Novato General Plan Glossary

The Novato General Plan Glossary replaces the California General Plan Glossary which was appended to the July 1995 Draft General Plan. The California General Plan Glossary was prepared by the California Planning Roundtable, edited by Naphtali H. Knox and Charles Knox, Palo Alto, California, 1990. The Novato General Plan Glossary uses the California General Plan Glossary as the basis for definitions of abbreviations and terms that are used in the Novato General Plan and that are consistent with the intent of the General Plan.

List of Abbreviations

ABAG:	Association of Bay Area Governments
ADT:	Average daily trips made by vehicles or persons in a 24-hour period
ALUC:	Airport Land Use Commission
BAAQMD:	Bay Area Air Quality Management District
BMR:	Below-market-rate dwelling unit
CEQA:	California Environmental Quality Act
CIP:	Capital Improvements Program
CMA:	Marin Congestion Management Agency
CMP:	Marin Congestion Management Plan
CNEL:	Community Noise Equivalent Level
dB:	Decibel
dBA:	"A-weighted" decibel
EIR:	Environmental Impact Report (State)
EIS:	Environmental Impact Statement (Federal)
EMF:	Electromagnetic Fields
FAA:	Federal Aviation Authority
FAR:	Floor Area Ratio
FEMA:	Federal Emergency Management Agency
FIRM:	Flood Insurance Rate Map
FmHA:	Farmers Home Administration
HCD:	Housing and Community Development Department of the State of California
HUD:	U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
JPA:	Joint Powers Authority
LAFCo:	Local Agency Formation Commission
Ldn:	Day and Night Average Sound Level
Leq:	Sound Energy Equivalent Level
LOS:	Level of Service
MTC:	Metropolitan Transportation Commission
OPR:	Office of Planning and Research, State of California
PUD:	Planned Unit Development
UHC:	Uniform Housing Code
VMT:	Vehicle Miles Traveled

List of Terms

Acres, Gross

The entire acreage of a site.

Adverse Impact

A negative consequence for the physical, social, or economic environment resulting from an action or project.

Affordable Housing

Housing capable of being purchased or rented by a household with very low, low, or moderate income, based on a household's ability to make monthly payments necessary to obtain housing. Housing is considered affordable when a household pays less than 30 percent of its gross monthly income (GMI) for housing including utilities.

Buildout; Build-out

Development of land to its full potential as permitted under General Plan and zoning designations.

Clear Zone

That section of an approach zone of an airport where the plane defining the glide path is 50 feet or less above the center line of the runway. The clear zone ends where the height of the glide path above ground level is above 50 feet. Land use under the clear zone is restricted.

Clustered Development

Development in which a number of dwelling units are placed in closer proximity than usual, or are attached, with the purpose of retaining an open space area.

Cumulative Impact

As used in CEQA, the total impact resulting from the accumulated impacts of individual projects or programs over time.

Dedication

The conveying 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 for roads, parks, school sites, or other public uses often are made conditions of approval of a development.

Density, Residential

The number of permanent residential dwelling units per acre of land. Densities specified in the General Plan are expressed in units per gross acre.

Density, Employment

A measure of the number of employed persons per specific area (for example, employees/acre).

Destination Retail

Retail businesses that generate a special purpose trip and which do not necessarily benefit from a high-volume pedestrian location.

Detention Dam/Basin/Pond

Detention dams are constructed to retard flood runoff and minimize the effect of sudden floods. Detention dams fall into two main types. In one type, the water is temporarily stored, and released through an outlet structure at a rate which will not exceed the carrying capacity of the channel downstream. Often, the basins are planted with grass and used for open space or recreation in periods of dry weather. In the other type, most often called a Retention Pond, the water is held as long as possible and may or may not allow for the controlled release of water.

Easement

Usually the right to use property owned by another for specific purposes or to gain access to another property. For example, utility companies often have easements on the private property of individuals to be able to install and maintain utility facilities.

Easement, Conservation

A tool for acquiring open space with less than full-fee purchase, whereby an agency or organization buys only certain specific rights from the land owner. These may be positive rights (providing the public with the opportunity to hunt, fish, hike, or ride over the land), or they may be restrictive rights (limiting the uses to which the land owner-may devote the land in the future.)

