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Ferguson Glossary of Common Terms: A resource for the Centre Region Planning Commission

Centre Agency 2643 Gateway Drive State College, PA 16803 814-231-3050 www.crcog.net/planning October 2013 Our Mission: The Centre Regional Planning Agency guides regional and municipal efforts to create and sustain a vibrant, healthy and economically diverse community by providing professional planning services that educate and inspire people to make the Centre Region a great place to live.

Centre Regional Planning Agency Staff

James J. May, AICP, Director Lyssa Cromell, Office Manager Steven Arnold, GIS Mark Boeckel Sarah Fournier Mark Holdren, AICP Greg Kausch DJ Liggett Trish Meek, AICP Joe Price, AICP Eric Vorwald, AICP Tom Zilla, AICP

2 Centre Regional Planning Agency Acronyms A

AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials ADA Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) ADT Average Daily Trips ALF Assisted Living Facilities AMI Area Median Income APA American Planning Association ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers

B

BMP Best Management Practices BRW Beneficial Reuse Water

C

CAD Computer Aided Design CATA Centre Area Transportation Authority CBDG Community Development Block Grant CBICC Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County CCMPO Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization CCPC Centre County Planning Commission CCPCDO Centre County Planning and Community Development Office CDT Centre Daily Times CFS Cubic Feet per Second CIP Capital Improvement Program CLT Community Land Trust COG Council of Governments CR Centre Region CRCA Centre Region Code Administration CRCOG Centre Region Council of Governments CRPA Centre Region Planning Agency CRPC Centre Regional Planning Commission CRPR Centre Region Parks and Recreation CSA Community Supported Agriculture

D

DCED PA Department of Community and

3 DCNR PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources DEP PA Department of Environmental Protection DFIRM Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map DRI Development of Regional Impact DU Dwelling Unit

E

EIS Environmental Impact Statement EDU Equivalent Dwelling Unit EOP Emergency Operations Plan EPA US Environmental Protection Agency

F

FAA Federal Aviation Administration FCC Federal Communications Commission FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency FHWA Federal Highway Administration (Federal Agency) FIS Flood Insurance Studies FTA Federal Transit Administration FY Fiscal Year

G

GIS Geographic Information System GPS Global Positioning System

H

HAZMAT Hazardous Materials HOP Highway Occupancy Permit

J

JARC Job Access and Reverse Commute Program

L

LEED Leadership in Environmental and Engineering Design LESA Land Evaluation and Site Assessment LOS Level of Service LRTP Long Range Transportation Plan 4 Centre Regional Planning Agency M

MGD Million Gallons per Day MPC Municipalities Planning Code MPO Metropolitan Planning Organization MSA Metropolitan Statistical Area

N

NEPA National Environment Policy Act NFIP National Flood Insurance Program NIMBY Not In My Backyard NRCS Natural Resource Conservation Service

O

OSPB Open Space Preservation Board (Halfmoon Township)

P

PDR Purchase of Development Rights PEMA Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency PennDOT Pennsylvania State Department of Transportation PHMC Pennsylvania Historic Museum Commission PITI Principal, Interest, Taxes, Insurance POC Point of Contact PPA Pennsylvania Planning Association PPB Parts per Billion PPM Parts per Million PRD Planned Residential Development PSATS Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors PSU Pennsylvania State University

R

REDCAP Regional Development Capacity Report RGB Regional Growth Boundary RFP Request for Proposal RFQ Request for Qualifications ROW Right of Way RPD Rural RPO Rural Planning Organization

5 S

SaLDO Subdivision and Ordinance SCASD State College Area School District SCBWA State College Borough Water Authority SEDACOG Susquehanna Economic Development Association Council of Governments SSA Sewer Service Area STC State Transportation Commission STIP State Transportation Improvement Program/Plan

T

TDR Transfer of Development Rights TIP Transportation Improvement Program TLU Transportation and Land Use Committee TOD Transit-oriented Development TND Traditional Neighborhood Development

U

UAJA University Area Joint Authority UPWP Unified Planning Work Program USDA US Department of Agriculture USFWS US Fish and Wildlife Service USGS US Geologic Survey

W

WLC Wildlife Corridor

Z

ZHB Hearing Board

6 Centre Regional Planning Agency ACT 167 (aka, Pennsylvania Stormwater Management Definitions Act): This act was enacted in 1978 in response to the impacts of stormwater runoff resulting from land development. It requires counties to prepare and A adopt plans, and requires municipalities to adopt and implement ordinances that are consistent with these Abatement: Any action taken to reduce, relieve, or plans. suppress another continuing action. ACT 209 (aka, Traffic Impact Ordinance Act): Permits a Access Management: The regulation of interchanges, municipality to assess an off-site transportation impact intersections, driveways and median openings to a fee during the land development approval process for roadway. Its objectives are to enable access to land uses the funding of transportation improvements. while maintaining roadway safety and mobility. Act 537 Sewage Facilities Plan: An act adopted by the Accessory Building or Structure: A building or structure Pennsylvania State legislature in 1966 in order to help that is subordinate to and is used for purposes that correct existing sewer disposal problems as well as customarily are incidental to those of the principal prevent new problems. The act requires that sewage building or principal structure located on the same lot disposal for all situations is planned for and local (for example, a freestanding garage, garden shed, or municipalities are largely responsible for administering fence). the plan. The Sewer Service Area of the Centre Region is an element of the local ACT 537 plan.

Adaptive Reuse: Converting obsolete or historic buildings from their original or most recent use to a new use. For example, an old manufacturing site could be converted into apartments or retail space.

Accessory buildings are secondary structures on a property that contains a primary building or structure. Typical accessory buildings include detached garages, barns, or sheds, like the example shown above.

Accessory Use: A land use that is subordinate to a principal use located on the same lot such as a parking garage serving an office building on the same site or This historically significant building in Boalsburg was once a residence but restaurant inside a hotel. has been since converted to a commercial use. Permitting adaptive reuse of historic structures encourages preservation of these important cultural ACT 167 (aka, Historic District Act): Pennsylvania resources. enabling legislation which protects historic resources through authorizing counties and municipalities to create Adverse Impact: A negative consequence for the historic districts within their boundaries through local physical, social, or economic environment resulting from ordinance, and to regulate building activity, including an action or project. demolition, within the district. The historic district must be certified by the State Historic Preservation Office in Aesthetic Zoning: Regulating a building or site design to the form of National Register eligibility. The Act requires achieve a desirable appearance. the creation of an historical architectural review board (HARB) to advise on building activity within the district. A certificate of appropriateness must be granted before building activity continues.

7 : Also known as workforce housing Amenity: A pleasant and attractive feature or or inclusionary housing, this term refers to housing characteristic of a development that increase its units in which the occupant is paying no more than desirability to a community or its marketability to the 30% of his or her income for gross housing costs. This public such as having large front yards or being close to amount is calculated by using the median income for the a local swimming pool. surrounding area. American Association of State Highway and Aging in Place: In reference to growing older without Transportation Officials (AASHTO): AASHTO is a having to move from your current residence to a nonprofit, nonpartisan association of highway and retirement home or some other place as you get older. transportation departments nationwide, representing The term is also used in marketing by those in the all five transportation modes: air, highways, public housing industry to refer to housing units designed for transportation, rail, and water. Its primary goal is to foster seniors. the development, operation, and maintenance of an integrated national transportation system. Agricultural Operation: An enterprise that is actively engaged in the commercial production and preparation American Planning Association (APA): An independent, for market of crops, livestock and livestock products nonprofit educational organization providing leadership and in the production, harvesting and preparation for in the development of communities by advocating market or use of agricultural, agronomic, horticultural, excellence in community planning, promoting education silvicultural and aquacultural crops and commodities. and citizen empowerment, and providing the tools and The term includes an enterprise that implements support. changes in production practices and procedures or types of crops, livestock, livestock products or commodities American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE): Founded produced consistent with practices and procedures in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) that are normally engaged by farmers or are consistent represents more than 140,000 members of the civil with technological development within the agricultural engineering profession worldwide and is America’s industry. oldest national engineering society.

Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) (ADA): Federal legislation passed in 1990 that prohibits discrimination of the basis of disability. In addition to other public and private facilities, the act requires all transportation facilities and services to be accessible to individuals with handicaps.

This corn field, which is located in Ferguson Township, is owned and operated by Penn State and is one of many agricultural operations in the Centre Region.

Air Rights: The right to control, own, occupy, or use the vertical space (air space) above a property. Sidewalks ramps such as this one in Boalsburg, have been installed to Alternative Energy: Any energy source that is an accommodate persons with disabilities. alternative to fossil fuel (see renewable energy source). Amortization: A method of eliminating nonconforming Ambient Noise Level: The normal or existing level of uses by requiring the termination of the nonconforming environmental noise at a given location. use after a specified period of time.

