PDF Page 92 <br />outside natural resource preservation areas. (See proposed Condition of Approval <br />under criterion (6) and (7) above) <br />(k) All other applicable development standards for features explicitly included in the <br />application except where the applicant has shown that a proposed <br />noncompliance is consistent with the purposes set out in EC 9.8300 Purpose of <br />Planned Unit Development. <br />The PUD "Purposes" are the touchstone for flexibility: <br />EC 9.8300 Purpose of Planned Unit Development. The planned unit development <br />(PUD) provisions are designed to provide a high degree of flexibility in the design <br />of the site and the mix of land uses, potential environmental impacts, and are <br />intended to: <br />(1) Create a sustainable environment that includes: <br />.(a) Shared use of services and facilities. <br />(b) A compatible mix of land uses that encourage alternatives to the use <br />of the automobile. <br />(c) A variety of dwelling types that help meet the needs of all income. <br />groups in the community. <br />(d) Preservation of existing natural resources and the opportunity to <br />enhance habitat areas. <br />(e) Clustering of residential dwellings to achieve energy and resource <br />conservation while also achieving the planned density for the site. <br />(2) . Create comprehensive site plans for' geographic areas of sufficient size to <br />provide developments at least equal in quality to those that are achieved <br />through the traditional lot by lot development and that are reasonably <br />compatible with the surrounding area. <br />Subsection (k) is the standard that recognizes the applicant's right to have the PUD standards <br />apply flexibly. This standard is addressed in the Applicant's Narrative PUD Application dated <br />June 24, 2013 at pages 19-21. <br />The Staff Report puts a fair amount of energy into listing variations from standards for which <br />the Applicant has not explicitly requested noncompliance or for which it has not made a <br />sufficiently convincing showing of consistency with the PUD Purposes list in EC 9.8300. Hence, <br />the Staff Report recommends a finding of noncompliance under this standard. This is the harsh <br />look theme in this Staff Report - recommending denial for failure to cross "i"s and dot 'T's. <br />It may be that the Staff Report is applying this standard harshly because there are so many <br />things about the project that the Staff does not like. In contrast, when the Staff supports a <br />project, the Staff Report is aggressive in justifying noncompliance when requested, and even <br />approving noncompliance on the fly when the Applicant failed in the details of the application <br />Laurel Ridge Applicant Final Argument - Page 58 <br />141 <br />Laurel Ridge Record (Z 15-5) <br />Page 896 <br />