OVERALL KEY DEFINITIONS Flashcards
Agricultural conservation easement (ACE)
is a voluntary, legally recorded deed restricting development on farmland. Land subjected to an ACE is generally restricted to farming and open space use. While other benefits may accrue because the land is not developed (e.g., scenic and habitat values), the easement must stipulate that the
primary use of the land is agricultural. Such an easement prohibits practices that would damage or interfere with the agricultural use of the land. Because the easement is a
restriction on the deed of the property, the easement remains in effect even when the land changes ownership (i.e., designated in perpetuity).
Farmland of local importance:
Soils important to the local economy due to their productivity and which may include tracts of land that have been designated for agriculture by local ordinance.
Each state NRCS or local ordinance designates which soils qualify.
Farmland of state importance:
Soils that do not meet all of the prime farmland criteria but that are still able to economically produce high yields of crops when treated and managed according to acceptable farming methods.
Each state NRCS or local ordinance designates which soils qualify.
Healthy Soils
Soils that have not been signif. disturbed by previous human development.
May include:
- Soil horizons similar to that of the reference soil
- Bulk densities that do not exceed the max allowable bulk densisties shown in
- Organic matter content similar to that of the ref soil
- Soil chem chracteristics similar to that of ref soil
- Absence of toxins towards plants
- Presence of vegetation that reps native plant communities.
Infill Site
Property that meets any of the following 4 conditions:
1. At least 75% of boundary borders land parcels that individually are at least 50% previously developed & that aggregate are at least 75% previously developed
2. The site & bordering parcels form aggregate parcel whose perimeter is 75% bordered by parcels that each are at least 50% developed.
3. At least 75% of the land area, exclusive of rights-of-way, within a .5 mile distance from the SITES project boundary is previously developed.
4. The lands within a .5 mile distance from the proj. boundary have a pre-project connectivity of at least 140 intersections per square mile.
Previously developed site:
At least 75% of the site are that has been altered by pre-existing paving, construction, or land use that would typically have required regulatory permitting to have been initiated. Altered landscapes resulting from current or historical clearing or filling, ag or forestry use, or preserved natural areas are considered undeveloped areas.
Prime farmland:
Designation of specific soils by the state or NRCS.
Best combo of physical & chemical characteristics for producing food. Cannot be urban built-up land or water.
Unique farmland
Refers to land other than prime farmland that is used for the production of specific high-value food and fiber crops. It has special combo of soil quality, location, growing season, and moisture supply needed to economically produce sustained high quality or high yields of a specific crop when treated and managed according to acceptable farming methods. State or NRCS designates these.
VSPZs
Vegetation and soil protection zones. Areas identified during the pre-design phase that will be protected from all disturbances throughout construction process to prevent damage.
100-Year Floodplain
Includes all areas below the 100-year flood elevations of waterways of all sizes.
FEMA flood insurance rate map: Zones A, AE, A1-A30, AH, AO, AR, A99, V, and VE.
Brownfield
Abandoned, idled, or underused industrial and commercial facility or site where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.
Can be defined by a local, state, or federal government agency.
Floodplain
Flat or nearly flat land adjacent to a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and that experiences flooding during periods of high discharge. Floodplains are subject to geomorphic and hydrologic processes.
Minimal impact site development
Development that does not significantly alter existing vegetation and hydrology of the VSPZs
Previously developed site
At least 75% of the site area that has been altered by pre-existing development.
Marine
Tidal wetlands, shorelines, mudflats, reefs
Buffer designation:
200 feet landward from normal high tide line
Estuarine
Bays, lagoons, marshes
Buffer designation:
100 feet landward from the normal high tide line
Riverine
Streams, Rivers (associated floodplains & their riparian buffer)
Buffer designation:
Tidal - 100 feet landward from normal high tide line
Lower & upper perennial - 100 feet from the ordinary high water mark or the 100-year floodplain, whichever is greater
Intermittent and unknown perennial - 50 feet from the ordinary high water mark or the 100-year floodplain, whichever is greater
Lacustrine
Lakes, ponds (associated shorelines & their riparian buffer)
Buffer designation:
Water body greater than 50 contiguous acres - 100 feet landward from the normal water edge.
