Approval of development through the use of a planned development, including modifications to conventional zoning and subdivision regulations, is a privilege and will be considered by the village only in direct response to the accrual of tangible benefits from the planned development to the village or the neighborhood in which it would be located. These benefits shall be in the form of exceptional amenities, outstanding environmental, landscape, architectural or site design, or the conservation of special man-made or natural features of the site. In reviewing an application for a planned development, the Plan Commission and/or Village Board, as the case may be, shall be required to make certain findings based on the following standards:
(A) Required findings. No application for a planned development shall be approved unless all the following findings are made about the proposal:
(1) Comprehensive plan. The planned development shall conform with the general planning policies of the village as set forth in the Comprehensive Plan.
(2) Public welfare. The planned development shall be designed, located, and proposed to be operated and maintained such that it will not impair an adequate supply of light and air to adjacent property and will not substantially increase the danger of fire or otherwise endanger the public health, safety, and welfare.
(3) Impact on other property. The planned development shall not be injurious to the use or enjoyment of other property in the neighborhood for the purposes permitted in the district, shall not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of surrounding properties for uses permitted in the zoning district, shall not be inconsistent with the community character of the neighborhood, shall not alter the essential character of the neighborhood and shall be consistent with the goals, objectives, and policies set forth in the Comprehensive Plan, and shall not substantially diminish or impair property values within the neighborhood, or be incompatible with other property in the immediate vicinity.
(4) Impact on public facilities and resources. The planned development shall be designed such that adequate utilities, road access, drainage, and other necessary facilities will be provided to serve it. The planned development shall include such impact donations as required by this UDO.
(5) Archaeological, historical or cultural impact. The planned development shall not substantially adversely impact a known archaeological, historical, or cultural resource located on or off the parcel(s) proposed for development.
(6) Parking and traffic. The planned development shall have or make adequate provision to provide necessary parking and ingress and egress to the proposed use in a manner that minimizes traffic congestion in the public streets and provides adequate access for emergency vehicles.
(7) Adequate buffering. The planned development shall have adequate landscaping, public open space, and other buffering features to protect uses within the development and surrounding properties.
(8) Performance. The applicant shall demonstrate a successful history of having completed one or more recent projects of comparable value and complexity to provide the village with reasonable assurance that, if authorized, the planned development can be completed according to schedule as proposed.
(9) Signs. Any sign on the site of the planned development shall be in conformity with or shall satisfy the standards of review for variations as detailed in Article 16-8 of the UDO.
(B) Modification standards. In addition to the findings required above, the following standards shall be utilized in considering applications for modifications of the conventional zoning and subdivision regulations for a planned development. These standards shall not be regarded as inflexible but shall be used as a framework by the village to evaluate the quality of the amenities, benefits to the community, and design and desirability of the proposal.
(1) Integrated design. A planned development shall be laid out and developed as a unit in accordance with an integrated overall design. This design shall provide for safe, efficient, convenient, and harmonious grouping of structures, uses and facilities, and for appropriate relation of space inside and outside buildings to intended uses and structural features.
(2) Beneficial common open space. Any common open space in the planned development shall be integrated into the overall design. Such spaces shall have a direct functional or visual relationship to the main building(s) and not be of isolated or leftover character. The following would not be considered usable common open space:
(a) Areas reserved for the exclusive use or benefit of an individual tenant or owner.
(b) Dedicated streets, alleys, and other public rights-of-way.
(c) Vehicular drives and parking, loading and storage areas.
(d) Irregular or unusable narrow strips of land.
(e) Land areas needed to provide required buffer yards as set forth in Article 5 of the Unified Development Ordinance.
(3) Location of taller buildings. Taller buildings shall be located within the planned development in such a way as to dissipate any material adverse impact on lower buildings within the development or on surrounding properties, and shall not unreasonably invade the privacy of occupants of such lower buildings.
(4) Functional and mechanical features. Exposed storage areas, refuse and recycling facilities, exposed machinery installations, service areas, truck loading areas, utility buildings and structures, and similar accessory areas and structures shall be included in the design of the planned development and made as unobtrusive as possible. They shall be subject to such setbacks, special planting or other screening methods as shall reasonably be required to prevent their being incongruous with the existing or contemplated environment and the surrounding properties.
(5) Visual and acoustical privacy. The planned development shall provide reasonable visual and acoustical privacy for each dwelling unit or tenant space. Fences, walls, barriers, and landscaping shall be used as appropriate for the protection and aesthetic enhancement of property and the privacy of its occupants, screening of objectionable view or uses, and reduction of noises.
(6) Energy efficient design. A planned development shall be designed with consideration given to various methods of site design and building location, architectural design of individual structures, and landscaping design capable of reducing energy consumption within the planned development.
(7) Landscape conservation and visual enhancement. The existing landscape and trees in a planned development shall be conserved and enhanced, as feasible, by minimizing tree and soil removal, and the conservation of special landscape features such as streams, ponds, groves, and land forms. The addition or use of larger trees, shrubs, flowers, fountains, ponds, special paving amenities will be encouraged to the extent of their appropriateness and usefulness to the planned development and the likelihood of their continued maintenance.
(8) Drives, parking and circulation. Principal vehicular access shall be from dedicated public streets, and access points shall be designed to encourage smooth traffic flow with controlled turning movements and minimum hazards to vehicular or pedestrian traffic. With respect to vehicular and pedestrian circulation, including walkways, interior drives and parking, special attention shall be given to location and limiting the number of access points to the public streets through the use of cross access connections, width of interior drives and access points, general interior circulation, separation of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, adequate provision for service by emergency vehicles, and arrangement of parking areas that are safe and convenient, and insofar as feasible, do not detract from the design of proposed buildings and structures and the neighboring properties.
(9) Surface water drainage. Special attention shall be given to proper site surface drainage so that removal of surface waters will not adversely impact neighboring properties or the public storm drainage system. Surface water in all paved areas shall be collected at intervals so that it will not obstruct the flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
(Ord. 2021-05-15, passed 5-3-2021)