Planning Terminology

American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)
AICP is the American Planning Association's professional institute, providing recognized leadership nationwide in the certification of professional planners, ethics, professional development, planning education, and the standards of planning practice. For more information please visit their website.

American Planning Association (APA)
The American Planning Association provides leadership in the development of vital communities by advocating excellence in community planning, promoting education and citizen empowerment, and providing the tools and support necessary to meet the challenges of growth and change. For more information please visit their website.

Annexation
The process of incorporating land from other jurisdictions into a City.

Antiquated Subdivisions
Those subdivisions which, when approved, met all then-existing regulations, but are inadequate by current market, land use or environmental standards.

Approval
An approval is a discretionary decision made by a local agency to issue a permit, certificate, license, lease, or other entitlement or to otherwise authorize a proposed project or activity.

Architectural Review Board
An architectural review board is a body that reviews proposed developments for their architectural congruity with surrounding developments and either renders an advisory opinion on the matter or is authorized to issue or deny a permit. Its review is based upon design criteria or standards adopted by the local legislature.

Building Permit
A building permit must be issued by a municipal agency or officer before activities such as construction, alteration, or expansion of buildings or improvements on the land may legally commence.

Commercial
Land use designated for community services, general business, interchange of services, and commercial recreation.

Common Interest Subdivision
Subdivided lands which include a separate interest in real property combined with an interest in common with other owners. The interest in common may be through membership in an association, community apartment project, condominium project, or planned development.

Conditional Use Permit
A special type of variance wherein the local government has recognized that it is often necessary to permit certain uses in zones other than those in which they are classified because of their unusual characteristics or the large area required for their operation. These uses require special consideration as to their proper location in relation to adjacent uses or to the development of the community and to the various elements of the General Plan. Due to the various types of uses and locations requiring this special consideration, the specific conditions under which each use may be permitted must also be considered.

Development
The entire proposal to construct or place one or more dwelling units on a particular lot or contiguous lots including, without limitation, a planned unit development, site plan, or subdivision.

Easement
An easement involves the right to use a parcel of land to benefit an adjacent parcel of land, such as to provide vehicular or pedestrian access to a road or sidewalk. Technically known as an easement appurtenant.

Entitlement
Permission to use or develop land from a regulatory body or authority-grantor. It could be an entitlement by right, like a permitted use under a property's zoning, or it could be a special entitlement, like a discretionary special use permit or rezoning.

Entitlements can be granted (or denied) by local governments like cities, counties, townships, etc., or by other bodies, like the Army Corps of Engineers or the state Department of Transportation.

Environmental Impact Report
A Facility-prepared report that documents in detail the probable environmental impact of proposed project. The EIR process includes publication and public review of a draft report. The final EIR incorporates responses to all comments received during the review period and also proposes measures designed to mitigate significant environmental impacts and a program for monitoring mitigation measures.

Flood plain
The area adjoining a water course that has historically been covered by high water, usually defined by a calculated 100-year flood.

General Plan Amendment
In a local government's General Plan, the Land Use element specifies the general categories of land use appropriate to the development (or redevelopment) of all properties in the city (or county). Sometimes our clients do not agree that the land use designation given to their property is the most appropriate. Many local governments provide a way to request a new land use designation by means of a General Plan Amendment.

Historic District
An historic district is a regulatory overlay zone within which new developments must be compatible with that of the architecture of the historic structures within the districts. Alterations and improvements of historic structures must be made with minimum interference with the historic features of the building. The local legislature establishes standards that a historic preservation commission uses to permit, condition, or deny projects proposed in historic districts.

Infill
Development or redevelopment of land that has been bypassed, remained vacant, and/or is underused as a result of the continuing urban development process. Generally, the areas and/or sites are not particularly of prime quality; however, they are usually served by or are readily accessible to the infrastructure services and facilities provided by the applicable local governmental entity. Use of such lands for new housing and/or other urban development is considered a more desirable alternative than to continue to extend the outer development pattern laterally and horizontally thus necessitating a higher expenditure for capital improvements than would be required for infill development. The use of infill development, among others, promotes the best use of resources and also will tend to have a positive impact upon the tax and other fiscal policies.

LEED
LEED is an acronym for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.” It is a system used to categorize the level of environmentally sustainable construction in new or existing buildings.

Lot Line Adjustment
The method by which a property line may be moved between two or more adjacent parcels. The property line adjustment shall not create more lots than those that already exists.

Mitigated Negative Declaration
The statement of a local government that a limited number of significant environmental impacts have been identified and that these impacts can be readily mitigated if the prescribed measures are implemented. The "mitigated neg dec" has, to a significant degree, replaced the Focused Environmental Impact Report.

Mitigation Measures
Methods to reduce, eliminate or compensate for adverse environmental effects.

