§ 6-12-1-7. PLANNED DEVELOPMENTS.

In addition to the general requirements for planned developments set forth in Section 6-3-6, "Planned Developments," the Plan Commission shall not recommend approval of, nor shall the City Council adopt a planned development in the research park district unless they shall determine, based on written findings of fact, that the planned development adheres to the following standards:

(A)

General Conditions:

1.

Each planned development shall be compatible with surrounding development and not be of such a nature in height, bulk, or scale as to exercise any influence contrary to the purpose and intent of the Zoning Ordinance as set forth in Section 6-1-2, "Purpose and Intent."

If the proposed planned development is for a property listed as an Evanston landmark, or for property located within an historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places or for property located within an historic district so designated by the Evanston Preservation Commission, the planned development shall be compatible with the "Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation" as set forth in the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended.

2.

Each planned development shall be compatible with and implement the research park master plan as amended and the Comprehensive General Plan as amended.

3.

Each planned development shall be completed within two (2) years of the issuance of the special use permit for the planned development. If extensive or staged development is approved as part of the planned development, however, the two (2) year requirement may be extended to provide for a more reasonable time schedule. The expanded time schedule shall be adopted as part of the planned development and so noted on the special use permit for a planned development.

4.

No special use permit for a planned development shall be valid for a period longer than one (1) year unless a building permit is issued and construction is actually begun within that period and is diligently pursued to completion. The City Council may, however, for good cause shown, extend the one (1) year period for such time as it shall determine, without further hearing before the Plan Commission. The City Council may, at its sole discretion, place conditions on the extension in order to assure that the planned development is diligently pursued to its completion.

5.

All landscaping treatment within the planned development shall be provided in accordance with requirements set forth in the research park master plan and Chapter 17, "Landscaping and Screening." All landscaping treatment shall be shown on the required landscape plan submitted as part of the planned development application.

(B)

Site Controls and Standards: The following site controls and standards are established to provide a regulatory framework that will promote excellence in site design. Their establishment is not intended to restrict or inhibit the Design and Project Review Committee or the applicant from applying other site design principles and standards that may be applicable to the planned development being proposed and that may be found in the research park master plan, the City's Manual of Design Guidelines, or in common use by design professionals.

1.

The minimum area for a planned development established in the research park districts shall be nineteen thousand five hundred (19,500) square feet.

2.

For each planned development there shall be submitted a tree preservation statement evaluating each building site as to whether desirable tree stands or other natural features exist and can be preserved. The preservation statement shall be made part of the required landscape plan submitted as part of the planned development application.

3.

Walkways developed for a planned development shall form a logical, safe, and convenient system for pedestrian access to all dwelling units, all project facilities, as well as any off-site destination likely to attract substantial pedestrian traffic. Walkways, when used by substantial numbers of children as play areas, routes to school or other principal destinations, shall be so located and safeguarded as to minimize contacts with normal automobile traffic. Street crossings shall be located, designed, and marked to promote the utmost safety. If substantial bicycle traffic is anticipated, bicycle paths shall be incorporated into the walkway system. Pedestrian ways shall not be used by other automotive traffic.

4.

The location, construction and operation of parking, loading areas and service areas, shall be designed to avoid adverse effects on residential uses within or adjoining the development.

5.

Principal vehicular access points shall be designed to permit smooth traffic flow with controlled turning movements and minimum hazards to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

6.

The planned development shall provide, if possible, for underground installation of utilities (including electricity and telephone) both in public ways and private extensions thereof. Provisions shall be made for acceptable design and construction of storm water facilities including grading, gutter, piping, and treatment of turf and maintenance of facilities.

7.

The Zoning Administrator may, at his discretion, require of the applicant additional studies or impact analyses when he determines that a reasonable need for such investigation is indicated.

(C)

Development Allowances: As provided in Section 6-3-6, "Planned Developments," of this Title the Plan Commission may recommend approval of, and the City Council may grant, site development allowances for planned developments established in the research park districts. These allowances shall be limited as follows:

1.

The maximum height increase over that otherwise permitted in the research park districts shall be the minimum height necessary to achieve the desired building density as referenced in the research park master plan.

2.

The maximum increase in floor area ratio over that otherwise permitted in the research park district shall be 2.0 for buildings and 0.8 for parking structures.

(D)

Mandatory Planned Development Minimum Thresholds: Any development the land use of which is listed among the permitted uses or special uses for the zoning district in which the subject property is located meeting any one (1) of the following characteristics may only be authorized as a planned development in accordance with Section 6-3-6 of this Title. For purposes of this Subsection, "new construction" is defined as construction that results in the zoning lot being improved with substantially new structures, and/or construction conforming to the definition of a "substantial rehabilitation and substantial additions" in Section 6-18-3 of this Title.

1.

The area of the zoning lot to be improved with new construction is in excess of thirty thousand (30,000) square feet.

2.

The development provides for the construction of more than twenty-four (24) new residential units.

3.

The development plan for which application for a building permit is made contains more than twenty-four (24) units of any one (1) type or in any combination of any commercial, business, retail or office uses.

4.

The development plan for which application for a building permit is made contains more than twenty-four (24) units of any one (1) type or in any combination of any residential, commercial, business, retail, or office uses.

5.

The development plan for which application for a building permit is made provides for the new construction of more than twenty thousand (20,000) square feet of gross floor area under one (1) roof for any commercial, business, retail or office use. For purposes of this Subsection, gross floor area excludes the area of any floors or portion of floors the volume of which is below the established grade but shall include all accessory areas, areas devoted to parking or loading, elevator shafts, stairwells, space used solely for heating, cooling, mechanical, electrical and mechanical penthouses, refuse rooms and uses accessory to the building, notwithstanding floor areas excluded from the calculation of gross floor area by Section 6-18-3 of this Title.

(Ord. No. 43-O-93; Ord. 59-O-04; Ord. No. 50-O-14, § 12, 10-27-2014)