Glossary

Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce

American Planning Association (APA) standardised model used to categorise land use based on its charcteristics. Such characteristics are defined as; Activity, Function, Structure, Site Development Character, and Ownership Type.

The division of a parcel into two or more parcels, the construction, reconstruction, conversion, structural alteration, relocation or enlargement of any building or structure, or of any mining, excavation or landfill, and any change in the use of any building or structure, or land, or extension of use of land (24 VSA 4303 (10)).

Developed by the Soil Conservation Service, a LESA establishes the process set out in 6 VSA 8 for the identification of agricultural lands.

A nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving land with high conservation values through land acquisition and protective conservation easements. Properties are chosen based on their natural, scenic, or historic character or to preserve current uses such as faming or silvaculture.

The purpose for which land or the structures on the land are being utilized (e.g., commercial, residential, or retail). Also used as a description of activities found throughout an urban area.

The Land Use Allocation Module (LUAM) has been used by CCMPO & CCRPC to forecast future land use patterns. The primary data inputs are; housing & employment by type of Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) in the model, physical constrains data, and zoning data.

The NRB panel that oversees the activities of the District Environmental Commissions, provides administrative support and enforcement of Act 250 permits, and conducts rulemaking related to the Act 250 program.

An Element of a Comprehensive Plan that designates policies regarding the future use of land. The plan may be an ultimate plan (depicting the land uses that are contemplated once all of the community’s land is developed) or it may govern a fixed period of time (such as a five-year plan).

A disposal site where refuse and earth (or other suitable cover material) are deposited and compacted in alternative layers of specified depth in accordance with an approved plan.

A special area of a lot set aside for the purpose of reducing the Adverse Impacts that a land use on a lot has on nearby land uses. A buffer may be in addition to required Setback distances and may be required to contain a Screen or landscaping.

Road centerline miles multiplied by the number of lanes. Hence, a four-lane road that is 5 miles long is 20 Lane Miles.

A development pat-tern/process in which development occurs at a great distance from areas of Urban Development, such that there is not a smooth transition from more intensively developed areas to less intensively developed (or undeveloped) areas. Typically, it is discouraged because it requires infrastructure to be provided in less efficient ways.

The select-board in the case of a town, the trustees in the case of an incorporated village, and the mayor, alderpersons, and city council members in the case of a city, and the supervisor in the case of an unorganized town or gore (24 VSA 4303 (9)).

Refering to “Containers” or ISO multimodal shipping Containers; Less-Than-Container-Load.

A property right that is less than full ownership of a property (such as a Conservation Easement or Right-of-Way). See Fee Simple.

LTL carriers haul general freight in less than a full truckload quantity, often in a short-haul or regional move. “For-hire” LTL’s often combine freight from multiple shippers and operate local pickup and delivery service in urban areas on regular routes (known as line-haul relays, or terminal to terminal service). “Private” LTL’s typically handle short-haul moves between warehouses and retailers as an in-house service.

A system of indicating delay at signalized intersections, which is graded on a letter scale from A to F, generally outlined by the HCM as: A <= 10 sec, B = 10-20 sec, C = 20-35 sec, D = 35-55 sec, E = 55-80 sec, F > 80sec.

Passenger cars, pick-up trucks, vans, or light-duty trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,500 lbs. or less, plus an adjusted loaded vehicle weight of 5,751 lbs. or less

Generally applies to single- or double-car rail transport that uses mostly mixed, but not usually grade-separated, rights-of-way. LRT is an intermediate-capacity, intermediate-speed mode with service capabilities between heavy rail transit and local bus. Other forms and terms of LRT include; electric trolleys, streetcars, or tramways.

A highway intended for free-flow traffic, which has a limited number of interchanges.

Transport along a single corridor without branches.

The unobstructed view from an intersection down an intersecting roadway. Sufficient line of sight allows for enough driver reaction time and vehicle movement to avoid collisions during turning movements (Also see Intersection Sight Distance).

A major component of the Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) program that assigns a separate link and node GIS database for all National Highway System (NHS) Routes, Rural & Urban Principal Arterial roads, and Rural Minor Arterial roads.

