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Item No: Item 9C Meeting Date: Jan 24, 2005 Type of Business: PH & CB Administrator Review : _____ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: James Ericson, Community Development Director Item Title/Subject: Public Hearing, First Reading and Introduction of Ordinance 755, an ordinance Amending Chapter 1120 of the Mounds View Zoning Code Relating to Building Height Restrictions in a Planned Unit Development (PUD) Zoning District. Introduction: As the City Council is aware, there is an inconsistency in the Zoning Code relating to building heights in Planned Unit Development (PUD) districts. The intent of the PUD district and corresponding provisions is to provide maximum flexibility regarding setbacks, density and design for site-specific projects in return for preservation of open space, environmental considerations and other beneficial public purposes. Discussion: Chapter 1120 of the City Code addresses Planned Unit Developments and provides for the processing of such development types. The stated purpose and intent can be found in the first paragraph of Chapter 1120: The purpose of this Chapter of the Zoning Code is to provide for the grouping of land parcels for development as an integrated, coordinated unit as opposed to traditional parcel by parcel, piecemeal, sporadic and unplanned approach to development. This Section is intended to introduce flexibility of site design and architecture for the conservation of land and open space through clustering of buildings and activities through conditional use provisions. It is further intended that planned unit developments are to be characterized by central management, integrated planning and architecture, joint or common use of parking, maintenance of open space and other similar facilities and a harmonious selection and efficient distribution of uses. In addition to the opening statement, the Code encourages specific actions and identifies ten criteria for consideration. The last provision communicated is as follows: Subd. 10. To allow variation from the provisions of this Title, including setbacks, height, lot area, width and depth, yards, etc. (1988 Code §40.24) As stated above, the PUD process was intended to provide flexibility regarding building height as it was for other variables. But later in the PUD code, a conflicting passage is present: