§ 235-71. Planned business development.

For the planned business development of land in the BA-1, BA-2, BB, BB-1, BC, BD, UR-C and UR-D Districts, the development shall be subject to all regulations of this chapter, except that the following shall be allowed through grant of a special permit for the planned business development by the Planning Board: building coverage greater than the maximum building coverage permitted in the Table of Density and Dimensional Regulations, parking requirements less than the parking requirements contained in Article VIII and additional uses as provided for below, provided that:

A. 

The tract in single or consolidated ownership at the time of application shall be at least three contiguous acres in size. A development plan shall be presented for the entire tract.

B. 

Regardless of the zone in which a planned business development is located, all of the uses listed in the Table of Use and Parking Regulations under the categories "community facilities," "retail service commercial," "wholesale, transportation and industrial" and "accessory use" shall be permitted in a planned business development provided the specific uses are approved by the Planning Board when the development plan for the planned business development is approved.

C. 

Uses may be contained in one continuous building or in groupings of buildings. The Planning Board shall review the site plan with respect to safety of the users of the development and further with respect to the overall intent of this section. The development of one continuous building or the development of a grouping of buildings may be served by one common parking area and by common exit and entrance areas, in which case a reduction in the parking area may be allowed.

D. 

The minimum open space requirement shall be 5%.

E. 

As part of the approval of any planned business development, the Planning Board shall review plans and may issue a special permit for accessory parking for compliance with Article VIII of this chapter. Where conditions unique to a planned business development so justify, the Planning Board may grant a maximum of a ten-percent reduction of the parking space requirements indicated in the Table of Off-Street Parking Regulations.

Editor's Note: See § 235-32.

F. 

A site plan shall be presented for the entire tract showing two-foot finished contours, existing and proposed drainage, sewerage, water, parking and street access. A separate plan for landscaping shall be presented.

G. 

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

H. 

The development shall be served by both public water and public sewerage systems, both of which must be adequate to accept the proposed development.

I. 

Signs shall be governed by the regulations of Article VII, except that projecting signs shall not be permitted.

J. 

The plan shall provide for adequate access in relation to the anticipated traffic generation by the proposed development.

K. 

The plan shall be evaluated with respect to its impact upon the neighborhood, its effect on City services such as fire protection and its overall demands on the City. The design of each building in a planned business development shall be reviewed and approved by the Planning Board to ensure that it is reasonably appropriate in relation to the approved plan.

Amended 5-4-1987 by Ord. No. 1650; 4-6-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-90