(a) This Chapter establishes the procedures for review and adoption of Planned Development (PD) districts. A Planned Development: (1) is a concept which requires land to be under unified control, planned and developed as a whole in a single development or in an approved, programmed series of developments; (2) is governed by a PD Ordinance which becomes the zoning regulation for the land to which the PD Ordinance is applied and may also include subdivision regulations to govern the land; (3) includes principal and accessory structures substantially related to the character of the development itself and the surrounding area of which it is a part; and (4) is a concept which, when implemented, allows for development according to comprehensive and detailed plans which may include not only streets, utilities, building sites, and the like, but also site plans for all buildings as intended to be located, constructed, used, and related to each other, and detailed plans for other uses and improvements on the land.
(b) The purpose of the PD district is to provide for zoning and subdivision regulation of Planned Developments to allow more flexible design of single use residential, commercial or industrial uses developments as well as allow modern integrated developments of mixed residential, commercial, industrial, recreational or agricultural uses, with such Planned Developments regulated so as to be in substantial conformity with the Clark County Comprehensive Land Use Plan (commonly known as the Crossroads Plan) adopted by the City, with the City's Thoroughfare Plan and with the purposes established in Section 1101.02 of the Springfield Zoning Code, and so as to not have substantially adverse effects on neighboring areas which outweigh the benefits to the community derived from the Planned Development. In addition, the regulation of Planned Developments under this Chapter is intended to further the following purposes:
(1) To provide flexibility in architectural design, placement and clustering of buildings, use of open space, provision of traffic circulation facilities and parking, and related site development considerations;
(2) To provide for the preservation and best use of existing landscape features and environment characteristics through development sensitive to and protective of the natural features of the PD district and the surrounding area in a harmonious fashion;
(3) To promote efficient land use with smaller networks of utilities and streets;
(4) To provide a more flexible zoning mechanism to facilitate redeveloping older residential areas and to encourage infill development;
(5) To enable the creation of a more desirable environment than would be possible through application of the regulations in the City's conventional zoning districts;
(6) To provide a comprehensive planning process and an integrated body of regulation for zoning and subdivision control of each Planned Development;
(7) To provide for more usable and suitably located recreation facilities, open spaces and other public, private and common amenities than would otherwise be provided under conventional land use development regulation;
(8) To combine and coordinate architectural styles, building forms and building relationships within Planned Developments;
(9) To provide for appropriate land covenants, easements and financial assurances and security to ensure completion of public improvements, completion of construction of Planned Development phases, long term maintenance of common areas and other amenities in Planned Developments, long term maintenance and preservation of Planned Development features intended to mitigate adverse effects on neighboring areas and areas within the Planned Development and preservation of the attributes of the Planned Development necessary to integration of the uses permitted therein;
(10) To provide for the integration of diverse uses in a manner that will allow the uses to complement each other and that will promote convenience of access to various uses by the community within and near the Planned Development;
(11) To provide aesthetically pleasing development which will foster a livable environment in the Springfield community and which will promote the public welfare;
(12) To provide a flexibility in zoning and subdivision regulation that will incentivise developers to opt for pursuing a planned development subject to more comprehensive municipal regulation, even though the developer may incur increased early development costs associated with undertaking the PD district planning process.