4.14 Review by Planning Commission

General planning and review of specific development projects by the Planning Commission shall be divided into the following functions: (a) Town Comprehensive planning and zoning review, (b) subdivision approval, (c) Planned Residential Unit Development approval, (d) all building applications, including residences, (e) approval and extension of all conditional use permits, (f) plat approval, (g) termination of inactive applications and (h) sensitive lands review. The scope of review for each of these functions is as follows: 4.14.1 Town Comprehensive Planning and Zoning Review The Planning Commission shall have the primary responsibility to initiate long-range general planning for the Town, including planning for adequate streets, parks, trails, and recreation facilities, long-range zoning objectives, and periodic review of existing plans to amend them or keep them current. The Commission shall review proposed annexation to the Town and recommend action and zoning on land to be annexed. The Commission shall initiate or recommend zone changes and review the development standards within zones. The Commission shall hear all requests for zone changes. The Town Council shall advise and be kept informed by the Commission in this long-range planning function. 4.14.2 4.14.3 Subdivision Approval The Planning Commission shall review all applications for subdivisions under the provisions of any applicable Amalga Subdivision Codes and regulations and this Code. Planned Residential Unit Development Approval All proposals for Planned Residential Unit Development approval shall be reviewed by the Planning Commission as a conditional use. An application must be filed with the Planning Commission in a form as described in the Amalga Land Management and Development Code. In reviewing requests for PRUD approval, the Commission shall consider the overall planning for the proposed project, including: (a) Site planning for the project; (b) Traffic circulation within the project and on the adjoining streets, both existing and proposed; (c) Land uses within the proposed project area including the mixture of commercial, agricultural, recreational, and residential; (d) Density of development; (e) Identification of development parcels within the larger tract, and the order in which development is proposed or should be permitted to allow for the orderly and economic expansion of Town services and infrastructure; (f) Compatibility with surrounding land uses; (g) Other pertinent planning and land use issues that are affected by the project, such as the effects on schools, fire protection, water, sewage disposal and utility services, drainage, and similar on and off site issues; and geologic or other natural hazards; (h) Compatibility with the General Plan adopted by the Town; (i) Utility capacity; (j) Emergency vehicle access; (k) Location and amount of off-street parking; (l) Internal circulation system; (m) Fencing, screening, and landscaping to separate the use from adjoining uses; (n) Building mass, bulk, and orientation, and the location of buildings on the site; (o) Usable open space and open space conservation alternatives; (p) Signage and lighting; (q) Physical design and compatibility with surrounding structures in mass, scale, style, design, and architectural detailing, and general architectural theme; (r) Noise, vibration, odors, steam, smoke, or other mechanical factors that affect people and property offsite; (s) Control of delivery and service vehicles, loading and unloading zones, and screening of trash or re-cycling pick-up or storage areas; (t) Expected ownership and management of the project as primary residences, condominiums, time interval ownership, nightly rental, or commercial tenancies; (u) Sensitive Lands issues and delineation (if needed) and mitigation measures if necessary or applicable; (v) Right to farm issues and impacts as per section 3.26 of this code; (w) Any other criteria or issues that the Planning Commission considers pertinent in dealing with the project. 4.14.3.1 Nature of Approval Upon review and consideration of the proposal, the Planning Commission may approve, disapprove, or modify and approve the request for Planned Residential Unit Development approval. The approval process shall establish the following items: (a) Designation of land uses within the project area; (b) Designation of identifiable development parcels within the total project area. These development parcels are not required to be divided or platted as subdivision lots, but may be designated on maps as a part of the approval with a final legal description of the parcels to be required at the time each is developed or sold, leased, or otherwise transferred or separated from the whole tract. (c) Designation of the land use or mixture of uses for each development parcel; (d) Designation of density ranges in Unit Equivalents for each development parcel identified; (e) Designation of the order of development, including concurrency plans and issues to ensure economical and efficient expansion of Town services and infrastructure; (f) Designation of specific conditions to the development of any parcels which are by their nature more subject to development constraints than the typical parcel in the proposed development; (g) Designation of density transfers from one parcel to another, if any; (h) Whether or not there will be commercial uses on all or some of the development parcels identified, and if so, the specific parcels that will include commercial uses; (i) The general architectural or design theme and character of the overall development. (j) Adequate protection of rights to farm in adjacent agricultural areas. (k) Sensitive Lands protection and/or mitigation measures. (l) Any other measures established that the Planning Commission considers pertinent in approval of the project. 4.14.3.2 Length of Approval The Planned Residential Unit Development approval granted by the Planning Commission shall be effective so long as construction is proceeding in accordance with the approved phasing plan. Approval will lapse after two years of inaction, unless extended for up to two years by the Planning Commission. Zone changes occurring while the approval is in effect shall not affect the approval. Changes in the PRUD plan requested by the developer will be reviewed and approved as a revision to the PRUD plan by the Planning Commission. A change will be defined as any change in concept, unit type, configuration or number. At that time, the Planning Commission shall review the entire PRUD, even if only one parcel or phase is involved in the modification under the regulations in effect at the time of review. Modification shall act as an extension of the approval. 4.14.3.3 Record of Approval When a Planned Residential Unit Development approval is granted, the approval shall be noted in a recordable document stating the legal description of the property involved, and at least the general nature of the approval. The notice shall direct interested persons to the Town to review the actual master plan. The purpose of the recording is to put prospective purchasers on notice that the land has been included within a PRUD plan that has established density ranges and land uses that might be more or less restrictive to individual parcels than the underlying zoning regulations might imply. All platting requirements of non- PRUD planned subdivisions are also applicable. 4.14.3.4 Development on Planned Parcels Development proposals for each approved development parcel within the Planned Residential Unit Development approval is reviewed by the Planning Commission under the conditional use process, regardless of the size or nature of the development.