Unified Land Development Code - Town of Gilbert

INTRODUCTION
This Unified Land Development Code brings together regulations and guidelines
for developing land in the Town of Gilbert into a single, convenient reference
document. Residents, developers and municipal officials participated in the
consolidation process to create a common understanding of the community's land
development practices. The Code revises and reorganizes materials previously
contained in multiple ordinances, resolutions and specifications. Now there is
one, comprehensive source of information for improving real estate in the Town.
The Code is Gilbert's principal land use implementation tool. Its provisions
support the future development goals established by the Town of Gilbert General
Plan. Care has been taken in revising sections of this document to assure that
they are consistent with the Plan's principles and assist in encouraging its desired
land use patterns. Similarly, guidelines contained in the Code are meant to
suggest ways in which individual land parcels may be developed so as to
conform with quality standards that have been set by the Town.
There are three main sections in Gilbert's Unified Land Development Code. They
are organized to begin with provisions which broadly regulate the uses of land in
the Town, moving toward the more detailed specifications for improving
individual properties. Chapter I, Land Use Designation, incorporates the
community's basic zoning ordinances. Chapter II, Development Regulations,
deals with lot layouts and criteria for site preparation, such as subdivision and
landscaping directions. Technical engineering specifications are covered in
Chapter III, Improvement Details.
The Code's Chapters are followed by a Glossary which defines terms used
throughout the document. Words and phrases appearing in the Glossary are
referenced in the text (dotted underline) to alert Code users that definition
clarification is available. There are additional Appendices including forms, fee
schedules and other materials pertaining to the Town's development practices.
Requirements, those provisions with regulatory effect that must be met by all
property owners, are generally set forth in Chapters I and II. There are
procedures for permitting minor variations from these standards based on special
circumstances of individual properties. Guidelines, establishing community
expectations for site improvements, appearance or amenities, are contained in
portions of Chapters II and III. These directions are intended as performance
standards, informing citizens and land developers of desired build-out results, but
allowing some flexibility in their attainment. Land owners are, of course,
encouraged to exceed guideline expectations; and, in some instances (such as
Planned Developments), proposed projects may be more favorably reviewed
where additional quality measures are included.
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