COM 0229.000 2012-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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So what is a PUD permit? Essentially it allows a comprehensive set of variances from the zoning and subdivision codes relating to building site standards such as lot width and size,building height, yards and open space, and road standards. Changing the approval from the Director to the County Council may be in violation of the County Charter, this is the Director's concerns with Bill 291, because the Charter says that "The Planning Director shall render decisions on proposed variances...." And since the PUD Permit is essentially a comprehensive set of variances, the Charter says that basically the Director should be making those decisions. So before Bill 291 could be adopted, the County Council may first have to amend the Charter. So with the Director's concerns and mine, the Department staff met with Councilperson Hoffman, who is the author of Bill No. 291,to try to find a way to come up with a new bill that addresses his concerns with wanting more community involvement in PUD decisions, but also addressing the Director's concerns related to the County Charter. As an alternative to Bill 291, the Director proposed her own bill. This bill would require that the Applicant conduct a community meeting prior to submitting a P.U.D. Application to the Planning Department, and that the P.U.D. development must be consistent with the intent of the recently adopted community development plans. The Director feels that holding a community meeting prior to submittal of a P.U.D. Application is both beneficial to the applicant and the community because it allows for the concerns to be identified ahead of time, early on in the process so that the applicant can modify development plans before submitting the application to the Department. So the approval process that the Director is proposing in her bill would require the community meeting to solicit comments from the neighbors ahead of time, and then the application would be submitted to the Department. And then the same notice requirements that currently exist would occur-notice in the newspaper, a sign posted on the property, and letters to the surrounding property owners notifying them that the application was filed. And then the Director would consider any additional written letters that come in of concern and then make a decision on whether to approve or deny the PUD Permit. So that's the two bills that we're proposing in a nutshell. The Director is recommending an unfavorable recommendation for Bill 291, and obviously a favorable recommendation for her proposed bill. I also want to point out to you that we did submit a revision to the background and recommendation on a yellow piece of paper to clarify the PUD process and what it's used for, as well as make a correction on the Director's proposed bill. Are there any questions? 3