Urban Planning Glossary

A smaller, secondary housing unit on the same lot as a primary residence, such as a backyard cottage or garage apartment.

A previously developed property that may be contaminated and requires cleanup before redevelopment.

An intensive, time-limited collaborative workshop bringing stakeholders together to develop design solutions.

Streets designed to accommodate safe travel by all users: pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and motorists.

A measure of the number of dwelling units, people, or floor area per unit of land area in a given zone or neighborhood.

The government power to acquire private property for public use, provided just compensation is paid to the owner.

A zoning system that strictly separates land into single-use districts (residential, commercial, industrial).

The ratio of a building's total floor area to the area of the lot on which it is built.

A land development regulation that uses physical form rather than land use as its organizing principle.

Neighborhood change driven by new investment and higher-income residents that can displace existing lower-income residents.

Software systems for capturing, storing, analyzing, and visualizing geographically referenced data.

Natural or engineered systems that manage stormwater and provide ecological benefits within urban environments.

The measurable increase in temperature in urban areas relative to surrounding rural areas caused by built surfaces.

Construction on vacant or underutilized parcels within an already developed urban area.

A project or district that combines residential, commercial, and sometimes institutional uses in close proximity.

A planning movement promoting walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods with diverse housing and strong civic spaces.

A zoning district superimposed on existing base zoning that imposes additional requirements or grants additional permissions.

A community-centered approach to planning and designing public spaces that promotes social interaction and well-being.

The required minimum distance between a building and a property line, street, or adjacent structure.

Compact, walkable development concentrated around public transit stations to reduce automobile dependency.

A regulatory boundary separating urban land from rural land to limit sprawl and protect agricultural areas.

Government-led demolition and redevelopment of areas deemed blighted, historically controversial for community displacement.

Low-density, automobile-dependent development spreading outward from urban centers into previously rural land.

A permitted deviation from specific zoning requirements granted by a zoning board when strict compliance causes undue hardship.

The division of land into districts with regulations governing permitted uses, building height, density, and setbacks.