Proposed planned unit developments shall comply with the following project design standards:

(1)

Location. A planned unit development may be approved in any location in the city, subject to review and approval as provided for herein.

(2)

Permitted uses. Any land use authorized in this chapter may be included in a planned unit development as a principal or accessory use, provided that:

a.

The predominant use on the site shall be consistent with the uses specified for the parcel on the city's master plan and future land use map.

b.

There shall be a reasonably harmonious relationship between the location of buildings on the site relative to buildings on lands in the surrounding area.

c.

Nonresidential uses shall be separated and buffered from residential uses in a manner that is consistent with good site design and planning principles.

d.

The mix of uses and the arrangement of those uses within a planned unit development shall not impair the public health, safety, welfare, or quality of life of residents or the community as a whole.

e.

Where the existing underlying zoning district is residential, commercial and office uses may be permitted as a part of a planned unit development, provided that such nonresidential uses are clearly subordinate to the principal residential use on the site.

(3)

Residential density. The overall average density of residential uses within a planned unit development shall be based on the character and adaptability of the site, the future land use map designation, compatibility with surrounding land use, and the size of the site. In consideration of these factors, the overall average density shall not exceed ten units per acre, except that the overall average density may be increased to 15 units per acre on sites that are 12 acres or larger and further, provided that council may, upon recommendation of the planning commission, approve a greater overall average density. For the purposes of computing density, gross acreage shall include the following:

a.

All areas to be used for residential purposes, including off-street parking in residential areas;

b.

Wetlands, woodlands, and lakes within the portion of the site that is being developed for residential purposes;

c.

Parks and open space devoted exclusively for residential use or for natural resource protection. Upon recommendation from the planning commission, the city council may consider land allocated to a commercial recreation use, such as a golf course, in determining the appropriate density of residential development, subject to the conditions cited below.

d.

Internal local road rights-of-way. Dedicated rights-of-way for perimeter roads and internal collector and thoroughfare roads shall not be included in the gross acreage for the purposes of computing density. An increase in density may be permitted by the city council, upon recommendation from the planning commission, upon finding that the increase is justified because certain characteristics of the proposed development would result in a substantial benefit to the users and the community as a whole. Among the characteristics which the planning commission and City Council may consider in making this determination are the following:

1.

The planned unit development exhibits extraordinary design excellence, examples of which include, but are not limited to, innovative energy efficient design; provision of additional open space above the required amount; added improvements to ensure vehicular and pedestrian safety; or added landscaping or other site features to ensure a long-term, aesthetically pleasing appearance.

2.

The proposed arrangement of uses and residential densities within the planned unit development enhances the compatibility of proposed development with existing or planned land use on adjacent land.

(4)

Yard setbacks. Planned unit developments shall comply with the following yard setback requirements:

a.

Along perimeter adjacent to public road: 40 feet.

b.

Along perimeter, but not adjacent to a road: 20 feet.

c.

Along an internal collector or local road: 30 feet.

d.

Along an internal thoroughfare road: 40 feet.

e.

Between parking lot and property line:

1.

Adjacent to road: Ten feet.

2.

Not fronting on road: Ten feet.

f.

Buildings that exceed 30 feet in height shall comply with the setback requirements in section 51-17.02.

g.

Required setbacks shall be measured from the existing right-of-way line, except where a setback measurement line is specified on the adopted zoning map, in which case the required setback shall be measured in accordance with said setback measurement standard.

h.

Modification to these yard setback requirements may be approved by the city council, upon recommendation from the planning commission, upon making the determination that other setbacks would be more appropriate because of the topography, existing trees and other vegetation, proposed grading and landscaping, or other existing or proposed site features.

(5)

Distances between buildings. Buildings within a planned unit development shall comply with the following spacing requirements:

a.

Detached single-family structures shall be spaced in accordance with the setback requirements in the R-1A District, as specified in section 51-17.01.

b.

The city council, upon recommendation from the planning commission, may permit modifications to the spacing requirements for detached single-family structures in a planned unit development, based on good planning and design principles and after taking into account the degree of compatibility between adjoining uses, sensitivity to the characteristics of the site, the need for free access for emergency vehicles, the need for adequate amounts of light and air between buildings, and the need for proper amounts of open space for the exclusive use of residents on the site.

c.

