The planned unit development (PUD) district is intended to permit private or public development or redevelopment of areas throughout the city that are substantially in accord with the goals and objectives of the comprehensive plan. The use patterns of the areas involved shall provide a desirable environment and shall be harmonious with the general surrounding uses permitting flexibility in overall development while ensuring the highest of safeguards and standards for public health, safety, convenience and general welfare. The PUD district shall encourage the use of land in accordance with its character and adaptability; conserve natural and social/cultural resources and provide sustainable design and energy efficiency; encourage innovation in land use and community planning; and bring about a greater compatibility of design and use by:

(1)

Reducing or eliminating the inflexibility that sometimes results from strict application of zoning and development standards that were designed primarily for individual lots;

(2)

Promoting quality design and environmentally sensitive planning by allowing development to take advantage of special site characteristics, locations, and land uses;

(3)

Allowing greater freedom in providing a mix of land uses in the same development, including commercial, professional and residential with a mix of housing types, lot sizes, and densities;

(4)

Allowing greater freedom in selecting the means to provide access, light, open space, and the provision of active recreational activities.

(Res. of 5-13-2025, § 1(Exh. A))

The planned unit development district may be permitted only in areas where public water and sewer are available and on a land area of at least five acres. It is recognized that some concepts will be more appropriate than others and the approval of an application in one location does not necessarily indicate the development will be suitable in other locations.

(a)

A planned unit development district is established by rezoning the property and adopting a development plan. The development plan establishes regulations for the use, development, improvement and maintenance of the property.

(b)

The development plan establishes the permitted, conditionally permitted and accessory uses; site plan, including the site area; street layout; pedestrian facilities; open space areas; number of residential units by type; square footage of residential and non-residential units; preliminary landscaping plan, development regulations; architectural standards; phasing plan, if applicable; statement regarding consistency with the comprehensive plan and all other applicable plans; traffic study as necessary; other information necessary for the substantive and environmental review of the proposed project; and any other information deemed necessary by the city planner.

(Res. of 5-13-2025, § 1(Exh. A))

A listing of permitted uses within a particular planned unit development district shall be adopted as part of the regulations applying to that district only. The uses permitted shall be those permitted uses and conditional uses listed in the R-2 and C-1 zoning districts, in sections 5.02, 5.03, 9.02 and 9.03. Industrial uses are prohibited within planned unit development districts.

(Res. of 5-13-2025, § 1(Exh. A))

The following regulations apply to designated uses and development in planned unit development other provisions in this article to the contrary notwithstanding:

(a)

The development plan shall specify a phasing plan for all amenities to be provided within the development. The amenity phasing plan shall correspond with the overall development phasing schedule and shall provide for the reasonable completion of amenities to maximize enjoyment by residents.

(b)

The following site development characteristics shall be determined and set in the approved development plan:

1.

List of proposed land uses and a summary table of gross land area dedicated to each proposed land use, including open space;

2.

Minimum and/or maximum density, including total number of residential units and non-residential square footage permitted, broken down by type;

3.

Minimum lot area(s);

4.

Minimum lot width(s);

5.

Proposed building setbacks;

6.

Maximum structure height(s);

7.

Layout of lots, streets, and any other infrastructure, including bicycle and pedestrian facilities, serving the development;

8.

Summary of proposed parking, both off-street and on-street, broken down by land use;

9.

Open space plan. For PUDs incorporating multi-family residential dwellings, a portion of the open space shall be conveniently located to the multi-family dwellings and designated for the recreational or leisurely use by residents;

10.

Location, size, and/or amount of buffers, screening, landscaping, and tree save areas;

11.

Spacing and species of street trees to be installed;

12.

Statement of maintenance plan for common areas, landscaping, signage, etc.;

13.

Optional development-specific architectural designs;

14.

Optional sign plan showing location, size, and design of any permanent signage;

15.

Any other site-specific prescription(s) deemed necessary for the development of the site, as proposed.

(c)

Projects shall meet the following design requirements:

1.

Residential driveways shall be a minimum of 20 feet long between the garage and sidewalk or back of curb (where sidewalks are not present).

2.

Streets shall be designed as a hierarchy of street types in an interconnected pattern.

i.

Interconnecting sidewalks with a minimum width of five feet shall be installed on both sides of all streets. A walking trail with a minimum width of eight feet may be installed in lieu of sidewalks along one side of major neighborhood streets where the installation of sidewalks is unnecessary or impractical, as determined by the city planner.

ii.

Streets and alleys shall terminate at other streets within the development and shall be "stubbed out" at the edge of the project site to provide linkages with future development. Connections shall be made to "stub outs" on adjacent parcels. The use of dead-end streets and culs-de-sac should be minimized.

3.

Street trees shall be planted on both sides of all streets (except alleys).

i.

Street trees shall be planted within a tree lawn with a minimum width of six feet, either between the back of the curb and the sidewalk, or between the sidewalk and the building.

ii.

Required street trees shall be installed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the building to which the street trees closest relate.

iii.

Existing tree canopy along streets may substitute for the installation of street trees as approved by the city planner.

4.

Roadway design and stormwater standards shall adhere to the city's development standards, regardless of public or private ownership.

5.

A minimum of ten percent of the usable project area shall be permanently allocated to open space.

i.

A portion of the required open space shall be centrally located within the development.

ii.

For developments under ten acres, the open space requirement may be satisfied by an existing or proposed public park or trail network that is within 1,300 feet of the development boundary.

iii.

Stormwater infrastructure may not be counted toward the required open space, unless designed as part of a low-impact system that utilizes bio-swales and natural recharge areas.

iv.

Utility easements may not be counted toward the required open space, unless utilized as part of a common trail network or other amenity.

6.

The site development characteristics prescribed by the approved development plan associated with a planned unit development district shall supplant any conflicting standards for site development established in the Leesburg Code of Ordinances. Any site development characteristics not prescribed in the approved plans for a planned unit development district shall be subject to the minimum standards, if applicable, established in the Leesburg Code of Ordinances.

(d)

Revisions.

1.

Minor changes. Changes proposed in writing by the applicant that do not alter district boundaries and that involve revision of minor characteristics of a PUD, such as relocation of driveways, façade details, drainage structures, number of required parking spaces, and other features that do not materially affect the approved plan concept or violate any other applicable regulations, may be approved by the planning commission. Variations to residential density less than five percent of the initially-approved density constitute minor changes.

2.

Major changes. Changes proposed in writing by the applicant that alter district boundaries or that materially affect the characteristics or functionality of the PUD, such as changes in the general layout of buildings and their environs on the site, changes to the district regulations, or landscaping shall require a rezoning action and must be approved by the city council. Variations to residential density that are five percent or greater of the initially-approved density constitute major changes.

(Res. of 5-13-2025, § 1(Exh. A))