CARLSBAD — Another mixed-use development got the green light from the City Council during its Feb. 27 meeting.
This time, though, the project, dubbed the Six on Madison, won unanimous support in a 4-0 vote. Mayor Matt Hall recused himself with a conflict of interest as he owns property in the notice area.
The four-story project will include 943 square feet of commercial space and six condos on the site, which sits at the corner of Madison Street and Oak Avenue. In addition, six parking lifts, similar to the two proposed for the Carlsbad Village Center, are also included in the plans.
Twelve of the 13 parking spaces will use the lifts, while the applicant, Oak & Madison, LLC, was also granted to include four spaces in the parking-in-lieu fee program.
“I talked with several business owners … and none opposed and most were neutral,” Councilman Mark Packard said. “I think it will be a nice addition to the area.”
Currently the site is vacant and unpaved, but several residents cautioned the council about increased traffic, calming measures and a lack of streetlights, plus concerns over what type of business would operate in the space. In its original plans, Oak & Madison, LLC, was proposing an all-residential complex, but city staff recommended a mixed-use project to fit in line with the needs of the area.
One resident, Gary Nessim, said the project doesn’t fit with the feel of the Village.
“This is more modern and less quaint,” he said. “Oak Avenue has great potential to be a commercial street.”
As for what may occupy the commercial space, John Berry of Berry Group Inc., said there is potential for Pilates, yoga, a personal trainer, private boutique or a small medical business. He ruled out a restaurant or coffee shop, noting the parking spaces for the commercial space are suited for a small business with fewer employees.
“I like the setback and staff pushing for commercial space,” Councilwoman Cori Schumacher said. “I approve of this project, specifically because of the housing needs and it’s an empty lot.”
Each condo would have a balcony as the building reaches the 45-foot maximum allowed under the current Village Master Plan. As for the parking-in-lieu program, the staff report states those are included instead of providing spaces for the commercial space.
In addition, since the project has fewer than seven housing units, the applicant was also granted the housing-in-lieu program, totaling $27,090 for the project.
The project received unanimously approval from the Planning Commission on Dec. 20, 2017, in a 6-0 vote (Commissioner Kerry Siekmann was absent).
3 comments
I wonder if this mixed use project is helping the affordable housing crisis so often referred to? It is a historically commercial location. Six condos in this project. 943 ft. of commercial. It seems to lean heavily on the residential side of the equation. I think it would be great to live upstairs and just have to walk down to work. I can’t see six businesses working out of 943 square feet unless they are working out of 5’X10′ cubicles. So another chance at getting it right misses.
The name of the architect and the architecture company is spelled wrong.
It is Beery Group Inc. and the Architects last name is spelled Beery, not Berry.
For those who wish to continue claiming that Cori is anti-growth, anti-development, and anti-business….she’s not. She’s pro-SMART growth, SMART development, and SMART business.
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