8 Centre Regional Planning Agency Anchor Tenant: The major store or stores within a shopping center.

Atherton Street is an example of an arterial street. The street accommodates higher volumes of traffic and connects important points in the Region.

Wegmans, which is located in the Collonade Development, is an example of an anchor tenant. Anchor tenants generate larger traffic volumes in As-Built Profile: See Cross Section. commercial developments, helping to expose smaller businesses to a broader population. Assisted Living Facilities: A senior housing option such as an independent living community or a nursing home Appraisal: The systematic method of determining the providing assistance with daily living yet maintaining market value of property. some independence.

Appurtenance: The visible, functional, or ornamental At-Grade: Level of road, building, or other structure at objects accessory to and part of a building. the same grade or level as the adjoining property.

Architectural Controls: Regulations and procedures Average Daily Trips: Number of vehicles on a roadway requiring development to conform to design standards passing a given point in both directions for a 24 hour intended to increase the likelihood that the structure will period measured from midnight to midnight; measures be in keeping with the general appearance, historical how busy a road is. character, and/or architectural style of the structures in a surrounding area.

Architectural Review: Regulations and procedures B requiring the exterior design of structure to be suitable, harmonious, and in keeping with the general appearance, historic character and/or style of surrounding areas; used Base Flood: This is the regulatory standard also referred to exercise control of the design of buildings and their to as the “100-year flood.” The base flood is the national settings. standard used by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and all Federal agencies for the purposes of Area Median Income: The average family income in a requiring the purchase of flood insurance and regulating specific area or region. new development.

Arterial: A moderate or high capacity road or street Beneficial Reuse Water: Also known as reclaimed water. that allows major traffic movements between major Reclaimed water is derived from domestic wastewater points in an . These roads allow for speeds and small amounts of industrial process water or storm faster than collector and local streets and accommodate water. The process of reclaiming water involves a highly greater volumes of traffic. Arterial roads are immediately engineered, multi-step treatment process that speeds below a highway level of service. The Centre Region has up nature’s restoration of water quality. The process numerous arterial roads and streets, including Atherton provides a high-level of disinfection and reliability to Street, College Avenue, Beaver Avenue, Route 550, etc. assure that only water meeting stringent requirements leaves the treatment facility. The University Area Joint Authority operates a beneficial reuse system to treat and provide beneficial reuse water to both commercial and environmental customers. 9 Big-box retail establishments include large stores like Target and Walmart. These retailers, similar to the example above, are commonly located in suburban shopping areas however some have been established in more urban environments.

Blight: A building, property, or entire area that has fallen into disrepair and dereliction; an unsightly condition including the accumulation of debris, litter, or rubbish; fences with holes, breaks, or rust; landscaping that is damaged, uncontrolled or lacks maintenance; and any other similar conditions of disrepair and deterioration.

UAJA’s advanced water treatment process treats wastewater to beneficial reuse water standards. This water is then sold to commercial enterprises for non-consumption uses, such as watering lawns or washing cars.

Berm: An earthen mound designed to provide visual interest on a site, screen undesirable views, reduce noise, etc.

Best Management Practices: A practice, or combination of practices, that is determined to be the most effective, practicable method of achieving goals. Blighted properties, like the one shown above, negatively affect their neighborhood, making it an undesirable place to live. Big-Box Retail Establishment: A physically large retail establishment, usually part of a chain. The term sometimes also refers, by extension, to the company that Board of Supervisors: See Governing Body. operates the store. Bonus Provision: Inducements given to developers Biodiversity: The variety of plants and animals and under the provisions of incentive zoning. other living things in a particular area or region or the number or abundance of different species living within Brownfield: An area that was previously used for a particular region. industrial purposes. These usually pose environmental challenges to new developments and must be cleaned Biomass: Plant material, used for the production of such up before they can be redeveloped. things as fuel alcohol and nonchemical fertilizers; may be grown for a specific purpose or waste products from livestock, harvesting, milling or agricultural operations.

10 Centre Regional Planning Agency Business Incubator: A retail or industrial space that is affordable to new, low-margin businesses and may provide access to professional help, information on small business regulations, advertising, promotion, marketing, sales, inventory, employees, labor relations, financial counseling, clerical and reception staff, cleaning and building security, and electronic equipment.

The photo above is an example of a brownfield that was previously used for industrial purposes and would need to pass certain standards before it could be redeveloped.

Buffer: An area of land, including landscaping, berms, walls, fences, and building setbacks, that is located The Make Space, located on Fraser Street in State College Borough, is a between two or more land uses or properties to mitigate business incubator which provides potential businesses with office space negative interaction. and resources.

Build-Out Analysis: A study that examines an area’s Business Support Services: Services rendered to a capacity for development based on explicit assumptions business or individual on a fee or contract basis including about the area and the nature of development that is advertising, credit reporting, janitorial, office equipment authorized. rental/leasing, telecommunications, and other services.

Build-Out: Development of land to its full potential or Bylaws: Rules adopted by a board which govern its theoretical capacity. procedures.

Building Codes: Regulations governing building design, By Right: A use allowed within a zoning district without construction, and maintenance. the need to seek special approval.

Building Footprint: The area on a project site used by the building structure, defined by the perimeter of the building. Parking lots, parking garages, landscapes, C and other non-building facilities are not included in the building footprint. Capacity: The maximum lawful level of designed use of any structure or service based on building codes and/ or Building Frontage: The façade of the building that spans other restrictions. the length of the building. Capital Improvement Program (CIP): The CIP guides Building Permit: A permit required in most jurisdictions the development of public facilities over a five year for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing period. It shows projects in a sequential order based structures, and in some cases for major renovations or on a schedule of priorities, and assigns an estimated alterations, acknowledging that such use or building cost and anticipated method of funding each project. complies with the provisions of municipal zoning The CIP provides the financial foundation necessary to ordinances. implement the Comprehensive Plan and other public facilities plans. Bulk: The size and shape of a structure and its relationship to other structures, to the lost area for a structure, and to Capital Improvement: The addition of a permanent open spaces and yards. structural improvement or the restoration of some aspect of a property that will either enhance the property’s overall value or increases its useful life.

11 Carrying Capacity: Level of use which can be continued comprised of 9 elected officials that represent planning without irreversible impairment of natural resource of regions in the County. productivity, the ecosystem and the quality of air, land, and water resources. Centre Daily Times (CDT): Local newspaper serving Centre County. Census: An official count or survey of a population, typically recording various details of individuals such as Centre Region (CR): Comprised of six municipalities: age, sex, occupation, household income, etc. College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris and Patton Townships; State College Borough. Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA): A Joint Municipal Authority serving the six Centre Region municipalities, Bellefonte Borough, Spring Township and Benner Township. They provide public transportation options including bus service, carpooling vans, paratransit, etc.

The Centre Region’s municipalities include College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris, and Patton Townships and State College Borough.

CATA provides public transit services including bus, paratransit, and carpooling vans. Buses in CATA’s fleet, like the one shown above, are Centre Regional Planning Commission (CRPC): powered by natural gas. Established in 1960 to serve as the coordinating agency for planning for the six Centre Region municipalities. Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization The CRPC considers planning issues and problems (CCMPO): The group which maintains a continuous and that affect two or more municipalities and makes comprehensive long-range recommendations for action on behalf of the Centre program in Centre County as mandated by Federal Region Council of Governments. The CRPC is a volunteer law and regulations. It is responsible for coordinating commission comprised of seven members: one planning transportation planning efforts with all 35 municipalities commissioner from each Centre Region municipality within Centre County. and one representative from Penn State University. The CRPC meets monthly on the first Thursday of the month. Centre County Planning and Community Development Office (CCPCDO): An agency assisting the County’s economic development organizations, preparing and updating the Centre County Comprehensive Plan, and providing services to municipalities such as assisting with preparing, modifying or reviewing comprehensive plans, capital improvements, zoning and subdivision ordinances, and/or the National Flood Insurance Program.

Centre County Planning Commission (CCPC): The Centre County Planning Commission through the process makes recommendations and decisions to maintain and enhance the high quality of life for all residents, in accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, and other laws and The Centre Region Planning Commission consists of 7 members. Each municipality and Penn State appoints an individual to serve on the CRPC. regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the County of Centre. The Planning Commission is 12 Centre Regional Planning Agency Centre Region Code Administration (CRCA): An agency Centre Regional Planning Agency (CRPA): The CRPA within the CRCOG that administers and enforces the provides both regional and local planning services to standards intended to protect and enhance public its member municipalities. The agency is responsible health, safety, and welfare set by the International Code for administering a variety of planning programs within Council’s Series of Commercial, Residential, and Existing the Centre Region portion of Centre County; CRPA is Structures codes. one of several agencies of the Centre Region Council of Governments, which provides regional delivery of Centre Region Council of Governments (CRCOG): A services for College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris, and voluntary association of six separate municipalities (State Patton Townships, and State College Borough; CRPA College Borough, and College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, provides staff support to the CCMPO. Harris and Patton Townships) in Centre County, PA whose goal is to improve the quality of life for residents in the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County Centre Region. It is governed by the General Forum, (CBICC): A membership organization comprised of which is comprised of 32 elected officials from the six businesses ranging in size from large international municipalities. Cooperative services provided through corporations to sole proprietorships. CRCOG are separated into the following agencies: Administration, Regional Refuse Program, Fire Protection, Charrette: A public design workshop in which Parks & Recreation, Library, Code Administration, and designers, property owners, developers, public officials, Planning. environmentalists, citizens, and other persons or group of people work in harmony to achieve an agreeable result, project, criteria, etc.

