Comprehensive Community Master Plan
general guide on how a community would like to develop in the future. (documents are not legally binded)
Zoning Map
Illustrates a city’s various districts by use & used to control population density & growth characteristics.
Typically shows permitted land uses & allowable densities of development.
Zoning Ordinance
The written regulation & laws that explain allowed land use & densities allowed within specific areas of the city.
*may include specific information about uses such as off-street parking & setbacks.
Assessor’s Map
used to locate buildings & land in order to establish their worth.
Regional Land Use Maps
Illustrate existing land uses & types, areas, & types of proposed development.
Boundary Survey
The process of locating property lines by establishing a property corners of a parcel for building permit purposes, or locating easement lines or to resolve property disputes.
*Made by traversing.
Cadastral Survey
are made to resurvey/retrace the boundarries of municipalities & of state, federal jurisdictions & other public lands within public land surveying systems of the United States.
Geodetic Survey
When surveys are such wide extent that the curvature of the earth is a matter of importance they are called geodetic surveys.
*generally make use of a coordinate system to locate points on the earth.
Metes and bounds
The survey describes land by boundary dimensions and shapes.
Record or As-Built Survey
For locating existing structures on a parcel of land a record or as-built survey is conducted.
Existing Topography
mapping of the existing (pre-development) land surface elevations, water bodies, geology, and other features that describe a piece of property.
Flood Plain
area adjacent to a stream of body of water that is susceptible to flooding.
Floodway
the channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the 100-year flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation.
Karst
areas where the dissolution of limestone or other soluble rocks has produced cliffs, sinkholes, caves, underground streams, and other similar features.
Ponds
a small, still body of water.
Property Use
evaluating the existing property use is important in understanding the impact from the proposed development or the project site.
Soil Type (or hydrologic soil group)
a term used to estimate the stormwater runoff potential. Defined by “A” “B” “C” or “D”
“A” Lowest Runoff / Highest Infiltration Rate
“D” Highest Runoff / Lowest infiltration Rate
Stream
a body of moving water in a natural channel, such as a creek or river.
Stream Buffer
a natural area boundary between a development and stream that helps protect water quality by filtering pollution and infiltrating stormwater runoff.
Vegetated Cover
vegetation can heavily influence the runoff potential from a site.
Wetland
wetlands occur at the transition zone between land and water / those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.
Waters of the State
All rivers, streams, lakes and other bodies of surface and subsurface water lying within or forming a part of the boundaries of the state which are not entirely confined and located completely upon lands owned, leased, or otherwise controlled by a single person or by two or more persons jointly or as tenants in common and includes waters of the United States lying within the state.
Arid Areas
areas with an average annual rainfall of 0 to 10 inches.
Best Management Practices
schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, maintenance procedures, and other management practices to prevent or reduce the discharge of pollutants to waters of the United States.
Includes treatment requirements, operating procedures, and practice to control plant site runoff, spillage or leaks, sludge or waste disposal, or drainage from raw material storage.
Commencement of Construction Activities
the initial disturbance of soils associated with clearing, grading, or excavating activities or other construction related activities (ex. stockpiling of fill material)
Control Measure
used in this permit, refers to any BMP or other method used to prevent or reduce the discharge of pollutants to waters of the United States.
Discharge
used without qualification means the “discharge of a pollutant”
Discharge of Storm Water Associated with Construction Activity
used in this permit, refers to a discharge of pollutants in storm water from areas where soil disturbing activities (ex. clearing, grading or excavation), construction materials or equipment storage or maintenance (ex. fill piles, borrow area, concrete truck washout, fueling), or other industrial storm water directly related to construction process (ex. concrete or asphalt batch plants) are located.
Eligible
qualified for authorization to discharge stormwater under this general permit.
Facility or Activity
means any “point source” or any other facility or activity (including land or appurtenances thereto) that is subject to regulation under the NPDES program.
Federal Facility
any buildings, installations, structures, land, public works, equipment, aircraft, vessels, and other vehicles and property, owned by, or constructed or manufactured for the purpose of leasing to, the Federal government.
Final Stabilization
All soil disturbing activities at the site have been completed.
Indian Country
All land within the limits of any Indian reservation under the jurisdiction of the United States.
All dependent Indian communities with the borders of the United States whether within the originally or subsequently acquired territory thereof, and whether within the limits of a state.
All Indian allotments, the Indian titles to which have not been extinguished, including rights-of-ways running through the same.
Large Construction Activity
includes clearing, grading, and excavating resulting in a land disturbance that will disturb equal to or greater than five acres of land or will disturb less than five acres of total land area but is part of a larger common plan of development or sale that will ultimately disturb equal to or greater than five acres.