An element of a transportation network that represents a segment which terminates in a node at the other end. A link may have a number of attributes, including distances, number of lanes, capacity, and direction, and is often assigned a travel time function to the volume of traffic using the link.

A natural gas fuel comprised mainly of methane, cooled to below its boiling point of -260 degrees Fahrenheit, where it becomes a liquid. LNG is stored at very low temperatures within a special low-pressurized vacuum container. LNG does not burn in liquid form.

A committee under the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC), LEPC function is to provide resources and guidance to Chittenden County communities through education, coordination and assistance in hazmat planning, as well as to assure public health and safety.

Otherwise known as “Local Tranportation Facilities”, it is the State program administering development of Enhancement Projects, Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, Safe Routes to School Projects, Park-n-Rides, Scenic Byways and “Local” Projects. The majority of the projects have a high degree of local focus and for the most part, development and construction is managed by local municipalities.

Transit service involving many stops and low operating speeds with the purpose of picking up or delivering passengers as closely as possible to origins and destinations.

Street designed to provide access to and from homes and businesses.

Federally funded program to enable local governments to improve their roads and bridges by providing training and information.

Also known as “Local Enhancements”, LTF is a Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) program established to assist local governments with project implementation for; Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, Safe Routes to School Projects, Park-n-Rides, Scenic Byways and other “Local” Projects.

An area officially designated by a municipality in an adopted plan or bylaw (regardless whether the area has been designated by the State as a growth center) that is intended to accommodate mixed-use development at densities greater than other areas within the municipality.

A long-range document required by federal law that identifies facilities and programs that should function as an integrated metropolitan transportation system and includes a financial plan that demonstrates how the long-range plan can be implemented. Federal requirement for MPOs and Agencies of Transportation to undertake every five years and looks out 20-25 years.

Vehicles with two or more trailer units that have gross weights of more than 80,000 pounds. LCVs typically include four vehicle types: 1. “ROCKY MOUNTAIN DOUBLE” – (105,000 lbs./Len. 95’/3 Trailers: 1 = 48′, 2 = 28′), 2. “TURNPIKE DOUBLE” – (Wt. 135,000 lbs./Len. 120’/2 Trailers of 48′), 3. “TRIPLE TRAILER” – (Wt. 110,000 lbs./Len. 110’/3 Trailers of 28′), 4. “STAA DOUBLE (WESTERN DOUBLE)” – (Wt. ?/Len. 65’/2 Trailers of 28′).

Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) is an innovative program within the U.S. Census Bureau using modern statistical and computing techniques to combine federal and state administrative data on employers and employees to derive their commuting patterns. The process generalizes datasets to protect the confidentiality of people and firms that provide information. This data is often useful in determining commuter-sheds in tandem with the Census Transportation Planning Package (CTPP).

Sensory equipment installed beneath the road surface that helps to monitor, collect data, and manage incidents of vehicle traffic.

A local street that curves to intersect the same street at each of the loop street’s ends and that intersects no other street (except possibly a cul-de-sac).

A parcel of land intended to serve as a unit of ownership, transfer, rent, use, improvement, or development. 10 VSA 6001 (11): Any undivided interest in land, whether freehold or leasehold, including but not limited to interests created by trusts, partnerships, corporations, co-tenancies and contracts.

The horizontal area contained within a lot’s Lot Lines (typically excluding that portion contained within street right-of-ways).

The total area of a Lot that is covered by Impervious Surfaces.

The horizontal distance between the front Lot Line and the rear Lot Line of a Lot. Some communities measure lot depth using the mean average distance; others use the shortest distance.

The boundary line of a lot.

The horizontal distance between side Lot Lines. Some communities measure lot width at the Building Line; others at the Street Line.

A vehicle certified to meet low emission standards set by the California Air Resources Board. These regulations are stricter than the US national “Tier” regulations.

According to the MUTCD (Section 5A.01), a low volume road is: “a facility lying outside of built-up areas of cities, towns, and communities, and it shall have a traffic volume of less than 400 AADT.” According to the AASHTO “Green Book” (i.e. Guidelines for Geometric Design of Very Low-Volume Local Roads), a low volume road has an “ADT less than or equal to 400”.