PD: Planned Development District Uses in Raleigh
In the City of Raleigh, the Planned Development (PD) District functions as a customized zoning designation where allowed and prohibited uses are defined by an individual, project-specific Master Plan. While the PD District provides relief from prescriptive standards to achieve higher-quality design, it strictly prohibits the introduction of any use that is otherwise designated as prohibited (--) within the City of Raleigh Unified Development Ordinance.
Determining Allowed Uses in the PD District
The specific list of uses permitted on a property zoned as a PD District is established during the rezoning process through the approval of a Planned Development Master Plan [Sec. 4.7.1]. Unlike standard districts, the PD District does not have a static column in the principal use table. Instead, the applicant proposes a set of uses based on the City of Raleigh's existing use categories [Sec. 10.2.4.D.3].
Building Type Requirements and Associated Uses
The City of Raleigh requires the PD District to include specific building types, which in turn dictate the nature of the activities allowed on the site.
- Single Structure Developments: If the PD District consists of a single building, it must be a Mixed Use Building type [Sec. 4.7.2.C].
- Multiple Building Developments: These must include at least one of the following types: Townhouse, Apartment, Mixed Use Building, or General Building [Sec. 4.7.2.C].
- Residential Variety: For projects involving at least 20 residential units, the City of Raleigh encourages a variety of housing stock, including detached houses, attached houses, townhouses, apartments, and units located above first-floor commercial spaces [Sec. 4.7.5.A].
Rules for Use Modification
While the PD District allows for customization, the City of Raleigh imposes strict boundaries on how use classifications (Permitted, Limited, or Special) can be altered from the general code.
| Proposed Modification | Permission Status in PD District |
|---|---|
| Remove an otherwise allowed use | Permitted |
| Convert a Permitted (P) use to a Special (S) use | Permitted |
| Convert a Limited (L) use to a Special (S) use | Permitted |
| Convert a Permitted (P) use to a Limited (L) use | Permitted |
| Allow a Prohibited (--) use | Prohibited |
| Convert a Special (S) use to Permitted or Limited | Prohibited |
| Convert a Limited (L) use to a Permitted (P) use | Prohibited |
[Source: Sec. 4.7.2.E]
Prohibited Uses in the PD District
The City of Raleigh enforces several absolute prohibitions that apply to the PD District, regardless of what is proposed in a Master Plan.
Absolute Prohibitions
- General Prohibitions: Any use not explicitly allowed as a Permitted, Limited, or Special use in the City of Raleigh's Allowed Principal Use Table is prohibited [Sec. 6.1.5].
- Character Prohibitions: Any use of a business, commercial, or industrial character that is not otherwise specifically allowed in Raleigh's residential or mixed-use districts (R-1 through R-10, RX, OP, or OX) is prohibited [Sec. 6.1.5.A].
- Open Dumps: The operation of an open dump is strictly forbidden [Sec. 6.1.5.E].
- Administrative Offices: School administrative personnel offices are prohibited from being located outside of a school if they are within a portion of a PD District that has a residential character [Sec. 6.1.5.F].
- Drive-Thrus: Drive-thru facilities are strictly prohibited on any PD District site that utilizes the Frequent Transit Development Option height bonus [Sec. 3.7.1.3].
Conditional Prohibitions
- Manufactured Homes: These are generally prohibited unless the PD District explicitly allows them or they meet the City of Raleigh's definition of a "Tiny House" or "Accessory Dwelling Unit" [Sec. 6.1.5.D].
- Inoperable Vehicles: The storage of two or more unlicensed, uninspected, or wrecked vehicles is prohibited, except as a temporary allowance for a permitted towing yard [Sec. 6.1.5.H].
Sections Cited
- Sec. 1.3.1. General Use Zoning Districts
- Sec. 3.7.1. Frequent Transit Development Option
- Sec. 4.1.1. District Intent Statements
- Sec. 4.7.1. Establishment of a PD District
- Sec. 4.7.2. Modification of Standards
- Sec. 4.7.5. General Design Principles
- Sec. 6.1.4. Allowed Principal Use Table
- Sec. 6.1.5. Prohibited Uses
- Sec. 10.2.4. Rezoning