Planned-Unit Development

A planned-unit development, or PUD, is a zone that includes many residential lots in which residents own their own homes and the land on which the homes are built. In addition to the residential lots, a planned-unit development features a number of common areas, which may contain amenities like an exercise facility, an office facility, tennis courts or, most commonly, a swimming pool. Though no individual property owner has a legal claim to these areas, each owner in the planned-unit development will have an opportunity to use the facilities. As a result, each owner is required to pay some fee in order to maintain the common areas. Planned-unit developments are typically designed to accommodate people with similar lifestyles. For instance, a development might be built with young professionals or elderly couples in mind. This allows the developer to design common areas to suit the needs of those particular residents.