AMEND 2022-0020 / AMEND 2022-0021 – COSTCO FUEL EXPANSION PROJECT

2026010086

City of Carlsbad

NOE - Notice of Exemption

1/6/2026

1/6/2026

Mike Strong

City of Carlsbad

Community Development Director

Lead/Public Agency

1635 Faraday Avenue
Carlsbad, CA 92008

(442) 339-2721

mike.strong@carlsbadca.gov

950 Palomar Airport Road

92008

Categorical Exemption

Article 5 Section 15301(e)(2

The site is developed with a Costco warehouse and an existing commercial fuel dispensing station use, with twenty-two (22) vehicle fueling positions located on the east side of the property. There is a retail building that includes fast-food and small retail shops located just north of the Costco before reaching Palomar Airport Road. The on-site expansion would maintain the existing fuel station location and expand the facility to a total of thirty (30) vehicle fueling positions to better serve peak period demand and reduce peak period queuing, wait times, and idling. The proposed project would also include the removal and replacement of asphalt pavement, concrete curbs, and landscaping to accommodate the fuel dispensing station. The existing canopy area is 5,874 square feet and would increase to 9,550 with the expansion. The city has determined that the project is categorically exempt from further review per Section 15301(e)(2), Class 1, Existing Facilities. Where public services are already available for the maximum development allowable and where the area is not historically significant, or subject to landslide hazard, the 10,000-square-foot addition will normally apply in Carlsbad. In an area where services are not available for maximum permitted development, the 50 percent or 2,500-square-foot limitation will apply. Note that the latter is “whichever is less" and that 50 percent means 1/2 of the existing structure's floor area -- the building may not be doubled in size. The city has determined that the project qualifies for Class 1 categorical exemption because the addition to the existing dispensing station structure will not result in an increase of more than 10,000 square feet, the project is in an area where all public services and facilities are available to allow for maximum development permissible in the General Plan, and the area in which the project is located is not environmentally sensitive. Furthermore, the facility expansion and the internal reconfiguration of queuing lanes, and removal and replacement of trees constitute a minor alteration of existing private facilities involving negligible or no expansion of existing use. The operational intersection analysis shows that the market area of the Carlsbad Costco is already defined through existing membership and operations. As such, the change in fuel station trip generation would not increase directly in proportion to the increased number of fueling positions. Rather, the additional fueling positions will serve to process the current peak demand at the fuel station more efficiently and effectively, thus reducing wait times, vehicle queuing, and vehicle idling. Additionally, given the established market in Carlsbad, the fuel station expansion does not anticipate any new Costco member enrollment or additional warehouse trips to result from the expansion. Consequently, the city finds that no additional environmental analysis is necessary to meet the requirements of the CEQA.