Comprehensive Plan Glossary


This Glossary, updated May 14, 2013, contains an alphabetical listing defining terms as they are used in the context of the Comprehensive Plan. These terms are not intended to be the same definitions as used in the County's Zoning Ordinance. Rather, they are intended only to explain terms used in the Plan.       Download Glossary(PDF)

 

LARGE INSTITUTIONAL LAND AREAS: The Land Classification System category that includes publicly owned state or federal land holdings that are not subject to the normal County development review processes. The County should encourage state and federal agencies to develop or redevelop their holdings only when plans are coordinated with the County.

LDR: See Low Density Residential Areas.

LEVEL OF SERVICE: A qualitative measure of the effect of a number of traffic factors, including speed and travel time, traffic interruptions, freedom to maneuver, safety, driving comfort and convenience, and traffic volume. These factors are used to measure the functioning of a road or intersection with traffic, and the resulting level of service is expressed by a rating of "A" (best) through "F" (worst).

LOCAL PARKS: Parks that serve local, or nearby residents, communities and workers; are easily accessible; and offer active or passive recreational facilities, or both, in suburban centers, suburban neighborhoods and mixed-use centers.

LOCAL STREET: A street which is primarily intended to provide direct access to properties abutting the roadway and within the immediate vicinity. A Local Street offers the lowest level of mobility and usually does not serve a bus route. Overall operating speeds are low in order to permit frequent stops or turning movements to be made with maximum safety. Service to through traffic movement is deliberately discouraged.

LOS: See Level of Service.

LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AREAS: The primary purpose of Low Density Residential Areas is to ensure the preservation of environmental resources by limiting development primarily to low density, large lot residential and open space uses. The rapidly decreasing supply of land in the County, coupled with the loss of natural habitat, plus the vital role that portions of these areas serve in protecting water quality dictates that development in these areas be minimized.

LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT (LID): The use of site and subdivision design techniques in coordination with stormwater management engineering to mimic the hydrologic conditions associated with an undeveloped site to the greatest extent practicable.

LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS: Households with incomes that are less than 50 percent of the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) median household income, adjusted for family size.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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