Chapter 12 - Land Use, Subdivision, & Housing Vocabulary Flashcards
Chap 12 Vocab
abatement of nuisance
Extinction or termination of conduct or activity that interferes with use or enjoyment of property.
Allodial System
The system of land ownership that allows anyone to own land.
Amperage
Amount of electricity going through electric wires, measured in amperes (amps).
anchor bolt
(1) Attaches mud sill to foundation. (2) Embedded in concrete foundation.
Anchor Tenant
Major department or chain store strategically located at shopping centers to give maximum exposure to smaller satellite stores. A center may have several anchor tenants. Also called Magnet Store.
Area Variance
Entitles landowners to use land in a way that is typically not allowed by the dimensional or physical requirements of the zoning law.
Association Fees
Monthly fees paid by each condominium or cooperative owner for common area expenses such as utilities, management, building maintenance, hazard and liability insurance for the common areas of the property, and other amenities.
bearing wall
A wall that supports a vertical load as well as its own weight.
board foot
A unit of measurement for lumber equal to the volume of the board: one foot wide, one foot long, one inch thick (144 cubic inches).
British Thermal Unit (BTU)
The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit; used to measure the capacity of furnaces and air-conditioning units.
Building Code
A means of setting construction standards, requiring builders to use particular methods and materials; regulations establishing minimum standards for construction and materials.
Building Inspection
A process whereby local government officials ensure compliance with state and local building codes.
Building Permits
Official documents from a local government or other authority that allow the beginning of a construction or remodeling project.
Bylaws
Rules and regulations that govern the activities of condominium and cooperative associations, including the purpose of the building, rules for elections and voting, and frequency of board of directors or shareholders meetings.
Cease and Desist Order
Administrative agency directive to stop an offending activity.
City Planning
The effort on the part of the city to coordinate, direct, and control the type of development taking place so as to ensure maximum benefits to the populace.
commercial acre
(1) The area remaining from an acre of newly subdivided land after deducting the area devoted to streets, sidewalks, alleys, curbs, etc. (2) Also known as a buildable acre.
Commercial Property
Property zoned and used for business purposes, such as warehouses, restaurants, and office buildings (as distinguished from residential, industrial, or agricultural property).
Common Area Maintenance (CAM)
All costs incurred in maintaining the common areas of a commercial property, including parking lot sweeping and repair, snow removal, common utilities, landscaping, and other maintenance tasks. CAM costs are usually prorated among all tenants.
Common Areas
The land and improvements in a condominium or cooperative that all residents use and own as tenants in common, such as the parking lot, hallways, and recreational facilities. Common Law Law that has developed over many years through court decisions and other precedents. – An entire common interest subdivision except the separate interests therein.
common interest development
A common-interest development combining the individual ownership of private dwellings with the shared ownership of common facilities of the entire project.
common interest subdivision
Individuals owning a separate lot or unit, with an interest in the common areas of the entire project. The common areas are usually governed by a homeowners’ association.
Comprehensive Plan
A written document prepared by a local planning board that identifies the goals, objectives, principles, guidelines, policies, standards, and strategies for the growth and development of a community, including its housing needs. Also called Master Plan.
Conditional Use (Permit)
A land use that does not comply with the general zoning rules for the zone in which it is located, but is permitted because it benefits the public, for example, a hospital in a residential neighborhood. Also called Special Exception or Special Use.
Condominium
A property developed for co-ownership, with each co-owner having a separate interest in an individual unit, combined with an undivided interest in the common areas of the property and air space consisting of the area between the walls, floor, and ceiling. – A housing unit consisting of a separate fee interest in a particular specific space, plus an undivided interest in all common or public areas of the development. Each unit owner has a deed, separate financing and pays the property taxes for their unit.
Cooperative
A type of property ownership under which residents have the right to occupy a unit by purchasing stock shares in the corporation that owns the property. – (1) Ownership of an apartment unit in which the owner has purchased shares in the corporation that holds title to the entire building. (2) A residential multi-family building.
