Design Concept

Development
Districts
Bambang Edhi Leksono
Nurul Qamillah
Agenda

 Common Elements
 DCDs, PUDs, PDs, CUPs, etc.

 Case Studies
 Douglasville DCDs
Common Elements

 Purpose
 Concept Plan
 Open Space
 Over-Riding Standards
 Mixed Use
 Compatibility
Purpose
 Flexibility in design  The purpose of a design
 Based on concept plan
 Quality of environment
 Mixed use
 Scale of project
concept development is to
encourage the best possible
site plans and building
arrangements under a
unified plan of development,
rather than under lot-by-lot
regulation.
Purpose
 Flexibility in design  Approval of an overall
 Based on concept plan
 Quality of environment
 Mixed use
 Scale of project
concept plan by the City
Council provides an
opportunity to assure that
the development will be in
accordance with the land
use plan and the character
of the neighborhood in
which the development is
located.
Purpose
 Flexibility in design  The design concept
 Based on concept plan
 Quality of environment
 Mixed use
 Scale of project
development district is
intended to encourage
ingenuity and
resourcefulness in land
planning and to assure the
provision of park and
recreation land and facilities
for the use of the occupants
of the development in order
to obtain a more desirable
environment.
Purpose
 Flexibility in design  A design concept
 Based on concept plan
 Quality of environment
 Mixed use
 Scale of project
development is required to
include at least two types of
land use that are not
otherwise allowed together
in another zoning district in
order to promote unique
solutions to land
development issues.
Purpose
 Flexibility in design  A design concept
 Based on concept plan
 Quality of environment
 Mixed use
 Scale of project
development is intended to
be a relatively large-scale
project on a site of 10 acres
or more, except that a
design concept
development district
contained entirely within a
historic site or historic
district may be located on a
site of not less than 5 acres.
Concept Plan
 Concept Plan required  Development of the DCD
shall be guided by a graphic
 Condition of approval concept plan that
designates the land uses of
the DCD.
Concept Plan
 Concept Plan required  The DCD concept plan must
 Condition of approval
be approved as a condition
of zoning, providing
development standards and
uses for the project which
vary, augment or limit the
requirements of the zoning
ordinance and the
development code.
Open Space
 Minimum amount  Within the DCD, 20 percent
of the gross land area must
 Usability be set aside as common
 Public lands open space, half of which
must be usable for active or
 Ownership
passive recreation.
 Allowable uses
Open Space
 Minimum amount  Within the DCD, 20 percent
of the gross land area must
 Usability be set aside as common
 Public lands open space, half of which
must be usable for active or
 Ownership
passive recreation.
 Allowable uses
Open Space
 Minimum amount  Lands dedicated to public
use, such as a school or fire
 Usability station, shall be credited as
 Public lands part of the 20 percent
common open space
 Ownership
requirement.
 Allowable uses
Open Space
 Minimum amount  The open space areas and
facilities shall be held in
 Usability common by a legally
 Public lands constituted association of
property owners with the
 Ownership
financial capability to
 Allowable uses maintain the open space.
Open Space
 Minimum amount  Common open space
includes land and water
 Usability areas that are available to
 Public lands all occupants of the DCD on
a continuing and permanent
 Ownership
basis, such as walking
 Allowable uses trails, community centers or
clubhouses, golf courses
and other recreation areas,
protected flood plains or
wetlands.
Over-Riding Standards
 Condition of approval  The concept plan may be
accompanied by a
 Over-ride other codes development standards text,
 When standards not which may be approved as
stated a condition of zoning.
Over-Riding Standards
 Condition of approval  To the extent that the
 Over-ride other codes
 When standards not
stated
approved concept plan and
development standards for
a DCD contradict the
development code and the
zoning ordinance, the
contradictory provisions of
the development code and
the zoning ordinance are
inapplicable to that DCD.
Over-Riding Standards
 Condition of approval  To the extent that
 Over-ride other codes
 When standards not
stated
development standards are
not stated with regard to a
particular area, then the
standards and land uses
required and permitted in
the area shall be those
allowed for the zoning
district designated on the
concept plan.
Mixed Use
 Minimum requirements  A DCD must contain at least
two types of land use that
 Mixed use proportions are not otherwise allowed
 Maximum densities together in another zoning
district, or …
 Exceptions
 two types of residential
density.
Mixed Use
 Minimum requirements  Maximum for residential
use: 75% of total area
 Mixed use proportions  Maximum for multi-family:
 Maximum densities 10% of total area
 Exceptions
 Maximum nonresidential?
 Vary proportions based on
Land Use Plan?
Mixed Use
 Minimum requirements  Maximum overall residential
density (calculated based
 Mixed use proportions on property designated for
 Maximum densities residential use): 5.3 units
per acre.
 Exceptions
 Maximum residential
density within the multi-
family land use area: 14
units per acre.
Mixed Use
 Minimum requirements  The Council may waive
 Mixed use proportions
 Maximum densities
 Exceptions
these requirements where
any DCD adjoins property of
equal or greater acreage
which is developed as
commercial, office,
industrial or any
combination thereof.
Compatibility
 Adjacent uses  Land uses developed at the
perimeter of the site shall be
 Standards developed in a manner that
is compatible with adjacent
off-site land uses or zoning,
or …
 a 100-foot wide buffer shall
be provided between the
uses in the DCD and the
perimeter of the site.
Compatibility
 Adjacent uses  Compatibility shall be
judged on the basis of
 Standards similar land uses, average
lot sizes, setbacks, and
other development
standards.
Case Studies

 City of Douglasville DCDs

 Since 1999, 12+ have been approved
 Some examples to discuss:
 New Manchester
 John West Township
 Somerset
 Pinnacle at Rocky Ridge
 Historic Mill Site
New
Manchest
er

Concept
Plan
New
Manchest
er

Master
Plan
New
Mancheste
r

Developm
ent
Standards
 Concept Plan areas

 Master Plan uses

New
Mancheste
 Specific uses
r  Permitted
 Conditional
Developm  Lots
Buildings
ent 
 Setbacks
Standards
 Concept Plan areas  Heights
 Master Plan uses  Parking
 Ratios
 Location
John West Township
Somerset
Pinnacl
e at
Rocky
Ridge
Historic Mill Site
For a copy…

 For a copy of this PowerPoint presentation,

or for a copy of Douglasville’s DCD
provisions…Go to

 www.planross.com under Company News