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Suffolk City Zoning Code

SEC. 31-410

PLANNED DEVELOPMENT PD.

(a)

PURPOSE. The purpose of the Planned Development Overlay District (PD) is to:

(1)

Provide for the orderly development of land while permitting flexibility in the design, construction and processing of residential, commercial and/or industrial developments of a quality which could not be achieved by traditional lot by lot development under conventional zoning concepts;

(2)

Implement the policies of the Comprehensive Plan; to:

A.

Co-locate jobs and housing;

B.

Provide for mixed use centers;

C.

Provide neighborhood retail within communities.

(3)

While the conventional zoning districts and the requirements of those districts set forth in the UDO are reasonable, there may be circumstances in which it is in the community's best interests to allow unique and/or creative designs and techniques that:

A.

Promote the most appropriate use of a parcel;

B.

Allow diversification of use;

C.

Facilitate the adequate and economical provision of streets, parks, open space, schools, storm drainage and sewer and water utilities;

D.

Preserve and utilize open space;

E.

Offer recreational opportunities close to residential uses;

F.

Enhance the neighborhood's appearance;

G.

Counteract adverse effects of urbanization; and

H.

Provide for the unified control of land development.

(b)

MINIMUM DISTRICT SIZE AND APPLICABILITY. No parcel of less than 20 acres shall be rezoned to a PD.

(c)

PERMITTED USES.

(1)

A PD district shall consist of two or more base zoning districts as permitted by the UDO.

(2)

The uses permitted in the PD district shall be governed by the permitted uses in the underlying district or combination of underlying districts, except as permitted pursuant to Subsection (g) of this Section, as approved by the City Council.

(3)

The City Council hereby finds that the proximity of jobs and retail uses to housing in a PD development can achieve significant trip reductions produced by the internal capture of home-work and home-retail trips. The City Council further finds and determines that non-residential uses should be established as part of the residential uses in order to ensure that employment is created and the jobs-housing balance is maintained.

(4)

No site plan for a PD shall be approved unless designated floor area for the non-residential districts yields not less than 1.0 and not more than 1.5 employees for each residential dwelling unit. The number of employees shall be computed by dividing total floor area in the zoning districts set forth in column "A," below, by the square footage per employee factor in column "B," below:

(A)
Zoning District 		(B)
SF/Employee
  B-2, B-1 400
  O-I 250
  M-1/M-2 800

 

(d)

PERMITTED DENSITIES.

(1)

OVERALL DENSITY. The gross density of a PD shall not exceed the number of equivalent residential units as set forth in the underlying zoning district regulations (Table 407-1) unless a density bonus is granted pursuant to the Incentive Zoning Regulations. (section 31-409).

(2)

PD PROJECTS PHASED. All PD projects shall be phased so that the density of any phase, when combined with previously constructed phases, does not exceed the approved overall project density.

(3)

PD DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS. The PD district shall comply with the bulk and area requirements of the underlying zoning district(s) except as otherwise set forth in this Article and in the specific Zoning Ordinance establishing the specific PD district. A PD district may be approved with modifications of these requirements in accordance with Subsections (e) and (f) of this Section.

(4)

NO MODIFICATIONS OF REQUIREMENTS. No modification of the requirements of the underlying zones with respect to overall density and use shall be approved, except as provided by Subsection (g) of this Section. Compliance with the overall density, as computed in Subsection (a) hereto, shall not require the City Council to approve or establish any PD district.

(5)

APPLICATIONS FOR CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS. Applications for changes or modifications of the underlying zoning district regulations shall be submitted and processed concurrently with an application requesting approval of a Planned Development Overlay District.

(e)

CLUSTERED DEVELOPMENT. PDs may utilize clustered development patterns in accordance with Section 31-411 and/or zero lot line configurations as set forth in section 31-602 of this Ordinance.

(f)

PROFESSIONAL DESIGN TEAM REQUIRED. An applicant for a PD approval shall certify, in writing at the time of application, that a member of each of the following professions will be used in the planning and design process for the proposed development:

(1)

A licensed architect or a planner certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP);

(2)

A certified nurseryman or landscape architect;

(3)

A Virginia Registered Engineer.