Charter: The governing document of a municipality.

Cluster/ Open Space Zoning: Commercial, residential or mixed use development in which a significant portion of the site (e.g. 40% or greater) is set aside as undivided, permanently protected open space, while the buildings (houses, shops, etc) are clustered on the remainder of the property; the opposite of sprawling.

Collector Streets: Roads that collect traffic from local The CRCOG Building, located in Ferguson Township. streets and connect them to the arterial network. These roads can accommodate higher volumes of traffic at Centre Region Parks and Recreation (CRPR): Offers faster speeds than local streets. year-round recreational opportunities such as 46 municipal parks, the Millbrook Marsh Nature Center, and Commercial: Any activity conducted involving the sale two outdoor swimming pools to the residents of Centre of goods or services for financial gain. Region. Halfmoon Township does not participate in the CRPR program. Common Open Space: A parcel or parcels of land or an area of water, or a combination of land and water within a development site and designed and intended for the use or enjoyment of residents of a development, not including streets, off-street parking areas, and areas set aside for public facilities.

The Centre Region Parks & Recreation Agency maintains the majority of parkland in the Centre Region, including Circleville Park in Patton Township. Common open space can include all open space within a development, which is the case within the Liberty Hill development in Harris Township. 13 Common Ownership: Ownership by the same person, corporation, firm, entity, partnership or unincorporated association.

Community Character: The image of a community or area as defined by such factors as its built environment, natural features and open space elements, types of housing, architectural style, infrastructure, and the type and quality of public facilities and services.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): A federal program administrated by the Department of Housing and Community Affairs that subsidizes a wide range of community development and economic development activities.

Community Development: A broad term given to CSA partnerships allow individuals to receive regular supplies of fresh vegetables from local farmers. The photo above is from a CSA farm share the practices of civic activists, involved citizens and and includes vegetables from nearby Penn’s Valley, delivered on a weekly professionals to build stronger and more resilient local basis. communities. : Neighborhoods or districts Community Land Trust (CLT): A private, non-profit that have interconnected transit and commercial organization seeking to acquire and hold land for environments with a diversity of housing types, services the benefit of the community and to provide secure and amenities. affordable access to land and housing for community residents. CLTs attempt to meet the needs of those Complete Streets: Design and operation of streets that priced out of the housing market by helping to reduce enable safe access for all users of any age or ability, speculation and absentee ownership of land and including pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and transit housing and by preserving the long-term affordability of users. housing.

Community Planning: An activity or profession of determining the future physical arrangement and condition of a community. It involves an appraisal of the current conditions, a forecast of future requirements, a plan for the fulfillment of these requirements, and proposals for legal, financial, and construction programs to implement the plan.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA): A mutually beneficial partnership between a farmer and the people who consume the food produced by the farmer. The partnership is based on an annual commitment to one another, which ensures the survival of local agriculture today and for future generations. Members of the Complete streets provide safe options for all modes of transportation. community purchase a share of the farm’s anticipated The diagram above illustrates how a street can be designed to allow pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicles to utilize a common right-of- harvest in advance at an agreed-upon price. way.

Compatibility: The characteristics of different uses or activities or design which allow them to be located near Comprehensive Plan: A comprehensive plan is a plan or adjacent to each other in harmony. Some elements which dictates in terms of transportation, affecting compatibility include height, scale, mass of utilities, land use, recreation, and housing for a specific structures, , and landscaping. Compatibility geographic area. All counties throughout the State of refers to the sensitivity of development proposals in Pennsylvania are required to have a comprehensive maintaining the character of the existing development. plan. Municipalities that participate in a multi- municipal comprehensive plan, like the Centre Region Comprehensive Plan, are not required to have a comprehensive plan for their individual municipality.

14 Centre Regional Planning Agency Computer Aided Design (CAD): Software used to create Council of Governments (COG): A council of precision drawings or technical illustrations including governments is a voluntary association that represents two-dimensional (2-D) drawings or three-dimensional member local governments. COGs serve to develop (3-D) models. consensus on many issues that need to be addressed in a sub-regional or regional context. Concurrency: A governmental policy requiring the availability of public services (such as water, sewer, Covenant: A binding agreement. roads, etc.) before a new development is approved for construction. Cross section: A profile of the ground surface perpendicular to the center line of a street, stream, or Condemnation: The taking of private property by a valley bottom. It may also be known as an as-built profile. government unit for public use, when the owner will not relinquish it through sale or other means; the owner is Cul-de-sac Street: A dead-end street with only one inlet/ compensated by payment of market value. The power outlet. to take the property is based on the concept of .

Conduit: Any tunnel, canal, pipeline, aqueduct, ditch, or similar man-made structure which is or may be used to transport water.

Conservation Easement: Legal agreement a property owner makes to restrict the type and amount of development that may take place on his or her property. A partial interest in the property is transferred to a qualified nonprofit, land trust, or governmental entity either by gift or purchase, in exchange for potential tax savings. As ownership changes, the land remains subject to the easement restrictions. Cul-de-sac streets, like this example in Halfmoon Township, are common in many suburban residential developments. Conservation: The management of natural resources to prevent waste, destruction or degradation.

Context Sensitive Solutions: A collaborative, D interdisciplinary transportation planning approach that involves all stakeholders to develop a transportation facility that fits its physical setting and preserves Declaration of Use: A document signed under oath and scenic, aesthetic, historic and environmental resources, recorded against the title of land in order to provide while maintaining safety and mobility. CSS requires all notice that the use of the land or structure is subject transportation projects to be planned and designed with to certain limitations and that the use will remain in careful consideration of the local land use, economic, compliance with this code and other ordinances of the environmental, and social contexts. or municipality.

Contiguous: In contact, adjoining, or touching another Dedication: The transfer of ownership of property in a object or item, as distinguished from being adjacent. land development from a private owner to a government. The government is not compelled to accept an offer of Convey: To transfer all or a part of a title or equitable dedication and may place conditions on its acceptance. interest in land; to lease or assign an interest in land; or Examples of common dedications resulting from land to transfer any other land interest. development include streets and parks.

Cost-Benefit Analysis: An analysis of the cost Deed Restriction: A private legal restriction of the use of effectiveness of different alternatives in order to see land, attached in the deed to a property. whether the benefits outweigh the costs. Demolition: Any act or process that destroys in part or in Council: see Governing Body. whole a building or structure.

Density: The number of dwellings, buildings, or uses per acre of land.

15 Design Standard: A minimum or maximum standard Dwelling Unit: A single unit providing complete, prescribed by ordinance that governs a physical independent living facilities for one or more persons, characteristic of a land development, building, or including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, structure (such as its size or shape). eating, cooking, and sanitation.

Detached Building: A building which is separated from another building or buildings on the same lot.

Developer: Any landowner, agent of such landowner, or tenant with the permission of such land-owner, who makes or causes to be made a subdivision of land or a land development.

Development of Regional Impact (DRI): A DRI is a request to expand the regional growth boundary, a request to change zoning within the growth boundary that would increase the potential number of equivalent dwelling units (EDU: see below) by 50 or more, or a request to change to change zoning outside of the regional growth boundary where the potential number of EDUs would increase by one or more. Dwelling units can include everything from a free-standing single family home, like the one shown above, to a unit in a large apartment complex. Things like density and potential impacts to public services are often assessed by dwelling unit.

E

Easement: The right to use the real property of another The PAWS facility in College Township was the subject of a request to for a specific purpose. Easements are granted or provided extend public sewer service outside of the Regional Growth Boundary. for utility companies to access infrastructure on private property, for an individual to access their property by Development Right: The legal right to develop a crossing another person’s land, etc. property. Ecological Impact: A modification or change in the Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM): The official existing natural environment that could result in the maps on which Federal Emergency Management disruption and/or loss of wildlife habitat, vegetation, air Agency (FEMA - see below) has delineated special flood quality, soil and water resources, and/or an increase in hazard areas and risk zones. They show the location of a ambient noise levels. property relative to special flood hazard areas, which is one of the factors determining flood insurance rates. Emergency Operations Plan (EOP): The plan each municipality has and maintains for responding to Downzoning: A change in the zoning classification of appropriate hazards. land to a classification permitting development that is less intensive or dense, such as from multi-family Eminent Domain: The authority of a government to take, to single-family or from commercial to industrial to or to authorize the taking of, private property for public residential. A change in the opposite direction is called use. “upzoning”. Employment Center: Entities that employ a large amount Due Process of Law: A requirement that legal proceedings of people at a particular site. Penn State University is an be carried out in accordance with established rules and example of an employment center. principles. Enabling Act: Legislation authorizing local governments to regulate land use and development by adopting zoning ordinances.

