The following general development standards shall be met at the time of Phase II execution unless modified by the Planning Commission as provided in § 1-19-10.500.9(D).
(A) Site and building design.
(1) Parking, loading, landscaping, lighting, setbacks, and height shall be provided in accordance with this chapter.
(2) Land uses shall be integrated so as to provide: bicycle, pedestrian, transit, and vehicular connections between land use bays; site design and building placement that facilitates land use interaction rather than separation; land use location that provides for a transition between land uses in both design and intensity, rather than segregation of land uses.
(3) Pedestrian walkways and crossings shall provide convenient and safe access linking buildings, parking areas, transit facilities, pedestrian facilities, and recreation areas.
(4) Pedestrian walkways and crossings shall be marked or constructed of materials to provide a distinction from areas of vehicular movement.
(5) Maximum block length within the proposed development and maximum building footprint of commercial structures (as provided in § 1-19-10.500.6(A)(2) and § 1-19-10.500.7(A)(2)) shall be approved by the Planning Commission reflecting the overall proposed project development pattern, the location of the project within the county, and consistency with applicable community and corridor plans.
(6) Buildings shall predominantly be designed and constructed to include finishes and materials of consistent quality and design on all sides such as: changes in building plane, windows, doorways, entrances, overhanging eaves, and shutters. Buildings may not include large expanses of undifferentiated façades and long plain wall sections.
(7) Building design shall reflect the materials and architecture of traditional villages and towns throughout Frederick County and central Maryland unless otherwise provided within county community and corridor plans.
(8) Buildings shall be designed and oriented in terms of their relationship to the human scale and shall reflect this relationship through the inclusion of human-scaled architectural elements such as, but not, limited to: porches, windows, doors, balconies, terraces, canopies, and other pedestrian amenities.
(9) Buildings shall provide a primary pedestrian entrance onto a street, square, plaza, or sidewalk.
(10) Buildings shall be oriented so that rear entrances and rear façades face away from roadways, pedestrian and public areas.
(11) As many buildings as possible shall be oriented to pedestrian ways, local public streets, or internal roadways in larger developments.
(12) Building placement shall provide for the concentration of service entrances, mechanical equipment, utilities and non-public facilities (i.e., refuse containers or outside storage) away from public access areas.
(13) Building and site design shall be oriented to provide safe and convenient access to public transit facilities in accordance with the Frederick County transit-friendly design guidelines.
(14) Parking shall be predominantly located to the side and/or rear of buildings.
(15) Parking lots may not create long expanses of empty street frontage.
(16) Projects shall be designed to link to existing and planned transportation networks, incorporate an interconnected street grid, and shall avoid commercial 'strip' development where vehicular access is achieved directly to a collector classification roadway or higher.
(17) Shared access and interior drives with allowance for interconnection between properties shall be provided where feasible. The Planning Commission may require consolidation of multiple access points in complying with this standard. At the rear of properties access should be provided by alleyways or parking lot interconnections.
(18) To the extent practical, shared and joint use parking shall be integrated into the overall parking plan to achieve a reduction in on-site parking and impervious surface.
(19) Noise attenuation standards as approved by the Planning Commission including walls, fences, berms and landscaping, acoustical building materials, and/or increased setbacks shall be utilized to mitigate negative impacts where residential development is proposed adjacent to an arterial or freeway/expressway as identified in the County Comprehensive Plan.
(20) Parks, open spaces, plazas, courtyards, green areas, recreation areas, civic spaces, and community facilities shall be designed and located in such a way as to maximize their proximity, convenience, and physical accessibility to the greatest number of potential users in the Planned Development District. Such amenities shall serve as central organizing features of the development and shall serve to enhance the pedestrian and bicycling environment of the proposed development.
(21) Existing site structures and features shall be evaluated for the feasibility of preservation and integration into the proposed development. The evaluation shall include buildings, sites, structures, or other objects as listed on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, Frederick County Register of Historic Places, or as listed on the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties.
(B) Natural features.
(1) Insofar as practical, the landscape shall be preserved in its natural state by:
(a) Minimizing tree and soil removal or disturbance;
(b) Siting buildings to protect and enhance the relationship between the buildings and the natural terrain;
(c) Retaining existing tree lines, forested areas, and rock formations reducing visual impacts of development on surrounding properties and rights-of-way;
(d) Establishing and preserving connectivity of and between natural features.
(2) Where the Planned Development District has been applied to a County Comprehensive Plan land use designation of Natural Resource, the area designated Natural Resource may not be developed with dwelling units or commercial/employment structures, and roadways and vehicular crossings shall be minimized.
(C) Public facilities and utilities.
(1) The location, design, and extent of public facilities shall be provided in accordance with county standards and the County Comprehensive Plan.
(2) Water and sewer. Planned Developments shall be served by publicly owned community water and sewer.
(3) Transportation. The location and design of roads will be in accordance with the County Comprehensive Plan, county subdivision regulations, and the County Streets and Roads Design Manual, as amended.
(4) Utilities. All utility lines shall be placed underground.
(5) Ownership and maintenance.
(a) Streets dedicated to public use shall, after acceptance by the county, be maintained by the county.
(b) Streets, alleyways or parking areas not dedicated to public use or not accepted by the county shall be constructed to established county standards and shall be maintained by a property owners association, condominium association, or similar organization.
(c) Open space/green area and parks and recreation areas may be owned and maintained by the county, or by a home owners association, condominium association or similar organization, subject to the approval of the Planning Commission and acceptance by the county.
(D) Modifications. As part of a Preliminary Plan or Site Development Plan approval, the Planning Commission may approve modifications to parking, loading, street design, landscaping, screening, buffering requirements, signage (excluding billboards) and general development standards as provided in § 1-19-10.500.9(A), in accordance with the following:
(1) Modifications to parking, loading, landscaping, screening, and buffering requirements shall be limited to modifications as provided for within Article VI: District Regulations.
(2) All other modifications may be granted where the applicant or Planning Commission authorized representative can demonstrate need based on characteristics of the proposed use, physical site constraints, or other documentation as approved by the Planning Commission.
(3) Where a modification has been granted, the Planning Commission may require alterations to building and site design to minimize negative impacts on surrounding properties that may result from the modification. The building and site design modifications may include: location of public access, buffering and screening, landscaping, lighting, outdoor recreation areas, building location and orientation.
(4) The Planning Commission may approve a modification of §§ 1-19-6.300 through 1-19-6.320 for a commercial, non-residential component of a PUD or MXD. The review and approval shall consider how the plan:
(a) Affects pedestrian and vehicular safety and wayfinding;
(b) Thematically represents the commercial/employment or community as a whole;
(c) Maintains and enhances the aesthetic environment by reducing visual clutter along a roadway and minimizing other adverse effects;
(d) Compares to the strict adherence of the sign requirement being modified, provided the overall total amount, type, and height of proposed signage is not greater than what would otherwise be permitted for the project; and
(e) Furthers other county or state design goals or policies.
(Ord. 10-26-561, 11-9-2010; Ord. 13-25-653, 10-31-2013; Ord. 14-23-678, 11-13-2014; Bill No. 20-19, 1-19-2021)