(g)

MODIFICATION OF STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES. Applications for a PD Overlay Zone may include a request to modify the requirements of the underlying zoning district, except as to overall density. The permitted uses within a PD shall be those areas permitted within the zoning district designation in the PD site plan or that district immediately following in the hierarchy of districts, as set forth in Table 410-1, below. The applicant shall designate the boundaries of the land use categories permitted within the PD on the site plan, using the zoning district classifications set forth in column (A) of Table 410-1. The permissible uses within each land use category in column (A) shall be those uses within the zoning districts in column (A) and the corresponding cell in column (B), as set out in Table 406-1. Where column (B) indicates that an amount "not to exceed" the area designated in column (A) may include the permissible uses in a certain district, the amount refers to the site subject to the application for development approval and not the total area designated throughout the City within the zoning district.

TABLE 410-1

(A)
PD Site Plan
Land Use Category 		(B)
Permitted Uses
RE Rural Estate District  • Any use permitted in any residential zoning district RR, RE, RL, RLM, RM, RC, RU
RR Rural Residential District
RL Residential Low Density
RLM Residential Low-Medium Density
RM Residential Medium
Density
RC Residential Compact
RU Residential Urban  • Any use permitted in any residential zoning district RR, RE, RL, RLM, RM, RC, RU
 • Any use permitted in B-1, not to exceed 10% of the area designated RU
 • Any use permitted in B-2, not to exceed 5% of the area designated RU
B-1 Neighborhood Commercial District  • Any use permitted in B-2, not to exceed 15% of the area designated
 • B-1
 • Any use permitted in O-I, not to exceed 15% of the area designated B-1
O-I Office-Institutional District  • Any use permitted in B-2, not to exceed 15% of the area designated B-2
B-2 General Commercial
District 		 • Any use permitted in O-I, not to exceed 15% of the area designated B-2
 • Any use permitted in M-1, not to exceed 15% of the area designated B-2
CP Commerce Park  • Any use permitted in M-2, not to exceed 50% of the area designated C-P
M-1 Light Industrial District  • Any use permitted in M-2, not to exceed 15% of the area designated M-1
M-2 Heavy Industrial District n/a

 

EXAMPLE: Applicant has designated 20 acres in its PD site plan application for B-1 (Neighborhood Commercial). The applicant may:

•

Use all of the 20 acres for any use permitted in the B-1 district (see Table 406-1); or

•

Use 17 acres for any use permitted in the B-1 district, and 3 acres for any use permitted in the B-2 district; or

•

Use 17 acres for any use permitted in the B-1 district, and 3 acres for any use permitted in the O-1 district; or

•

Use 14 acres for any use permitted in the B-1 district, 3 acres for any use permitted in the B-2 district, and 3 acres for any use permitted in the O-1 district

Modification of the requirements of the underlying zoning district may be permitted only upon a finding that the proposed land use equals or exceeds the minimum PD design elements as set forth in Table 410-2. Any modifications shall not include modifications to the minimum requirements of the PD Ordinance.

(h)

REQUIRED DESIGN ELEMENTS AND AMENITIES FOR A PD. Table 410-2 lists required and optional design elements for a PD. The design elements are listed in column (A). Where an asterisk (*) appears in column (B) next to the design element, the design element is considered mandatory. Where an asterisk (*) appears in column (C) next to the design element, the design element is considered recommended and may, but need not, be incorporated into the site plan.

