Envision Carlsbad is the city's multi-year work program to update its general plan, local coastal plan and zoning ordinance. All cities in California are required to have a general plan which is the foundation of local land use planning. A general plan creates a city's vision for the foreseeable planning horizon — usually 10-20 years — and translates the vision into objectives, goals, policies and implementing programs for the community. The last comprehensive update of Carlsbad's General Plan was completed in 1994. At that time, Carlsbad was a developing community and many of the newer master plan areas such as Rancho Carrillo, Bressi Ranch and substantial portions of La Costa were vacant land. Now, most of Carlsbad has been built out and much of the future development will consist of infill projects.
The zoning ordinance creates the rules and regulations to implement the General Plan. The Local Coastal Plan implements programs and policies established by the City in cooperation with the California Coastal Commission for the portion of Carlsbad within the Coastal Zone, which is much of Carlsbad west of El Camino Real.
Carlsbad is now in the second phase of the work program to update these plans. The first phase, conducted in 2008-2009 consisted of a very successful community outreach program (Visioning). The city conducted various meetings with a wide variety of stakeholders within the community as well as meetings in each quadrant of Carlsbad to receive input. The input from these numerous meetings had a number of common core values which were translated into Vision Statements that will be used by the city, their consultants and a 19-member citizen's committee to prepare the updated general plan, local coastal plan and zoning ordinance.
These updates will not be completed until the first quarter of 2013 and will include the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). There will be a number of opportunities for members of the business community to provide their input during the preparation of these documents during the next few years. The next community workshops are tentatively scheduled for the first quarter of 2011.
It is important for members of the Chamber to be involved with this process. These documents will establish the rules and regulations that influence how and where future business is conducted in Carlsbad. The update of these documents will look at land use issues such as future residential density, flexibility within the restrictive industrial zones, and building height exceeding the standard 35' limit in certain areas.
Since most of the future development of Carlsbad will consist of infill development, the plans will look at policies and programs to encourage mixed use and transit-oriented developments while ensuring these future projects are compatible with and contribute to the existing character of Carlsbad.
For more details on the process and work that has already been completed, Chamber members should go to the City of Carlsbad's Web site where a lengthy discussion of the Envision Carlsbad process is provided. Chamber members should also contact the Government Affairs Committee with any questions or concerns they have about the process of providing input, and to encourage the business retention and growth in Carlsbad.
Mike Howes of Howes, Weiler and Associates has been involved in land use planning in Carlsbad since 1980 and one of the 19 members of the Envision Carlsbad Citizen's Committee working with the city staff and their consultants.
The zoning ordinance creates the rules and regulations to implement the General Plan. The Local Coastal Plan implements programs and policies established by the City in cooperation with the California Coastal Commission for the portion of Carlsbad within the Coastal Zone, which is much of Carlsbad west of El Camino Real.
Carlsbad is now in the second phase of the work program to update these plans. The first phase, conducted in 2008-2009 consisted of a very successful community outreach program (Visioning). The city conducted various meetings with a wide variety of stakeholders within the community as well as meetings in each quadrant of Carlsbad to receive input. The input from these numerous meetings had a number of common core values which were translated into Vision Statements that will be used by the city, their consultants and a 19-member citizen's committee to prepare the updated general plan, local coastal plan and zoning ordinance.
These updates will not be completed until the first quarter of 2013 and will include the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). There will be a number of opportunities for members of the business community to provide their input during the preparation of these documents during the next few years. The next community workshops are tentatively scheduled for the first quarter of 2011.
It is important for members of the Chamber to be involved with this process. These documents will establish the rules and regulations that influence how and where future business is conducted in Carlsbad. The update of these documents will look at land use issues such as future residential density, flexibility within the restrictive industrial zones, and building height exceeding the standard 35' limit in certain areas.
Since most of the future development of Carlsbad will consist of infill development, the plans will look at policies and programs to encourage mixed use and transit-oriented developments while ensuring these future projects are compatible with and contribute to the existing character of Carlsbad.
For more details on the process and work that has already been completed, Chamber members should go to the City of Carlsbad's Web site where a lengthy discussion of the Envision Carlsbad process is provided. Chamber members should also contact the Government Affairs Committee with any questions or concerns they have about the process of providing input, and to encourage the business retention and growth in Carlsbad.
Mike Howes of Howes, Weiler and Associates has been involved in land use planning in Carlsbad since 1980 and one of the 19 members of the Envision Carlsbad Citizen's Committee working with the city staff and their consultants.