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<br /> Honorable K. Angel Pilago, Chair <br /> and Members of the Committee on Planning <br /> COMMITTEE ON PLANNING <br /> <br /> Page 6 <br /> May 14, 2007 <br /> We recommend that the council retain the current administrative control over PUD's and <br /> CPD's. They rarely involve issues of overall policy or general public concern. <br /> Generally, PUD's and CPD's contain alternative designs prepared by architects that are <br /> functionally equivalent to or better than the normal requirements of the Zoning and <br /> Subdivision codes. They are an important tool that allows some flexibility and creativity <br /> in the design of subdivisions. To implement what we are hearing about urban design in <br /> the community development plan process, we will either have to greatly increase the use <br /> of PUD's, or build more flexibility into the Zoning Code so that they can be done without <br /> <br /> needing a PUD. <br /> If PUD's and CPD's must go to the planning commission and council, with an open- <br /> ended possibility of various conditions being attached, the time frame for approval will <br /> inevitably be much longer than under the current practice, and worse, the developer <br /> won't know what kinds of conditions will ultimately be placed on them. The result will <br /> be that developers will not apply for PUD's and CPD's. The developer will simply do a <br /> subdivision according to code. Or, the developer will try to achieve the same result by <br /> applying for a series of variances. <br /> If the council wants to tighten up on the planning director's range of discretion in PUD's, <br /> there is one aspect of the current code that gives the planning director an unusual amount <br /> of discretion: the planning director can allow buildings up to 79 in height in a PUD, <br /> regardless of the height limit in the zoning district. (The normal height limit is 35' in an <br /> RS zone, and 45' in a V or RM zone.) The planning director would have no objection to <br /> removing this provision from the zoning code covering PUD's. <br /> I will be happy to discuss these issues more fully at the Planning Committee meeting on <br /> May 15"' when Resolution 158-07 is discussed. <br /> Sincere;y, _ <br /> f/ <br /> Z,.~~ <br /> CHRISTOPHER J. ~EN <br /> Planning Director <br /> CJY:pak <br /> Wpwin60/Chas 07/Pilago -Comm. 331- Res. 158-07 -Subdivision philosophy <br /> <br />