Residential buildings containing more than one unit (i.e., apartments, townhouses, attached dwellings) shall conform to the spacing requirements set forth in section 51-17.02(f).

d.

Nonresidential buildings shall be located at least 65 feet from any residential buildings.

e.

The distance between adjacent freestanding nonresidential structures shall be based on good planning and design principles, taking into account the need for: free access for emergency vehicles, adequate amounts of light and air between buildings, and proper amounts of landscaping.

f.

Modification to these building spacing requirements may be approved by the city council, upon recommendation from the planning commission, upon making the determination that other building spacing requirements would be more appropriate because of the particular design and orientation of buildings.

(6)

Building height. Buildings within the PUD must comply with the height requirement of the underlying zoning district. City council, with the recommendation of planning commission, may modify the height requirements.

(7)

Parking and loading. Planned unit developments shall comply with the parking and loading requirements specified in article 19.00 of this chapter.

(8)

Landscaping. Planned unit developments shall comply with the landscaping requirements specified in section 21.35.

(9)

Open space requirements. Planned unit developments containing a residential component shall provide and maintain usable open space, which shall comply with the following requirements:

a.

Ten percent of the gross area of the site that is designated for residential use shall be set aside for such open space.

b.

Any pervious land area may be included as required open space, except as follows:

1.

Up to 25 percent of the required open space may include the area of any water bodies or wetlands which are covered only periodically with standing water (such as hardwood swamps or wet meadows). Another 25 percent of the required open space may be occupied by lakes or ponds, when landscaped and maintained as an integral part of a larger common area, or designated wetland that is covered by water or muck such that it is not a suitable environment for walking.

2.

The city council, upon recommendation from the planning commission, may permit a greater portion of wetland areas to be counted as open space, upon determining that site conditions and constraints make it impractical to dedicate sufficient open upland areas to meet the open space requirements.

3.

Required usable open space shall not include the area of any public or private road or the area of any easement providing access to the site.

c.

The required open space shall be set aside by the developer through an irrevocable conveyance, such as deed restrictions or covenants that run with the land, assuring that the open space will be developed according to the site plan and never changed to another use. Such conveyance shall:

1.

Indicate the proposed use of the required open space.

2.

Indicate how the leisure and recreation needs of all segments of the population residing in or using the planned unit development will be accommodated.

3.

Provide for the privately-owned open space to be maintained by private property owners with an interest in the open space.

4.

Provide maintenance standards and a maintenance schedule.

5.

Provide for assessment of the private property owners by the city for the cost of maintenance of the open space in the event that it is inadequately maintained and becomes a public nuisance.

(10)

Frontage and access. Planned unit developments shall front onto an arterial or collector road (as designated on the future land use map) and the main means of access to the development shall be via the arterial or collector road.

a.

Construction of private drives or secondary access drives as a means of providing indirect access to a public road shall be permitted, provided that all internal roads in a planned unit development shall conform to the standards and specifications promulgated by the city for public roads within the city.

b.

Individual residential dwelling units in a planned unit development shall not have direct access onto an arterial or collector road. The planned unit development should be designed so that through-traffic, including traffic generated by commercial uses within the planned unit development, is discouraged from travelling on residential streets.

c.

Developments which contain more than 30 dwelling units shall have at least two separate points of access. One such access point may be designed for emergency vehicle access only.

(11)

Natural features. The development shall be designed to promote preservation of natural resources and natural features. If natural animal or plant habitats of significant value exist on the site, the planning commission or city council may require that the planned unit development plan preserve the areas in a natural state and adequately protect them as open space preserves or passive recreation areas. One hundred percent of any preserved natural area may be counted toward meeting the requirements for open space, except that designated wetlands which cannot be developed or utilized due to local, state, or federal regulations shall not be counted as open space except as permitted in subsection (9) of this section.

(12)

Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be provided along all roads within the planned unit development in accordance with section 51-21.36.

(13)

Additional considerations. The planning commission shall take into account the following considerations, which may be relevant to a particular project: perimeter setbacks and berming; thoroughfare, drainage and utility design; underground installation of utilities; insulating the pedestrian circulation system from vehicular thoroughfares and ways; achievement of an integrated development with respect to signage, lighting, landscaping and building materials; and, noise reduction and visual screening mechanisms, particularly in cases where nonresidential uses adjoin off-site residentially-zoned property.

(Code 1994, § 16.03)