Co-Ownership
Any form of ownership in which two or more people share title to a piece of property, holding undivided interests. Also called Co-Tenancy or Concurrent Ownership.
Crawl Space
Unfinished space below the first floor of a house, less than a full story in height, usually containing plumbing and other functional elements. – Exterior or interior opening permitting access underneath a building, as required by building codes.
Curtesy
An interest held by a married person in the real property owned by a spouse; refers to a husband’s interest in his wife’s property. Not recognized in all states.
Dedication
The donation of real property by a private owner to the public.
Downzoning
A zone change from a high density use to a lower density use. For example, a commercial zone to a light industrial zone.
Eminent Domain
The government’s constitutional power to take private property for public use, as long as the owner is paid just compensation. (Condemnation is the action; eminent domain is the right.) – (1) The right of the government to take private property from an owner, for the public good, paying air market value.
Encapsulation
The process of applying a sealant to asbestos-containing material, which penetrates the material’s surface, preventing the release of the dangerous fibers into the air.
energy efficient ratio
(1) A measurement of the efficiency of energy; used to determine the effectiveness of appliances. (2) Also known as EER.
ENERGY STAR
A program, managed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, that sets standards for energy-efficient consumer products and homes.
Environmental Impact Report
(1) A study of how a development will affect the ecology of its surroundings. (2) Also known as EIR.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The federal agency tasked with creating and enforcing environmental protection standards, helping others with environmental pollution problems, and providing research on environmental issues.
Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)
A due diligence analysis of real property to determine the possibility of environmental contamination. An ESA can have up to four phases: I-Investigation; II-Testing; III-Remediation; IV-Management.
Estuary
Where sea water and fresh water mix together.
Floor Load Capacity
The weight (pounds per square foot) or load that the floor of a structure can handle.
Foundation
The basic structure on which the rest of the building will sit. A foundation can be concrete slab, pier and beams, crawl space, or basement.
gable roof
A pitched roof with two sloping sides.
gambrel roof
Typically seen in Dutch colonial architecture, is a curbed roof, with a steep lower slope with a flatter one above.
general plan
A direction of future development. Comprehensive long term plan for land use, housing, conservation, space, noise, and safety.
General Warranty Deed
A deed in which the grantor warrants the title against any and all defects that might have arisen before or during his or her period of ownership. Also called Standard Warranty Deed or Simple Warranty Deed.
Home Energy Rating System (HERS)
A measurement of a home’s energy efficiency used primarily in the United States; in the HERS Index, the higher the score, the less energy efficient the home is.
Home Inspection
An unbiased, systematic, noninvasive, visual inspection of the physical structure and systems of a home.
Home Warranty
A contract between a homeowner and a home warranty company that provides coverage for the covers repair or replacement of named components of the home for a specified period of time, such as one year.
HVAC
The mnemonic for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning.
Immobility
Incapable of being moved; fixed in location, such as land.
Incurable Depreciation
Elements of a structure which are neither physically possible nor economically feasible to correct.
Linear Feet
The total length in feet around a perimeter. For example, a 20-foot x 30-foot garden will take 100 linear feet of fencing (20 + 30 + 20 + 30. – A measurement of length rather than area (square foot) or volume (cubic feet).
Master Deed
A document that converts a parcel of land into a condominium regime. Also called Enabling Declaration, Declaration of Condominium, or Declaration Agreement.
Master Plan
A program for the future development of a community which serves as the guideline for capital expenditures.
Mold
A fungus that can release toxins into the environment causing allergic reactions in some people.
Net Zero Home
A home that produces as much energy as it consumes.
Nonconforming Use
Property use that doesn’t conform to current zoning laws but is allowed because the property was being used that way before the new zoning law was passed. Also referred to as being “grandfathered in.” Legal use of property that at one period was established and maintained at the time of its original construction but no longer conforms to the current zoning law.