Mixed-Use
A project that combines both non-residential and residential uses, where the residential component is typically located above or behind the commercial.

Nimbyism
Opposition to locating something in their own neighborhood but does not object to it being sited elsewhere. Acronym for “Not in My Backyard.”

Non-Profit Organizations
A legally constituted organization whose objective is to support or engage in activities of public or private interest without any external commercial or monetary profit. An example would include religious facilities such as the congregation beth-david.

Open space
Land set aside and permanently restricted for conservation, agriculture or recreation purposes by a municipality, nonprofit conservation organization or land trust, homeowners association, or person. Open Space may include woodlands, pasture, landscaped yards, gardens or play areas, golf courses, walking and riding trails, and similar areas as appropriate to the site, but shall not include structures such as tennis courts, buildings, swimming pools or other impervious areas. Open Space may be open for public use or access to such areas may be restricted.

Outreach
A service that includes involvement in activities designed to educate participants and assist those seeking information on a topic, such as growth and development, strategic planning, environmental protection, community participation, and others.

Planning Commission
A body, usually having seven members, made up of residents appointed by the city council, the mayor, or the board of supervisors, to consider land-use matters.

Planned Unit Development (”PUD”)
A planned unit development is an overlay zoning district that permits land developments on several parcels to be planned as single units and contain both residential dwellings and commercial uses. It is usually available to land owners as a mixed use option to single uses permitted as-of-right by the zoning ordinance.

Property Profile
Document produced by Oasis Associates, Inc. for those clients interested in their property’s development potential. Components include the site’s general plan designation, surrounding land uses, and other applicable information that might include subdivision size allowance, water regulations, etc..

Public Agencies
An administrative unit of government that can include entities such as government agencies, school districts, etc.

Redevelopment
Improvements made by a land developer (erection of buildings, facilities, structures, etc.) that follow site improvements by the local government.

Regulatory Agencies
Government body responsible for control and supervision of a particular activity or area of public interest. Examples include APCD, Army Corps of Engineers, etc.

Rezoning
An act of the local legislature that changes the principal uses permitted on one or more parcels of land or throughout one or more zoning districts. Rezoning includes the amendment of the zoning map, as well as the use provisions in the district regulations applicable to the land that is rezoned.

Seismic Retrofit
Modification of existing structures to make them more resistant to seismic activity, ground motion, or soil failure due to earthquakes.

Senior Housing
Housing that is restricted to seniors which generally contains limited or no medical supportive services. This type of housing is also known as “independent living” or, when certain on-site food services and limited medical care is provided, “assisted living.”

Site Plan
A site plan shows the proposed development and use of a single parcel of land consisting of a map and all necessary supporting material.

Specific Plan
A policy statement and implementation tool that is used to address a single project or planning problem. Specific plans contain concrete standards and development criteria that supplement those of the general plan.

Smart Growth
Environmentally sensitive land development with the goals of minimizing dependence on auto transportation, reducing air pollution, and making infrastructure investments more efficient.

Subdivision
Any division of land into two or more parcels. All divisions of land, including the creation of air parcels for condominium purposes, are regulated by the State Subdivision Map Act. The Subdivision Map Act establishes the time period for a subdivision map to be recorded or expired.

Stakeholders
Those individuals, groups and interests directly affected by a comprehensive planning process or proposed developments.

Tentative Parcel Maps
A division of land into four or fewer parcels requires a tentative parcel map.

Tentative Tract Maps
A division of land into five or more parcels requires a tentative and a final tract map. A tentative map is made for the purpose of showing the design and improvement of a proposed subdivision.

Urban Growth Boundary
A boundary to limit urban sprawl and preserve green space. The area within the boundary is designated for urban growth, while the area outside the boundary is designated for low-density rural development or open space.

Urban Reserve Line
Urban reserve line is created to minimize urban sprawl. Future developments should be within the urban reserve line.

Vesting Maps
A vesting map grants vested rights to proceed with a project in accordance with the ordinances, polices and standards in effect at the time the application for approval of the vesting tentative map is completed. A tentative tract map or parcel map may be filed as a vesting map.

Vision
A description of a realistic and credible desired future for a community or organization. A vision is a key part of a strategic planning process.

Zone
An area of the city delineated o the official zoning map, designated by name or abbreviation as provided in the regulations codified in this division.

Zone Change
A legislative action that changes the zone that underlies the subject property. The primary reason would be to change the permitted use(s).

Zoning Districts
Discrete areas within a community designated to permit specific land uses, such as single family residential, commercial, industrial, etc. and to provide requirements specific to development within the district. They are depicted on a zoning map.

Zoning Ordinance
The legally established text for implementing the vision, goals and policies of a comprehensive plan. Zoning regulates the use of land within the community's jurisdiction.