(a) Creation and purpose. For development that provides a public benefit that achieves a mixture of desirable land uses, quality design, and public amenities that create the sense of a unified community and an enhanced quality of life in the Odenton Town Center, there is an incentive program to allow for additional development capacity or other relief from the requirements of this article other than those contained in Title 5, Article 18 of this Code, the Odenton Town Center Master Plan, the Landscape Manual, or the DPW Design Manual.
(b) Application. Before submitting an incentive program application, a developer may request to meet with the Office of Planning and Zoning to review the proposed public benefits and incentives. If requested, a pre-application meeting shall be scheduled. An incentive program application may be made by a property owner or developer and shall include a description of the proposed public benefits and the specific incentives requested, a site plan with calculations, drawings, and documentation to demonstrate how each public benefit and each requested incentive will be met.
(c) Evaluation of application. The Office of Planning and Zoning shall evaluate the application based on the following criteria:
(1) consistency with the Odenton Town Center Master Plan, region plan, general development plan, other adopted plans and studies by County or State agencies, and current County capital program;
(2) public access to uses and amenities;
(3) community benefit;
(4) compatibility and quality of design;
(5) pedestrian and vehicular access and circulation;
(6) environmental enhancement and mitigation; and
(7) whether the proposed public benefits are comparable in scope and cost to the incentive requested.
(d) Public benefits. Public benefits may include site design, architectural features, streetscape improvements, community amenities, environmental restoration projects, or other elements that exceed the requirements set forth in this Code or the Odenton Town Center Master Plan. Suggested proffers are set forth in the Appendix of the Odenton Town Center Master Plan. A developer may propose other innovative public benefits or community amenities not listed in the Odenton Town Center Master Plan that assist in achieving the vision of the Odenton Town Center Master Plan.
(e) Granting of application. After reviewing an application and considering the criteria in subsection (c), the Planning and Zoning Officer may grant various incentives to a developer based on the proposed public benefit, including:
(1) increased residential density;
(2) relief from any requirements of this article, other than those contained in Title 5, Article 18 of this Code, the Odenton Town Center Master Plan, the Landscape Manual, or the DPW Design Manual;
(3) additional building height; and
(4) reduction in green area requirements.
(Bill No. 84-23)