(a) Standards for Review. Modifications in conventional zoning and subdivision regulations are privileges and will be considered by the Village only in direct response to the accrual of tangible benefits from the WGA Planned Unit Development to the Village or the Western Growth Area. 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 WGA Planned Unit Development, the Plan Commission and/or the Village Council, as the case may be, shall be required to make certain findings based on the following standards.
(1) Required findings. No application for a WGA Planned Unit Development shall be approved unless all of the following findings are made relative to the proposal:
A. Western Growth Area Master Plan and Design Guidelines. The WGA Planned Unit Development shall conform with the general planning policies of the Village as set forth in the Western Growth Area Master Plan and Western Growth Area Design Guidelines.
B. Public welfare. The WGA Planned Unit Development shall be so designed, located and proposed to be operated and maintained 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.
C. Impact on other property. The WGA Planned Unit Development shall not be injurious to the use or enjoyment of other property in the neighborhood for the purposes permitted in the underlying zoning district, shall not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of surrounding properties for uses permitted in the underlying zoning district, shall not be inconsistent with the community character of the neighborhood, shall not alter the essential character of the neighborhood and will be consistent with the goals, objectives, and policies set forth in the Western Growth Area Master Plan and Western Growth Area Design Guidelines, and shall not substantially diminish or impair property values within the neighborhood, or be incompatible with other property in the immediate vicinity.
D. Impact on public facilities and resources. The WGA Planned Unit Development shall be so designed that adequate utilities, road access, drainage, and other necessary facilities will be provided to serve it. The WGA Planned Unit Development shall include such impact donations as may be reasonably determined by the Village Council. These required impact donations shall be calculated in reasonable proportion to impact of the WGA Planned Unit Development on public facilities and infrastructure.
E. Archaeological, historical or cultural impact. The WGA Planned Unit Development shall not substantially adversely affect a known archaeological, historical, or cultural resource located on or off of the parcel proposed for development.
F. Conservation. The WGA Planned Unit Development shall preserve and protect sensitive environmental features of the site including but not limited to stands of mature and healthy trees, wetlands, floodplains, and steep slopes.
G. Parking and traffic. The WGA Planned Unit Development shall have or make adequate provision to provide ingress and egress to and from the proposed use in a manner that minimizes traffic congestion in the public streets and provides adequate access for emergency vehicles.
H. Adequate buffering. The WGA Planned Unit Development shall have adequate landscaping, public open space, and other buffering features to protect uses within the development and surrounding properties.
I. Performance. The applicant shall demonstrate a successful history of having completed one or more recent projects of comparable value and complexity in order to provide the Village with reasonable assurance that, if authorized, the WGA Planned Unit Development can be completed according to schedule as designed.
J. Appearance. The design of all buildings, structures, and facilities on the site of the WGA Planned Unit Development shall generally meet the design and development guidelines set forth in the Western Growth Area Design Guidelines.
(2) 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 WGA Planned Unit Development. These standards shall not be regarded as inflexible, but shall be used as a framework by the Village to test the quality of the amenities, benefits to the community, and design and desirability of the proposal.
A. Integrated design. A WGA Planned Unit 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.
B. Beneficial common open space. Any common open space in the WGA Planned Unit 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 shall not be considered usable common open space:
1. Areas reserved for the exclusive use or benefit of an individual tenant or owner;
2. Dedicated streets, alleys and other public rights-of-way;
3. Vehicular drives, parking, loading and storage area; and
4. Irregular or unusable narrow strips of land less than fifteen feet in width.
C. Location of higher buildings. Higher buildings shall be located within the WGA Planned Unit Development in such a way as to dissipate any material adverse impact on adjoining lower buildings within the development or on surrounding properties and shall not unreasonably invade the privacy of occupants of such lower buildings.
D. Functional and mechanical features. Exposed storage areas, trash and garbage containers, exposed machinery installations, service areas, truck loading areas, utility buildings and structures, and similar accessory areas and structures shall be accounted for in the design of the WGA Planned Unit Development and made as unobtrusive as possible. They shall be subject to such setbacks, special landscaping or other screening methods as shall reasonably be required to prevent their being incongruous with the existing or contemplated environment and the surrounding properties.
E. Visual and acoustical privacy. The WGA Planned Unit Development shall provide reasonable visual, and acoustical privacy for each commercial unit. Fences, insulations, walks, 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.
F. Energy efficient design. A WGA Planned Unit 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 WGA Planned Unit Development and, to the extent feasible, the applicant will be encouraged to obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the project.
G. Landscape conservation and visual enhancement. The existing landscape and trees in a WGA Planned Unit Development shall be conserved and enhanced, insofar 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 and special paving amenities is encouraged to the extent of their appropriateness and usefulness to the WGA Planned Unit Development and the likelihood of their continued maintenance.
H. 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 the location and number of access points to the public streets, the width of interior drives and access points, the general interior circulation, the separation of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, the adequate provision for service by emergency vehicles, and the 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.
I. Surface water drainage. Special attention shall be given to proper site surface drainage so that removal of surface waters will not adversely affect 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.
(3) Site development allowances. Notwithstanding any limitations on variations which can be approved as contained elsewhere in this Code, site development allowances (i.e., deviations or variations from the underlying zoning provisions set forth outside this section) may be approved provided the applicant specifically identifies each such site development allowance and demonstrates how each such site development allowance would be compatible with surrounding development, is in furtherance of the stated objectives of this section and is necessary for proper development of the site.
(Ord. 2021-18. Passed 6-28-21.)