This article shall be commonly cited as the “planned development district ordinance.”
(Ordinance 362 adopted 3/28/18)
This article applies to all property within the incorporated municipal boundaries (i.e., “city limits”), and may also extend to the extraterritorial jurisdiction (“ETJ”) to the extent property owners are willing to be voluntarily annexed into the city concurrently with the adoption of the planned development district. This chapter applies solely to projects that are not single-family residential projects.
(Ordinance 362 adopted 3/28/18)
(a) 
General.
Words and phrases used in this article shall have the meanings set forth in this section. Terms that are not defined below, but are defined elsewhere in the Code of Ordinances, shall be given the meanings set forth in the code. Words and phrases not defined in the Code of Ordinances shall be given their common, ordinary meaning unless the context clearly requires otherwise. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense shall include the future tense; words in the plural number shall include the singular number (and vice versa); and words in the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender (and vice versa). The word “shall” is always mandatory, while the word “may” is merely directory. Headings and captions are for reference purposes only.
(b) 
Specific.
City.
The City of West Lake Hills, an incorporated municipality located in Travis County, Texas.
City administrator.
The chief administrative officer of the City of West Lake Hills. The term may also include the deputy city administrator, development coordinator, or any other agent of the city specifically designated by the city council to perform the duties of the city administrator, as set out in this article.
PD district.
Planned development district.
PD master plan.
A development plan that serves as the basis for the enactment of a planned development district. The plan may be for one or more lots. The plan depicts the existing and proposed conditions of the lot, including: water features; landscaping and open spaces; walkways, means of ingress and egress; circulation; utility services; structures and buildings; signs and lighting; screening devices; and any other information required by this article. A PD master plan is not required to have an engineer’s seal.
Site plan.
See section 1.01.003.
(Ordinance 362 adopted 3/28/18)
(a) 
This article provides standards and procedures for the legislative creation of specialized zoning districts that are crafted specifically for certain land endeavors. Planned development districts are intended to allow flexibility and encourage creative land use and site development while providing natural resource preservation and protecting adjoining properties. Through planned development districts the city is better able to give developers the flexibility they need for complicated projects, while protecting the public interest by mitigating externalities related to traffic, noise, aesthetics, lighting and drainage.
(b) 
Planned development districts are established by ordinance and, thus, are not agreements, although often they are developed through negotiations between the city and property owners.
(c) 
Unless clearly stated in the ordinance creating the PD district, the development project must comply with all applicable city regulations. PD districts are intended to implement generally the goals and objectives of the city’s comprehensive plan. PD districts are also intended to ensure the compatibility of land uses, and to allow for the adjustment of changing demands to meet the current needs of the community by meeting one or more of the following purposes:
(1) 
To designate a town center(s) and “main street” area as the commercial or mixed use area but still protect and preserve City of West Lake Hill’s rural appeal.
(2) 
To protect or preserve native natural amenities and environmental assets such as trees, creeks, ponds, floodplains, slopes, hills, viewscapes, and wildlife habitats.
(3) 
To provide streets to accommodate bikes and pedestrians[.]
(4) 
To encourage environmentally-friendly construction and construction of energy efficient buildings[.]
(5) 
To protect or preserve existing historical buildings, structures, features or places.
(6) 
To provide an appropriate balance between the intensity of development and the ability to provide adequate supporting public facilities and services; and,
(7) 
To meet or exceed the present standards of this article.
(Ordinance 362 adopted 3/28/18)
Each PD district shall be a free-standing zoning district in which land uses and intensities of land use may be tailored to fit the physical features of the site and to achieve compatibility with existing and planned adjacent uses.
(Ordinance 362 adopted 3/28/18)