CARLSBAD: Council approves 207 percent increase in traffic fees for new development

By PAUL SISSON - Staff Writer | Tuesday, April 8, 2008 10:10 PM PDT ∞

CARLSBAD ---- Despite a protest from a lone building industry advocate, the Carlsbad City Council approved a 207 percent increase in "traffic impact fees" Tuesday night.

The fees are designed to compensate for the increased traffic that comes with most development by paying to widen roads and improve intersections throughout the city.

Though they winced at the size of the increase, council members approved the increase on a 4-1 vote with Councilman Matt Hall opposed. The move pushes the fee for a single-family home from $1,150 to $3,530 and affects commercial and industrial projects.

City planners told the council that they anticipate 4,600 more residential units and 10.5 million square feet of commercial and industrial space to be built in Carlsbad, adding that the increased development will put thousands more vehicles on area roads.

Councilwoman Julienne Nygaard noted that the fee has been in place since 1991 to help keep Carlsbad from becoming gridlocked.

"One of the concepts we have always had in Carlsbad is that new development would pay its way," Nygaard said.

Scott Molloy, a public policy advocate for the San Diego Builders Industry Association, told the council it should approve a smaller increase, bringing the fee to $2,000 for all residential units.

"We are in the middle of one of the worst housing recessions in history," Molloy said.

He added that building projects planned for Carlsbad might fizzle under the new, higher fee, especially since developers must pay a host of other fees that support water, sewer, police, fire and schools with every unit they build.

"By raising your fees now, you might even deter projects that were still going to go forward," Molloy said.

Councilman Hall said he was not convinced by the arguments that increasing fees would hurt the city's chances of development. He noted that the city needs $54 million for road improvements necessary to absorb extra traffic generated by more building.

Hall said he voted against the fee increases because they leaned too heavily on business. The higher fees will charge commercial and industrial builders $142 for each average daily trip their project generates. That's up from the current fee of $46 per trip.

"It looks like $30 million of the $54 million is being paid by the business community," Hall said.

It was not just planning that forced the council to hike traffic fees Tuesday night.

Language contained in the TransNet half-cent sales tax extension that voters approved in 2004 requires the city to increase its traffic fees to at least $2,000 per residential unit by July 1 or risk losing $3 million in revenue from the countywide measure. But staffers said the increase would still not be enough to pay for road improvements that will need to be made.

Councilwoman Ann Kulchin noted that the city's growth management ordinance would stop all development in Carlsbad if streets become too congested.

"There is a dirty word that starts with an 'm'," she said. "It's moratorium, and I don't want to go there."

The city lists 11 sections of road and 11 intersections that would be built or widened with the additional cash generated by higher fees. The most expensive road-building project is listed at $8 million to widen El Camino Real from Tamarack Avenue to Chestnut Avenue. Plans also call for $2.2 million to add northbound and eastbound right-turn lanes on El Camino Real at Cannon Road and to widen a bridge in the area.

Contact staff writer Paul Sisson at (760) 901-4087 or psisson@nctimes.com.

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Pre-Registration Comments[-]Go to Top

The M word wrote on Apr 8, 2008 10:18 PM:The M word will save the city. Forget more development.

Paul wrote on Apr 9, 2008 6:31 AM:I don't live in your locale; however, I fully support the action your council has taken. It will make your city more livable in the long run.

where? wrote on Apr 9, 2008 6:54 AM:Nice thought. Unfortunately, Carlsbad has defined suburban sprawl and there is no more land to develop. God forbid they leave a single square inch without a mcmansion on it. They've built on everything else, next stop Ponto.

Nutz wrote on Apr 9, 2008 6:54 AM:Ah, all you fine residents of Carlsbad, as long as you've secured your little piece of the neighborhood, to hell with anyone else wanting to live there. You NIMBY'S will cry the blues in the near future when you can't get your aquatic park built and street and facilities maintenance falls off due to a lack of funds. Doubt if you'll remember decisions such as a 207% increase in fees being one of the contributing factors since builders will just tell your city to pound sand and will not build in prima donna Carlsbad.

Rocky JS wrote on Apr 9, 2008 8:02 AM:Nutz wrote, "...builders will just tell your city to pound sand and will not build in prima donna Carlsbad."

And the problem with that is . . . ?

crashd wrote on Apr 9, 2008 8:51 AM:As long as the money is used for what it is intended for, ok. But, the problem with our governments right now, all the way from the most local small ones to the top federal level, is they see all the money sitting there and decide to use it against its mandate. Oh, then when the original intended area needs money, raise taxes again to pay for it again. It is out of control!

Paul wrote on Apr 9, 2008 8:57 AM:Nutz, you can always move to Temecula or Murrieta, where you can wait to get on or off the freeway.

To Nutz wrote on Apr 9, 2008 10:19 AM:Ever heard of the term "resale?"

Come live in Carlsbad! It's a nice place and there are plenty of homes on the market. You are welcome to buy one. I'm sure that you'll make some seller very happy.

Bruno wrote on Apr 9, 2008 11:19 AM:The ones who benefit from this out-of-control sprawl are the developers/builders. Let them whine--we don't need more homes, more strip malls (who needs a third Spraw-Mart on El Camino Real with two others within a 10-minute drive?) and homes with at least two cars in every household's garage? The streets are too congested as it is. Lock them out by charging more to mitigate traffic (to whatever extent that may help-maybe not at all) and let the chips fall where they may. All the vacant land in Carlsburg has been earmarked for development and open space
as it is...restricting builders is a better choice than letting them do what they want. These council-people just want to roll over and let the developers have what they want--after all, who is contributing to their re-election campaigns? Developers!

Nutz Pt. 2 wrote on Apr 9, 2008 11:39 AM:Can't afford to live in Carlsbad since all you white breads have priced me out of your community ... or maybe that was your plan all along?

Tony wrote on Apr 9, 2008 12:10 PM:Since you can't build without a building permit, the sprawl cannot possibily be "out of control". And you cannot get a building permit until the government planners approve your detailed building plans, so the developers can't have what they want. A two-income household needs two cars so each can get to work, but it takes more than two wage earners to afford a house -- don't be surprised that each dwellin g needs parking for many cars.

Regis wrote on Apr 9, 2008 12:29 PM:Wise up chumps! Developer fees are high because developers and cities have wanted them to be high-- as long as the cost can be passed on to home purchasers & consumers. The fees are "payola" that go way beyond the burdens created by new development; they don't cost builders anything as long as consumers pick up the tab; the city gets pure profit that it can use for its pet projects and junkets for city officials; and in return the builders get the land use approvals they need to rezone property and develop even more land (thats where the payoff is). Its bribery in plain view, but dopes in these public forums and the mainstream media have no clue whats going on. Want to see sprawl come to a screeching halt? -- Just lower the fees. (When your public officials stop getting bribed by phony inflated fees they'll stop rezoning property for sprawl.) If that sounds "counter-intuitive" to you, you're still being a chump.

To Nutz Pt. 3 wrote on Apr 9, 2008 3:35 PM:Given your propensity to whine and paint with a broad brush, I'm glad you can't afford it.

This town is for people with a positive, can-do attitude, and who appreciate the good life they have been blessed with.

I wouldn't live anywhere else.

Nonsense Tony wrote on Apr 9, 2008 3:38 PM:I have a three-car garage and only one income.

I'm willing to rent out my unused port.

Oh, Wise Regis... wrote on Apr 9, 2008 4:45 PM:Seems to me, the chumps are the people who buy these new homes. Were you one of those?

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