Ecology

The interrelationship of living things to one another and their environment; the study of such interrelationships.

Erosion

(1) The loosening and transportation of rock and soil debris by wind, rain, or running water. (2) The gradual wearing away of the upper layers of earth.

Exaction

A contribution or payment required as an authorized precondition for receiving a development permit; usually refers to mandatory dedication (or fee in lieu of dedication) requirements found in many subdivision regulations.

Expansive Soils

Soils which swell when they absorb water and shrink as they dry.

Fault

A fracture in the earth's crust forming a boundary between rock masses that have shifted.

Floor Area Ratio

Defines building intensity for nonresidential uses as the ratio between the amount of gross floor area and the gross site area, excluding covered parking areas or garages.

General Aviation

General aviation includes flight schools, small charter operations, aircraft maintenance, small utility aircraft used for pleasure, pleasure/business and corporate/business, helicopter schools and charter operations and similar type and size operations. It does not include air carriers (commuter, regional, and major airlines) and military operations.

Habitat

The physical location or type of environment in which an organism or biological population lives or occurs.

Hazardous Material

Any substance that, because of its quantity, concentration, or physical or chemical characteristics, poses a significant present or potential hazard to human health and safety or to the environment if released into the workplace or the environment. The term includes, but is not limited to, hazardous substances and hazardous wastes.

Impact Fee

A fee, also called a development fee, levied on the developer of a project by a City, County, or other public agency as compensation for otherwise-unmitigated impacts the project will produce. California Government Code § 66000 et seq specifies that development fees shall not exceed the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged. To lawfully impose a development fee, the public agency must verify its method of calculation and document proper restrictions on use of the fund.

Impervious Surface

Surface through which water cannot penetrate, such as roof, road, sidewalk, and paved parking lot. The amount of impervious surface increases with development and establishes the need for drainage facilities to carry the increased runoff.

Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo)

A five-member commission for Marin County that reviews and evaluates all proposals for formation of special districts, incorporation of cities, annexation to special districts or cities, consolidation of districts, and merger of districts with cities. Under State law, the LAFCo for each County is empowered to approve, disapprove, or conditionally approve such proposals.

Overlay

A land use designation on the Land Use Map, or a zoning designation on a zoning map, which modifies the basic underlying designation in some specific manner.

Parcel

A lot, or contiguous group of lots, in single ownership or under single control, usually considered a unit for purposes of development.

Peak Hour/Peak Period

For any given roadway, a daily period during which traffic volume is highest, usually occurring in the morning and evening commute periods. Where "F" Levels of Service are encountered, the "peak hour" may stretch into a "peak period" of several hours duration.

Rare or Endangered Species

A species of animal or plant listed in: Sections 670.2 or 670.5, Title 14, California Administrative Code; or Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, § 17.11 or § 17.2, pursuant to the Federal Endangered Species Act designating species as rare, threatened, or endangered.

Ridgeline

A line connecting the highest points along a ridge and separating drainage basins or small-scale drainage systems from one another.

Riparian Habitat

Habitat comprised of the vegetative and wildlife areas adjacent to perennial and intermittent streams. Riparian areas are delineated by the existence of plant species normally found near freshwater.

Significant Effect

A beneficial or detrimental impact on the environment. May include, but is not limited to, significant changes in an area's air, water, and land resources.

Site

A parcel of land used or intended for one use or a group of uses and having frontage on a public or an approved private street. A lot. (See "Lot.")

Slope

Land gradient described as the vertical rise divided by the horizontal run, and expressed in percent.

Sphere of Influence

The probable ultimate physical boundaries and service area of the City, formally approved by the Marin County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo).

Use Permit

Documentation of City approval of an activity, function or operation on a site or in a building or facility following discretionary review.

Watercourse

Natural or once natural flowing (perennially or intermittently) water including rivers, streams, and creeks. Includes natural waterways that have been channelized, but does not include manmade channels, ditches, and underground drainage and sewage systems.

Return to Novato General Plan Menu