Glossary of Terms
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Areas of Civic Importance:
Locations within a city that are home to principal businesses and institutions – basically they are extensions of a downtown area.  They are part of an understanding of a city that most residents share and also include transportation terminals, major parks and the streets that connect the most significant parts of the city. 

Civic Place District:
Places within ACI that have a major role in defining the city’s image.  Omaha examples include Capitol Avenue looking west toward Central High School and Turner Park in midtown.  Created through developer interest. 

Green Corners:
Corners at major commercial corridor intersections that are appropriately landscaped to encourage pedestrian use and provide a pleasant visual experience for the motorist. 

Green Parking Lots:
Green parking lots are designed to provide shade for pedestrians/vehicles and manage storm water runoff.  They are landscaped to enhance both the environment and the appearance of the city. 

Industrial Gateway District:
Major gateways to the city in which special industrial use, landscaping, screening and site development standards are appropriate.  Examples include the I-80 and Blair High Road “entrances” to Omaha. 

Major Commercial Corridor:
Land along a highway corridor or major street that is heavily zoned for commercial uses, but are not areas of civic importance.  Major commercial corridors should be designed to present a coherent image for the motorist and a safe, manageable environment for motorists and pedestrians alike. 

Mixed-Use District:
A geographically-defined development area that features a “mix” of commercial, office, residential and civic uses.     

Neighborhood Alliance:
A geographic area that bridges the planning gap between the individual neighborhood and the entire city.  An alliance addresses planning needs for a geographical area that is defined by a cluster of neighborhoods, business nodes and civic infrastructure. 

Neighborhood Conservation/Enhancement District:
Zoning designation that helps preserve unique, pedestrian-oriented land use, urban design and other distinctive characteristics of neighborhoods/commercial areas built before 1960 and helps enhance neighborhoods/commercial areas built after 1960. 

Overlay District:
Zoning designation that lies atop/supersedes the zoning for an individual lot; usually defining an area with special design requirements or characteristics. 

Public Space:
A pedestrian-oriented area that has a defined sense of place that feels welcoming to all people and has the ability to be used for public events. 

Special Community Value:
Particular standards in the zoning code that promote vibrant mixed-use areas and pleasant public spaces, and that place an emphasis on environments that enable a high quality of life.  

Streetscape:
The components of a street – street lights, street trees, traffic signals, traffic information signs, street identification signs, , and street and sidewalk materials.  Taken together, the streetscape plays an important role in creating the image of a city. 

Urban Design Article:
The design standards and guidelines that apply to an overlay or zoning district.  Categories include sidewalks, build-to/set-back lines and zones, ground-level transparency, service area screening, green parking areas, parking structures, site and building access, neighborhood connectivity, location of utilities, signs, retaining walls, large retail building design guidelines, general building design guidelines, urban design site plan approval, and criteria for urban design-related review and evaluation. 

Urban Design Review Board:
A body that reviews publicly sponsored projects or those involving public funding when a difference of opinion exists between the city planning department and the project developer(s) on how to proceed.  Design review boards are comprised of professionals representing a diversity of interests, including architects, developers, engineers, landscape architects, urban planners and others.  They are a mechanism for expediting decisions and resolving issues without having to return to the city council for additional action. 

Walkable Residential Neighborhood District:
A residential area that emphasizes the pedestrian environment, features a variety of housing types, and maintains streetyard, sidewalk and block standards to increase connectivity.

 ObD 2/7/07