Far West planners debate PD overlay draft to trade open space for higher residential density

Far West City planners and council members spent the Feb. 20 work session reviewing a proposed Planned Development (PD) overlay intended to encourage clustered, higher‑density residential development while preserving and consolidating usable open space. The draft would allow a PD overlay only on residential properties of three acres or more, require a binding development agreement that can supersede site standards, and limit permitted uses to those already allowed in the underlying residential zone.

The commission’s planning representative, Darren (planning commission representative), said the draft is meant to "encourage thoughtful and efficient utilization of land in residential areas" and to allow greater flexibility in building location and density while consolidating open space and supporting moderate‑income housing initiatives. The draft requires developers to enter into a development agreement and sets foundational standards (for example, the PD would be a suffix to the underlying residential zone and maximum height would default to the underlying zone’s height limits).

Why it matters: the PD overlay is a tool the city intends to use to attract compact, walkable residential development while protecting public amenities. The discussion centered on how prescriptive the ordinance should be versus…