At a glance 

• The city is seeking feedback from the community on objective design standards. 
• The objective standards created through this effort won’t change things like building heights or setbacks defined in the Village and Barrio Master Plan.
• Instead, they will add clarity and specificity to what’s in the plan so Carlsbad can better preserve the unique character and charm of the Village and Barrio areas while complying with state laws designed to ease California’s housing crisis.
• The standards will identify several architectural design styles for developers to choose from, helping to streamline permitting for new multifamily housing and mixed-use projects.
• The input received through a workshop held on June 29 and the survey will be provided to the Design Review Committee, a committee formed by City Council to guide the development of objective design standards. Once a draft of the new standards is ready, it will also be available for public review and comment. The project is scheduled for completion by summer 2023. 

Background 

Due to a shortage of housing in California, the state has streamlined the approval process for multifamily housing projects. Under these new state housing laws, cities have less control over how many apartments and condos can be built and when. Creating objective design standards will help the city comply with these new laws while preserving the unique character and charm of the Village and Barrio areas, the city’s two oldest neighborhoods.  

The city is working on a similar project to create citywide objective design standards for areas outside of the Village & Barrio. The City Council voted to separate the two projects so that the Village and Barrio, Carlsbad’s two oldest neighborhoods, could receive special attention. 

More information
Village & Barrio objective design standards webpage
Common questions
Village & Barrio Master Plan
Shelley Glennon, Associate Planner, shelley.glennon@carlsbadca.gov, 442-339-2905