CARLSBAD — The Carlsbad Planning Commission on Wednesday night unanimously approved plans for a 62,600-square-foot medical office building on the southeast corner of Palomar Airport Road and Aviara Parkway, transforming a vacant site previously used for the seasonal sale of holiday trees and pumpkins.
The project, which replaces a previously approved 85,000-square-foot general office building built in 2007, will feature a three-story, 42-foot-tall medical office building with modern architectural features, including a 52-foot-tall glass tower. The development also includes 316 parking spaces, landscaping, and designated outdoor and indoor eating areas for employees.
The building will be constructed on the north portion of the 6.07-acre lot, partially developed in the 1980s and improved in 2007, with the south portion preserved as open space adjacent to Encinas Creek.
A public hiking trail runs along the southern boundary of the project site.
During the Feb. 5 meeting, commissioners raised concerns over relying on an older mitigated negative declaration (MND), produced in 2007, for environmental clearance, questioning whether new analyses were necessary to meet current standards. Staff noted, however, that mitigated negative declarations do not expire and remain valid if they retain informational value for the new project.
Additionally, updated traffic and ecological studies conducted in 2023 concluded that the project would not create new significant impacts.
While the new medical office will generate approximately 3,100 daily vehicle trips — nearly double the 1,700 expected from the previously approved project — officials concluded that spreading daily trips would prevent significant peak-hour congestion.
Concerns were also raised regarding the single access point on Laurel Tree Lane, which serves several nearby residential and commercial developments. Staff explained that additional access from Aviara Parkway or Palomar Airport Road was not feasible due to safety and traffic flow concerns.
The approved site development plan and coastal development permit include conditions for stormwater runoff management and public improvements, such as a sidewalk and a pedestrian walkway connecting the project to a nearby bus stop.
Commissioners emphasized the importance of balancing development with environmental and community needs.
“We don’t want to be the goalie here,” Commissioner Dave Hubinger said. “There are people who don’t want to drive an exceptional distance to have their medical appointments. This is in service to the community.”