16 Centre Regional Planning Agency Environmental Conservation: A practice of protecting the natural environment at individual, organizational or governmental levels, for the benefit of the natural environment and humans.

Erosion occurs when water or wind remove sediment over time. Stream banks, like the one shown above, provide clear evidence of erosion that occurs when water flows at higher than normal volumes.

Euclidean Zoning: A Euclidean zone contains fixed standards. Certain uses are permitted by right in these zones, but they are subject to rigid requirements such Millbrook Marsh in College Township is an example of an important as lot size; front, side and rear setbacks; and maximum environmental resource that has been conserved. height. Application for a Euclidean zone may be made either by the property owner or by the government. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): As required by law, the EIS concisely describes and analyzes a proposed Excavation: The mechanical removal of earth material. action which may have a significant impact on the environment. It is available to the public for information and comment.

Ephemeral Stream: A stream or portion of a stream that flows only in direct response to precipitation. It receives little or no water from springs and no long-continued supply from melting snow or other sources. Its channel is at all times above the water table. The term may be arbitrarily restricted to streams which do not flow continuously during periods of the month. Excavation is a common development activity, as shown above. Excavation Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU): As defined by the can at times result in increased erosion occurring or can uncover unknown Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, hazards about a site. The photo above is of excavation at the Turnberry development in Ferguson Township. an EDU is any use which produces 400 gallons of wastewater per day. In the Centre Region, the University Area Joint Authority has defined an EDU as being any use Ex Parte Contact: This term refers to when an individual that produces 175 gallons of wastewater per day. - whether an applicant, supporter, objector, or average citizen - engages in communication (conversation or Erosion: The removal of soil through the action or water correspondence) regarding a pending application with or wind. a member of the decision-making body outside of the public hearing. Such contacts are usually prohibited or Essential Services: Services provided by public and circumscribed by codes of ethics to preclude conflict of private utilities, necessary for the exercise of the interest of the appearance of favoritism to one party in a principal use or service of the principal structure on a proceeding. property. These services include underground, surface, or overhead gas, electrical, steam, water, sanitary Expressway: A highway designed for fast traffic, with sewerage, stormwater drainage, and communication controlled entrance and exit, a dividing strip between systems and its equipment, but not including buildings the traffic in opposite directions. used or intended to be used for human habitation.

17 Externalities: The impacts of those other than the Fiscal Impact Analysis: A projection of the direct direct beneficiaries or targets of a course of action. public costs and revenues resulting from population or Externalities may be local or widespread and may be employment change to the local jurisdiction(s) in which fiscal, environmental, social, or all three. the change is taking place. Enables local governments to evaluate relative fiscal merits of comprehensive plans, specific plans, or projects. F Fiscal Year: Period used for calculating annual financial statements in businesses and other organizations.

Fair-Market Value: The price that a property will bring Floating Zone: A floating zone is a zoning district that in a competitive and open market under all conditions delineates conditions which must be met before that of a fair sale, the buyer and seller each prudently zoning district can be approved for an existing piece of knowledgeable and assuming the price is not affected land. Rather than being placed on the zoning map as by undue stimulus. traditional zones are, however, the floating zone is simply written as an amendment in the zoning ordinance. Façade: One exterior side of a building, usually, but not Thus, the zone “floats” until a development application always, the front. is approved, when the zone is then added to the official zoning map. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA): Regulates and oversees all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S. Flood Control: Any undertaking for the conveyance, control, and dispersal of flood waters. Federal Communications Commission (FCC): Regulates interstate and international communications by radio, Flood Insurance Studies (FIS): FEMA provides a television, wire, satellite and cable in the U.S. It was compilation and presentation of flood risk data for established by the Communications Act of 1934 and specific watercourses, lakes, and coastal flood hazard operates as an independent U.S. government agency areas within a community. overseen by Congress. Floodplain: The land area susceptible to flooding. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Coordinates the response to a disaster that has occurred Floor Area: The amount of area (measured as square feet in the United States and that overwhelms the resources or square meters) taken up by a building or part of it. of local and state authorities. The governor of the tate in which the disaster occurs must declare a state of Forestry: The management of forests and timberlands emergency and formally request from the President when practiced in accordance with accepted silvicultural that FEMA and the federal government respond to the principles, through developing, cultivating, harvesting, disaster. transporting and selling trees for commercial purposes, which does not involve any land development. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA): Federal agency responsible for overseeing the use of federal Future Growth Area: An area of a municipal or funds for a variety of roadway, bridge, and other multi-municipal plan outside of and adjacent to a transportation programs; One agency of the U.S. designated growth area where residential, commercial Department of Transportation. industrial and institutional uses and development are permitted or planned at varying densities and public Federal Transit Administration (FTA): Federal agency infrastructure services may or may not be provided, responsible for overseeing the use of federal funds for but future development at greater densities is planned a variety of roadway, bridge, and other transportation to accompany the orderly extension and provision of programs; one agency of the U.S. Department of public infrastructure services. Transportation.

Fee Simple: The legal term for ownership of the bundle of property rights (such as rights of use, development, G possession, transfer, & mineral rights) for a particular property. Gas Transmission Pipeline: Pipelines and appurtenant Fill: Earth or any other substance or material placed or facilities installed for the purpose of transmitting gas deposited by humans. from a source to a distributing center, to a large volume customer or to interconnect sources of supply.

18 Centre Regional Planning Agency General Forum: The General Forum serves as the general Green Building: Any building that is sited, designed, policy body of the Centre Region COG. Each January, the constructed, operated, and maintained for the health General Forum conducts an organizational meeting to and well-being of the occupants, while minimizing select officers and designate regular meeting dates. The impacts on the environment. General Forum is responsible both for considering and for carrying out the programs and functions agreed to by the participating municipalities.

Gentrification: The process of renewing and rebuilding deteriorating areas for incoming middle-class or affluent people that often displace poorer residents.

Geographic Information System (GIS): Integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, Penn State’s School of Law Building, the Lewis Katz building, is an example of a green building. The structure is LEED certified and has the highest, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically Platinum rating from the College Designer Collabetition Awards for design referenced information. GIS allows us to view, understand, excellence. question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of Greenfield: A land area where there has been no prior maps, globes, reports, and charts. construction or development activity on the site.

Geothermal Energy: The energy that determines the Greenhouse Gases: Gases in the atmosphere that absorb temperature of matter, generated and stored in the and emit radiation within the thermal infrared range. The Earth. primary greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone.

Greyfield: A term used to describe formally vibrant retail and commercial shopping sites that suffer from lack of reinvestment and have been made obsolete by newer, larger and better designed malls or shopping sites. These areas usually contain high vacancy rates, empty parking lots, poor tenant mix, and underutilized real estate.

Geothermal heat pumps are an environmentally friendly and cost effective way to heat a home.

Global Positioning System (GPS): A satellite navigation The abandoned shopping center shown above is an example of a greyfield. system that provides location and time information in all weather conditions, anywhere on or near the Earth. Ground Cover: Grasses, other plant materials, or Governing Body: A municipality’s legislative body. inorganic materials grown or placed to keep soil from being blown or washed away. Grandfathered: The continued use of property as it was when restrictions or zoning ordinances were adopted. Groundwater: Water that occurs beneath the land surface. Groundwater includes water in the zone of Greenbelt/Greenway: A strip or series of strips of open saturation of a water-bearing formation. spaces that provide a border around a certain area, preventing development of the area and allowing wildlife to return and be established. 19 : The use by a community of a Highway Noise Barrier: A high wall, typically made wide range of techniques in combination to permit it to of concrete, which parallels a major thoroughfare determine its own amount, type, and rate of growth, and and is intended for the extensive screening of both channel it into designated areas. visual and audio impacts from automobiles along that thoroughfare.

