§ 3.02.03. IPD Districts General Review Criteria

A.

Physical Characteristics of the Site

The tract shall be suitable, or it shall be possible to make the tract suitable for development in the manner proposed without hazard to persons or property, on or off the tract, outside of the floodway, free from the probability of erosion, subsidence or slipping of the soil or other dangers. Conditions of soil, ground water level, drainage and topography shall all be appropriate to both type and pattern of use intended.

B.

Accessibility

IPD districts shall be designed to meet existing federal, state and local regulations for buildings, structures and other amenities to provide accessibility on-site. Developers of IPD districts shall incorporate accessibility provisions in all aspects of development including but not limited to structural designs, recreational areas, sidewalks, housing and transportation systems.

C.

Orientation for Unified Planning

If appropriate to the form of planned development, lands to be included in an IPD district may be divided by streets, alleys, rights-of-way or easements, but shall be so located, dimensioned and arranged as to permit unified planning and development and to meet all requirements in connection therewith, as well as to provide necessary protection against adverse relationships between uses in the district and uses in surrounding areas.

D.

Compatibility

IPD districts shall be located and designed so as to minimize the negative effects of external impacts resulting from factors such as traffic, noise, or lights. Project control shall be accomplished through such techniques as buffering and screening, height limitations, and density or intensity limitations and other standards contained herein.

E.

Transitions

IPD districts shall be responsive to the character of the area. When located in an area where land use types and/or intensities or densities vary, IPD districts shall be designed in such a manner as to provide for gradual changes in intensity and/or density where appropriate.

F.

Relation to Public Utilities, Facilities, and Services

1.

IPD districts shall be so located in relation to transportation systems, wastewater systems, emergency services, water lines, stormwater systems, and other utilities systems and installations such that the changes in manner, form, character, location, degree, scale, or timing of such systems required to serve the new IPD district will not result in higher net public cost or unprogrammed incursion of public cost. The applicant shall also have the option to make provisions, acceptable to the County, for off-setting any added cost or non-programmed commitment of public funds made necessary by such development.

2.

Such districts shall be so located with respect to necessary public facilities (as for example, schools, parks, and playgrounds in the case of planned development housing districts) as to have access to such facilities in the same degree as would development permitted under existing zoning and shall be so located, designed, and scaled to have available such public services equivalent to development as permitted under standard development controls.

3.

The applicant shall have the option of providing private facilities, utilities, and services, approved by appropriate public agencies, as substituting on at least an equivalent basis for inadequate public facilities, utilities, and services required by the proposed IPD district. In addition, the applicant shall make appropriate arrangements for the satisfactory continuing operation of such facilities, utilities, and services not dedicated to and accepted by the public, permanently or until similar public facilities, utilities or services are available and used.

4.

IPD development districts shall be subject to the terms of all applicable development standards relating to the provision of public services. Determinations concerning the adequacy and efficiency of the provision of the described public facilities shall be based upon standards adopted by the Board of County Commissioners of Hillsborough County.

G.

Internal/External Relationships

1.

Access.

a.

Principal vehicular access points shall be designed to encourage smooth traffic flow with controlled turning movements and minimum hazards to vehicular or pedestrian traffic. Merging and turnout lanes or traffic dividers and extra width of the approach street shall be required where existing or anticipated traffic flows indicate need.

b.

Vehicular access to streets or portions of streets from off-street parking and service areas shall be so combined, limited, located, designed and controlled as to channel traffic from and to such areas conveniently, safely, and in a manner which minimizes traffic friction and excessive interruptions.

2.

Streets, Drives, Parking and Service Areas

Streets, drives, parking and service areas shall provide safe and convenient access to all buildings and general facilities. Streets shall be designed to discourage outside traffic from traversing the development on minor streets, and shall not occupy more land than is required to provide access as indicated, nor create unnecessary fragmentation of the development into small blocks. Commercial and office uses shall be grouped in relation to parking areas such that after visitors arriving by automobile enter the walkway system, establishments can be visited conveniently with a minimum of internal automotive movements. Facilities and access routes for deliveries, servicing and maintenance shall be so located and arranged as to prevent interference with pedestrian traffic within the district. Loading zones where customers pick up goods shall be located and arranged as to prevent interference with pedestrian movement.

3.

Pedestrian Systems

a.

The site plan shall provide for safe, efficient, convenient and harmonious groupings of structures, uses, facilities, and open spaces in a manner facilitating pedestrian movement between major origins and destinations within and adjacent to the district with minimal conflicts with vehicular traffic.

b.

Pedestrian systems through buildings shall be related to a network of exterior open spaces reserved for pedestrian use and enjoyment. Interior and exterior pedestrian ways shall be scaled for anticipated traffic and form a convenient pattern connecting major concentrations of uses within the district, and shall connect to principal access points within and outside the IPD districts.

4.

Natural Features, Conservation and Preservation Areas

IPD districts shall be designed to preserve the natural features of the land such as existing trees and natural topography as much as possible. Conservation and Preservation Areas shall be maintained as required by local, state and federal regulations.

(Ord. No. 04-46, § 2, 11-4-04)