Despite concerns about a parking shortage, the Carlsbad City Council approved a five-story, mixed-use development Tuesday with 50 for-sale condos and ground-floor commercial space in the downtown Village neighborhood.
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The site on Carlsbad Village Drive, about three blocks west of Interstate 5, is occupied by a long-vacant, single-story bank building with a multi-lane drive-through. Council members said they would like to see more than the 50 parking spaces provided for the project, but their hands are tied by state law.
Jonathan Frankel of Carlsbad-based Rincon Homes, the developer, said up to 23 mechanical parking lifts will be offered to residents who want additional parking space in the building. That would bring the total to as many as 73 spaces.
“We understand parking is an area-wide concern,” Frankel said, and the company “explored all options to increase parking on the site.”
This will be Rincon’s fourth mixed-use project in Carlsbad’s Village, he said.
Eight of the condominiums will be deed-restricted as affordable homes for qualified applicants. Four of those will be reserved for households in the moderate-income category, and four will be for low-income households. A condominium for a low-income household will sell for about $150,000, Frankel said.
Because the development includes affordable housing, state law allows it to have a greater density than the city’s zoning sets for the property. The city’s zoning on the site allows up to 35 dwellings per acre. Under the state’s density bonus law, the project was approved with a density of 69.4 dwellings per acre.
State law also allows the 71-foot-tall building to exceed the Village’s 45-foot height limit. And, because the site is within one-half mile of public transit at the Carlsbad Village Coaster Station, the developer is not required to provide any parking, even though at least 50 spaces are included.
The City Council voted 4-1 to approve the project, with Councilmember Melanie Burkholder opposed. She and other council members said state law should not dictate local housing decisions.
“I was not elected to represent Sacramento,” Burkholder said. “I was elected to represent the Barrio and the Village.”
The project has some good qualities, she said, such as the for-sale affordable housing that’s included. Most of the deed-restricted affordable housing in Oceanside and other North County cities is rentals. However, she could not approve the project without more parking for its residents and visitors.
“Parking in the Village, or the lack thereof, is the common complaint of residents throughout the city,” Burkholder said.
“This is a project that takes advantage of state law, and it’s not something we can refuse,” said Councilmember Teresa Acosta. “The way that we stop this is by changing the state laws in Sacramento.”
Plans call for 19 one-bedroom condominiums from 876 to 958 square feet each, 19 two-bedroom condos from 1,228 to 1,632 square feet each, and 12 three-bedrooms from 1,791 to 2,286 square feet each.
Each unit will have its own private outdoor deck. Short-term rentals will be prohibited.
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