Public hearing for El Camino Real widening and drainage master plan updates.

PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARINGNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to you, because your interest may be affected, that the Planning Commission of the City of Carlsbad will hold a public hearing at the Council Chamber, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive, Carlsbad, California, at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, to consider the following:EL CAMINO REAL WIDENING PROJECT, ARENAL RD. TO LA COSTA AVE. (CIP 6051) - CDP2022-0030, HMP2022-0004, HDP2022-0001, SUP2022-0003, SUP2022-0004 (PUB2021-0012): This city project would construct street, bike, pedestrian, and landscape improvements on El Camino Real between Arenal Road and La Costa Avenue. Proposed improvements would widen El Camino Real from two southbound vehicular travel lanes to three vehicular travel lanes, provide or maintain buffered bike lanes in both the southbound and northbound directions, construct new pedestrian bridges on the east and west sides of El Camino Real roadway bridge at San Marcos Creek, and construct a new sidewalk between Arenal Road and San Marcos Creek on the west side of the street. While mostly within existing right-of-way, the project proposes to acquire limited right-of-way along the west side of the street near and south of Arenal Road and the east side of the street near San Marcos Creek. Project work will also require the adjustment of the existing open space boundary near and south of Arenal Road and the east side of the street near San Marcos Creek. The project is almost entirely in the Coastal Zone.EL CAMINO REAL WIDENING PROJECT ARENAL RD. TO LA COSTA AVE. (CIP 6051) CDP2022-0030, HMP2022-0004, HDP2022-0001, SUP2022-0003, SUP2022-0004 (PUB2021-0012)DRAINAGE MASTER PLAN UPDATE (CIP 6623) - LCPA2025-0024, MCA2026-0001: Request for a Local Coastal Program Amendment to revise the Local Coastal Program Land Use Plan to reference the proposed City of Carlsbad 2026 Drainage Master Plan. Currently, the Land Use Plan incorporates by reference the city's Drainage Master Plan amended in 2008. The proposed 2026 Drainage Master Plan constitutes a comprehensive evaluation and strategic outlook for the drainage infrastructure in Carlsbad. As part of that evaluation, it identifies 11 high priority Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects subject to further analysis and permitting. An updated Planned Local Drainage Area (PLDA) fee system would also be implemented to fund the identified improvements. The 2026 Drainage Master Plan also includes technical updates to the city's internal GIS storm drain inventory and an updated hydrologic and hydraulic assessment of the City's backbone storm drain infrastructure. The 2026 Drainage Master Plan includes an Addendum to EIR 04-02, the Final EIR certified in conjunction with the 2008 Drainage Master Plan.The legislative actions under this project include a Local Coastal Program Amendment and a Municipal Code Amendment, both of which propose to reference the proposed 2026 Drainage Master Plan rather than the 2008 Drainage Master Plan. The Planning Commission will take no action on the proposed Municipal Code Amendment as it is not within the commission's purview. Instead, the proposed Municipal Code Amendment will be provided to the Planning Commission for context and as an information item only. The two items for which the Planning Commission will be providing a recommendation to City Council are the Local Coastal Program Amendment and the EIR Addendum.If you challenge these projects in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Carlsbad at or prior to the public hearing.Copies of the environmental documents are available at the Planning Division at 1635 Faraday Avenue during regular business hours from Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm.Those persons wishing to speak on these proposals are cordially invited to attend the public hearing. Copies of the staff reports will be available online at https://www.carlsbadca.gov/city-hall/meetings- agendas/boards-commissions/planning-commission on or after the Thursday prior to the hearing date. If you have any questions, please call the Planning Division at (442) 339-2600.PUBLISH: March 6, 2026CITY OF CARLSBADPLANNING DIVISION