The PUD Planned Unit Development Overlay District is intended to provide flexibility in the design of planned projects; to permit innovation in project design that incorporates open space and other amenities; and to ensure compatibility of developments with the surrounding urban environment. Planned unit developments often involve groupings of buildings or sites that are designed as an integrated unit on land under unified control or ownership at the time of grant of development permission. The requirements of a PUD run with the land regardless of the subsequent sale or conveyance of property The PUD District may be used in combination with any base district specified in this chapter. The PUD District, which is adopted by the City Council with the recommendation of the Planning Commission, assures specific development standards for each designated project.
Uses permitted in a PUD Overlay District are those permitted in the underlying base district. A PUD also may be combined with an MU Mixed Use District to allow a combination of use types not anticipated by conventional base districts.
In evaluating applications for PUD Planned Unit Development Overlay Districts, the Planning Commission and City Council shall consider the following general objectives:
A. 
Residential PUD Districts. Residential PUD Districts should be designed to produce more usable open space, provide better recreation opportunities, enhance pedestrian scale, protect or create neighborhood amenities and environmental features, and produce more attractive neighborhoods than those produced by conventional development techniques.
B. 
Commercial PUD Districts. Commercial PUD Districts should be designed to produce more attractive and functional clusters and commercial centers than the strip development that is frequently produced by the application of conventional zoning regulations. Techniques encouraged by PUD Districts include consolidated access, shared parking, consistent architectural quality, improved pedestrian and trail access to commercial facilities, public space, and integrated landscaping and signage programs.
C. 
Industrial PUD Districts. Industrial PUD Districts should promote the establishment of industrial parks and encourage groups of industrial buildings with integrated site design and architectural and landscaping themes.
D. 
Mixed-use PUD Districts. Mixed-use PUD Districts should promote the objectives of innovative design of their individual uses and encourage creative groupings of different but complementary uses to establish high-quality urban environments. Mixed-use PUD Districts may encourage co-location of living and working areas, or activity centers that incorporate a variety of uses.
E. 
PUD Districts in sensitive contexts. PUD Districts may be utilized to provide a high level of detail and define the requirements of project approval for developments proposed within settings that are so sensitive that normal zoning requirements, including landscaping and buffering requirements, do not provide sufficient protection for neighboring properties.
Site development regulations are developed individually for each Planned Unit Development District, but must comply with the minimum or maximum standards established for the base district. Base district regulations provide flexibility, including higher densities, within Planned Unit Development Districts.
Each PUD District must abut a public street for at least 100 feet and gain access from that street.
A. 
Development plan. The application for a Planned Development District shall include a development plan containing the following information indicated in this section.
B. 
Application requirements. An application for approval must contain at a minimum the following information:
(1) 
A detailed site map, including:
(a) 
A boundary survey.
(b) 
Site dimensions.
(c) 
Contour lines at no greater than two-foot intervals.
(d) 
Adjacent public rights-of-way, transportation routes, and pedestrian or bicycle systems.
(e) 
Description of adjacent land uses.
(f) 
Utility service to the site and easements through the site.
(g) 
Description of other site features, including drainage, soils, or other considerations that may affect development.
(2) 
A development plan, including:
(a) 
A land use plan designating specific uses for the site and establishing site development regulations, including setback, height, building coverage, impervious coverage, density, and floor area ratio requirements.
(b) 
A site layout, including the location of proposed buildings, parking, open space, and other facilities.
(c) 
Location, capacity, and conceptual design of parking facilities.
(d) 
Description of the use of individual buildings.
(e) 
Conceptual information sufficient to indicate a building height, bulk, materials, and general architectural design.
(f) 
A site development and landscaping plan, showing building locations, or building envelopes; site improvements; public or common open spaces; community facilities; significant visual features; and typical landscape plans.
(g) 
Vehicular and pedestrian circulation plan, including relationship to external transportation systems.
(h) 
Schematic building elevations and sections if required to describe the project.
(i) 
Grading plans.
(j) 
Proposed sewer and utility improvements.
(k) 
Location, sizes, and types of all proposed signage.
(3) 
A statistical summary of the project, including gross site area, net site area, number of housing units by type, gross floor area of other uses, total amount of parking, and building and impervious surface percentages.
A. 
