Appendix A Glossary This glossary provides definitions for some of the commonly used terms included in the guide. For additional definitions, consult the American Planning Association’s A Planners Dictionary (2004).
Accessory dwelling units are units located on the property of a single-family house, either in an attic or over a garage or as a small freestanding building in the back or side yard. Active recreation is a recreational activity that requires infrastructural facilities and leaves a considerable impact on the environment (e.g., playgrounds, jungle gyms, ball fields, etc.). Affordable housing are housing units where the occupant is paying no more than 30 percent of gross income for housing costs, including taxes and utilities, thus making it within the means of middle-, moderate-, or low-income families (APA, A Planners Dictionary). Affordable housing needs assessment is a document designed to better understand the current and future housing needs in a community by analyzing changes in population, the economy, housing costs, and housing conditions. Annexation is the process by which municipalities extend their municipal services, regulations, and taxing authority to new territories either voluntarily or involuntarily. Area of environmental concern (AEC) is an area designated to protect land of environmental, social, economic, and esthetic value from unregulated development (e.g., estuaries, coastal wetlands, etc.) pursuant to CAMA. Build out analysis estimates the amount of development that can occur if all developable land is consumed or converted to residential and other uses based on current or proposed land use regulations. Business Improvement District (BID) is a tool used for community-based economic development that is funded by an ad valorem tax on property within the district. Capital improvement plan (CIP) is a document designed to outline the capital projects and their anticipated completion dates, equipment purchases based on the budget, and an evaluation of current and future infrastructural needs. Charrette is an intensive workshop where the planning team, citizens, and public officials work together over a multi-day period in an intensive fashion to find a solution that has support from all parties.
Comprehensive Land Use Planning in Coastal North Carolina
Appendix A - Glossary
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