Departments & Services
Glossary
Glossary of Terms
Set forth below are certain terms used at Planning Board meetings.
The list is not intended to be exhaustive nor are the terms intended
to be legally binding definitions.
Rather, the terms are intended to be helpful to the general public
to better understand and
participate in the Planning Board meetings.
A
"Applicant" means the person or entity filing an application with
the Planning Board.
"Aquifer" means a water-bearing geologic formation, sometimes confined
between clay layers and sometimes on the surface; the source of ground water for drinking and irrigation.
B
"Bank" means the inclined sides of the stream channel.
"Bed" means the floor of the stream channel.
"Berm" means a low earthen ridge
constructed as a landscaping feature or to direct runoff or
deflect noise.
"Buffer Area" means a strip of land of specified width containing
natural woodlands, earth mounds or other planted screening material and separating one kind of land use from another or separating a planned development from any other form of development.
C
"Conservation Easement" means an
easement that is designed to preserve the property from disturbance.
"Coverage" means the portion of
the lot covered by impervious surfaces and expressed as a
percentage in which the numerator is the area of the lot covered
by impervious surfaces, and the denominator is the gross area
of the lot.
"Cross-Acceptance" or "Cross-acceptance
Process" means the process
of comparing the provisions and maps of municipal, county,
and regional plans and regulations with the
State Plan and the dialogue which occurs among participants
during and after this process to achieve consistency among the plans. The three phases of
cross-acceptance are comparison, negotiation, and final review. Cross acceptance
is required by the State Planning Act and described further in the State Planning Rules.
"C" Variances - see "Variances"
D
"Deed Restriction" means a limitation that is recorded with the
county and to which subsequent owners are bound, on development, maintenance,
or use of a property.
"Development Rights" means the nature and extent to which land,
including air space above and subsurface resources, may be developed under applicable
zoning and other land use planning regulations.
"Down Zoning" means a change in
zoning classification that permits development that is less
dense or intense.
"D" Variance - see "Variances"
E
"Easement" means written and recorded
authorization by a property owner for the use of a designated
part of the property by others for a specified purpose. Easements
may be purchased from the property owner or donated by the owner
to the municipality or other public agency.
"Eminent Domain" means the right
of the government to take private property for public use
with appropriate compensation for the owner.
"Erosion" means the detachment
and movement of soil or rock fragments by water, wind, ice
and gravity.
"Eutrophication" means a process affecting waters that are rich in
mineral and organic nutrients, whereby plant life (especially algae) proliferates,
eventually reducing the dissolved oxygen content and often killing off other organisms.
"Exception" means certain types of relief that an applicant may request
in conjunction with a development application before the Planning Board.
"Exceptional Resource Value Wetlands" - See
Wetlands
F
"Final Approval" means a final, official approval of the Planning
Board of development applications after all conditions, engineering plans and other
requirements have been completed or fulfilled and the required improvements have
been installed or guarantees properly posted for their completion, or approval conditioned
upon the posting of such guarantees. Final Approval also grants the Applicant rights
against changes in zoning requirements for two years after the Planning Board's adoption
of a resolution of final approval.
"Flood Plain" means nearly level area adjacent to a stream, river
or other water body, subject to flooding or inundation under heavy rain or blockage
conditions. A "100-year floodplain" would include the area or flooding from a
storm that has a one percent chance of occurring.
"Floor Area" means the area of all floors computed by using the dimensions
of the outside walls of each floor of a building. Only those areas
having five feet or more of clear headroom with completed floors, ceilings and partitions
may be considered in computing the second floor area of a one-and-one-half-story
house and at least 1/2 of the included second floor area shall have a minimum ceiling height
of seven feet six inches. Cellars (but not basements), porches, balconies, patios, terraces,
breezeways, enclosed pedestrian walkways, carports, verandas and garages are excluded,
as is enclosed parking for nonresidential use except that enclosed porches and patios
which are heated and used year-round shall be counted in computing the floor area.
"Floor Area Ratio" (FAR) means the sum of the area of all floors
of buildings or structures compared to the total area of the site.
"Front Lot Line" means the lot line separating a lot from the street.
