Encinitas Municipal Code § 4.1 Description of Circulation Plans

On-site circulation within the Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan Area will be achieved through a well-integrated system of local roads. The Circulation Plan (see Figure 18) shows only conceptual roadway widths and alignments for Circulation Element Roads within the project site. The exact right-of-way widths and alignments of these roads will be determined at the Tentative Map level.

Primary access to the project site is currently available via Leucadia Boulevard, an existing two-lane street which connects with I-5 via an interchange located approximately eight tenths of a mile west of the Encinitas Ranch property. In accordance with the Encinitas General Plan, Leucadia Boulevard will be extended eastward across the project site to El Camino Real, where it will intersect with Olivenhain Road. The Circulation Plan shows the planned alignment for Leucadia Boulevard through the project site (see Figures 18). The Encinitas Ranch project will pay its fair-share of the improvements associated with Leucadia Boulevard.

It is anticipated that portions of Leucadia Boulevard on-site will contain a raised landscaped median, although this median may be eliminated on the portion of the road that passes through the bluffs in order to minimize grading impacts to existing sensitive biological resources found in this area. As proposed by this Specific Plan, Leucadia Boulevard will have a 100 foot wide right-of-way from the western project entrance until a point a few hundred yards east of its intersection with Quail Gardens Drive. Between this point and the Leucadia Boulevard extension to the east, Leucadia Boulevard will have a right-of-way width varying between 74 feet and 116 feet, with a 74 foot wide right-of-way through the bluffs. Between the Leucadia Boulevard extension and the easternmost entrance into the Regional Commercial Center, the right-of-way for Leucadia Boulevard will be 116 feet, widening to 137 feet between this commercial entrance and El Camino Real. Figures 19A and 19B, Roadway Cross-Sections, depict the proposed roadway cross-sections for Leucadia Boulevard. On-street eight foot wide lanes in both directions will be provided along the full length of Leucadia Boulevard within Encinitas Ranch and will function as dual-purpose breakdown and bicycle lanes.

A Landscape Development Zone (LDZ) will be provided on both sides of Leucadia Boulevard through the full length of Encinitas Ranch. The LDZ will vary in width from 30 feet west of the Garden View Road extension to 30 feet on the south side of Leucadia Boulevard and 35 feet on the north side of Leucadia Boulevard between the Garden View Road extension and El Camino Real. The LDZ will be measured from the face of curb. The LDZ will be fully landscaped and contain a meandering eight foot wide minimum pedestrian and bicycle trail on the south side of the street.

Off-site, Olivenhain Road will be re-aligned slightly and widened to form a four-way intersection with Leucadia Boulevard/El Camino Real and provide access from the east to the project site. The improvements to Olivenhain Road will be implemented by others separately from this project and are not part of this project proposal.

Via Cantebria is an existing collector street with an 84-foot-wide right-of-way that currently terminates at the project's southern boundary. The existing portion of Via Cantebria will be extended from the southern project boundary to connect with the western extension of Garden View Road. The Encinitas General Plan designates this portion of Via Cantebria, as well as Garden View Road, as a collector. This classification allows for right-of-way widths varying from 70 feet to 84 feet. The Garden View Road extension shall conform to City standards for an 84-foot-wide right-of-way; however, a 16-foot-wide median has been added to expand the Garden View Road right-of-way to 100 feet. The Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan proposes that Via Cantebria vary from a minimum right-of-way width of 72 feet at the southern project boundary, through the bluffs, where it shall widen to an 84-foot standard right-of-way as it approaches the Garden View Road extension (see Figure 18). Garden View, from the Via Cantebria intersection to the Leucadia Boulevard intersection (formerly, the Via Cantebria extension), is designated a major arterial on the City's Circulation Element. However, a General Plan Amendment approved concurrently with this Specific Plan, changes the roadway designation from a major arterial to a collector-augmented. The Garden View extension will be a four lane divided street with a six foot raised median within an 84-foot-wide right-of-way as it parallels the natural area (see Figure 19B). A 5-foot-wide sidewalk is planned on the east side of street right-of-way within a ten-foot-wide parkway. Extra widening may occur at intersections to provide for turning movements. North of Leucadia Boulevard, Garden View will be constructed as a 84-foot wide collector to the northern project boundary where it may connect with a planned street alignment within the City of Carlsbad.

North-south access to Encinitas Ranch will be available from Saxony Road, an existing two-lane local street.

Quail Gardens Drive will be extended through the western portion of the project site in a north-south direction. The street will be improved as an augmented local with a 72-foot-wide right-of-way (see Figure 19C). A 12-foot-wide raised landscaped median will be provided between two 20-foot-wide travel lanes (one lane in each direction). A Landscape Development Zone (LDZ) will be provided from the face of curb for a distance of 13 feet. This LDZ will be fully landscaped. A meandering pedestrian/bicycle trail with a minimum width of eight feet shall be provided on the west side of Quail Gardens Drive and a public access pedestrian "soft" (dirt or DG) trail not to exceed six feet in width shall be provided on the east side of Quail Gardens Drive. It is anticipated that a Landscape Maintenance District will be created to maintain the LDZs.

El Camino Real forms the eastern boundary of the Specific Plan Area. Improvement plans for El Camino Real indicate that this road will ultimately be widened to eight lanes (six through-lanes plus two lanes to accommodate right hand turning movements) with a raised landscaped median within a 138-foot-wide to 150-foot-wide right-of-way (see Figure 19F).

The Circulation Plan has been designed to discourage through and opportunity traffic in existing off-site residential neighborhoods. Additionally, all of the major roadways on-site (e.g., Quail Gardens Drive, Via Cantebria, Leucadia Boulevard, Saxony Road, etc.) will be limited access roads which will not permit residential lots to access them directly.

Paragraph amended 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17)