Does not include routine maintenance that is performed to maintain the original line and grade, hydraulic capacity, or original purpose of the site.
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System or MS4
a conveyance or system of conveyances (including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man-made channels, or storm drains)
New Project
the “commencement of construction activities” occurs after the effective date of this permit.
Ongoing Project
the “commencement of construction activities” occurs before the effective date of this permit.
Operator or Owner
the owner or operator of any “ facility or activity” subject to regulation under NPDES program.
Permitting Authority
the United States Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, a regional administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency or an authorized representative.
Point Source
any discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance, including but not limited to, any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure, container, rolling stock concentrated animal feeding operation, landfill leachate collection system, vessel or other floating craft from which pollutants are or may be discharged.
This term does not include return flows from irrigated agriculture or agricultural storm water runoff.
Pollutant
dredged spoil, solid waste, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, chemical wastes, biological materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt and industrial or municipal waste.
Receiving Water
the water of the united states into which the regulated storm water discharges.
Runoff Coefficient
the fraction of total rainfall that will appear at the conveyance as runoff.
Semi-Arid Areas
areas with an average annual rainfall of 10 to 20 inches.
Site
the land or water area where any “facility or activity” is physically located or conducted, including adjacent land used in connection with the facility or activity.
Small Construction Activity
includes clearing, grading, and excavating resulting in a land disturbance that will disturb equal to or greater than one acre and less than five acres of land or will disturb less than one acre of land but is part of a larger common plan of development or sale that will ultimately disturb equal to or greater than one acre and less than five acres.
Storm Water
storm water runoff, snow melt runoff and surface runoff and drainage.
Storm Water Discharge-Related Activities
used in this permit, include: activities that cause, contribute or result in storm water point source pollutant discharges, including but not limited to: excavation, site development, grading and other surface disturbance activities, and measure to control storm water including the siting, construction and operation of BMPs to control, reduce or prevent storm water pollution.
Total Maximum Daily Load
the sum of individual wasteload allocations (WLAs) for point sources and load allocations (LAs) for nonpoint sources and natural background.
Can be expressed as mass per time, toxicity.
Wetland
those areas that are intruded or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.
Include: swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas.
BMP
Best Management Practices
CGP
Construction General Permit
CFR
Code of Federal Regulations
CWA
Clean Water Act
EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
ESA
Endangered Species Act
FWS
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
MS4
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System
MSGP
Multi-Sector General Permit
NHPA
National Historic Preservation Act
NMFS
United States National Marine Fisheries Service
NOI
Notice of Intent
NOT
Notice of Termination
NPDES
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
POTW
Publicly Owned Treatment Works
SHPO
State Historic Preservation Officer
SWPPP
Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan
THPO
Tribal Historic Preservation System
TMDL
total Maximum Daily Load
WQS
Water Quality Standard
Acre, Gross
area of a site calculated to the centerline of bounding streets and other public rights-of-way.
Acre, Gross Develop-able
area of a site, including proposed public streets and other proposed rights-of-ways but excluding areas subject to physical or environmental constraints, which includes creek corridors and flood ways and areas to be dedicated for green-ways or habitat protection.
Acre, Net
area of a site excluding land to be dedicated for required easements for vehicles and rights of ways, either public or private, land dedicated to be hazardous and unbuild-able, and land to be dedicated for schools and parks or other facilities dedicated for public use.
Aquifer
An underground, water-bearing layer of earth, prous rock, sand, or gravel, through which water can seep or be held in natural storage.
Attainment Area
An area determined to have met federal or State air quality standards, as defined in the federal Clean Air Act or the California Clean Water Act.
Buffer Area
A landscape area, usually containing trees, shrubs and other natural surfaces, used to protect a resource - waterway or agricultural land or to increase the compatibility of adjacent land uses.
Buildout
That level of development characterized by full occupancy of all develop-able sites in accordance with the General Plan; the maximum probable level of development envisioned by the General Plan under specified assumptions about densities and intensities.
Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
The multi-year scheduling of public physical improvements based on studies of fiscal resources available and the choice of specific improvements to be constructed.
Climate Action Plan (CPA)
A plan to address community, agency, or business contributions to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and global climate change.
CNEL (Community Noise Equivalent Level)
The average equivalent A-weighted sound level during a 24-hour day, obtained after addition of five decibels to sound levels in the evening from 7pm to 10pm and after addition of 10 decibels to sound levels in the night from 10pm to 7am.
Compatible
Capable of existing together without conflict or ill effects.
Consistent
Free from variation or contradiction. Programs in the general plan are to be consistent, not contradictory. State law requires consistency between a general plan and implementation measures such as zoning ordinance.