Water body less than 50 contiguous acres - 50 feet landward from the normal water edge.
Palustrine
Non-tidal wetlands, seeps, springs, vernal pools, seasonal wetlands.
Buffer designation:
100 feet landward from the delineated edge of the delineated wetland.
Deepwater habitat
Permanently flooded land lying below the deepwater boundary of wetlands
Geographic extent
Refers to the measure of spatial extent bounded by a polygon with X and Y coordinates. It is described as the range, magnitude, or distance over which an aquatic ecosystem extends (Ex- the full area measurement from north to south and east to west).
Isolated wetland
Wetland with no surface water connections to other aquatic resources
Riparian buffer
Portion of adjacent land ecosystem that directly affects / is affected by the aquatic environment. May also include a portion of the hillslope that directly serves as streamside habitats for wildlife.
Provides shade, intercepts runoff, and helps prevent erosion.
Wetlands
Areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water (ex- swamps, marshes, bogs) that support a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated conditions.
Habitat
The area or natural environment in which an organism or population normally lives. A habitat is made up of physical factors, such as soil, moisture, range of temperature & availability of light. & Biotic factors like food / presence of predators.
Habitat assessment
Visual, spatial, and temporal analysis of environmental data to determine types, distribution, and amount of habitat on a given site.
This includes an inventory of geology, soils, water resources, and plant communities.
Use to identify potential habitat for species of concern on site.
Basic service
Includes: a bank, licensed child-care facility,
community or civic center, convenience store, farmers market, food store with produce,
hair care establishment, hardware store, health club or recreation facility, laundromat
or dry cleaner, library, medical or dental office, museum, park, stand-alone pharmacy,
place of worship, police or fire station, post office, restaurant, school, senior-care
facility, social services center, supermarket, and theater.
**An infill site is a property that meets any one of the following
Walking distance
the distance a pedestrian must travel between origins and destinations without obstruction, in a safe and comfortable environment such as on a continuous network of sidewalks, all-weather surface footpaths, crosswalks, pedestrian transit malls, or equivalent pedestrian facilities in dedicated right of ways (ROWs)
Bicycle Lane
Striped lane designated for 1-way travel by a bike on a street or highway.
Standard bike lane width measured from face of curb to painted boundary should be at least 4 feet wide. If on-street parking is allowed, min lane width is 5 feet.
Bicycle Network
Continuous path consisting of:
physically designated in-street bike lanes at least 5 feet wide, off-street bike paths or trails at least 8 feet wide for a 2-way path and at least 5 feet wide for a one-way path, or streets designed for a target speed of 25 mph or slower.
Shared Lane Marking (SLM)
Marking on a street (typically with speed limit below 35 MPH) that indicates cyclists are allowed to travel in a roadway too narrow to separate vehicles & cyclist lanes. These markings encourage safe passing of cyclists by motorists, reduce the chance of a cyclist hitting the open door of a parked vehicle in a shared lane with on-street parallel parking, alert road users of the lateral location cyclists may occupy, and reduce the incidence of wrong-way cycling.
Site user
Individual who is expected to occupy, work at, or pass through the site. Users may visit the site regularly or periodically. Site users will range in age, ethnicity, and socio-economic status, but all users’ needs should be considered.
Integrated design team
Incl. the owner, client, and professionals knowledgeable in design, construction, and maintenance. Should be selected to meet unique sites.
Principles & performance goals
Principles: guiding overarching concepts
Perf. Goals: Observable, measurable end results of having one or more objectives achieved within a relatively fixed time frame.
Program plan
Narrative or written design that provides a mechanism for clearly stating the vision & desired outcomes of the project & setting the direction of the design team.
Stakeholder
An individual or group who has a vested interest in the project. May be a neighbor, public official, community leader, local community group, or business organization.
Appropriate plant species
Vegetation adapted to site conditions, climate, and design intent.
Consider: cold hardiness, heat tolerance, salt tolerance, soil moisture range, plant water use requirements, soil volume requirements, soil pH requirements, sun and shade requirements, pest susceptibility, and maintenance requirements.
