Glossary of Terms

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Access Control- Controlling who goes into/out of a neighbourhood, building, park, etc. (i.e. landscaping or fencing).

Accessibility- The ability of people to move to, from and within an area to reach places and facilities, including elderly disabled and disabled persons and those with children.

Activity Node- Concentration of activity at a particular point.

Adaptability- The capacity of a building or space to be changed so as to respond to changing social, technological and economic conditions.

Activity Generator- Encouraging activities in public spaces for residents and other legitimate users to discourage criminal acts from taking place in that area.

Activity Support- The design of public spaces and places that encourage the intended use of the space by residents.

Adjacent Land Owner- The property owner (listed on the City tax roll) of the land next to the site on which an application is being processed.

Amenity Space- On-site, common or private, indoor or outdoor space, designed for active or passive recreational use.

Area Redevelopment Plan- (ARP) A statutory plan that identifies planning goals and objectives of residents, owners, and business people in an existing area. It is a basic community planning document that can address with zoning, traffic, parks, social issues etc.

Area Structure Plan- (ASP) A statutory plan that establishes the general planning framework for future subdivision and development of an area of undeveloped land.

Building Elements- Doors, windows, cornices and other features which contribute to the overall design of a building.

Building Envelope- The three dimensional space within which a building may be built. The length and width is what is left over after minimum setbacks are taken and the height is the maximum allowed in the Land Use District.

Building Height -The height determined by creating a line parallel to grade along each building elevation and separated vertically from grade by the maximum allowable height for the Land Use District. Such line may be exceeded only by:

Ancillary structures (e.g. elevator housing or chimney).

 Building Setback- The line formed by the frontages of building or homes along a street. The building line can be shown on a plan or section.

Bulk- The combined effect of the arrangement, volume and shape of a building or group of building. Also called massing.

Certainty of Use (C.U)- A category of disrectionary uses in the Land Use Bylaw, that cannot be refused on the basis of use – for example, an apartment in RM-4. Projects may, however, be refused for other reasons, such as not enough parking.

Change of Use- A type of Development Permit required when the use is changing from a permitted use to a discretionary use (e.g.- restaurant to drinking establishment) or one discretionary use to another discretionary use (e.g.- child care facility to private school).

Character Assessment -An area appraisal identifying distinguishing physical features and emphasising historical and cultural associations.

Charrette- A design exercise where community members, planners, architects, designers or artists work together to develop visual solutions for a planning problem or concept.

Context- The setting or a site or area, including factors such as traffic, activities and land uses as well as landscape and built form.

Corporate Planning- City staff from Engineering and Environmental Services, Parks

Crime Pattern Analysis- Carried out by the Police and is available through District offices. It can be comprised of four elements: crime series identification, trend identification, "hot spot" analysis and general profile analysis. The last aspect includes an examination of demographic and social change and impact on criminal activity and law enforcement.

Crime Prevention Through- Based upon a theory that the proper design and effective use

Defensible Space- Public and semi-public space that is "defensible" in the sense that it is surveyed, demarcated or maintained by someone. Derived from Oscar Newman’s 1973 study of the same name, and an important concept in securing public safety in urban areas. Defensible space is also dependent upon the existence of escape routes and level of anonymity which can be anticipated by the users of the space.

Density- The floorspace of a building or buildings or some other unit of measure in relation to a given area of land. Built density can be expressed in terms of plot ratio (for commercial development); number of units or habitable units per acre or hectare (for residential development); site coverage plus the number of floors or a maximum building height; or a combination of these.

Design Guide- A document providing guidance on how development can be carried out in accordance with the design policies of a local authority or other organization often with a view to maintain or retail local distinctiveness.

Design Principle- An expression of one of the basic design ideas within urban design framework, design guide, development brief or a development.

Design Standards- Specific, usually quantifiable measures of amenity and safety in residential areas.

Design Statement- (a) a pre-application design statement is made by a developer to indicate the design principles on which a development proposal in progress is based. It enables the local authority to give an initial response to the main issues raised by the proposal. (b) A planning application design statement sets out the design principles that the planning applicant has adopted in relation to the site and its wider context.

Design Workshop: -see "charrette".

Development Brief -A document, prepared by a local planning authority, a developer, or jointly, providing guidance on how a site of significant size or sensitivity should be developed. Site-specific briefs are sometimes known as planning briefs, design briefs and development frameworks.

Discretionary Use- All discretionary uses require a development permit. Unlike Permitted Uses, a discretionary use may be refused if the use does not fit in the proposed location or if the Development Authority believes it would adversely impact the area.

Certain Discretionary Uses, however, that are marked C.U. (Certainty of Use) in the Land Use Bylaw cannot be refused on the basis of use only.

The Development Authority must evaluate the application, on its merits, having regard to Council approved plans and policies, the rules (minimum standards) of the Land Use Bylaw and the local context.

Downzoning- A change of land use designation that decreases the allowed density or intensity of use.

Dwelling Unit- Two or more rooms that have kitchen, sleeping and sanitary facilities.

Elevation- The façade of a building, or the drawing of the façade.

Elevation Plan- A drawing of the front, side or rear of a building.

Enclosure- The use of buildings to create a sense of a defined space.

Feasibility -The viability of development in relation to economic and market conditions.

Floor Area Ratio (FAR)- The ratio of the gross floor area of a building to the area of the site.

Form- The layout (structure and urban grain), density (height and massing), appearance (materials and details) and landscape of development.

Grade- The height of the finished ground surface.