H

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

Hardship: A restriction on property so unreasonable that it results in an arbitrary and capricious interference with basic property rights. Hardship relates to the physical characteristic of the property, not the personal circumstances of the owner or user, and the property is rendered unusable without the granting of a variance. Highway noise barriers, like the one shown above, are used to protect Hazard-Prone Area: An area which has not yet been nearby developments from the noise impacts of high volume roadways. designated by the state or federal government as a geological hazard area but where historical evidence, Highway Occupancy Permit (HOP): Required whenever geological, topographical, or other naturally occurring a driveway or road will be installed on a state road. factors indicate a relatively greater risk or property damage than exists on other parcels in the county. Highway Safety Zone: The area or space officially set apart within a road-way for the exclusive use of Headwater: The upper reaches of a stream near its source pedestrians and protected or marked or indicated by or the region where groundwater emerges to the surface adequate signs as to be plainly visible at all times. to form a surface stream. Historic District: An area which contains properties or buildings that may or may not be landmarks but which contribute to the overall historic character of the designated area.

Historic Districts can include entire communities, such as Stormstown in Halfmoon Township. Stormstown includes many examples of historic The Centre Region is located at the headwaters of several important structures that were built when the community served as a stopping point streams, including Spring Creek. The headwaters of Roaring Run, as on the road between Bellefonte and Pittsburgh. shown above, are located in Harris Township.

Historic Landmark: An individual structure or group Highest and Best Use: The use of land in such a way that of structures on a single lot, a site, an area, a district, its development will bring maximum profit to the owner. or combination thereof, having a special historical, architectural, cultural or aesthetic value.

20 Centre Regional Planning Agency Historic Preservation: The research, protection, Incentive Zoning: A system under which a property restoration and rehabilitation of buildings, structures, developer is granted an increase in permitted density in objects, districts, areas, and sites significant in the exchange for providing low and moderate housing. history, architecture, archaeology or culture of the state, its communities or the nation. Inclusionary Zoning: A development containing low- and moderate-income dwelling units. Holding Zone: A zone established in the zoning ordinance on a temporary basis awaiting applications for Development: Refers to the reuse or change of use rezoning to desired uses. of a previously developed parcel or group of parcels, or the intensification of use or change of use by remodeling Homeowners Association: A corporation formed by or renovating an entire structure. a real estate developer for the purpose of marketing, managing, and selling of homes and lots in a residential subdivision.

Human Scale: The perceived size of a building relative to a human being.

Hydric Soils: A soil that is saturated, flooded, or ponded long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions that favor the growth and regeneration of wetlands vegetation.

I The Fraser Center in Downtown State College is an example of infill development, where a previous use was removed in anticipation of a new Impact Fee: A fee that is imposed by a local government development. within the United States on a new or proposed development project to pay for all or a portion of the costs Infiltration: The downward movement or seepage of of providing public services to the new development. water from the surface to the subsoil into the ground. Impact fees are considered to be a charge on new development to help fund and pay for the construction Inflow: Water, other than waste water, that enters a or needed expansion of offsite capital improvements. sewer system from sources such as cellar and yard drains, These fees are usually implemented to help reduce the manhole covers, or surface runoff. economic burden on local jurisdictions that are trying to deal with population growth within the area. Infrastructure: The basic facilities such as roads, water and sewer lines, schools, power plants and Impervious Surface: A manmade surface including communication systems on which the continuance and paved and unpaved roads, parking areas, roofs, growth of a community depends. driveways, and walkways, from which precipitation runs off rather than infiltrates. Interchange: A road improvement providing transfer of motor vehicles from one roadway to another.

Interim Use: A of property until a particular date, until the occurrence of a particular event, or until zoning regulations no longer permit it.

Intermittent Stream: A defined channel in which surface water is absent during a portion of the year, as ground water levels drop below the channel bottom.

The parking lot at the Nittany Mall in College Township is an example of a large impervious surface.

21 Intermodal: Places where interconnectivity exists between various types of transportation. These locations L may provide access to multiple types of transportation and allow you to transfer from one form of transportation to another. For example, an intermodal station may Land Banking: The purchase of land by a local service air, rail, road, and waterway transportation. government for use or resale at a later date.

Invasive Plant Species: Predominantly non-native, Land Disturbance: Any activity which exposes soils, non-indigenous tree, shrub, vine, or herbaceous species alters topography, and/or alters vegetation, except for that grow or reproduce aggressively, usually because removal of a safety hazard, diseased trees, or invasive they have few or no natural predators, and which can vegetation. so dominate an ecosystem that they kill off or drive out many indigenous plant species. Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA): A numerical system that measures the quality of farmland. It is generally used by the USDA to select tracts of land to J be protected or developed. Land Obstruction: Any building or structure which is located so as to intrude upon any open space required Job Access and Reverse Commute Program (JARC): by code. A grant program that was established to address the unique transportation challenges faced by public Landscaping: To improve the aesthetic appearance assistance recipients and low-income persons seeking of (a piece of land) by changing its contours, adding to obtain and maintain employment. Many new entry ornamental features and plantings. level jobs are located in suburban areas, and low income individuals have difficulty accessing these jobs from their in-town locations or rural neighborhoods. In addition, many entry level jobs require working late at night or on weekends when conventional transit services are either reduced or non-existent.

Jurisdiction: Any governmental unit or political division or subdivision including but not limited to: township, village, borough, parish, city, county, state, commonwealth, province, freehold, district, or territory over which the governmental unit exercises power and authority.

K

Landscaping typically refers to any plantings that have been placed on a Keystone Principles: The Keystone Principles and property to enhance its aesthetic appearance. Criteria were adopted by the Commonwealth in 2005. The Principles and Criteria are designed as a coordinated interagency approach to fostering sustainable economic Land use: The occupation or use of land or water area for development and conservation of resources through any human activity or any purpose. the state’s investments in Pennsylvania’s diverse communities. The Principles lay out general goals and Leadership in Environmental and Engineering Design objectives for economic development and resource (LEED): A Green Building Rating System that provides conservation agreed upon among the agencies and standards for environmentally sustainable construction. programs that participated in their development. The Criteria are designed to help measure the extent to Level of Service: A measure of congestion and delay, which particular projects accomplish these goals. typically used to evaluate the performance of the transportation system.

Liaison: Communication between two or more groups, or co-operation or working together.

22 Centre Regional Planning Agency Light Pollution: Any adverse effect of man-made light. Massing: Describes the relationship of the building’s various parts to each other. Architectural elements such Limited Access Street: A street which allows only indirect as windows, doors and roofs as well as interior floor plans access to abutting properties primarily by disrupting can affect building mass. Massing is important because it traffic to intersecting lesser volume streets or some other is one of several details that determine the visual interest means as needed to allow for efficient local circulation. of a building, the perception of the building’s volume and how it blends with its surroundings. Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP): Federal law requires that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Median: The dividing area, either paved or landscaped, Metropolitan Planning Organizations adopt and update between opposing lanes of traffic on some highways. a long range transportation plan to cover a period of at least twenty years.

Lot Consolidation: To combine two or more lots into one by removing the lot lines between contiguous parcels.

Lot: A designated parcel, tract or area of land established by a plat or otherwise as permitted by law and to be used, developed or built upon as a unit.

M

This median is located on Havershire Drive in Ferguson Township. Medians help to separate opposing lanes of traffic and provide landscaping to Manufactured Housing: A type of prefabricated housing aesthetically improve highways. that is largely assembled in factories and then transported to sites of use; also known as modular housing. Metes and Bounds: A system of describing and identifying land by measures (metes) and direction (bounds) from an identifiable point of reference such as a monument or other marker, the corner of intersecting streets, or other permanent feature.

Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO): Required by Federal law for all urbanized areas over 50,000 in population in the United States; Responsible for a coordinated, comprehensive, and continuous transportation planning program; Must approve the use of Federal funds for projects in its geographic area, and prepare and maintain a long range transportation plan.

The Villas housing development, located in College Township, is an Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA): A metropolitan example of manufactured housing. The units at the Villas were constructed statistical area is a geographical region with a relatively off-site and transported to College Township, where they were placed on foundations and connected to public utilities. high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area.

Market Study: The process of analyzing and interpreting Metropolitan: Of, relating to, or characteristic of a large data relating to a proposed commercial building, important city. including extent of the trade area to be served, characteristics of the population conditions, competitive Mitigation: The minimization of impacts to existing influence of other commercial businesses, adequacy of vegetation and wildlife habitat as a result of development the site, and any other factors that might influence the in the resource area, and that lost vegetation and wildlife success or failure of the commercial business. habitat are restored or recreated.

Market Value: The estimated price a property will bring in the open market and under prevailing market conditions in a sale between a willing seller and a willing buyer.

