following information must be disclosed:
1. APPLICANT
List the names and addresses of all persons having a financial interest in the
application.
Be He. \f<*t. tuA
2. OWNER
List the names and addresses of all persons having any ownership interest in the
rrt invlved.property involved.
/CA.
3. If any person identified pursuant to (1) or (2) above is a corporation or partnership,
list the names and addresses of all individuals owning more than 10% of the shares
in the corporation or owning any partnership interest in the partnership.
4. If any person identified pursuant to (1) or (2) above is a non-profit organization or a
trust, list the names and addresses of any person serving as officer or director of
the non-profit organization or as trustee or beneficiary of the trust.
2O75 Las Palmas Dr. • Carlsbad. CA 92OO9-1576 • (619) 438-1161 • FAX (619) 438-O894 ®
5. Have you had n.^re than $250 worth of business transacted with any member of
City staff, Boards, Commissions, Committees and/or Council within the past twelve
(12) months?
Yes No If yes, please indicate person(s):
Person is defined as "Any individual, firm, co-partnership, joint venture, association, social club,
fraternal organization, corporation, estate, trust, receiver, syndicate, this and any other county, city
and county, city -municipality, district or other political subdivision or any other group or
combination acting .as a unit.'
NOTE: Attach additional sheets if necessary.
Signature of owner/date of applicant/date
Print or type name of owner Print or type name of applicant
Disclosure Statement 10/96 Page 2 of 2
CITY OF CARLSBAD
GROWTH MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
LOCAL FACILITIES IMPACTS ASSESSMENT FORM
(To be Submitted with Development Application)
PROJECT IDENTITY AND IMPACT ASSESSMENT:
FILE NAME AND NO: PriceCostco Gasoline - SDP 90-05(CVCUP 90-03(AVCDP 97-05
LOCAL FACILITY MANAGEMENT ZONE: 5 GENERAL PLAN: R - Regional Commercial
ZONING: C-2-O - General Commercial with Qualified Development Overlay
DEVELOPER'S NAME: Costco Wholesale. Inc.
ADDRESS: 999 Lake Dr. Issaauah. WA 98027
PHONE NO.: 206-313-6312 ASSESSOR'S PARCEL NO.: 211-040-35
QUANTITY OF LAND USE/DEVELOPMENT (AC., SQ. FT., DU): 0.67 acres
ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: October. 1997
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
L.
1.280 APT
City Administrative Facilities: Demand in Square Footage =
Library: Demand in Square Footage =
Wastewater Treatment Capacity (Calculate with J. Sewer) 3 EDU
Park: Demand in Acreage =
Drainage: Demand in CFS =
Identify Drainage Basin = PLDAC
(Identify master plan facilities on site plan)
Circulation: Demand in ADTs =
(Identify Trip Distribution on site plan)
Fire: Served by Fire Station No. =
Open Space: Acreage Provided =
Schools:
(Demands to be determined by staff)
Sewer: Demands in EDUs 3 EDU
Water: Demand in GPD =
The project is not a residential project.
No. 4
N/A
CUSD
660 GPD
BACKGROUND DATA SHEET
CASE NO: SDP 90-05(CVCUP 90-03rAVCDP 97-05
CASE NAME: PriceCostco Gasoline
APPLICANT: Costco Wholesale. Inc.
REQUEST AND LOCATION: Construction and operation of an automatic gas station for
Costco members within the existing Price Club parking lot.
LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Parcel 2 of Parcel Map 17542. filed in the Office of the County
Recorder on June 27, 1995, in the City of Carlsbad. County of San Diego. State of California.
APN: 211-040-35 Acres: 14.8 Proposed No. of Lots/Units: __N/A
GENERAL PLAN AND ZONING
Land Use Designation: Regional Commercial (TO
Density Allowed: N/A Density Proposed: N/A
Existing Zone: C-2-Q Proposed Zone: C-2-O
Surrounding Zoning and Land Use: (See attached for information on Carlsbad's Zoning
Requirements)
Zoning Land Use
Site C-2-Q Costco Warehouse
North O-S Flower fields
South O-S Open Space
East L-C Vacant pad
West R-P Retail nursery
PUBLIC FACILITIES
School District: Carlsbad Water District: Carlsbad Sewer District: Carlsbad
Equivalent Dwelling Units (Sewer Capacity): 3 EDU
Public Facilities Fee Agreement, dated: April 14.1997
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Negative Declaration, issued July 11.1997
Certified Environmental Impact Report, dated.
Other,