Carlsbad’s Planning Commission has unanimously approved a five-story building with 397 apartments to go up on 9.78 acres along Salk Avenue near the southwest corner of El Camino Real and College Boulevard.
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The vacant site is one of 16 parcels that the Carlsbad City Council rezoned from industrial to residential in 2024 to meet state requirements to provide more space for homes. The building will include 59 apartments, or 20% of the total, designated as deed-restricted affordable housing for qualified households.
“Ultimately this is a win for the city, to be able to provide those … affordable units,” said Commissioner Alicia Lafferty before the vote June 3.
The previously graded property is adjacent to some light industrial buildings, a private golf driving range and near a Scripps medical office building. It’s less than half a mile north of the county’s McClellan-Palomar Airport.
The developer, Hanover R.S. Limited Partnership, completed a similar project called Hanover Laguna Niguel in Orange County about 18 months ago, said Joe Gambill, a development partner with the company. This will be Hanover’s first project in Carlsbad.
The residential real estate development company was founded in 1982 and has properties in 19 states, including 36 locations in California. It completed the 21-story Hanover Little Italy apartment building in San Diego in 2021.
“We pride ourselves on being a very high class developer … sort of a best in class,” Gambill said to the Planning Commission.
The building will face Salk Avenue and includes an attached five-story parking structure at the rear, he said. With outdoor parking a total of 542 spaces will be provided. Amenities will include a club room, fitness center, media room, and a golf simulator for common use among the tenants.
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Four studio apartments averaging 643 square feet each, 253 one-bedroom apartments of about 744 square feet each, 112 two-bedroom units with 1,110 square feet each and 28 three-bedroom apartments averaging 1,371 square feet each will be included. The building will have three, central, connected courtyards with outdoor seating, a swimming pool, fire pits and barbecues.
The inclusion of affordable housing allows the development to have more apartments that otherwise would be allowed by local zoning laws. The state’s density bonus added 103 apartments to the 294 maximum under local zoning.
State law also allows the building to exceed the height limit of 45 set by local zoning. The Hanover development will 59 feet tall with projections for architectural elements and elevator equipment up to 74.5 feet.
Commission Chair Roy Meenes said the building is attractive and will help Carlsbad meet its affordable housing goals.
“The project is excellent … a building that is very appealing for the area,” Meenes said.
Commissioner Dave Hubinger said the location will add diversity to the city’s affordable housing, most of which is in the downtown Village and Barrio neighborhoods.
“It seems like a really good place to put apartments,” Hubinger said.
No one objected or raised any concerns about the project during the public comment portion of the meeting. The Planning Commission’s decision is final unless appealed to the City Council.
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