23 Mixed-Use Development: The planning practice of National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP): Offers flood allowing more than one type of use in a building or set of insurance to homeowners, renters, and business owners buildings. This can mean several different combinations if their community participates in the NFIP. Participating of residential, commercial, industrial, office, institutional, communities agree to adopt and enforce ordinances or other land uses. that meet or exceed FEMA requirements to reduce the risk of flooding. Moratorium: A freeze on all new development pending the completion, adoption, or revision of a comprehensive National Historic Preservation Act: This Act established plan. a strong legal basis for preservation of resources through a framework of measures to be used at the federal, state, Multi-Municipal Planning Agency: A planning and local levels including expansion of the National agency comprised of representatives of more than Register, creation of historic preservation standards, one municipality and constituted as a joint municipal creation of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, planning commission in accordance with Article XI review of the effects of federal projects (Section 106), of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code funding for the National Trust, and creation of the State (MPC), or otherwise by resolution of the participating Historic Preservation Offices. municipalities, to address, on behalf of the participating municipalities, multi-municipal issues including, but not National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors: limited to, agricultural and open space preservation, Geographic areas, identified by the Department of Energy, natural and historic resources, transportation, housing where transmission congestion or constraints adversely and economic development. affect consumers. Designation of a corridor serves as an important indication by the federal government, that at Multi-Municipal Plan: A plan developed and adopted a regional level, a significant transmission or congestion by any number of contiguous municipalities, including problem exists and there is national interest in alleviating a joint municipal plan as authorized by this act, except it. that all of the municipalities participating in the plan need not be contiguous, if all of them are within the National Register of Historic Places: The listing same school district. maintained by the U.S. National Park Service of areas that have been designated as historically significant. The Municipalities Planning Code (MPC): State enabling register includes buildings of local, state, and national legislation through which municipalities can plan their significance. development and govern development activities, zoning, subdivision and land development ordinances. Natural Area: An area of land or water that is not dominated by man-made features and that may have Municipality: Any city of the second class A or third class, unusual or significant flora, fauna, geological, or similar borough, incorporated town, township of the first or features of scientific, ecological, or educational interest. second class, county of the second class through eighth class, home rule municipality, or any similar general purpose unit of government which shall hereafter be created by the General Assembly.

N

National Environment Policy Act (NEPA): Requires federal agencies to integrate environmental values into their decision making processes by considering the environmental impacts of their proposed actions and reasonable alternatives to those actions. To meet NEPA requirements federal agencies prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). EPA reviews and comments on EISs prepared by other federal agencies, maintains a national filing system for all EISs, and assures that its own Bear Meadows Natural Area, as shown above, is located in Harris Township. actions comply with NEPA. Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS): Provides assistance to landowners to help conserve, improve, and sustain our resources and environment. 24 Centre Regional Planning Agency Natural Resource: Air, land, water, and the elements thereof valued for their existing and potential usefulness to humans.

No-Build Zone: A portion of a development where because of the need to preserve an area’s natural features, slope, soils, native vegetation and water courses, no structure shall be erected or permitted to extend.

Node: An identifiable grouping of uses subsidiary and dependent upon a larger urban grouping of similar or related uses.

Noise Contour: The graphic depiction of the extent to Uses like correctional facilities (shown above), landfills, waste disposal which an average noise level affects the area surrounding sites, etc. are examples of uses that are often considered NIMBYs. a source of noise. Nonconforming Lot: A lot the area or dimension of O which was lawful prior to the adoption or amendment of a zoning ordinance, but which fails to conform to the requirements of the zoning district in which it is located Occupancy: The use of land, building or structures. by reasons of such adoption or amendment. Change of occupancy is not intended to include change of tenant or proprietors. Nonconforming Structure: A structure or part of a structure manifestly not designed to comply with the Official Map: A map outlined by the Pennsylvania applicable use or extent of use provisions in a zoning Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) which identifies ordinance or amendment heretofore or hereafter elements or portions of elements of a comprehensive enacted, where such structure lawfully existed prior to plan in regards to public lands and facilities. the enactment of such ordinance or amendment or prior to the application of such ordinance or amendment to its Open space: An area of the natural landscape that has location by reason of annexation. Such nonconforming not been developed for intensive human uses (see structures include, but are not limited to, nonconforming Common Open Space). signs. Open Space Preservation Board (OSPB): Passes Nonconforming Use: A use, whether of land or of ordinances to collect funds to preserve open space (i.e. structure, which does not comply with the applicable farmland); a term specific to Halfmoon Township. use provisions in a zoning ordinance or amendment heretofore or hereafter enacted, where such use was Ordinance: A law or regulation set forth and adopted lawfully in existence prior to the enactment of such by a governmental authority such as a city, municipality, ordinance or amendment, or prior to the application of region, or county. such ordinance or amendment to its location by reason of annexation. Outfall: The point where water flows out from a conduit, drain, or stream. Not In My Backyard (NIMBY): Opposition by residents to a proposal for a new development because it is close Overlay Zoning District: A regulatory tool that creates to them, often with the connotation that such residents a special zoning district, placed over an existing base believe that the developments are needed in society but zone(s), which identifies special provisions in addition should be further away. to those in the underlying base zone. (see Figure 1). The overlay district can share common boundaries Nuisance: Activity or use that is annoying, unpleasant, or with the base zone or cut across base zone boundaries. obnoxious. Regulations or incentives are attached to the overlay district to protect a specific resource or guide development within a special area.

25 Ozone: A gas that is a variety of oxygen. The oxygen Particulate Matter: Matter, other than water, that is gas found in the air consists of two oxygen atoms stuck suspended in or discharged into the atmosphere in a together. Ozone consists of three oxygen atoms stuck finely divided form as a liquid or solid. together into an ozone molecule. High concentrations of ozone gas are found in a layer of the atmosphere: the Pavement: The paved portion of a street, including stratosphere: high above the Earth and shield the Earth paved shoulders and on-street parking areas, but not from harmful ultraviolet rays. including sidewalk and driveways.

Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency P (PEMA): Works to plan responses to, prevent loss from, communicate news about, coordinate resources for and help communities recover from natural and manmade disasters and emergencies on the state level. PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED): A state agency that enhances Pennsylvania Historic Museum Commission (PHMC): investment opportunities for business and to improve Created in 1945, the commission is responsible for quality of life for residents . The department works to the collection, conservation, and interpretation of attract outside corporations, spur expansion of existing Pennsylvania’s historic heritage, accomplished through local employers, and foster start-ups by providing tax the Pennsylvania State Archives, the State Museum of incentives and technical assistance. Additionally, the Pennsylvania, the Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums, agency provides grant funding to community groups the Pennsylvania Trails of History, the Bureau for Historic and local governments for projects such as revitalizing Preservation, and the Bureau of Management Services. “Main Street” infrastructure, enhancing low income housing availability, or improves access to technology. Pennsylvania Planning Association (PPA): A nonprofit, non-partisan organization for the promotion of planning, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and for professional planners and planning officials in (DCNR): Established on July 1, 1995, the Pennsylvania the Commonwealth. It is the Pennsylvania chapter of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is American Planning Association (APA). charged with maintaining and preserving the 120 state parks; managing the 2.2 million acres of state forest Pennsylvania State Association of Township land; providing information on the state’s ecological Supervisors (PSATS): Operates under the direction of and geologic resources; and establishing community a 12-member executive board, elected each spring by conservation partnerships with grants and technical the membership; preserves and strengthens township assistance. government by lobbying state and federal lawmakers and educating and informing its members through PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP): workshops, an annual conference and trade show, and Responsible for protecting and preserving the land, air, award-winning publications. water, and energy resources through enforcement of the State’s environmental laws. Pennsylvania State Department of Transportation (PennDOT): State agency responsible for planning and Park-and-Ride Facility: A facility for storage of vehicles implementing transportation programs and projects. for commuters to transfer to another vehicle or mode of PennDOT Central Office is located in Harrisburg. PennDOT transportation. Engineering District 2-0 Office is headquartered in Clearfield, and is responsible for Centre County. PennDOT Centre County Maintenance Office is located in Bellefonte.

Perennial Stream: A defined channel containing surface water throughout the year.

Several parking lots on the Penn State Campus are designated as Park and Ride Lots, where employees can park vehicles and access public transit at nearby bus stops.

26 Centre Regional Planning Agency Planned Residential Development (PRD): A residentially end ratios, which are used to approve mortgage loans. zoned area, planned and developed as a unit, which Generally, mortgage lenders prefer PITI to be equal to, is characterized by environmentally sensitive design or less than 28%, of a borrower’s gross monthly income. through the use of flexible development standards.

Springfield Commons, in Boalsburg, Harris Township, is an example of a Many of the soils in the Centre Region are considered prime for agricultural Planned Residential Development. production.

Plat: The map or plan of a subdivision or land Principal Structure: A structure in which is conducted development, whether preliminary or final. the principal use of the lot on which is located.

