Planned Unit Development (PUD) in Plain English
What is a Planned Unit Development?
A planned unit development (PUD) is a large, integrated development, developed under unified control according to a master plan, and located on a single (or contiguous) tract of land. PUDs are characterized by a varied and complementary mix of land uses, such as housing, recreation, commercial centers, and industrial parks. The mix of uses allows residents to meet many daily needs for goods and services without leaving the development and provides employment for some residents. Local PUD development regulations provide more planning flexibility than traditional zoning. Under a conventional development scenario, the site is divided into equivalent-sized lots, each of which meets minimum zoning lot size requirements. In contrast, PUDs are characterized by a clustering of development on smaller lots on one or several portions of the site, leaving the remainder of the site undeveloped. Such clustering allows the developer to protect and buffer environmentally sensitive areas, to preserve important site features, or to provide recreation areas, significant open space, and other amenities on the remainder of the site. The developer generally will be able to achieve a greater number of developable lots or units on the site when he/she can design around environmental constraints. In many cases, local jurisdictions offer density bonuses to encourage planned development that preserves significant open spaces. When large blocks of undeveloped lands are maintained in productive use, such as orchards or pastures, they can contribute economic value to the project. A planned development provides facilities, and amenities for the common use of the development residents, rather than the general public - they are generally maintained by a homeowners association. Some jurisdictions also provide for planned residential developments (PRDs) which are similar, master-planned, and typically clustered development, but are limited to residential uses.
Planned Unit Development Process as Applied in Washington
The Washington Growth Management Act encourages innovative techniques of land development, including PUDs. A PUD is master planned, but the PUD process cannot, by itself, create legal lots of record. Legal lots within the PUD must be created through the subdivision process. Generally, a subdivision application is submitted with the PUD application, or shortly afterwards. Since large PUD projects are often developed in phases, a developer may seek preliminary subdivision plat approval for the overall development, and then submit final plats for each phase of development. In general, the PUD is a voluntary option, available in many Washington communities.
Resources
- Planned Unit Development/Planned Residential Development, MRSC - PUD examples
- Planned Unit Development, Michael Murphy & Joseph Stinson, Pace University School of Law, 1996 (Good overview and description of different implementation mechanisms)
- Cluster Development, MRSC Overview