zoneoptics
Bedford, Virginia · General provision

Sec. 612

Planned DevelopmentAll Bedford districts0

Dimensional standards

lot requirementsSTREETMIN LOT AREA5 acMAX DENSITY16 du/acMIN OPEN SPACE25%
Plan view of the district’s stated lot requirements. Solid line: the property line. Dashed: the setback lines the ordinance imposes; a building must stay inside the tinted envelope. Drawn from the figures extracted below — illustrative, not a survey.

Lot

Minimum lot areaMinimum lot areaThe smallest parcel on which the district allows anything to be built.
217,800 sq ftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000. (5 acacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.)

Density

Maximum density
16 du/acredu/acreDwelling units per acre — the number of homes allowed on each acre of land.

Height & bulk

Minimum open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted.
25%

Extracted standards

13 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.

Lighting

  • Street lighting required

    Street lighting is required in all commercial and residential areas.

Other

  • High quality building materials

    High quality building materials that relate to the character of the Town of Bedford and to existing adjacent development shall be provided.

  • Main entrance orientation

    The main entrance facade of buildings shall be oriented towards a public right-of-way.

  • Maximum commercial land area30 pct

    the land area occupied by commercial land uses shall not exceed 30 percent of the gross project area.

  • Variety of residential types

    Any Planned Mixed Development shall include a variety of residential types (i.e. single-family detached, town homes, multi-family unit, etc.)

  • Retain natural features

    Significant natural features shall be identified on the site plan and shall be retained to the maximum extent feasible in the provision and design of open space areas.

  • Screening required

    Screening shall be required to conceal dumpsters, recycling receptacles, loading and service areas, outdoor storage, utility equipment, and the like from both on-site and off-site views using an appropriate combination of plants, fencing, and/or masonry walls.

  • Sidewalks on both sides

    Sidewalks, multi-use paths, or other pedestrian accommodations shall be provided along both sides of all streets.

  • Street trees required

    Regularly spaced street trees shall be required along all new streets within the development.

  • Underground utilities

    All utilities within a planned unit development shall be placed underground except necessary above-ground appurtenances.

  • Usable open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted. percentage25 pct

    Not less than 25 percent of the development's overall open space shall be made up of usable open space for active or passive recreational activities.

Parking

  • Parking location

    Parking shall be located predominantly to the side and/or rear of buildings. On-street parking shall be encouraged. Parking areas shall include interior landscaped parking lot islands as well as landscaping along the perimeter.

Signage

  • Sign compatibility

    Signs located on any building facade shall be compatible with the building's overall design.

From the ordinance

The overall gross density of any Planned Mixed Development shall not exceed 16 dwelling units per acre. Not less than 25 percent of the total land area shall be devoted to open space.
Sec. 612