The Planning Commission unanimously approved Laguna Vita, a proposal to replace a single-family home at 2618 Jefferson Street with four detached, three-story condominium units, and added a condition requiring the developer to pay a proportionate sewer connection fee tied to the Jefferson Street Sewer Replacement project.

Senior Planner Edward Valenzuela described the 0.3-acre site and the project design: four detached units arranged along a southern drive aisle, three different floor plans, attached two-car garages for each unit and two guest spaces on-site. The architecture is described as coastal contemporary with horizontal siding, stucco, brick accents and glass guard-rail balconies. Staff recommended a CEQA infill categorical exemption and a new condition (condition 52) to ensure new projects pay their fair share for the Jefferson Street sewer capacity upgrades (CIP project 2615).

Developer and property owner Matthew Osterman said he is a long-time Carlsbad resident and thanked staff for assistance during application review. No public speakers spoke on the item.

Assistant Utilities Director Dave Padilla previously explained in other items that the city's older water and sewer piping (circa 1960s) includes asbestos-cement pipe and that the utilities department is working through a multi-year replacement program; he confirmed that the sewer replacement project will require contributions from developments that connect to the replaced capacity and that a reimbursement agreement structure is used when a developer constructs a larger stretch of pipe.

Commissioner Burrows moved to approve the project with staff recommendations including condition 52; Commissioner Fitzgerald seconded and the commission voted 7-0 in favor. Staff will collect the sewer-capacity payment before issuing building permits to the project.

Why this matters: Laguna Vita adds four for-sale housing units using infill zoning in the coastal zone and underscores the city's broader effort to phase in replacement of aging sewer and water infrastructure while charging developers a proportionate share for new connections.