Zionsville passed an ordinance which enabled the Town Plan Commission to have the flexibility to consider and accept development plans that don’t quite fit the exact specifications defined in our Zoning Ordinance. For example just the natural terrain features might prohibit a project due to required setbacks from lot boundaries. This enabling ordinance gives the Town the flexibility to consider alternatives.
When an individual PUD is approved it is not a free ticket to the developer to do whatever. The agreed requirements in the plan must be followed and any changes must come before the Plan Commission again. Additionally all PUDs have to also come before the Town Council to be approved as well.
Click here to see the “Dow PUD” that is the first such development plan approved by the Plan Commission. This particular development plan also must be approved by the Town Council.
WHY DONT WE MAKE IT MORE COMPLICATED ? THAT SHOULD ATTRACT MORE DEVELOPMENT ,,, THIS IS THE DAMNEST THING I HAVE SEEN YET
Yes, it is complicated but it probably needs to be that way. A zoning district relates to the “subdivision ordinance” which contain all the tiny details as to lot set backs, types of construction and businesses, signage, number of parking spaces, etc. So when land is developed through a PUD the original zoning is basically erased the new PUD plan sort of does double duty in defining the “special” PUD zoning for the area and then it has to add in all the details as to … lot set backs, types of construction and businesses, signage, number of parking spaces, etc.
Most of the time all of these details are worked out and agreed by the Planning Staff and the developer. ANY changes after the PUD is approved must go back to the Plan Commission and the Town Council for approval.