Native & Non-native appropriate if they meet this criteria.
Bicycle Rack
Device consistent with industry standards, capable of supporting a bike in a stable position, is made of durable materials, is no less than 36” tall from base to top of rack & no less than 1.5’ in length. It permits the securing of the bike frame & one wheel with a U shaped lock, of character & color aesthetically adds to environment.
Created water feature
Human-made object or feature that uses water for aesthetic purposes. Features include constructed wetlands (ornamental or water cleansing), ponds, streams, pools, fountains, and water gardens. Can include full human or limited human contact.
Water intended for human contact must meet local & state health requirements.
Cultural landscape
Geographic area, including both cultural & natural resources, wildlife / domestic animals, associated with a historic event, activity, or person or exhibiting other cultural or aesthetic values.
The quality of significance in history, architecture, archeology, engineering, LA, and culture is present in cultural landscapes that possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, association, and:
–That are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the
broad patterns of history; or
–That are associated with the lives of significant persons in the past; or
–That embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of
construction, or that represent the work of a master craftsman or designer, or
that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable
entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
–That has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in history or
prehistory. U.S. National Park Service, www.nps.gov/nr/publications/bulletins/
nrb15/nrb15_2.htm.
Diameter at Breast Height (DBH)
Standard method for determining the trunk diameter of a standing tree.
DBH measured in inches at 4.5 feet off the ground on the uphill side.
Wounds, branches, multiple stems & defects may change how diameter is measured.
Disturbed soils
All areas of soils disturbed by human development activities.
Indicators of disturbed soils may have one or more of the following:
- Soil horizons that differ signif in depth, testure, or physical / chem properties from the ref soil.
- Bulk densities that exceed the max allowable bulk densities shown in P7.3
- Organic matter content lower than that of the ref soil.
- Soil chem characteristics dif from that of the ref soil.
- Presence of compounds toxic to the intended plants.
- Presence of weedy, opportunistic, or invasive plant species.
Invasive species
Plant or animal that is not native to the ecosystem under consideration & that causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human, animal, or plant health.
Native plant
Vegetation native to the EPA Level III ecoregion of the site or known to naturally occur within 200 miles of the site.
Naturally occurring hybrids, varieties, and cultivars of species native to the ecoregion are acceptable.
Native plant community
Vegetation native to the EPA Level III ecoregion of the site or known to naturally occur within 200 miles of the site.
Include but aren’t limited to: wetlands, woodlands, grasslands, riparian buffers, & habitat for wildlife specifics of concern within the region.
A ref from a local plant list, local ref to site, or published plant comm description is needed to determine the dominant plant species, relative species abundances, and other characteristic elements of the plant comm to be preserved or restored.
Non-potable water source
Can be harvested rainwater, surplus water from building or site operations that has been appropriately cleansed and cooled, or surplus site water that is not needed to maintain existing or restored site ecology. It does not include natural surface or subsurface water resources.
Organic matter
In soil is carbon-containing material composed of both living organisms and formerly living decomposing plant and animal matter. Soil organic matter (SOM) content can be supplemented with compost or other partially decomposed plant and animal material. SOM content is commonly measured using “loss on ignition” tests that measure the amount of the element carbon, a key constituent of all organic matter.
Pesticide
Chemical used to control or eradicate insects, plants, animals, pathogens, & any other undesirable living organisms.
Potable water
Water that meets standards for drinking purposed of the State or local authority having jurisdiction, or water that meets the standards prescribed by the ES EPA’s National Primary Water Regulations.
Reference soil
Falls into at least one of these categories:
–Soils native to a site as described in Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil
Surveys (refer to soils within the region if the site soils are not mapped or labeled
as Urban Land Complex, Urban Fill, etc.)
–For sites that have no undisturbed native soils, use undisturbed native soils within
the site’s region that have native vegetation, topography, and soil textures similar
to the site.
–For sites that have no existing soil, use undisturbed native soils within the site’s
region that support appropriate native plants or appropriate plant species similar
to those intended for the new site.