The Planning Commission and City Council shall review and evaluate each planned unit development application. Criteria for findings of fact in acting on PUD applications are set forth in Table 25A.[1] The City may impose reasonable conditions, as deemed necessary to ensure that a PUD shall be compatible with adjacent land uses, will not overburden public services and facilities and will not be detrimental to public health, safety and welfare.
[1]
Editor's Note: Table 25A is included at the end of this article.
B. 
The Planning Commission, after proper notice, shall hold a public hearing and act upon each application.
C. 
The Planning Commission may recommend amendments to PUD District applications.
D. 
The recommendation of the Planning Commission shall be transmitted to the City Council for final action.
E. 
The City Council, after proper notice, shall hold a public hearing and act upon any ordinance establishing a PUD Planned Unit Development Overlay District. "Proper notice" shall mean the same notice established for any other zoning amendment.
F. 
An ordinance adopting a Planned Unit Development Overlay Zoning District shall require a favorable simple majority of the City Council for approval.
G. 
Upon approval by the City Council, the development plan shall become a part of the ordinance creating or amending the PUD District. All approved plans shall be filed with the City Clerk.
Major amendments to the development plan must be approved according to the same procedure set forth in § 410-25.7.
The City shall not issue a building permit, certificate of occupancy, or other permit for a building, structure, or use within a PUD District unless it is in compliance with the approved development plan or any approved amendments.
If no substantial development has taken place in a Planned Unit Development District for three years following approval of the District, the Planning Commission shall reconsider the zoning of the property and may, on its own motion, initiate an application for rezoning the property.
Table 25A
Criteria for Findings of Fact in Approving Planned Unit Developments
Criteria for Findings of Fact
Land Use Compatibility
Development density
Site area per unit or floor area ratio should be similar to surrounding uses if not separated by major natural or artificial features.
Land use plan
Consistency with the land use plan of the City of Seward.
Height and Scale
Height and bulk
Development should minimize differences in height and building size from surrounding structures. Differences should be justified by urban design considerations.
Setbacks
Development should respect preexisting setbacks in its urban context. Variations should be justified by site or operating characteristics.
Building coverage
Building coverage should be similar to that of surrounding development if possible. Higher coverage should be mitigated by landscaping or site amenities.
Site Development
Environment
Project should maximize conservation of existing environmental features, including natural vegetation, tree cover, and drainage patterns.
Parking and internal circulation
Parking should serve all structures, with minimal conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles.
All structures must be accessible to public safety vehicles.
Development must have access to adjacent public streets and ways. Internal circulation should minimize conflicts and congestion at public access points.
Site Development
Open space
Open spaces should contribute to the quality of the overall project and should provide supporting amenities for residential development. Open spaces should contribute to the design of the project and, when appropriate, provide locations for project-related activities.
Landscaping
Landscaping should be integral to the development, providing street landscaping, breaks in uninterrupted paved areas, and buffering where required by surrounding land uses. Project design should preserve features of environmental importance to the greatest degree possible. These features include mature trees and woodlands, wetlands, steep slopes, waterways and bodies of water.
Streetscape
Projects should relate to surrounding public streets and contribute to the quality of the street environment.
Building Design
Architectural quality
Architectural design and building materials should be compatible with surrounding areas or reflect the specific design objectives of a new development area.
Transportation
Traffic capacity
Project should not reduce the existing level of traffic service on adjacent streets. Compensating improvements should be included to mitigate impact on street system operations.
Street network and continuity
Project should maintain the continuity of Seward's street network or should provide opportunities for local traffic flow away from major arterials.
Alternative modes
Project should make appropriate accommodations for access by public transportation, bicycles, and pedestrians.
Public Facilities
Utility service
Project is adequately served by public utilities and infrastructure.
Storm drainage
Project should handle stormwater adequately to prevent overloading of public stormwater management system.
Project should not inhibit development of other properties or create adverse effects on other sites.
Development should not increase probability of erosion, flooding, landslides, or other run-off related effects.
Project should maximize d preservation and enhancement of natural drainage features on site and should facilitate stormwater storage techniques consistent with the policies of the City.
Public safety
Project can be adequately served with police and fire protection.
Comprehensive Plan
Consistency with development objectives
Project must be consistent with the City's Comprehensive Plan, including applicable special area or specific plans. Project design should be consistent with the development standards and objectives of these plans.