Wyoming Open Spaces Initiative –  Terminology Database

Terms M-P
Major subdivision A subdivision that creates 6 or more "new" lots. "Getting the Growth You Want (Part One): A citizen's guide to subdivisions and smart growth," by the Montana Smart Growth Coalition, and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Montana Smart Growth Coalition , 1st printing, September 2002, Page 31.
Market failures Even if there were a full set of private property rights, certain "market imperfections" or "market failures" would still exist and income might not be distributed equitably. Nonrenewable resources get used up too quickly; urban activity "eats up" agricultural land; trees are not harvested quickly enough. These are called market failures because the free interaction of individuals in the economy leads to inefficient outcomes. Some essential ingredient necessary for the efficient allocation of resources is missing. Hartwick, John M., and Nancy D. Olewiler. "The Economics of Natural Resource Use," page 11. Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1986.
Minor subdivision A subdivision that creates 5 or fewer "new" lots. "Getting the Growth You Want (Part One): A citizen's guide to subdivisions and smart growth," by the Montana Smart Growth Coalition, and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Montana Smart Growth Coalition , 1st printing, September 2002, Page 31.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 In 1969 Congress passed the national Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which established a new national policy on environmental protection, set up the Council on Environmental Quality, and required the preparation of environmental impact statements for major federal projects. So, Frank S., Judith Getzels, editors. "The Practice of Local Government Planning," Second Edition, International City Management Association, 1988, page 121.
National Land Cover Data (NLCD) One of the projects sponsored by the MRLC consortium was production of land-cover data derived from images acquired by Landsat's Thematic Mapper (TM) sensor, as well as a number of ancillary data sources. The NLCD includes the source images, as well as classified land-cover data for specific acquisition dates. It is the first national land-cover data set produced since the early 1970s, effectively replacing the LUDA and GIRAS data sets. Data for the conterminous United States circa 1992 (1992 NLCD) , which were derived from Landsat-5 TM images are complete and currently available for download. Description of the data, as well as the classification process utilized have been published in a number of journal articles. Currently, the entire United States is being mapped using imagery acquired circa 2000 (2000 NLCD) from Landsat-7's enhanced TM (ETM). This project entails re-mapping the lower 48 states, as well as covering Hawaii and Alaska for the first time. Classification schemes for the two rounds of classification are similar, but not identical. Accuracy of the 1992 NLCD is currently being conducted by EPA federal region, with some regions complete and reported. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium, http://www.epa.gov/mrlc/nlcd.html, accessed March 4, 2003.
NCBW National Center for Bicycling and Walking "Increasing Physical Activity Through Community Design: A Guide for Public Health Practioners," National Center for Bicycling and Walking, May 2002, Page 41.
NPTS Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey "Increasing Physical Activity Through Community Design: A Guide for Public Health Practioners," National Center for Bicycling and Walking, May 2002, Page 3.
National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) The National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service produces information on the characteristics, extent, and status of the Nation’s wetlands and deepwater habitats. This information is used by Federal, State, and local agencies, academic institutions, U.S. Congress, and the private sector. The Emergency Wetland Resources Act of 1986 directs the Service to map the wetlands of the United States. The NWI has mapped 89% of the lower 48 states, and 31% of Alaska. The Act also requires the Service to produce a digital wetlands database for the United States. About 39% of the lower 48 states and 11% of Alaska are digitized. Congressional mandates require the NWI to produce status and trends reports to Congress at ten-year intervals. In 1982, the NWI produced the first comprehensive and statistically valid estimate of the status of the Nation’s wetlands and wetland losses, and in 1990 produced the first update. Future national updates scheduled for 2000, 2010, and 2020. In addition to the status and trends reports, the NWI has produced over 130 publications, including manuals, plant and hydric soils lists, field guides, posters, wall size resource maps, atlases, and state reports, and has had numerous articles published by professional journals. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wetlands Inventory, http://wetlands.fws.gov/overview.htm, accessed March 4, 2003.
Natural (or physical) boundary Natural boundaries are those based on recognizable physiographic features, such as mountains, rivers, and lakes. Although they might seem to be attractive as borders because they actually exist in the landscape and are visible dividing elements, many natural boundaries have proved to be unsatisfactory. That is, they do not effectively separate states. Fellman, Jerome, Arthur Getis, and Judith Getis. "Human Geography - Landscapes of Human Activities." Wm. C. Brown Publishers, Iowa. 1992. Page 423.
Natural capital Natural Capital is an extension of the economic notion of capital (manufactured means of production) to environmental 'goods and services'. It refers to a stock (e.g., a forest) which produces a flow of goods (e.g., new trees) and services (e.g., carbon sequestration, erosion control, habitat). Natural capital can be divided into renewable and non-renewable; the level of flow of non-renewable resources (e.g., fossil fuels) is determined politically. EcoSteps, Sustainability Challenge, http://www.ecosteps.com.au/whatissustainability/definitions.htm, accessed March 4, 2003.
Neighborhood plan A sub-plan within a growth policy that provides for the future development of a single neighborhood. "Getting the Growth You Want (Part One): A citizen's guide to subdivisions and smart growth," by the Montana Smart Growth Coalition, and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Montana Smart Growth Coalition , 1st printing, September 2002, Page 31.
Non-point source pollution A diffuse source of pollutants, such as runoff from farmland or drainage from a strip mine. Montgomery, Carla W., " Environmental Geology," William C. Brown Publishers, Dubuque, IA, 1995, page 487.
Nonrenewable natural resource A resource with a finite stock or supply which, once used up, is gone. Hartwick, John M., and Nancy D. Olewiler. "The Economics of Natural Resource Use," page 2. Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1986.
