PDF Page 61 <br />That developments be reviewed to encourage clustering of open space <br />elements of different developments in order to preserve the maximum amount <br />of continuous open space. <br />The applicant proposes open space area abutting the Ribbon Trail Park to the west, Moon <br />Mountain Park near the northeast corner of the site, and along the ridgeline. Additional open <br />space is proposed adjoining the adjacent Hendricks Hill PUD, where the applicant shows a 60' <br />conservation buffer, and adjacent to East Ridge PUD along the rear of proposed single family <br />lots. The applicant's design complies with this policy statement. <br />That developments be reviewed in terms of scale, bulk and height to ensure <br />that development blends with rather than dominates the natural <br />characteristics of the south hills area. <br />The applicants proposal includes 608 total dwelling units, consisting of 533 multi-family <br />residential units and 75 large single family lots on a gross site area of 121.68 acres which results <br />in the maximum allowable residential density of 5 units per acre, subject to PUD approval. This <br />SHS standard is addressed at page 5 of the PUD narrative. <br />The applicant is requesting approval for several exceptions to code standards including <br />"proposed non-compliance" regarding the 3d-foot building height maximum in the R-1 zone, to <br />allow a maximum building height of 35 feet.. See elevations of the proposed structures on the <br />applicant's site plans (Sheet 10.0). Views are addressed in Exhibit L of the PUD narrative. The <br />applicant also proposes to limit the height of the apartments nearest to the ridgeline to 2 <br />stories (or 25 feet). <br />Multi-Family development standards at EC 9.5500(6) require that apartment buildings within 40 <br />feet of a front lot line be limited to 100 feet in length, which provides a good gauge of the <br />intended bulk and scale limitations for multi-family buildings. These development standards are <br />intended to mitigate bulk and scale when fronting a street as traditionally there would be <br />nearby neighbors affected by any changes'to these standards. In this case none of the multi- <br />family units front a street (a drive aisle for a parking lot is not considered a street) therefore <br />these do not apply. <br />The staff is correct in stating that this clustering creates a wider area of impact and <br />concentration of building bulk and height. The inevitable tradeoff is that there is greater degree <br />of preservation of natural resources, less impact to the total site, preservation of a larger <br />amount of open space, and preservation of stands of trees rather than individual trees, etc. The <br />inherent conflicting values and trade-offs of developing under the SHS policies is evident here. <br />This policy requires that developments blend with rather than dominate the natural <br />characteristics of the south hills area. In this instance the immediately surrounding area is <br />predominantly vacant. To the east is the Ribbon Trail, 300 feet wide at the project's west <br />property line, to the south and east there are no existing homes and the property is not within <br />Laurel Ridge Applicant Final Argument- Page 27 <br />110 <br />Laurel Ridge Record (Z 15-5) Page 865 <br />