The concept of planned unit developments has been around now for quite some time. Most cities and counties in Washington have adopted planned unit development ordinances. Much has been written over the years about the technical and legal nature of PUDs. This article, however, takes a look at how some of these ordinances are working in the real world. What are the major issues and challenges? Are PUD ordinances even necessary?
This article is based on an examination of three case studies, including Bonner County (ID), Ellensburg (WA), and Bayview Ridge Subarea (Skagit County, WA). Other sources include an urban city (Bellevue, WA) a small resort town in central Washington (Chelan, WA), a rapidly growing suburban community (Marysville, WA) as well as a large county (Whatcom County, WA).
The article concludes with a number of lessons learned, tips for success and a list of web-based resources.