Point of Contact: A person or a department serving as Property: A lot or parcel of land together with all the coordinator or focal point of information concerning structures located thereon. an activity or program. Public Improvement: Any improvement, facility, or Policy: A general rule for action focused on a specific service together with its associated public site or right-of- issue, derived from more general goals. way necessary to provide transportation, drainage, public or private utilities, energy, or similar essential services. Preliminary Subdivision Plan: A plan of a subdivision or of a land development, including all required Public: Belonging or open to, enjoyed and used by and/ supplementary data, showing the approximate proposed or maintained for the public generally, but not limited to street and lot of site layout as a basis for consideration by a facility of control of which is wholly or partially exercise the department and the technical advisory committee by some governmental agency. prior to the preparation of a record plan. Purchase of Development Rights (PDR): A public Preservation: Stabilizing and maintain a structure in program to pay landowners the fair market value of its existing form and preventing further change or their development rights in exchange for a permanent deterioration. conservation easement that restricts development of the property. PDR programs are strictly voluntary and Prime Agricultural Land: Land used for agricultural are usually funded by the sale of bonds or property tax purposes that contains soils of the first, second or third revenues. class as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture natural resource and conservation services county soil survey. Q Principal, Interest, Taxes, Insurance (PITI): The components of a mortgage payment. Principal is the Quality of Life: The attributes or amenities that combine money used to pay down the balance of the loan; interest to make an area a good place to live. is the charge you pay to the lender for the privilege of borrowing the money; taxes refer to the property taxes Quorum: A majority of the authorized members of a you pay as a homeowner and insurance refers to both board or commission. your property insurance and your private mortgage insurance. PITI is typically quoted on a monthly basis and compared to a borrower’s monthly gross income by means of computing the individual’s front-end and back-

27 R

Rails-To-Trails: A federal act to give interested parties (governments) the opportunity to use railroad rights- of-way, which might otherwise be abandoned, for recreational use.

The use of a regional growth boundary has helped the Centre Region determine where growth should be encouraged and where rural uses The Bellefonte Central Rail Trail travels through the Arboretum at Penn should be permitted. This aerial photo of Ferguson Township depicts how State on the old Bellefonte Central Railroad bed. higher density growth has been contained inside the boundary, allowing the land outside of the boundary to be used for agricultural production.

Rational Nexus: The clear, direct, and substantial Rehabilitation: The repair, preservation, and/or relationship between a particular development and improvement of a substandard structure. the public improvement needs generated by the development. Relocation: Any repositioning of a building on its site or moving it to another site. Reconstruction: The authentic reproduction of a building of site that once existed, but disappeared or Renewable Energy Source: Any method, process or was demolished. substance whose supply is rejuvenated through natural processes and, subject to those natural processes, Record of Survey: A map prepared by a professional land remains relatively constant, including, but not limited surveyor that re-established survey controls, boundaries, to, biomass conversion, geothermal energy, solar and locations, or improvements, or the alignment of rights- wind energy and hydroelectric energy and excluding of-ways for recording. those sources of energy used in the fission and fusion processes. : Any proposed expansion, addition, or major façade change to an existing building, structure, or parking facility.

Regional Development Capacity Report (REDCAP): An estimate of the total amount of development potential within the existing Regional Growth Boundary. The estimates in this report identify the development potential of vacant properties within the RGB using approved development plans, current subdivision ordinances, and current zoning ordinances

Regional Growth Boundary (RGB): A boundary set to control by mandating that the area inside the boundary be used for higher density urban development and the area outside be used for lower density development. Renewable energy sources include solar panels and windmills. The Morningstar Solar Home, located at Penn State, illustrates how solar panels and other renewable energy sources can be used to power individual structures. 28 Centre Regional Planning Agency Request for Proposal (RFP): A document describing a Roundabout: A raised island that is usually landscaped project or services and soliciting bids for a consultant’s and located at the intersection of two streets used to or contractor’s performance. reduce traffic speeds and accidents without diverting traffic onto adjacent residential streets. Request for Qualifications (RFQ): A statement of qualifications prepared by a consultant and submitted to a community seeking assistance in a project. The RFQ should contain: contact information; a description of the form of organization; resumes of key personnel; statement of qualifications; availability; a list of projects completed by the firm; and references.

Restoration: The act or process of reproducing by new construction the exact form and detail of a vanished building, structure, of object, or part thereof, as it appeared at a specific period of time. Roundabouts, like this example on Old Gatesburg Road in Ferguson Township, help reduce traffic speeds at intersections without requiring Resubdivision: The changing of an existing parcel vehicles to come to a complete stop. created by a plat and recorded with the county clerk and register of deeds. Runoff: Precipitation leaving a site due to the force of Retaining Wall: A wall used at a grade change to hold the gravity. soil on the up-hillside from slumping, sliding, or falling. Rural Planning Organization (RPO): These serve as Retention Basin: The permanent on-site maintenance the forum for local engagement in rural transportation of stormwater. issues. They are mainly comprised of local elected officials and serve as the link between state DOTs and citizens. States are not required to have RPOs in place, though some states have created these government entities for planning and project selection purposes outside metropolitan planning areas.

Rural Preservation Development (RPD): See Cluster/ Open Space Development.

This retention basin, located at the Colonnade Shopping Center in Patton Township, retains stormwater from the nearby parking lots.

Ridesharing: Transportation of more than one person for commute purposes, in a motor vehicle.

Ridgeline: A line connected the highest points along a ridge and separating drainage basins or small-scale drainage system form one another. Rural clustering developments can help preserve open space for farming Right of Way: A public or private area that allows for and other purposes while allowing a property owner to develop their land the passage of people or goods. Right-of-way includes at the maximum legal density. passageways such as freeways, streets, bike paths, alleys, and walkways.

29 Rural Resource Area: An area described in a municipal Setback: The minimum distance by which any building or multi-municipal plan within which rural resources or structure must be separated from a street right-of-way uses including, but not limited to, agriculture, timbering, or lot line. mining, quarrying and other extractive industries, forest and game lands and recreation and tourism Sewer Service Area (SSA): The Sewer Service Area is are encouraged and enhanced, development that is the area identified by the regional ACT 537 plan where compatible with or supportive of such uses in permitted, public sewer service will be provided in the future by the and public infrastructure services are not provided University Area Joint Authority sewage system. except in villages. Sinkhole: A cavity in the ground, typically in a limestone formation, caused by water erosion and providing a route for surface water to disappear into underground S waterways.

Site Plan: A required submission, prepared and approved, Sedimentation: The process by which sediment that is a detailed engineering drawing of the proposed resulting from accelerated erosion has been or is being improvements required in the development of a given transported of the site of the land-disturbing activity lot. into a natural watercourse. Sketch Plan: A plan that illustrates a conceptual Septic Tank: A covered watertight settling tank in which development but does not include specific engineering raw sewage is biochemically changed into solid, liquid or infrastructure schematics. Sketch plans are often and gaseous state. The liquids are typically poured into provided to municipalities for comment only, with absorbent soils and the solids are regularly pumped and comments being both non-binding on the part of the disposed of at a waste treatment facility. municipality and the developer.

Sliding-Scale Zoning: Reduces the density of non-farm dwellings as the size of the parcel increases.

Slope: The degree of deviation of surface from the horizontal, usually expressed in percent of degrees.

Smart Growth: Concentrates growth in compact walkable urban centers to avoid sprawl. It also advocates compact, transit-oriented, walkable, bicycle-friendly land uses, including neighborhood schools, complete streets, and mixed-use development with a range of housing choices.

Solar Access: The ability to receive sunlight across real property for any solar energy device.

Solar Energy: Radiant energy received from the sun.

Solar Heating: The direct used of the sun for generating energy. A septic tank, such as the example shown above, are common elements in on-lot septic treatment systems. On-lot septic treatment is commonly Split Zoning: A single lot or parcel containing two or found outside of the Regional Growth Boundary. more different zoning classifications.

Setback: The minimum distance by which any building Spot Zoning: The application of zoning to a specific or structure must be separated from a street right-of-way parcel of land within a larger zoned area when the or lot line. rezoning is usually at odds with a city’s master plan and current zoning restrictions. Sewer Service Area (SSA): The Sewer Service Area is the area identified by the regional ACT 537 plan where public sewer service will be provided in the future by the University Area Joint Authority sewage system.

30 Centre Regional Planning Agency Sprawl: The spreading out of a city and its over more and more rural land at the periphery of an urban area. This involves the conversion of open space (rural land) into built-up, developed land over time.

The combination of heavy precipitation and impervious surfaces can result in roadway flooding and other stormwater related issues.

Stream: Includes all rivers, creeks, brooks, tributaries and other flowing surface waters within a natural channel. More specifically, a perennial, intermittent, or ephemeral watercourse having a defined channel (excluding man- made ditches) which contains flow from surface and/ or ground water sources during at least a portion of an average rainfall year.

Street Intersection: The point of crossing or meeting of two or more streets.