Height-The height of a building can be expressed in terms of a maximum number of floors; a maximum height or parapet or ridge; a maximum overall height; any of these maximum heights in combination with a maximum number of floors; a ratio of building height to street space width; height relative to particular landmarks or background buildings; or strategic views.

Maintenance- A well maintained street frontage ‘claims territory" from public space and ‘tells’ the passer-by that the residents care for what is going on in their streets.

On-site Parking- Parking within a building’s site boundary, rather that on a public street or space.

Infrastructure- The foundation and facilities that are needed to service communities (roads, utilities).

Land Use Designation- The legal control on the use and intensity of

Land Use District- An area of the city designated for particular uses contained in the Land Use Bylaw.

Landmark- A building or structure that stands out from its background by virtue of height, size or some other aspect of design.

Landscape- The character or appearance of land, including its shape, form, ecology, natural features, colours and elements and way these components may be combined.

Landscaping- The change and enhancement of a site by:

Architectural elements consisting of wing walls, sculptures and the like.

Layout- The way buildings, routes and open spaces are placed in relation to each other.

Layout Structure- The framework or hierarchy of routes that connect in the local area and at wider scales.

Legibility- The degree to which a place can be easily understood and

Lighting- Used for different purposes such as spatial orientation, time orientation, to focus on activities, for personal space, to create pleasant spaces, recreational spaces, and for security. Different types of lighting and different levels of lighting are used depending upon the purpose.

Local Character- The positive features of a place and its communities which contribute to its special character and sense of place.

Massing- The combined effect of the height, bulk and silhouette of a building or group of buildings.

Mixed Uses -A mix of uses within a building, on a site or within a particular area. "Horizontal" mixed used are side by side, usually in different buildings. "Vertical" mixed uses are on different floors of the same building.

Modal Split- How the total number of journeys in an area or to a destination is split between different means of transport, such as train, bus, car, walking and cycling.

Movement- People and/or vehicles going to and passing through buildings, places and spaces. The movement network can be shown on plans, by space syntax analysis, by highway designation, by figure and ground diagrams, through data on origins and destinations or pedestrian flows, by desire lines, by details of public transport services, by walk bands or by details of cycle routes.

Natural surveillance- Creating sightlines. Natural surveillance guides the placement of windows, lighting and landscaping which affect how much can be seen.

Net Floor Area- A total floor area, above grade, measured from the outside of the walls excluding stairways, elevators, mechanical rooms, hallways, lobbies, washrooms, garbage storage and internal parking areas.

Node- A place where activity and routes are concentrated. Also called a junction.

Permeability- The degree to which an area has a variety of pleasant, convenient and safe routes through it.

Perspective- Illustration showing the view from a particular point as the human eye would see it.

Principle Use- The main purpose for which a building or site is used.

Public Area- The parts of a village, town or city (whether or publicly or privately owned) that are available, without charge, for everyone to use or see, including streets, squares and parks. Also called public realm or public domain.

Public/private Interface- The point at which public area and buildings meet private ones.

Relaxation- The term used when a variance of one of the rules of the Land Use Bylaw is being considered.

Revised Plans- Drawings submitted for minor revisions to a Development Permit or Building Permit.

Road Right of Way- The land used or set aside for future use of the roadway, including the sidewalk and boulevard.

Road Widening Setback- Property identified in the Land Use Bylaw required for future road, pedestrian improvements or underground services.

Scale- The impression of a building when seen in relation to its surroundings, or the size of parts of a building or details, particularly as experienced in relation to the size of the person. Sometimes it is the total dimensions of a building which give it its sense of scale: at other times it is the size of the elements and the way they are combined. The concept is a difficult and ambiguous: often the word is used simply as a synonym for "size".

Section- Drawing showing a slice through a building or site.

Semi-detached Dwelling- A single building that has two side-by-side dwelling units, separated from each other by a party-wall. This is compared with a duplex, which has two units one above another.

Sight Lines- Unobstructed line of vision.

Single Detached Dwelling- A residential building that has one dwelling unit only (not including a mobile home).

Site Plan- "Bird’s Eye" drawing of the land on which an application is being made. The side plan should include the yard, existing trees, proposed buildings, etc.

Sound Attenuation- To reduce the levels of sound or noise.

Street Furniture- Structures in and adjacent to the street which contribute to the street scene, such as bus shelters, garbage receptacles, seating, lighting, railings and signs.

Streetscape- All the elements that make up the physical environment of a street and define its character. This includes trees, building type, style, setback, etc.

Target Hardening- The use of locks, bars. Lighting, etc. to secure a place or space.

Territoriality- The delineation of ownership of private to semi-public to
public space.  This ownership creates an environment where the appearance of
strangers and intruders stands out.

Territorial Reinforcement- 

Topography- A description or representation of artificial or natural features on or of the ground.

Upzoning- A land use amendment that increases the allowed density or intensity of use.

Urban design- The art of making places. Urban design involves the design of buildings, groups of buildings, spaces and landscapes, in villages, towns, or cities, and the establishment of frameworks and processes which facilitate successful development.

Urban design framework- A document which informs the preparation of development plan policies, or sets out in detail how they are to be implemented in a particular area where there is a need to control, guide and promote change. Area development frameworks are also called a variety of other names, including urban design strategies, area development frameworks, spatial masterplans, and planning and urban design frameworks.

Vernacular- The way in which ordinary buildings were built in a particular place, making use of local styles, techniques and materials and responding to local economic and social conditions.

View -What is visible from a particular point.

Visibility- Capable of affording an unobstructed view.

Vista- An enclosed view, usually long and narrow.

Yard- The distance a building must be from the front, side or rear property lines.

Zero Lot Line- A lot, specifically designed to allow the building to be build on the property line.

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