city design standards - built over parking
city design standards - varied roof lines
city design standards - bay window
city design standards - forecourt
city design standards - textures
city design standards - canopies and awnings
city design standards - transitions
city design standards - flex loft
city design standards - shop fronts
city design standards - stoop
city design standards - balcony
city design standards - planters
city design standards - urban courtyard
city design standards - courtyard building

At a glance

  • Due to new state housing laws and a shortage of housing in California, the state requires cities to streamline the approval process for certain kinds of housing projects and cities have less control over how many new apartments and condos can be built and when.
  • The city has established objective design standards for multifamily and mixed-use projects to help the city retain some control over new development and streamline the city's permitting process to comply with new state laws.
  • Several architectural design styles were created that developers will be able to choose from to help preserve the unique character of the Village & Barrio.
  • The city worked 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 Carlsbad’s two oldest neighborhoods could receive special attention.
  • The projects to create objective design standards do not include changes to existing development standards such as building heights, density or setbacks. It also does not apply to single-family or two-family residential development. It will only apply to future multifamily and mixed-use projects.


Archived News
  • Objective design standards

    Objective design standards approved

    The Carlsbad City Council approved objective design standards for future multifamily housing and mixed-use projects on Tuesday. The new standards will help ensure new apartment, condo and duplex projects built in Carlsbad meet objective criteria for building and site design features. The objective d

    08/30/2023 12:47 PM

  • Objective design standards

    Draft design standards ready

    Proposed design standards for multifamily housing will help maintain community character.

    05/19/2023 5:30 PM

  • Newsroom (80)

    Housing plan update

    The City of Carlsbad is on track to complete all the steps identified in its state-approved plan to increase access to affordable housing in the city over the next eight years.

    03/24/2023

  • Village sign newsroom

    Committee to discuss Village and Barrio design standards

    The Citizens Design Review Committee formed by the City Council to guide the creation of “objective design standards” for multifamily housing and mixed-use development in the Village and Barrio areas will hold its third meeting next week. The committee will review and give input on the architectural

    10/25/2022

  • Village, Barrio, housing, building, design

    Give input on Village and Barrio design standards

    The City of Carlsbad is seeking community input to help create objective design standards for multifamily housing and mixed-use development in the Village and Barrio areas.

    06/23/2022 12:16 PM