In the interest of design flexibility and to provide variety in housing types and site development, certain reductions in the building site requirements for the district and the requirements of Section 17.54.480 may be permitted, or higher standards required. However, the building site area may not be reduced to less than that required for the district except for building sites adjacent to common areas of substantial size which building sites may be reduced to an area of not less than five thousand (5,000) square feet and a width of not less than fifty (50) feet. Any modification of minimum standards must be found by the planning commission to be in best interest of the residents of the development. An approved reduction in the minimum standards must be found to be not detrimental either to the residents within the project or the uses adjoining the project. When reductions in minimum standards are requested by the applicant, the request shall be accompanied by evidence furnished by the project’ s architect or landscape architect which illustrate that the cluster plan which includes a modification of standards permit the following objectives to be met as well as or better than employment of minimum standards otherwise required. (Prior gen. code § 8-96.20)