Opinion ID: 2075219
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Explicit Requirements of Article 75

Text: Petitioner further argues, in the same vein, that the third paragraph of Article 75 explicitly requires a comparison of the PUD proposal facilities with those available under the general provisions of the Zoning Regulations. Petitioner's argument is that a grant of a height incentive to American Trucking triggers the application of this provision requiring comparison. This height incentive, arguably, is the result of the Commission's designation of the appropriate zoning for the PUD in the preliminary approval as SP-2 (ninety foot limit) to allow for construction of the office component in areas previously zoned SP-1 (sixty-five foot limit). We need not reach the question of whether the third paragraph of Article 75 requires an explicit comparison of the proposed plan with that available under general zoning regulations because in this case there has been no height incentive granted. Petitioner misconstrues the regulatory scheme in the zoning regulations for a PUD. A height incentive is granted as an exception to the zoning that will remain in effect in the area of the PUD after completion. This incentive is specified in the Article 75 regulations and is described as the maximum relaxation of the standards in the Zoning Regulations for the district in which a planned unit development is to be located. § 7501.24. For example, no incentive to build over 130 feet may be granted in a PUD with the present zoning of SP. Under the new regulations, incentives may not exceed seventy-five feet in SP-1 and ninety feet in SP-2. Under these new regulations, if such incentive increase over the height permitted by the zoning in effect is sought by the applicant, he shoulders the burden of demonstrating and justifying the public benefit of the increased height. § 7501.41, 25 D.C.Reg. 7993 (1979). Under the version of Article 75, applicable in this case, the regulations provide that the application shall not be approved if the Commission determines that the primary purpose of the PUD is to circumvent existing zoning regulations. The case at hand is much different. Here, the applicant has requested rezoning in conjunction with its PUD application pursuant to the provision of § 7501.2. And, as specified in that regulation, the Commission after three days of hearings has informed the applicant that the appropriate zoning classification which should be requested is other than that which he originally sought. This decision is a product of the adversary proceeding which took place during the period of hearings. The designation of the appropriate zoning classification accompanies the preliminary approval of the PUD and the applicant is required to submit a separate application for zoning change along with the PUD application as a condition for final approval. The height of the new building will not need an exception to the zoning regulations because it will be within the limits designated by the new zone. This process is anticipated by the notice and hearing regulations contained in § 9101.3 and § 7501.39. That the PUD application and the zoning change must be acted on at the same final proceeding is only a logical construction of the regulations. We hold, therefore, that where the appropriate zoning for a rezoning request is designated by the Commission in conjunction with its preliminary approval of a PUD application, and the applicant's PUD proposal is conditioned on his seeking such a zoning amendment, that does not constitute a height incentive under Article 75. Since there is no height incentive granted in this case, we need not decide whether the provisions of the third paragraph of Article 75 require a side-by-side, empirical comparison of the PUD application structures with those possible under the general provisions of the zoning regulations.