Parcel
A specific lot or piece of real estate, particularly a specified part of a larger tract.
parcel map
Map showing a parcel of land that will be subdivided into less than five parcels or units, and shows land boundaries, streets, and parcel numbers.
percolating water
Underground water not flowing in a defined channel.
percolation test
Test used to determine the ability of the land to absorb and drain water and is frequently used when installing septic systems.
Permits
Official government documents that acknowledge work a person wants to do on a property and allow it to be done.
Pitch
A roof’s vertical rise in inches, divided by its horizontal span in feet. The slope, incline, or rise of a roof.
planned development
(1) A planning and zoning term describing land not subject to conventional zoning to permit clustering of residences or other characteristics of the project which differ from normal zoning. (2) Sometimes called a planned unit development (PUD).
Police Power
The constitutional power of state and local governments to enact and enforce laws that protect the public’s health, safety, morals, and general welfare. – The power of the state to enact laws within constitutional limits to promote the order, safety, health, morals and general welfare of our society.
potable water
Fresh water that is safe and agreeable for drinking.
Rough-Ins
Any type of interior work to a house or building that is not part of the finish work (e.g., plumbing, HVAC, electrical).
R-value
A rating that measures how well insulation resists heat.
Schematics
Preliminary drawings and sketches by an architect, such as site plans and elevations.
Setback
The legal distance that a building must be from a designated position such as a property line; determined by zoning requirements. The distance a building must be set back from the property line, street, or curb usually determined by local building codes.
Sheathing
A layer of boards or other wood or fiber materials applied to the outer studs, joists, and rafters to strengthen the structure and serve as a base for exterior weatherproof covering.
Shoreline
The intersection of the land with the water (mean high water line).
side yard setback
The distance a building must be set back for the lot line at the side of the property.
Special Warranty Deed
A deed in which the grantor warrants against defects that have occurred after the grantor acquired title.
Spot Zoning
The illegal rezoning of a single parcel or a small area to benefit one or more property owners rather than carry out the objectives of the master plan.
stock cooperative
A corporation formed for the purpose of owning property.
Taking
The government’s unconstitutional condemnation of private property for public use without just compensation.
Townhome
Property developed for co-ownership where each co-owner has a separate fee simple interest in an individual unit, including its roof and basement, as well as the land directly beneath the unit, and an undivided interest in the common areas of the property.
Underground Storage Tank (UST)
A receptacle, at least 10% of which is underground, used to store a variety of substances such as heating oil, gasoline, chemicals, and hazardous waste; an environmental hazard due to corrosion, spills, leaks, and overfills. Regulated by the EPA.
Urea-Formaldehyde
A potentially toxic chemical used in manufacturing building materials such as particleboard, plywood paneling, carpeting, and insulation.
Urea-Formaldehyde Foam Insulation (UFFI)
A type of insulation that can be blown in or injected behind walls and other areas that are hard to access.
Usable Square Feet
The space actually available and usable for a tenant’s personnel, furniture, and equipment. The actual floor space inside the exterior walls of leased premises. Space the tenant can physically use inclusive of interior walls and columns. Also called Net Square Feet.
Use Variance
Allows landowners to use their land in a way that is not permitted under current zoning laws, such as commercial use in a residential zone.
Variance
A permit obtained from the local zoning authority allowing the holder to use property or build a structure in a way that deviates from strict compliance with a zoning ordinance. An exception granted to existing zoning regulations for special reasons.
Voltage
A measure of electric potential; the energy that could be released if the electric current is allowed to flow.
Wainscoting
The bottom portion of a wall that is covered with wood siding; the top part is treated with another material.
walk-up
An apartment of more than one story with no elevator.
water pressure test
Water pressure can be tested by turning on all faucets and flushing all toilets at the same time.
Water Rights
The rights of a landowner to water adjoining or passing through property.
Water Table
The distance from ground level to natural groundwater.
Wetlands
Areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including the growing season.
Zoning
Government regulation of the uses of property within specified areas.
Zoning Ordinance
Local laws that divide a city or county into different areas or zones. These zones determine how land can be used, subdivided, or improved along with the specific requirements for compliance.