Curb Cut
The opening along the curb in line at which point vehicles or other wheeled forms of transportation may enter or leave the roadway. *essential at street corners for wheelchair users.
dBA
The “A-weighted” scale for measuring sound in decibels, weights or reduces the effects of low and high frequencies in order to stimulate human hearing. Every increase of 10 dBA doubles the perceived loudness though the noise is actually ten times more intense.
Decibel (dB)
A unit of measurement used to express the relative intensity of sound as heard by the human ear describing the amplitude of sound, equal to 20 times the logarithm to the base 10 of the ratio of the pressure of the sound measured to the reference pressure, which is 20 micro-pascals (20 micro-newtons per square meter)
Dedication
The commitment by an owner or developer of private land for public use, and the acceptance of land for such use by the governmental agency having jurisdiction over the public function for which it will be used.
*dedications to roads, parks, school sites, or other public uses often are required by the city as conditions of approval on a development.
Dedication, In lieu of
Cash payments which may be required of an owner or developer as a substitute for a dedication of land, usually calculated in dollars per lot, and referred to as in lieu fees or in lieu contributions.
Density, Residential
The number of dwelling units per acre of land. Densities are usually expressed in units per gross developable acre.
Density bonus
The allocation of development rights that allow a parcel to accommodate additional square footage or additional residential units beyond the maximum for which the parcel is zoned, usually in exchange for the provision or preservation of an amenity at the same site or at another location. Under California State law, residential projects that provide affordable housing may be entitled to a 35 percent increase of the underlying zone district.
Detention Area
area in natural environment where rainwater runoff and stormwater naturally collects during a rain and then is pumped to other areas. Human activity and construction of homes have the effect of changing the size and shape of a detention area.
Detention Basin/Pond
Facilities classified according to the broad function they serve, such as storage, diversion or detention. Detention facilities are constructed to retard flood runoff and minimize the effect of floods.
Developer
An individual who, or business, prepares raw land for the construction of buildings or builds or causes to be built physical building space for use primary by others, and in which the preparation of the land or the creation of the building space is in itself a business and is not incidental to another business or activity.
Development
The physical extension and/or construction of urban land uses. Development activities include but are not limited to: subdivision of land; construction or alteration of structures, roads, utilities, and other facilities; installation of septic systems, grading; deposit of refuse, debris, or fill materials; and clearing of natural vegetation cover.
Routine repair and maintenance activities are not considered to be “development”
District
- An area of a city or county that has a unique character identifiable as different from surrounding areas bc of distinctive architecture, streets, geographic features, culture, landmarks, activities, or land use.
- A portion of the territory of a city or county within which uniform zoning regulations and requirements apply; a zone.
Dwelling Unit
A room or group of rooms, which constitutes an independent housekeeping unit, occupied or intended for occupancy by one household on a long-term basis.
Easement
A right given by the owner of land to another party for specified limited use of that land. An easement may be acquired by a government through dedication when the purchase of an entire interest in the property may be too expensive or unnecessary; usually needed for utilities or shared parking.
Endangered Species, California
A native species or sub-species of a bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, reptile, or plant, which is in serious danger of becoming extinct throughout all or a significant portion of its range, due to one or more factors.
** status determined by the State Department of Fish and Game together with the State fish and Game Commission
Endangered Species, Federal
A species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range, other than the species of the class insect determined to constitute a pest whose protection under the provisions of the 1973 Endangered Species Act, would present an overwhelming and overriding risk to humans. The status is determined by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of the Interior.
Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
An environmental assessment that fulfills the requirements of CEQA and is designed to inform decision-makers, responsible and trustee agencies, and the general public of a proposed action (project) and the range of potential environmental impacts of that action.
**informational documents used in the review of a project prior to taking action on it.
Environmental Justice
Environmental justice refers to the fair treatment of all people - regardless of race, income and religion - when implementing policies that affect housing and the environment.
Equivalent Noise Level (Leq.)
A single-number representation of the fluctuating sound level in decibels over a specified period of time. It is a sound-energy average of the fluctuating level.
Erosion
The process by which material is removed from the earths surface, most commonly by wind and water.
Expansive Soils
Soils that swell when they absorb water and shrink as they dry.
Fault
A fracture in the earths crust forming a boundary between rock masses that have shifted. An active fault is a fault that has moved recently and which is likely to again. An inactive fault is a fault which shows no evidence of movement in recent geologic time and little potential for movement.
Flood, 100 year
Flood even that has a one-percent chance of occurrence in any one year.
Flood, 500 year
The magnitude of a flood expected to occur on the average every 500 years, based on historical data. **1/500 or 0.2 percent chance of occurring in any given year.
