§ 235-69. Planned unit development in UR-B, UR-C and UR-D Districts.

For development in a planned unit concept in the UR-B, UR-C and UR-D Districts for uses including, among others, residential, business and institutional and not subject to the Table of Dimensional and Density Regulations, the following conditions shall apply:

A. 

The tract shall be in single or consolidated ownership, and the plan for the tract shall be subject to the approval by the Planning Board under the Melrose Land Subdivision Regulations. The tract shall be at least five contiguous acres, which may be intersected by a street or streets.

B. 

The development may be totally new development or it may incorporate existing development either in its present form or as altered through rehabilitation.

C. 

The following uses shall be permitted: residential, including townhouses and multifamily dwellings; community facilities (religious or educational; membership club for exclusive use of the residents of the planned unit development; public recreation or open space; fire station); public transportation terminal facility; and business establishments limited to the following business uses: retail establishments selling convenience goods such as food, drugs and proprietary goods; general merchandise such as dry goods, apparel and accessories, hardware, home furnishings and similar items; personal and consumer services establishments; and medical, other professional and business offices, including financial, insurance and real estate offices.

D. 

A maximum of 5% of the total residential gross floor area at any one time may be devoted to business floor area.

E. 

For a planned unit development where the tract includes land in both the residential districts and the business districts under § 235-70, the proportion of any type of development at any one time shall be computed by applying the limits of Subsection D above to that portion of the total tract in the residential district and by applying the limits of § 235-70D to that portion of the total tract in the business district. However, the location of each type of use shall not be restricted by the zoning boundary.

F. 

The minimum open space requirements shall be as follows: percent of total tract area: 20%; percent of developed area: 10%. A portion of the open space land, amounting to at least 10% of the total tract area, shall be set aside as common land covenanted to be maintained as permanent open space in private or cooperative ownership. The form of covenant covering such common land shall provide for its permanent ownership and maintenance and shall be subject to the approval of the Planning Board and the City Solicitor. (With the consent of the Council, this common land may be deeded to the City.) This common land shall be of such a physical character and appropriately planned so as to be of use to the residents and patrons of the development.

G. 

The remaining land area may be developed for residential, community facilities and business uses. In considering the application, the Planning Board should determine the need for sites for community facilities such as schools, playgrounds, fire stations and the like. Where such a need is found, appropriate sites within the development shall be set aside.

H. 

The residential density shall not exceed 60 dwelling units per acre of the total tract area.

I. 

The locations of buildings shall be governed by the following:

(1) 

All buildings shall be at least one foot from any lot line for each foot of building height, but in no case shall any building be closer than 15 feet.

(2) 

All principal buildings shall be at least 24 feet apart, except that where building heights exceed 40 feet, these distances shall be increased by one foot of height over 40 feet.

(3) 

All principal buildings shall be at least 15 feet from any common parking area.

J. 

Buildings of greater height than eight stories may be allowed only as long as the minimum distances required in Subsection I(1) and (2) above are increased by one foot for each two feet of height over 80 feet.

K. 

The development shall be served by both public water and public sewerage systems.

L. 

The principal streets shall be offered for acceptance as public ways. Where retained as private ways, they shall be posted as such by standard street signs.

M. 

A location plan at a scale of one inch equals 650 feet shall be submitted.

N. 

A site plan for the entire tract at a scale of one inch equals 40 feet, prepared by a recognized land planner, registered architect or registered professional engineer, shall be submitted to the Planning Board in duplicate and shall show, in addition to other items as may be required by the Planning Board, at least the following:

(1) 

Two-foot contours on the tract and within 50 feet thereof.

(2) 

The location and acreage of areas to be devoted to specific uses.

(3) 

Existing and proposed streets, parking, drainage and utility systems.

(4) 

Proposed residential density of development in terms of dwelling units per acre and type and proposed business uses in square footage and types.

(5) 

A separate plan showing the location of parks, open recreation areas and other open spaces, schools and other public community uses.

(6) 

A plan for landscaping, including existing natural features and proposed landscaping, prepared by a registered landscape architect.

O. 

The development plan shall be consistent with the Melrose Future Land Use Plan as last revised.

P. 

The off-street parking requirements may be reduced where a common parking area(s) serves a cluster(s) of business development. However, reduction in parking space requirements shall not exceed more than 10% of those required under normal application of the requirements set forth elsewhere in this chapter.

Editor's Note: See Art. VIII, Off-Street Parking and Loading.

Q. 

Signs shall be governed by the regulations of Article VII as applied to the use in the planned unit development, except that projecting signs shall not be permitted.