The City of Carlsbad believes strongly in providing tools to help our local businesses achieve success. And one way the city can help accomplish that goal is by removing unnecessary barriers to that success.
In July, the Carlsbad City Council approved changes in the zoning ordinance that streamline the process for obtaining conditional use permits in nonresidential zones. These changes push the authority to approve these permits to the lowest possible level, eliminating the number of steps that applicants must undergo.
Reassigning approval authority to the lowest appropriate decision-maker for conditional uses in nonresidential zones benefits the community and the applicant by cutting the processing time, reducing costs and promoting economic development.
With so many world-famous companies based in Carlsbad, such as TaylorMade Golf Company, Callaway Golf and prAna Living to name a few, we want them to be able to use a small portion of their facility to showcase and sell their iconic products. To address this issue we had to change the zoning code to allow businesses in planned industrial zones, designated "P-M," to sell their products directly to the public from their establishments. The city has placed reasonable limits on such merchandising to prevent industrial zones from turning commercial. These restrictions are:
• Marketing is an accessory, not the primary land use.
• The store must be contained within the structure, no parking lot tents will be allowed.
• The products for sale must be produced, distributed or warehoused on the premises.
• No outdoor display is allowed.
• The space dedicated to sales is limited to 2,000 square feet or 20 percent of the business' total floor space, whichever is less.
This means that some businesses, such as a company that makes specialty foods and distributes them wholesale or sells them on the Internet, can set up a counter and sell their products on their premises to walk-in customers.
Another change allows educational institutions and tutoring services in the industrial zone, excluding schools that fall under the authority of the California Education Code or State Board of Education. This change encourages technical schools that train employees for our companies to locate where their customers are.
The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce is a strong advocate of these changes.
"Many small businesses hoping to locate in Carlsbad cannot afford the costs or time it takes to process a Conditional Use Permit through a Planning Commission hearing," Carlsbad Chamber President and CEO Ted Owen wrote to the commission on April 16. "Allowing potential users to be approved administratively through a Minor CUP will encourage more businesses to come to Carlsbad while still providing an adequate level of review and conditioning."
These changes have taken effect everywhere except the coastal zone, where the California Coastal Commission must review them. Although this means that the city has two sets of rules, one for businesses inside and one for those outside the coastal zone, most businesses are outside, and the city didn't want to delay implementation of the changes for everyone while waiting for the Coastal Commission to weigh in.
The genesis for these changes dates to 2009, when the City Council directed staff to forge a stronger partnership with local businesses. The result of that was nine initiatives and a list of 48 individual recommendations to streamline the development review process, and these zoning changes are among the final items on that list.
Staff has made a concerted effort to smooth the permitting process without sacrificing the standards that promote high performing businesses and preserve Carlsbad's high quality of life.
In July, the Carlsbad City Council approved changes in the zoning ordinance that streamline the process for obtaining conditional use permits in nonresidential zones. These changes push the authority to approve these permits to the lowest possible level, eliminating the number of steps that applicants must undergo.
Reassigning approval authority to the lowest appropriate decision-maker for conditional uses in nonresidential zones benefits the community and the applicant by cutting the processing time, reducing costs and promoting economic development.
With so many world-famous companies based in Carlsbad, such as TaylorMade Golf Company, Callaway Golf and prAna Living to name a few, we want them to be able to use a small portion of their facility to showcase and sell their iconic products. To address this issue we had to change the zoning code to allow businesses in planned industrial zones, designated "P-M," to sell their products directly to the public from their establishments. The city has placed reasonable limits on such merchandising to prevent industrial zones from turning commercial. These restrictions are:
• Marketing is an accessory, not the primary land use.
• The store must be contained within the structure, no parking lot tents will be allowed.
• The products for sale must be produced, distributed or warehoused on the premises.
• No outdoor display is allowed.
• The space dedicated to sales is limited to 2,000 square feet or 20 percent of the business' total floor space, whichever is less.
This means that some businesses, such as a company that makes specialty foods and distributes them wholesale or sells them on the Internet, can set up a counter and sell their products on their premises to walk-in customers.
Another change allows educational institutions and tutoring services in the industrial zone, excluding schools that fall under the authority of the California Education Code or State Board of Education. This change encourages technical schools that train employees for our companies to locate where their customers are.
The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce is a strong advocate of these changes.
"Many small businesses hoping to locate in Carlsbad cannot afford the costs or time it takes to process a Conditional Use Permit through a Planning Commission hearing," Carlsbad Chamber President and CEO Ted Owen wrote to the commission on April 16. "Allowing potential users to be approved administratively through a Minor CUP will encourage more businesses to come to Carlsbad while still providing an adequate level of review and conditioning."
These changes have taken effect everywhere except the coastal zone, where the California Coastal Commission must review them. Although this means that the city has two sets of rules, one for businesses inside and one for those outside the coastal zone, most businesses are outside, and the city didn't want to delay implementation of the changes for everyone while waiting for the Coastal Commission to weigh in.
The genesis for these changes dates to 2009, when the City Council directed staff to forge a stronger partnership with local businesses. The result of that was nine initiatives and a list of 48 individual recommendations to streamline the development review process, and these zoning changes are among the final items on that list.
Staff has made a concerted effort to smooth the permitting process without sacrificing the standards that promote high performing businesses and preserve Carlsbad's high quality of life.