Planned Development Zones

The Planned Development (PD) Zones are established and intended to encourage innovative land planning and site design concepts that support a high quality of life and achieve a high quality of development, environmental sensitivity, energy efficiency, and other County goals and objectives. When increased flexibility in design and density is desired, PD Zones provide alternatives to the Residential, Nonresidential, and Transit-Oriented/Activity Center Base Zones. This comes with the expectation that the development quality will surpass what is achievable in the comparable base zone. A Planned Development application must be approved through a rezoning and is subject to a public review process. 

Residential Planned Development (R-PD) Zone

The purposes of the Residential Planned Development (R-PD) Zone are:

  • To provide flexibility for the design of innovative, high-quality, planned residential communities that include a mix of residential use types along with a range of complementary and mutually supporting nonresidential land uses that serve the needs of the residents of the development
  • To ensure and support the development of comprehensive pedestrian and bicycle circulation networks, which are separated from vehicular roadways and link residential, commercial, open space, and recreation areas
  • To preserve and support well-integrated open spaces and recreation facilities for the use of the residents of the planned residential community
  • To ensure that the planned residential community is developed in a manner that does not adversely impact the surrounding communities
  • To ensure the planned residential community respects the topographic and other environmental characteristics of the site on which it is located

Neighborhood Activity Center Planned Development (NAC-PD) Zone

The purposes of the Neighborhood Activity Center Planned Development (NAC-PD) Zone are:

  • To accommodate and promote the establishment of high-quality, vibrant, lower- to moderate-density, mixed-use development that fosters economic development, reduces automobile dependency, supports walkable areas, and provides opportunities for alternative modes of travel
  • To provide use types and densities/intensities needed to support mixed-use and transit-supportive development (as appropriate)
  • To encourage a live, work, shop, and play environment that serves as an economic driver for the County’s Neighborhood Centers
  • To include a well-integrated mix of complementary uses, including commercial, personal services, office, and recreation, where appropriate to support residential uses and serve the needs of the surrounding neighborhood
  • To provide multiple, direct, and safe vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian connections between development
  • To incorporate buildings, open spaces, and other site elements that are arranged and designed to create an inviting, walkable, safe, and interactive environment
  • To include distinctive and attractive public spaces that help create an identity and sense of place for the zone
  • To provide a range of housing options

Town Activity Center Planned Development (TAC-PD) Zone

The purposes of the Town Activity Center Planned Development (TAC-PD) Zone are:

  • To accommodate and promote the establishment of high-quality, moderate-intensity activity center development, that while encouraging and supporting mixed-use and pedestrian-friendliness, is more auto-oriented in character
  • To provide the use types and densities/intensities that are needed to support mixed-use and activity center development
  • To encourage a live, work, shop, and play environment that serves as an economic driver for the County’s Town Centers
  • To include a well-integrated mix of complementary uses – including commercial, residential, employment, recreational, and civic uses
  • To provide multiple, direct, and safe vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian connections between the uses in the Core area, and to nearby areas
  • To incorporate buildings, open space, and other site elements that area arranged and designed to create an inviting, safe, interactive, and, in come locations, walkable environment
  • To include distinctive, attractive, and engaging public spaces that help create an identity and sense of place for the zone
  • To provide a range of housing options

Local Transit-Oriented Planned Development (LTO-PD) Zone

The purposes of the Local Transit-Oriented Planned Development (LTO-PD) Zone are:

  • To accommodate and promote the establishment of high-quality, vibrant, moderate-intensity, mixed-use, transit-accessible development that will foster economic development, reduce automobile dependency, support walkable areas, and provide opportunities for alternative modes of travel
  • To provide the “critical mass” of use types and densities/intensities needed to support mixed-use, transit-accessible development
  • To encourage a live, work, shop, and play environment that serves as an economic driver for the County’s Local Transit Centers
  • To include a well-integrated mix of complementary uses – including commercial, personal services, office, residential, and recreational
  • To provide multiple, direct, and safe vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian connections between developments, and prioritize transit, pedestrian, and bicyclist access
  • To incorporate buildings, open spaces, and other site elements that are arranged and designed to create an inviting, walkable, safe, interactive, and human-scale environment
  • To include distinctive and attractive public spaces that help create an identity and sense of place for the zone
  • To provide a range of housing options

Regional Transit-Oriented Planned Development (RTO-PD) Zone

The purposes of the Regional Transit-Oriented Planned Development (RTO-PD) Zone are:

  • To provide lands for the establishment of high-quality, vibrant, high-density, mixed-use, transit-accessible development that supports economic development, reduces automobile dependency, supports walkable areas, and provides opportunities for alternative modes of travel
  • To capture the majority of the County’s future residential and employment growth and development
  • To incorporate key elements of walkable and bikeable areas that are well-connected to a regional transportation network through a range of transit options
  • To provide the “critical mass” of use types and densities and intensities needed for intense, transit-supportive, mixed-use, transit-accessible development
  • To encourage a dynamic live, work, shop, and play environment that serves as an economic driver for the County’s Regional Transit Districts
  • To include a well-integrated mix of complementary uses—including office, retail, personal services, entertainment, public and quasi-public, flex, medical, lodging, eating or drinking establishments, residential, and recreational
  • To provide multiple, direct, and safe vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian connections between developments, and prioritize transit, pedestrian, and bicyclist access
  • To incorporate buildings, open spaces, and other site elements that are arranged and designed to create an inviting, walkable, safe, socially-interactive environment
  • To include distinctive and engaging public spaces that help create an identity and sense of place for the zone
  • To provide a range of housing options

Mixed-Use Planned Development (MU-PD) Zone

The purposes of the Mixed-Use Planned Development (MU-PD) Zone are:

  • To accommodate and promote the establishment of high-quality, mixed-use development that will foster economic development, reduce automobile dependency, support walkable and bikeable areas, and provide opportunities for alternative modes of travel
  • To provide the mix of uses and densities/intensities needed to support mixed-use development
  • To accommodate and promote compact, pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use development that encourages a dynamic live, work, shop, and play environment that serves as an economic driver for the County
  • To include a well-integrated mix of complementary high-activity uses—including supportive commercial, residential, civic, recreation, and employment uses
  • To provide multiple, direct, and safe vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian connections between the uses, and prioritizes transit, pedestrian, and bicyclist access
  • To incorporate buildings, open spaces, and other site elements that are arranged and designed to create an inviting, walkable, safe, and socially-interactive environment
  • To include distinctive, attractive, and engaging public spaces that help create an identity and sense of place for the zone
  • To provide a range of housing options
  • To permit a flexible response to the market and promotes economic vitality
  • To encourage innovation in the planning and design of new and infill development
  • To implement County policies, as specified in approved Area Master Plans and Sector Plans, for mixed-use development at appropriate locations to meet community needs

Industrial/Employment Planned Development (IE-PD) Zone

The purposes of the Industrial/Employment Planned Development (IE-PD) Zone are:

  • To accommodate and promote the establishment of a mix of high-quality, primarily non-retail employment uses that will foster economic growth and development
  • To provide use types and intensities and densities needed to support such development, along with the necessary support facilities
  • To allow and encourage limited residential and mixed-use development to reduce automobile dependency and support walkable areas
  • To encourage development of building forms that can be easily altered as the range of tenants and regional market for employment-related development evolves over time

Contact Us

Development Review Division

PRIMARY PHONE: 301-952-3530

SECONDARY PHONE: 301-952-4366

FAX: 301-952-3749