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The Planned Unit Development(PUD)concept came out of a need to preserve
natural amenities and open space while allowing for population growth and
the attendant need for housing. A key factor in the acceptance of PUD's
and higher density clustered, condominium or communal housing is education,
tax incentives and recognition of the value of natural open space.
Townships need to pass zoning
ordinances that will stop the spread of urban sprawl and create
permanent open spaces.
Rather than allowing individual developers/builders or potential
homeowners to purchase parcels or small tracts, the PUD encourages
entities which have the financial resources and the desire to provide
unified development with significant contiguous natural open spaces and
other natural amenities.
Ref: Conservation Subdivision Design(pdf)
A PUD is a zoning option which allows a developer to cluster housing
on a parcel which would otherwise not be allowed under the existing
zoning ordinances. While the total number of housing units may be
unchanged for the total parcel size, the individual lot sizes are
reduced thus allowing a significant remaining area of the parcel to
be set aside as common undeveloped open space for use by all
the residents of the development. The approval process by the Planning
Commission will control where the open spaces are located within the
parcel so that future PUD's may share common boundaries and provide
for contiguous open space from PUD to PUD. Naturally, attempts to develop
intervening parcels which do not seek the PUD/open space option will be
discouraged on the basis of "incompatible" use. This would apply equally
to an individual who purchased/owns an intervening parcel and does not
agree to a preservation easement.
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