G
"Greenway" means a corridor of permanently preserved public and/or
private land linking or connected with various parts of a municipality or between municipalities that may be established as scenic and recreational open space or set aside for non-recreational uses.
"Groundwater" means all water below the surface of the land in an
aquifer or geologic formation that forms the natural reservoir for potable water.
I
"Impervious Surface" means an artificial surface (such as pavement,
concrete, or buildings) that prevents or essentially prevents the infiltration
of water from the land surface into the soil and subsurface layers.
"Impoundment" means a body of water confined by a dam, dike, floodgate
or other barrier.
"Infill" means the development of the last remaining lots in an existing
developed area, the new development within an area already served by existing
infrastructure and services, or the reuse of already developed, but unused properties.
"Infrastructure" means public utilities, facilities, and delivery
systems such as storm sewers, sanitary sewers, streets, curbing, sidewalks and other
public utilities and services.
"Intermediate Resource Value Wetlands" - see
"Wetlands"
L
"Landfill" means a disposal facility for solid waste, which is compacted
and covered in accordance with an approved plan.
"Lot" means a designated parcel, tract or area of land to be used,
developed or built upon as a unit.
"Lot Coverage" - see
"Coverage"
"Lot Lines" means the property lines at the perimeter of a lot.
"Lot Width" means the distance between the side lot lines measured
at the front yard setback line.
M
"Major Subdivision" means the division of a lot, tract or parcel
of land into more than one lot, tracts, parcels or other divisions of land for sale
or development. One of the major responsibilities of the Planning Board is the review
of subdivisions.
"Master Plan" means a report or statement of land use and development
proposals with maps, diagrams and text that serves as the basic guide for
community development. It projects the municipality's long-range development goals and
policies. The Planning Board prepares the Master Plan and is responsible for its
content. Click here for a copy of the current Master Plan. The Master Plan is required to
be reexamined by the Planning Board at least every six years and recommendations
are made to the Township Committee for appropriate ordinance changes.
"Minor Subdivision" means the division
of a lot or lots, tracts or parcels of land, in which the
number of proposed new lots will be a net gain of no more
than one new lot.
"Mitigation" means the process or method used to alleviate or lesson
impacts of a development.
"MLUL" means the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law under which municipalities
are enabled to enact a Master Plan and land use ordinances.
"Modification" means certain types
of relief that an applicant may request in conjunction with
a development application before the Planning Board.
N
"Natural Resource Inventory" means a survey, description and analysis
of natural resources and general environmental characteristics usually
including but not limited to data on soils, geology, topography and vegetation for a given
geographic area that is useful in land use planning and to aid in review of development
applications.
"Negative Criteria" means proof required in every variance application
that there is no substantial negative impact on the zone plan, zoning ordinance,
or public good as a result of any variances approved.
"NJDCA" means the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, a state
agency charged with overseeing local government services, housing,
Finance, etc. in New Jersey.
"NJDEP" means the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection,
a state agency charged with protection and preservation of natural resources
and control of toxins in the natural environment in New Jersey.
"NJDOT" means the New Jersey Department of Transportation, a state
agency charged with development and maintenance of transportation infrastructure
in New Jersey.
"Nonconforming Use" means a use
or activity that lawfully existed prior to the adoption, revision
or amendment of an ordinance but that fails to conform to
the current requirements of the ordinance.
"Nonconforming Lot" means a lot, the area, dimension or location
of which was lawful prior to the adoption, revision or amendment of an ordinance
but that fails to conform to the current requirements of the ordinance.
"Nonpoint Source Pollution" means
pollution that results from storm water runoff over different
land uses, roads and parking lots to receiving waters.
O
"Ordinance" means a local law; a legislative enactment by a local
governing body.
"Ordinary Resource Value Wetlands" - see
"Wetlands"
P
"Point Source Pollution" means pollution that is derived from a localized,
single source and is discharged from a pipe or other distinct source.
"Preliminary Approval" means the
conferral of certain development rights granted to an applicant
by the Planning Board prior to Final Approval after specific
elements of a development plan have been agreed upon by the Planning Board
and the Applicant. Generally, a Preliminary Approval protects the development
application against changes in zoning for a period of three years.
R
"Rear Lot Line" means a lot line, generally opposite the front lot
line.