Floodplain
An area adjacent to a lake, stream, ocean or other body of water lying outside the ordinary banks of the water body and periodically inundated by flood flows.
Flood Zone
The relatively level land area on either side of the banks of a stream that is subject to flooding under a 100-year or a 500 year flood.
Floor Area, Gross
Total horizontal area in square feet of all floors within the exterior walls of a building, but not including the area of unroofed inner courts or shaft enclosures.
Floor Area Ratio (FAR)
The ratio between gross floor area of structures on a site and gross site area.
**Building with FA of 100,000 sf on a 50,000 sf lot will have FAR of 2.
General Plan
A set of policies and programs that form a blueprint for long term development of the community. *written tests or diagrams, key tool for influencing quality of life, required in california
Global Climate Change
Change in the average air temperature that may be measured by wind patterns, storms, precipitation, and temperature.
Graywater
Wastewater produced from baths, showers, clothes washers, and bathroom sinks.
May be recycled for irrigation, cooling, toilet flushing, and certain other secondary uses without treatment.
Greenhouse Gases
Gases that trap heat in the earths atmosphere.
6: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrious oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride.
Green building
Environmentally friendly in terms of energy consumption, water conservation or the waste produced during its entire life-cycle.
*Green building - use of rating system
Groundwater
Water under the earths surface, aquifers
Groundwater Recharge
The natural process of infiltration and percolation of rainwater from land areas or streams through permeable solid into water-holding rocks that provide underground storage
Habitat
natural environmental of a plant or animal.
Hazardous Material
A material or form of energy that could cause injury or illness to persons, livestock or natural environment.
*gasoline, fertilizers, detergent, used cooking oil, mineral spirits, batteries and paint.
Hazardous Waste
Waste which requires special handling to avoid illness or injury to persons or damage to property.
*inorganic mineral acids of sulfur, fluorine, chlorine, nitrogen, chromium, phosphorous, selenium and arsenic and their common salts, lead, nickel and mercury their inorganic salts or metallo-organic derivatives; coal, tar acids - phenol and cresols, radioactive materials.
Historic Resources
Standing structures of historic or aesthetic significance
Household
group of people occupying one housing unit.
Impervious Surface
Any material that reduces or prevents absorption of water into land.
Implementation
Actions, procedures, programs, or techniques that carry out policies.
Infill
The development of new housing or other buildings on scattered vacant lots in a predominantly developed area or on new building parcels created by permitted lot splits.
Infiltration
The introduction of underground water, such as groundwater, into wastewater collection systems. infiltration results in increased wastewater flow levels.
Intersection Capacity
The maximum number of vehicles that has a reasonable expectation of passing through an intersection in one direction during a given time period under prevailing roadway and traffic conditions.
Infrastructure
permanent utility installations, including roads, water supply lines, sewage collection pipes, and power and communications lines.
jobs-Employed Residents Ratio
Total jobs divided by total employed residents. A ratio of 1.0 typically indicates a balance. A ratio greater than 1.0 indicated a net in commute; less than 1.0 indicated a net out commute.
K factor
Erosion factor k indicated the susceptibility of a soil and rill erosion by water.
Factor K is one of six factors used in the Universal Soil Loss Equation and Revised universal Soil Loss Equation to predict the average annual rate of soil loss by sheet and rill erosion in tons per acre per year.
L10
A statistical descriptor indication the sound level exceeded tem percent of the time.
It is commonly used descriptor of community noise, and has been used in Federal Highway Administration standards and the standards of some cities.
Ldn (Day-Night Average Sound Level)
The A-weighted average sound level for a given area (measured in decibels) during 24-hour period with a 10 dB weighting applied to night-time sound levels (after 10pm and before 7am)
*Approx equal to the CNEL for most environmental settings.
Leq (Equivalent Energy level)
The sound level corresponding to a steady sound level containing the same total energy as a time varying signal over a given sample period. **Typically computed over 1, 2 and 8 hour sample periods.
LEED
The leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.
Level of Service LOS (traffic)
A qualitative measure describing operational conditions within a traffic stream and the perception of motorists and/or passengers regarding these conditions. **traffic volumes, speed and travel time, delays at traffic signals, freedom to maneuver, traffic interruptions, comfort, convenience and safety.
Liquefaction
A sudden large decrease in the shearing resistance of a cohesion less soil, caused by a collapse of the structure by shock or strain, and associated with a sudden but temporary increase of the pore fluid pressure.
Mixed use
A development project or a General Plan land use designation that includes two or more categories of land use, such as residential and commercial, or commercial and professional office.
noise Attenuation
Reduction of the level of a noise source using a substance, material or surface.
