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• <br />Comprehensive Plan Policies <br />Because the PD ordinance allows for design flexibility and extra county control, the <br />PD ordinance is the principal tool for implementing several comprehensive plan <br />policies that require project design flexibility and special controls. For example, <br />Coastal Management Element policy 1.2 provides for the protection of <br />environmentally sensitive lands by allowing property owners to transfer density from <br />sensitive lands to upland "receiver" sites. The increased density on receiver sites is <br />allowed only through the PD process, because the PD process allows compatibility <br />measures to be addressed on a site by site basis. <br />Other comprehensive plan policies dependent on the PD process include Land Use <br />Element policies relating to mixed use ("new town") projects and traditional <br />neighborhood design (TND) projects. These types of projects require approval <br />through the PD process to ensure compatibility and special county controls over a <br />wide variety of issues that cannot be addressed through conventional site plan and <br />subdivision reviews. Such extraordinary issues include: special perimeter setbacks <br />and buffers, streetscapes, provisions for public uses (e.g. schools, parks), clustering <br />of development, and aesthetic standards. <br />Besides those policies referenced above, comprehensive plan policies relating to <br />affordable housing density bonuses and residential development in agriculturally <br />designated areas also require PD project approvals. Through the PD process, such <br />proposals are reviewed and considered by the Board of County Commissioners at a <br />public hearing. Thus, the PD process is integral to several important comprehensive <br />plan policies. <br />Purpose and Intent <br />The PD ordinance specifies eight purposes for the PD regulations. In summary, <br />those reasons are as follows: <br />1. Provide incentives for designs that preserve environmental areas. <br />2. Allow for diverse uses, structures, facilities, and housing types. <br />3. Allow for clustered residential development in agriculturally designated areas <br />4. Encourage innovative designs that cannot be accomplished under <br />conventional standards. <br />5. Ensure compatibility with surrounding areas. <br />6. Encourage more efficient use of public services with designs not achievable <br />under conventional standards. <br />7. Encourage preservation of environmentally sensitive areas through transfer <br />of development rights. <br />8. Encourage affordable housing through density bonuses. <br />PD Procedures <br />The conventional subdivision and site plan review/approval processes allow <br />"permitted" and "by right" uses and standard layouts. The PD process is an <br />alternative to the conventional process and is an option available to land owners and <br />developers. <br />Because the PD process is optional and because no one must apply for PD project <br />approval to obtain an economically viable use of his land, the PD process is not <br />subject to the strict legal requirements applied to standard development applications <br />associated with uses allowed "by right". While a site plan application for a permitted <br />OCTOBER 14, 1999 -3- BOOK iii pnc 0 <br />