Title
AN ORDINANCE CONCERNING COMPREHENSIVE DESIGN ZONES - SPECIFIC DESIGN PLANS - PROCEDURES for the purpose of amending the Zoning Ordinance to authorize the administrative approval of certain limited, minor revisions and limited departures from design standard requirements for specific design plans by the Planning Director.
Background
In 2002, the District Council enacted legislation ("CB-42-2002") to provide authority for the Planning Director to approve certain minor revisions, necessarily limited in scope and nature, for approved Conceptual Site Plans, Detailed Site Plans, and Special Exception Site Plans. In addition, this 2002 legislation authorized certain limited departures from design standard requirements of the Zoning Ordinance, to include signs, parking and loading spaces and facilities, and other structures. While CB-42-2002 did not expressly articulate the intention of hte Council to apply this administrative authority a to Specific Design Plans within the Comprehensive Design Zones of the County, it has been the longstanding practice by M-NCPPC to consider and/or approve such limited minor revisions and limted departures to specific design plans administratively.
Accordingly, ths bill clarifies the intent of the Council to authorize the Planning Director to approve such minor revisions, limited in scope and nature, as with such authority enacted approved via CB-42-2002, to specific design plans.