Open access Another term used to describe "common property." Hartwick, John M., and Nancy D. Olewiler. "The Economics of Natural Resource Use," page 8. Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1986.
Open space 1. An area of natural landscape essentially undeveloped, such as ridges, streams, natural shorelines, scenic buffer areas, and agricultural lands. 2. Public tracts which are dedicated primarily to pedestrian use, excluding thoroughfare right-of-ways. 1. The U.S. Department of Energy, Smart Communities Network web site, http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/codes/marin.shtml. 2. Duany Plater-Zybek & Company
Parcel A part or portion of land. A part of an estate. "Parcel" as used with reference to land generally means a contiguous quantity of land in the possession of an owner. A contiguous quantity of land in possession of, owned by, or recorded as property of the same claimant person or company. Term may be synonymous with "lot." See also "Tract of Land." Black's Law Dictionary -- Abridged Sixth Edition; West Publishing Company; St. Paul; 1991; page 768.
Planned Unit Development (PUD) The number of people per unit area of arable land. De Blij, H. J., and Perter O. Muller; Geography - Regions and Concepts; John Wiley and Sons, Inc.; New York, Chichester, Brisbane, Toronto and Singapore; 1992; page 608.
Physiologic density 1. One of the newer planning and zoning techniques. The original idea of the PUD was to allow greater flexibility than could be achieved by traditional zoning in planning the development of large parcels of land. 2. An area with a specified minimum contiguous acreage to be developed as a single entity according to a plan, containing one or more residential clusters or planned unit residential developments and one or more public, quasi-public, commercial or industrial areas in such ranges of ratios of nonresidential uses to residential uses as shall be specified in the zoning ordinance. Area of land controlled by landowner to be developed as a single entity for a number of dwelling units, and commercial and industrial uses, if any, the plan for which does not correspond in lot size, bulk or type of dwelling or commercial or industrial use, density, lot coverage and required open space to the regulations established in any one or more districts, created from time to time, under the provisions of a municipal zoning ordinance enacted pursuant to the conventional zoning enabling act of the state. 1. Smith, Herbert H., "The Citizen's Guide to Planning." American Planning Association, Chicago and New York, page 167, 1979; 2. Black's Law Dictionary -- Abridged Sixth Edition; West Publishing Company; St. Paul; 1991; page 796.
Planning board A group of citizens appointed by elected officials to make recommendations on development proposals. "Getting the Growth You Want (Part One): A citizen's guide to subdivisions and smart growth," by the Montana Smart Growth Coalition, and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Montana Smart Growth Coalition , 1st printing, September 2002, Page 31.
Plat A plan or proposal for a development. A plat usually includes a map of the proposed development as well as supporting documents like an environmental assessment. Sometimes the map within the plat is also referred to as a plat. See also preliminary plat and final plat. "Getting the Growth You Want (Part One): A citizen's guide to subdivisions and smart growth," by the Montana Smart Growth Coalition, and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Montana Smart Growth Coalition , 1st printing, September 2002, Page 31.
Point source pollution Pollution that is discharged from an extremely restricted area or "point," such as the discharge of sulfur dioxide from a smokestack or the discharge of carbon monoxide from the exhaust pipe of a motor car. This contrasts with nonpoint pollution, such as the runoff from a farm or urban area. Owen, Oliver S., "Natural Resource Conservation: An Ecological Approach," Macmillan Publishing Company, New York, 1985, page 636.
Population density A measurement of the number of persons per unit area of land within predetermined limits, usually political or census boundaries. Fellman, Jerome, Arthur Getis, and Judith Getis. "Human Geography - Landscapes of Human Activities," Wm. C. Brown Publishers, Iowa. 1992. Page 509.
Population projection A statement of a population's future size, age, and sex composition based on the application of stated assumptions to current data. Fellman, Jerome, Arthur Getis, and Judith Getis. " Human Geography - Landscapes of Human Activities," Wm. C. Brown Publishers, Iowa. 1992. Page 509.
Private property right A private property right gives the holder the power to the exclusive use of a natural resource. The holder does not have to share the natural resource with another. Hartwick, John M., and Nancy D. Olewiler. "The Economics of Natural Resource Use," page 8. Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1986.
Property right A property right is a bundle of characteristics that convey certain powers to the owner of the right. There are many different characteristics a property right can possess. For instance, a deed is a property right. Hartwick, John M., and Nancy D. Olewiler. "The Economics of Natural Resource Use," page 2. Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1986.
Property tax A tax levied on the owner of property (esp. real property) usually based on the property’s value. Local governments often impose property taxes to finance school districts, municipal projects, and the like. Black’s Law Dictionary – Deluxe Seventh Edition; West Publishing Company; St. Paul; 1999; page 1471.
Public lands The general public domain; unappropriated lands; lands belonging to the United States and which are subject to sale or other disposal under general laws, and not reserved or held back for any special governmental or public purpose. Black's Law Dictionary -- Abridged Sixth Edition; West Publishing Company; St. Paul; 1991; page 856.
Purchase of agricultural conservation easement Purchase of agricultural conservation easement programs pay farmers to protect their land from development. PACE is known by a variety of other terms, the most common being purchase of development rights. Landowners sell agricultural conservation easements to a government agency or private conservation organization. The agency or organization usually pays them the difference between the value of the land for agriculture and the value of the land for its "highest and best use," which is generally residential or commercial development. Easement value is most often determined by professional appraisals, but may also be established through the use of a numerical scoring system that evaluates the suitability for agriculture of a piece of property. American Farmland Trust, Farmland Information Center, Fact Sheet, September, 1998. http://www.farmlandinfo.org/fic/tas/tafs-fptool.html#pace.

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