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Planning commission recommends city council remand proposed Bressy Ranch rezoning to staff
Summary
The Planning Commission voted 5–1 (with one recusal) to recommend the City Council remand a privately initiated general‑plan amendment for a 7.02‑acre Bressy Ranch parcel. The application seeks an R23 residential designation to allow roughly 111 for‑sale townhomes; commissioners asked staff to require traffic and design analyses during processing.
The Carlsbad Planning Commission voted Feb. 18 to recommend the City Council remand a privately initiated general‑plan amendment for a 7.02‑acre parcel in the Bressy Ranch area so staff can process the application and prepare environmental and design analyses.
Assistant Director of Community Development Eric Lardy told commissioners the application requests a change from planned industrial to an R23 residential designation that would allow, as proposed, about 111 for‑sale townhome units. Lardy described two procedural options: remand to staff for full processing (including any CEQA review) or recommend denial; he said remand would likely trigger 12–24 months of processing, studies and outreach.
Developer representatives said the parcel is an underutilized remnant of the Bressy Ranch master plan. Andrew Cohen of Levine Investments said the ownership group is early in the process and wants the opportunity to complete outreach and studies, and Eric Everhart of Toll Brothers described a gated, three‑story townhome product that the company said would “provide a residential buffer against existing or future industrial” uses and improve neighborhood values.
Public testimony split: Bruce VanderMeer, president of the Bressy Ranch Homeowners Association, urged the commission to preserve the corridor’s business uses and warned of traffic and master‑plan change; David Pierce, a nearby resident, spoke in support, saying the site is walkable to transit and job centers.
Commissioners pressed staff and the applicant on unit yield and long‑term RHNA obligations, transit proximity, the R23 density range and whether the current proposal complies with the minimum density for R23. Several commissioners described concerns about spot zoning and loss of industrial capacity; others said the applicant should be allowed to pursue formal processing and provide the missing technical analyses.
Commissioner Hubinger moved to adopt the resolution recommending the City Council remand the application back to staff for further processing; Commissioner Mertz seconded. The commission recorded 5 votes in favor, 1 recusal (Commissioner Burrows) and 1 no (Commissioner Fitzgerald). The commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council, which is the final decision maker on general‑plan amendments.