Streetscape: Areas that may either abut or be contained within a public or private street right-of-way or accessway that may contain sidewalks, street furniture, landscaping The photo above illustrates how sprawl can spread development over a or trees, and similar features. large area, resulting in higher costs for public services and the reduction of open space and farmland. Street: Includes street, avenue, boulevard, road, highway, freeway, parkway, lane, alley, viaduct and any other Stacking Lane: An area for temporary queuing of motor ways used or intended to be used by vehicular traffic or vehicles. pedestrians whether public or private. State College Borough Water Authority (SCBWA): Structure: Any man-made object having an ascertainable Authority maintains approximately 13,500 metered stationary location on or in land or water, whether or not services and 263 miles of water mains in the Centre affixed to the land. Region. As well as 7 Well Fields, the Shingletown Reservoir and a 6 million gallon per day (MGD) water Subcommittee: A body comprising a portion of the treatment plant. membership of a public body, usually constituted or appointed for a particular purpose. State Transportation Commission (STC): Created by Act 120 of 1970 to be responsible for adopting the Subdivision: The division or redivision of a lot, tract or State’s Twelve Year Transportation Program; Comprised parcel of land by any means into two or more lots, tracts, of fifteen members; Chaired by the Commonwealth’s parcels or other divisions of land including changes in Secretary of Transportation, with four members from existing lot lines for the purpose, whether immediate or the state legislature and ten members appointed by the future, of lease, partition by the court for distribution to Governor. heirs or devisees, transfer of ownership or building or lot development: Provided, however, That the subdivision Stormwater: The flow of water which results from by lease of land for agricultural purposes into parcels precipitation and which occurs immediately following of more than ten acres, not involving any new street or rainfall or snowmelt. easement of access or any residential dwelling, shall be exempted.

31 Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SaLDO): A local law passed by a municipality to regulate T the subdividing and developing of land.

Substandard Housing: Residential dwellings that, Tandem Parking: The placement of parking spaces one because of their physical condition, do not provide safe behind the other, so that the space nearest the driveway and sanitary housing. or street access serves as the only mean of access to the other space. Suburban: A city’s outlying area, usually characterized by lower population and residential densities. Telecommunications: Communication at a distance by technological means, particularly through electrical signals or electromagnetic waves including telegraph, radio, digital cameras, television and the Internet.

Topography: The physical land surface relief describing the terrain, elevation, and slope.

Tract: A lot, usually several acres in area.

Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND): Traditional Neighborhood Development, or Neotraditional Planning, is a New Urbanist approach to designing , towns, and neighborhoods. Traditional, or Neotraditional, planners, developers, architects, and Suburban developments typically include large single family homes with designers try to reduce traffic and eliminate sprawl. increased setbacks. Homes, shops, businesses, theaters, schools, parks, and other important services are placed within easy walking Sunset Law: A provision shutting off a program agency distance. on a specific date, requiring reexamination and a fresh authorization prior to that date to continue. Traffic Impact Study: An analysis of the amount of traffic caused by a land development project, determining if Susquehanna Economic Development Association any accommodations need to be made to the existing Council of Government (SEDACOG): Headquartered in road or changes to the land development project. Lewisburg, PA, SEDACOG serves a variety of planning functions for an eleven-county area in Central and Transferable Development Rights (TDR): The attaching East-Central Pennsylvania. It is a regional multi-county of development rights to specified lands which are development agency, which, under the guidance of desired by a municipality to be kept undeveloped, but a public policy board, provides leadership, expertise, permitting those rights to be transferred from those and services to communities, businesses, institutions, lands so that the development potential which they and residents. SEDA-COG seeks to enhance growth represent may occur on other lands where more intensive opportunities in an environmentally sensitive manner development is deemed to be appropriate. while retaining the region’s predominantly rural character. Transit-Oriented Development (TOD): Moderate- or high-density housing concentrated in mixed- : Development that maintains use developments that encourage the use of public or enhances economic opportunity and community transportation. well-being while protecting and restoring the natural environment upon which people and economies Transitional Zone: An area in the process of changing depend. Sustainable development meets the needs of from one use to another or an area which functions as a the present without compromising the ability of future buffer between land uses of different types or intensity. generations to meet their own needs. Transit: The conveyance of persons or goods from one place to another by means of local, public transportation system.

32 Centre Regional Planning Agency Transportation Improvement Program (TIP): Document Urban Reserve: An area outside of an urban service area required by Federal law, by which MPOs approve the use but within an , in which future of Federal funds for surface transportation programs development and extension of municipal services are and projects; Usually updated every two years; Must be contemplated but not imminent. fiscally constrained. Urban Sprawl: See Sprawl. Trip Generation: The number of one-way trips to or from a location as a result of land use activity at that location. US Department of Agriculture (USDA): The U.S. federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, forestry, and food. It aims to meet the needs U of farmers and ranchers, promote agricultural trade and production, work to assure food safety, protect natural Unbuildable Area: An area in which a structure could not resources, foster rural communities and end hunger in be built as permitted use under existing development the United States and abroad. standards for the area. US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP): List of agency that enforces regulations that implement the transportation planning and programming activities laws that are enacted by Congress; EPA is responsible for completed by staff members on behalf of MPOs and researching and setting national standards for a variety RPOs; Also illustrates Federal, state and local funding of environmental programs. provided for staff activities; Adopted by MPOs annually. US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS): A federal University Area Joint Authority (UAJA): UAJA is the government agency within the United States Department municipal authority that provides wastewater treatment, of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, or water recycling services, to much of State College and wildlife, and natural habitats. the Centre Region. US Geologic Survey (USGS): A scienctific organization that provides impartial information on the health of our ecosystems and environment, the natural hazards that threaten us, the natural resources we rely on, the impacts of climate and land-use change, and the core science systems that help us provide timely, relevant, and useable information.

V

Vacation: Refers to vacation of a street or road as an action taken by a governing body in order to abolish the public’s right of passage over a road or road right of way dedicated by a plat of subdivision. Upon vacation, The UAJA facility, which is located in Benner Township, provides public title to the road right of way transfers by operation of sewer service to areas inside of the Regional Growth Boundary. law to the owner(s) of the adjacent properties within the subdivision from whence the road/road right of way Upzoning: A change in the zoning classification of land originated. to a classification permitting development that is more intensive or dense; opposite of downzoning. Variance: An application to the Board of Zoning Appeals which seeks relief from a specific zoning regulation Urban Fringe: Land at the edge of an urban area usually such as lot width, building height, or minimum yard made up of a mix of agricultural and urban land uses. requirements, among others. This is probably the most critical area within an urban area and requires adequate controls to be created and Vested Property Right: The right to undertake and administered by municipal officials. complete the development and use of property under the terms and conditions of a site specific development plan.

33 Vicinity Map: A map showing the geographical location Wildlife Corridor: A wildlife corridor is a link of wildlife of a proposed development in relationship to the habitat, generally native vegetation, which joins two or surrounding area. more larger areas of similar wildlife habitat. They maintain ecological processes including migration, colonization, and interbreeding of plants and animals.

W Workforce Housing: See Affordable Housing.

Watercourse: A natural or artificial channel through which water flows. Z

Watershed: An area of land that drains into a particular river or body of water; usually divided by topography or Zero Lot Line: A common lot line on which a wall or a ridgelines. Also refers to the total area of land above a structure may be constructed. given point on a waterway that contributes surface runoff and ground water to the flow at that point; a drainage basin or a major subdivision of a drainage basin.

Water Table: The upper surface of the zone of saturation.

Wellfield Recharge Area: The area from which ground water flows directly to the wellfield area of contribution.

Wellhead Protection: A way to prevent drinking water from becoming polluted by managing significant potential sources of contamination in the area which supplies water to a public well. Much can be done to prevent pollution, such as the wise use of land and chemicals. is protected and the expense of treating polluted water or drilling new wells is avoided though wellhead protection efforts. Allowing buildings to abut one another, such as this example from State Wetlands: A wetland is a land area that is saturated College, is an example of a zero lot line requirement. with water, either permanently or seasonally, such that it takes on the characteristics of a distinct ecosystem. Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB): A quasi-judicial body, [2] Primarily, the factor that distinguishes wetlands from consisting of three regular members and one alternate other land forms or water bodies is the characteristic member, all of whom are residents of the Borough. vegetation that is adapted to its unique soil conditions: Members are appointed by Council to serve 3-year Wetlands consist primarily of hydric soil, which supports terms. The Board is responsible for: Hearing and deciding aquatic plants. appeals where it is alleged that the Zoning Office has erred in applying or interpreting regulations; Hearing and making decisions on special exceptions; and Authorizing variances from the terms of the Zoning Ordinance, as permitted by the Municipalities Planning Code.

Zoning: A set of regulations and standards relating to the nature and extent of uses of land and structures. For example, land that is zoned for residential uses can often be used for single family housing or multiple family housing units, such as apartments, duplexes, or townhomes.

Millbrook Marsh in College Township is an example of a wetland located in the Centre Region.

34 Centre Regional Planning Agency 35 Patton College

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Centre Regional Planning Agency 2643 Gateway Drive State College, PA 16803 814-231-3050 www.crcog.net/planning