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evaluation of that. In 2015, we put forth an amendment to the PUD district and the standards that <br />are established in the ordinance. We strengthened the intent, we removed the area requirement, <br />added some procedural elements to it —but the main focus was that, if it could be achieved <br />through the zoning district or variances or special exceptions through the Area Board of Zoning <br />Appeals, it may not be appropriate for a PUD. Since we have passed that ordinance —we went <br />back and looked at our records —this is the first PUD to be filed since then. We have a couple of <br />PUDs that are in the packaged information that you have there: the Studebaker and Hickory <br />Road PUD. <br />Committeemember Jo Broden asked if Ms. Smith could detail the PUD process for the <br />knowledge of the Committee and the public, as well as explain why the Council has changed <br />from allowing them to making their criteria stricter. <br />Ms. Smith responded, What makes a PUD, Planned Unit Development district different is that, <br />essentially, they write their own zoning guidelines. So, they write their own development <br />standards for their particular development. Because these are very expensive projects and require <br />a lot of review time, prior to the change, there was a Concept Review. So, prior to filing, we <br />asked petitioners to meet with the staff at least ten (10) days prior, to give us some lead time so <br />we could start looking at the project, the development standards, what the issues might be, give <br />us more time to review it— because they often require a much lengthier process compared to the <br />typical rezoning. When they file, they file for a zoning map, as you would for any zoning. But <br />then they're required to file an ordinance —which gives us all the development standards —and a <br />site plan —which is just a tentative plan—and then any other information we ask for along the <br />way. Sometimes we might ask for building elevations, or other such information. That all then <br />gets presented to the Area Plan Commission, then comes before the Council for approval. The <br />secondary portion of it is where it gets into the specific details. The first stage the preliminary <br />phase, which is where we are right now —is all essentially conceptual. It's not until the <br />secondary approval that we get into the specifics. Once the project has preliminary approval, and <br />we finalize all those documents and capture anything that was presented in any public hearing, <br />into that we have a final submittal in which they have to incorporate any changes that were <br />presented at the public hearing into this district ordinance. So, if they agreed to a certain setback <br />change or an area requirement, we make sure that those get incorporated into that secondary <br />approval. Anything that gets presented at a public hearing becomes a part of their district <br />ordinance. Then, we review any plans that are submitted to make sure they meet all the <br />development standards that they have established for themselves. If they meet the standards, they <br />can go across the street and apply for a building permit. If they don't meet the standards, then we <br />have to go back and figure out if it's a major change or a minor change and, depending on what <br />that is, it ends up back to the Council. That's part of why Council, over the years, has been very <br />particular about what they're willing to see as a minor change. Anything that adds a use, changes <br />a setback, increases parking requirements— there's a whole list of things that bump it into a <br />major change. Then you have to apply for a whole new ordinance again. One of the thoughts of <br />the changing PUD was not to make people continually do this process. With a PUD there's a lot <br />more babysitting of the project. We have to do a lot more monitoring, back and forth. So that <br />was one of the things that came up. The other was the Council's not wanting to be too detailed, I <br />think. <br />3 <br />