§ 12-603. Hospital General Development Plan.

(a) In general.

(1) A hospital facility within the H District must obtain approval by ordinance of a General Development Plan for any new construction that would deviate from the bulk and yard regulations of Table 12-602.

(2) Once a General Development Plan is submitted and approved, the development proceeds in accordance with the plan rather than the base district regulations.

(b) Applicability; Effect.

(1) A General Development Plan may be applied only to those properties owned by a hospital facility at the time of the plan's approval.

(2) An approved General Development Plan is a permitted exception to all base district regulations expressly made subject to the plan, including plan-approved use, sign, parking, and maximum height regulations.

(c) Procedure.

A General Development Plan (and any subsequent amendment to it) requires approval by ordinance, in accordance with the applicable procedures of Title 5, Subtitle 5 {"Legislative Authorizations"} of this Code.

(d) Submittal requirements.

The General Development Plan must:

(1) address the general site layout of the entire district; and

(2) include the following:

(i) a site plan for development of the entire district, including the proposed boundaries of the District;

(ii) the location, square footage, and building heights of all existing structures and uses;

(iii) the location, approximate square footage, and approximate building heights, within a reasonable range, of all proposed structures and uses;

(iv) a landscape plan that shows the location of all open space and of any buffering or screening along the perimeter of the district;

(v) a sign plan that shows the location of all proposed signs;

(vi) internal traffic circulation plans, including traffic ingress and egress locations, pedestrian circulation, bicycle circulation, and public transit access; and

(vii) the location and capacity of existing and proposed off-street parking and loading spaces.

(e) H District zoning map amendments.

(1) A condition of the H District zoning designation is that the primary use within the proposed area is a hospital.

(2) A hospital may choose to submit a General Development Plan for approval simultaneously with a zoning map amendment, both subject to approval by ordinance, so that the land would be controlled by the General Development Plan, rather than the base district standards.

(3) Map amendments to increase the boundaries of, add additional uses to, or add additional property to the H District requires General Development Plan approval by ordinance.