(a) Purpose. This District is intended to provide flexibility in the arrangement and design of residential dwellings, based upon a unified development plan conceived and carried out for the entire PUD tract. Within this District, appropriate and reasonable population density is maintained while a variety of dwelling unit types is permitted. Developers are encouraged to retain, to the degree possible, natural features such as topography, trees, and drainage ways. Such developments are generally characterized by a significant proportion of usable open space, a unified design concept with particular attention devoted to the periphery of the development, with the objective of compatibility of the development with its surroundings.
(b) R-PUD Permitted and Special Uses.
(1) Those uses included as permitted and accessory uses in the following listed residential districts are permitted in a R-PUD District: R2, R2A, R3, and R4. One or more of these permitted and accessory uses may be excluded from the specific R-PUD when the City Council determines that the specific permitted or accessory use normally allowed in the listed residential districts is inappropriate for the specific R-PUD development. Such exclusion(s) shall be based upon at least one of the following findings that the specific excluded use:
A. Cannot be serviced by adequate public utilities; or presents the potential for significant environmental damage and a satisfactory plan of mitigation has not been provided by the applicant; or is inconsistent with the overall character and other uses of the proposed PUD; or is inappropriate for the topography of the site; or is incompatible with surrounding legal land uses or other approved land uses; or is inconsistent with the city's land use plan or other approved plans of the city; or will create hazardous traffic conditions; or will impose an unmitigated burden on public services and facilities, such as fire and police protection;
B. Will not promote the purpose and objectives of the planned unit development provisions of this code; and
C. Does not advance the general welfare of the community and the immediate vicinity and will adversely affect or impact adjoining or surrounding development.
(2) Upon approval by City Council in accordance with Section 1155.09 and the issuance of a special use permit, those uses included as special uses in the following listed residential districts are allowed in a R-PUD: R-2, R2A, R3 and R4.
(c) Coverage. For R-PUD developments, the coverage of the total gross area of the development shall not exceed 45%. For the purposes of this section, coverage shall be interpreted to include the area covered by all buildings, all parking areas, all driveways, and all public streets, access easements and paved rights-of way. Structures and other impervious surfaces included within, and developed as an integral part of an area of open space may, at the sole discretion of the Planning Commission and City Council, be excluded from the coverage of the total gross area percentage. Developers of R-PUD's are encouraged to achieve an approximate equal distribution of coverage for each individual phase or sub-area of the total PUD.
(d) Land Use Density. The overall gross density of an R-PUD shall not exceed 15 dwelling units per acre. The Planning Commission may recommend and the City Council may impose a maximum overall gross density of less than 15 units per acre. In this section gross density shall be interpreted to mean the measure of residential land use intensity, calculated by dividing the total number of dwelling units proposed for the site by the total acreage of the site. (Example: 43 total dwelling units divided by ten acres = 4.3 dwelling units per acre)
(e) Building Height. No building shall be erected in excess of 50 feet in height, except, at the discretion of the City Council, the maximum height may be increased when such increase is determined to improve site design and the overall aesthetic quality of the development, does not adversely affect surrounding neighborhoods and public facilities, does not obscure light and air sources to immediately surrounding structures, and satisfies applicable fire and safety regulations.
(f) Requirements for Screening, Accessory Parking, and Loading and Unloading Areas. All screening and buffering shall meet the requirements of Section 1187.13, accessory parking shall meet the requirements of Sections 1187.03-07, and loading and unloading areas shall meet the requirements of Sections 1187.08-12. Upon approval of the City Council, any of these requirements may be modified, provided that such modification will increase benefits to the community that are derived from the development, will improve site design, will not adversely affect surrounding neighborhoods and public facilities, and the purpose of such modification is not to circumvent the intent of the respective section.
(1) New residential development proposed to be located adjacent to a major highway or railroad system shall provide noise barriers consisting of an earthen mound, solid masonry walls, permanent engineered sound barriers, or other similarly effective methods or materials along the entire length of the right-of-way abutting the project. The height of the barrier shall protect all residential structures to a point conforming to the minimum and maximum Ohio Department of Transportation Standards.
(2) If any habitable area of the residential structures would not be completely screened by the noise barriers, the project developer shall either extend the height of the barrier to provide such protection or incorporate noise reduction measures in the residential structures. Such measures include but are not limited to increased setback of structures from highway right-of- way, utilizing materials that increase sound resistance, using construction methods to provide air space and reduce vibration, sealing cracks around doors and windows, reducing window sizes and installing double glazed windows. In preparing plans for the above described noise reduction, developers shall be guided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Noise Guide Book.
(g) Signs. See Chapter 1189 for size and location of permitted signs. In conjunction with and at the same time as submission of a specific site plan application, applicant may submit a proposed sign limitation and control package specifically fashioned for the PUD development.
(h) Landscaping and Screening. See Section 1187.05, the City Landscape Manual, also available at the Community Development Department.
(Ord. 1474-02. Passed 9-26-02.)