TABLE 410-2

(A)
Design Element 		(B)
Required 		(C)
Recommended
  Public Facilities     Community Design      
 Building shall have massing compatible with the scale and intensity of surrounding developments. (See § 31-602) *
The lot layout shall promote Cluster or Hamlet use patterns (see § 31-411) to enhance project design and protect environmentally sensitive areas. *
Higher density or intensity developments abutting lower density or intensity areas shall include buffering and shall substantially mitigate any negative impacts in accordance with the landscaping standards of this Ordinance. *
Homeowner or property owners associations are required to maintain all roadway/right-of-way landscaping, pedestrian-bicycle and equestrian paths to the standards of this Ordinance at a minimum. *
Pedestrian/bicycle access to schools and parks is provided within the boundary of the PD. *
Multifamily (apartment or condominium) developments include useable open space, recreational facilities and other amenities. *
Sidewalks or other related pedestrian facilities are incorporated within neighborhoods. *
Park-and-ride lots are incorporated with planned facilities. *
One elementary school site of at least 15 useable acres is reserved for every 500 elementary school students forecasted to live within the development. *
Park/school combination site dedications are incorporated. Park sites that are intended to be open to the public, where dedication to the City Council is proposed, shall be in accordance with adopted standards. *
Open Space and Recreation
 Recreational facilities and appropriate links to open space amenities are provided. *
Bike lanes are included in all planned arterial improvements and collectors deemed appropriate in the development review process. *
Pedestrian and bicycle trails, including picnic and rest areas, are provided, as appropriate. *
Handicapped accessible facilities are provided to users. Tot lots shall be designed such that one-third of the play stations shall be handicap accessible. *
Recreation and open space facilities are linked to the community open space network as applicable. *
Neighborhood scale recreation facilities and amenities shall be provided which are functional, not retention/detention or basin-like in design. Retention basins used in conjunction with recreational facilities or amenities shall be designed in accordance with Article 6. *
Development adjacent to public trail systems have been identified, and are designed consistent with the standards of Article 6 of this Ordinance. *
Community centers providing a wide range of appropriate recreational services. *
Bicycle parking facilities are provided for all uses except single family detached and duplex residences. *
Gateway treatments are incorporated at appropriate locations along the open space network. *
Residential Architectural Design Features
 Not less than three residential floor plans shall be offered which have differences in the choice of elevations, roof lines, and exterior colors. *
Residential design guidelines are provided, which provide a minimum of seven conceptual standard plan elevations, and may include: variation in building setbacks, detached garages, recessed garages if attached to the principal building and fencing alternatives. *
No two residential structures with the same front facade shall be located on the same side of the street within three (3) building lots of each other. Facade reversal shall be considered dissimilar appearance. *
Not more than two one-story homes shall be located on the same side of the street and within three lots of each other. *
Not more than two one-story homes located on the same side of the street shall be located adjacent to or across the street from each other. *
Garage fronts shall be de-emphasized and not be the most prominent architectural feature of the house. This shall be accomplished by providing side access garages, detached garages, and/or L-shaped floor plans on not less than 50 percent of the lots. The front facade shall prominently feature an entrance for persons rather than automobiles (such as a front porch or courtyard) with the garage area not to exceed 50 percent of the first floor of the front facade. *
Corner lots shall have side-entry garages. Carports are not permitted. *
Driveways and walkways shall be constructed of concrete or brick or similar material. *
Not more than forty percent of the homes shall be one story. *
Two story homes shall have a minimum floor area ranging from 1,600 to 2,000 square feet. One story homes shall have floor area ranging from 1,500 to 1,800 square feet. *
Residential Architectural Design Features
 Distinctive architectural details such as covered front entries, covered front porches, door and window details, and/or parapet walls with cap features may be provided on each lot. *
Entryways and landings visible from the street right-of-way and public areas shall be provided on all homes and shall have a minimum area of 25 square feet. *
Entryways, porches and landings visible from public areas should be covered by a roof that is an integrated and compatible component to the roof and architectural treatment of the principal structure. *
Not less than 16 percent of the total area of any front facade (excluding garage doors) shall consist of windows and doors. *
Not less than eight percent of the total area of any side or rear facade shall consist of windows and doors. The Director of Planning may reduce or waive the side and rear facade fenestration requirements when he determines that the proposed fenestration level of the entire building is the maximum reasonable practicable level under the circumstances, or, where a garage constitutes a side wall or rear wall. *
Trash containers and recycling bins, should be completely screened from view of the street and any adjoining lot. *
Exterior materials and finishes such as brick, stone, wood, clapboard, cedar shake, stucco, drivet or similar material shall be provided on all exterior elevations on not less than fifty (50%) percent of all buildings. High grade vinyl may be used as accent or trim material on any residential building. Flat or corrugated sheet metal shall not be used for exterior siding material on any building. The exterior covering material shall extend to the ground, except that when a solid concrete or masonry perimeter foundation is used, the exterior covering material need not extend below the top of the foundation. *
Residential Architectural Design Features
 Skirting shall be of brick or masonry construction *
Exterior chimneys shall be constructed of brick or shall contain an exterior material identical to the facade *
All fencing, both on lot and perimeter to the development or project, shall be designed in accordance with Article 6 of this Ordinance. *
Harmonious use of building materials may be required through deed restrictions and/or covenants. *
A customized entrance at the entry street intersecting the arterial or major collector which features a waterfall, sculpture, monument, signage, special landscaping, specialty pavement, enhanced fence wall details, or boulevard median.
*
All residential structures shall be constructed on an 18-inch raised slab above grade or crawl space.
*

 

Notes: (1) A building shall be deemed to have the same front facade as another when the color scheme, texture, and size are the same or substantially similar.

(i)

PD PROCEDURES. Subject to the additional procedures set forth in this Section, a PD shall be processed in accordance with the procedures for a rezoning pursuant to Section 31-304 of this Ordinance.

(Ord. No. 11-O-086, 10-19-2011; Ord. No. 25-O-053, § 2(Exh. B), 5-21-2025)