§ 120-31. Planned residential development (PRD).

Planned residential development may be permitted by special permit in the Residential District. A planned residential development shall require site plan approval by the Planning Board prior to, or concurrent with, subdivision approval. The Planning Board may also reject a conventional subdivision approach and require a PRD to accomplish one or more of the following purposes.

A. 

Purposes of a PRD.

(1) 

To conserve portions of the parcel with sensitive natural features, such as steep slopes, floodplains, wetlands, stream corridors, or significant wildlife habitats, by permanently setting them aside from future development;

(2) 

To protect the historic character and surroundings of structures or sites in the Rhinebeck Village Historic District or on the National Register of Historic Places; or

(3) 

To provide a more creative and land-efficient development layout with a range of housing choices compatible with the Village character, while reducing the need for excessive clearing, regrading, paving, and/or longer utility lines.

B. 

Requirements for a PRD.

(1) 

The existing parcel shall be six acres or larger.

(2) 

The maximum number of dwelling units permitted in a PRD shall not exceed the number of units that, in the Planning Board's judgment, would be permitted if the land was subdivided into conventional lots conforming to all Residential District standards.

(3) 

The applicant shall prepare at least two initial sketch plans before submitting any engineered drawings: a conceptual plan consistent with all Residential District standards to help determine a total unit count, and conceptual development plan(s) under the PRD standards for preliminary discussions of design alternatives with the Planning Board.

(4) 

The Planning Board, as part of its approvals, shall establish conditions of ownership, use, and maintenance of any common areas, conserved land, parks, streets, and utilities.

C. 

PRD performance standards. Special permit and site plan approval shall be contingent upon the applicant's ability to demonstrate that the proposal adheres to the following performance standards:

(1) 

PRDs are subject to the same provisions established for the Residential District, except as provided in this section.

(2) 

The Planning Board may vary residential lot areas, yard areas, coverages, widths, and frontages from the dimensional chart provided in § 120-8, Table 2, Dimensional Table of Yard, Area, Setback and Height Requirements. All perimeter lots shall have a minimum rear yard setback of 25 feet. The maximum height requirement remains at 35 feet.

(3) 

Planned residential developments may be comprised of single-family, two-family, townhouse and multifamily dwellings. A PRD shall have a balanced mix of at least two housing types.

(4) 

A single-family home may also have one accessory dwelling unit.

(5) 

Streets in a PRD shall be integrated into the Village's interconnected street network, creating easy and varied pedestrian routes throughout the Village and, in particular, to the Village core. There must be multiple entrances to the PRD, and these shall be designed as extensions to existing Village streets.

(6) 

PRDs shall be interwoven into the community and should not stand alone. Streets within a PRD shall form an interconnected network of short blocks. Dead-ends, culs-de-sac and loop roads are discouraged unless unusual topography or other physical characteristics of the land make them necessary.

(7) 

Sidewalks and street trees shall be required on both sides of the street.

(8) 

Front porches are encouraged for all homes in a PRD, providing an important transition between the public realm (street and sidewalk) and the private home.

(9) 

Building orientation, fenestration, building materials, rooflines, building height and other architectural elements shall be consistent with the Village's historical architectural character or the character of the neighborhood.