Village mixed-use project goes to Carlsbad council on Tuesday

A four-story, 23-apartment, mixed-used development proposed for northern Roosevelt Street near Laguna Drive in Carlsbad’s downtown Village will be considered by the Carlsbad City Council on Tuesday.

City planners and the Carlsbad Planning Commission have recommended the City Council approve the project, which would have just over 5,000 square feet on the ground floor for five commercial tenants.

Two office suites would be included with the apartments on the second floor, according to plans filed by the developer. The rest of the upper levels would be apartments with single- or two-story floor plans.

Four of the apartments in the building will be designated as affordable housing — two for very low-income tenants and two for moderate-income tenants who qualify based on regional guidelines. Under California’s density bonus law, the inclusion of affordable housing qualifies the project for an increased density and the waiver of some local zoning requirements.

Two residents who spoke at the Planning Commission’s April 2 meeting said they like the project, but each expressed a different concern. One said there was not enough parking, and the other did not like the colors of the building.

The developer, Fabric Investments founder Brendan Foote, said the 24 parking spaces in the gated garage are limited by the half-acre lot, but that the paint scheme could be altered. Residents often raise similar concerns about projects proposed for the Village.

Planning Commissioner Dave Hubinger said it April that the developer “did a great job” with the plans, and that the apartments would help to address the region’s housing shortage.

A two-story office building with a parking lot on the site will be demolished. The location is beside a trailer park, close to restaurants and other residential buildings, and a few blocks from the city’s Coaster commuter train station.