Planned Unit Developments and Small Area Plans

Communities can encourage development that has creative site design and a mix of uses by incorporating flexibility into its ordinances, especially with regard to use, setbacks and minimum lot sizes. Tools such as Small Area Plans and Planned Unit Developments (PUDs), can help developers build projects that otherwise would fail to meet traditional zoning standards, while giving local governments valuable design oversight.

The Planned Unit Development, is a form of development that usually includes a mix of housing units and nonresidential uses in one unified site design. PUDs may include provisions to encourage clustering of buildings, designation of common open space, and incorporation of a variety of building types and land uses.

Small Area Plans (sometimes called Precise Plans) are comprehensive zoning documents that can be used to encourage mixed use and compact development for defined geographic areas, such as downtowns and central business districts. Small Area Plans usually contain comprehensive zoning and design guidelines for the entire area that replace an area's original zoning.