"Right of Way" means a strip of land occupied by or intended to be
occupied by a street, cross-walk, walkway, utility line, or other access.
"Runoff" means the water that flows off the surface of the land,
ultimately into our streams and water bodies, without being absorbed into the
soil.
S
"Scenic Corridor" means a publicly accessible Right of Way and the
views of expanses of water, land or other scenic vistas that can be seen from
the Right of Way.
"Side Lot Line" means a lot line that is neither a front lot line
nor a rear lot line.
"Site Plan" means a development plan on which it is shown certain
information and data required by the MLUL and the Township's zoning ordinance and
rules.
"Spot Zoning" means a change in the zoning that provides a benefit
to a property which is not available to others similarly situated; which is generally
regarded as undesirable or illegal because it violates equal treatment and sound planning
principles.
"Stormwater Management" means the control of the quantity of runoff,
which affects flooding, and of pollutants generated at a development site
and carried in storm water.
"Stream Corridor" means the area (containing Wetlands, Flood Plains,
woodlands, unique habitats and steep slopes) which lies between relatively
level uplands and stream banks and through which water, draining from the uplands,
flows and is naturally cleansed and stored.
U
"Up Zoning" means a change in zoning classification that permits
development that is more dense or intensive.
V
"Variance" means certain types of relief that an applicant may request
in conjunction with a development application before the Planning Board.
Click here for more information on Variances.
- "C(1)" Variance refers to MLUL Section 40:55D-70.c(1)
where the applicant is required to demonstrate peculiar and exceptional practical
difficulties or exceptional and undue hardship due to (a) the exceptional narrowness, shallowness
or shape of a specific piece of property, (b) exceptional topographic conditions
or physical features uniquely affecting a specific piece of property, or (c) an extraordinary
and exceptional situation uniquely affecting a specific piece of property.
- "C(2)" Variance refers to MLUL Section 40:55D-70.c(2)
which allows the granting of a variance where the purposes of the MLUL would
be advanced by a deviation from the zoning ordinance requirements and the benefits
would outweigh any detriment to the public good.
- "D" Variance refers to MLUL Section 40:55D-70.d
which allows the granting of use variances, nonconforming use variances, conditional use
variances, and floor area ratio, density and height variances. Applications for "D" variances
can only be reviewed by the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
W
"Watershed" means the areas where
precipitation drains to a single body of water such as a river,
wetland or lake.
"Wetlands" means an area having specific hydric soils, water table
characteristics and supporting or capable of supporting wetlands vegetation.
- "Exceptional Resource Value Wetlands" means freshwater
wetlands exhibiting any of the following characteristics: those which discharge
into certain specified waters or their tributaries; or those on which are present habitats
for threatened or endangered species, or those which are documented habitats for threatened
or endangered species, and which remain suitable for breeding, resting, or feeding
by those species during the normal periods these species would use the habitat. These
wetlands have a 150-ft wide uplands buffer called a transition area.
- "Ordinary Resource Value Wetlands" means
freshwater wetlands which are isolated wetlands which are
more than fifty percent surrounded by development and less
than
5, 000 square feet in size. These wetlands have no buffer
transition area.
Z
"Zone" means an area designated by an ordinance where specified uses
are permitted.
References and Other Resources:
Cox, William M. with Donald M. Ross, New Jersey Zoning and
Land Use Administration (Gann Law Books, Newark, NJ), published annually
Kienz, Glenn C., The New Millennium Guide to Planning Boards & Zoning
Boards of Adjustment (New Jersey Planning Officials, 2000)
The League of Women Voters of New Jersey, "Local Planning and Zoning & How
to Get Involved" with accompanying Land Use Glossary www.lwvnj.org
Moskowitz, H. and Lindbloom, C., The New Illustrated Book
of Development Definitions, 1993
Municipal Land Use Law, Chapter 291, Laws of New Jersey, 1975,
as amended.
Raritan Basin Watershed Management Plan, Acronyms and Glossary,
www.raritanbasin.org
Residential Site Improvement Standards, NJAC 5:21-1
State Planning Commission, State Development and Redevelopment
Plan, 2001
Wisconsin Department of Environmental Resources, Land-Use
Lingo: A Glossary of Land-Use Terms, 2001.