The purpose of the planned unit development (PUD) regulations are to encourage flexibility in the design and development of land in order to promote its most appropriate use, to facilitate the adequate and economical provisions of streets and utilities and to preserve the natural and scenic qualities of open space. In order to realize the purpose of this article, a planned unit development shall achieve the following objectives:
A. 
To provide a maximum choice of housing environment and type, occupancy, tenure (e.g., cooperatives, individual ownership, condominium, leasing), lot sizes and common facilities.
B. 
To provide more usable open space and recreation areas.
C. 
To provide a development pattern which preserves natural topography and geologic features, scenic vistas and trees and prevents the disruption of natural drainage patterns.
D. 
To provide an efficient use of land resulting in similar networks of utilities and streets.
E. 
To provide a development pattern in harmony with the land use intensity, transportation faculties and community facilities objectives of the Master Plan.
A. 
A planned unit development can be proposed in all R-1 and R-C Districts.
B. 
The minimum project area for a planned unit development shall be 25 contiguous acres of land. The Planning Board may consider projects of lesser acreage if the applicant can demonstrate that the characteristics of his holdings meet the purpose and objectives of this article.
C. 
The land for a planned unit development shall be owned either by a single person or corporation or by a group of individuals or corporations. The approved project plan shall be binding on the project land and owners.
D. 
A planned unit development shall be for residential developments only. Customary accessory uses, such as private garages, storage spaces and recreational and community activity centers, shall be permitted.
E. 
The planned unit development shall result in a permitted number of building plots or dwelling units which shall in no case exceed the number which could be permitted, in the Planning Board's judgment, if the land were subdivided into lots conforming to the minimum lot size and density requirements of this chapter applicable to the district or districts in which such land is situated and conforming to all other applicable requirements.
F. 
A common area in a planned unit development is property, together with the improvements thereon, the use and enjoyment of which shall be shared by the owners and occupants of the planned development unit. Common areas shall comprise a minimum of 25% of the total land area of all planned unit developments. Such common areas shall be either public or private. Common areas maintained privately shall be covenanted, subject to the review and approval of the City Planning Board, to insure that such areas shall not be utilized for future building sites and also to insure that said lands shall be maintained in a manner specified in the covenant. In the computation and determination of common areas, lands shall be of such location and configuration that they shall adequately serve and be accessible to all building sites within the planned unit development and comprise lands that are suitable for open space use.
G. 
The planned unit development shall comply with all applicable provisions of the City's subdivision regulations, except as modified herein.
An application for a planned unit development shall be submitted to the City Planning Board in accordance with procedures outlined in the City's subdivision regulations. In addition, the applicant will be required to submit the following information:
A. 
A map, drawn to scale, showing the number, size and type of dwelling units proposed as well as open areas. This description shall include a calculation of the land use intensities pursuant to § 300-37 of this article.
B. 
A written description of how common areas shall be owned, administered and maintained.
C. 
If the planned development unit is to be staged, a clear indication of how the staging is to proceed.
D. 
A completed environmental assessment, with a determination of the environmental significance of the proposed development, as it pertains to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR).[1]
[1]
Please refer to Article 8 of the Environmental Conservation Law.
When considering an application for planned unit development, the Planning Board shall review the subdivision proposal in accordance with guidelines established in the City's subdivision regulations. In addition, the planned unit development proposal shall meet the following criteria:
A. 
Satisfy the objectives of § 300-36 of this article.
B. 
Comply with all of the general requirements outlined in § 300-37 of this article.
C. 
Demonstrate that the proposal is conceptually sound in that it meets a community need and conforms to accepted design principles in the proposed roadway system, land use configuration, open space system and drainage system.
D. 
Demonstrate that there are adequate services and utilities available or proposed to be made available in the construction of the development.