On this page, you will find definitions of words used in the development process.
A - C D - G H - M N - S T - Z
A - C
Applicant - An individual or a representative of a corporate entity submitting documentation for review and approval in order to perform work requiring a permit on a property.
Boat Dock Shoreline Modification Site Plan - A site plan for building a boat dock, bulkhead, shoreline modification, and/or access to the shoreline.
Commercial Project - A project on land zoned for Commercial or Multi-Family use as defined in the City’s Land Development Code (LDC). Businesses and apartments fall into this category. These projects follow the newest International Building Code and local Building Technical Code rules. Examples include new construction, remodeling, changing approved permits, and changing how a place is used.
Conditional Use - A use allowed within certain zoning districts under specific conditions. A use listed in the regulations for a particular district as a conditional use within that district can be authorized solely on a discretionary and conditional basis by the Planning Commission, or the City Council on appeal.
Construction Element - Detailed information on the construction aspects of the site design (such as grading, detention, filtration, erosion/sedimentation controls, landscaping, and tree protection) and demonstrates compliance with drainage, water quality, and environmental regulations.
Completeness Check - All site plan and subdivision review application packets undergo a completeness check. The completeness check process is not a review of the project itself but rather a review of the application packet that ensures submittal requirements have been met before a project is accepted for formal review. This includes checking that the appropriate application was used and that all documents and attachments are present.
D - G
Duplex Residential - The use of a site for two dwelling units within a single building.
Easement - An area of a resident’s property that can be used, built on, or changed by a government entity or neighbor.
Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) - Unincorporated land within 5 miles of Austin’s full-purpose city limit that is not within the city limits or ETJ of another city. Review the most recent version of the City of Austin Extraterritorial Jurisdictions Map to verify that the property is currently within the City of Austin’s subdivision jurisdiction. Remember that a property can be within the electric utility service area of Austin Energy but not within the City’s subdivision jurisdiction.
Floor Area Ratio (FAR) - FAR is the ratio of floor area to lot size. It determines how much building area can be built on certain properties.
H - M
HOME Amendments - The “Home Options for Mobility and Equity” (HOME) code amendments are among a series of updates to the City’s Land Development Code (LDC). The goal of these changes is to provide more housing types and increase housing supply within single-family zoned areas of Austin.
Illegal Use - A use that is not permitted by right or as a conditional use by the City's Land Development Code (LDC).
Impervious Cover - Impervious cover is any type of human-made surface that does not absorb rainfall. The ratio of impervious cover allowed on a property depends on the zoning designation. The calculation of impervious coverage includes surfaces such as walkways, impermeable driveways, rooftops, parking areas and some decks. It does not include paving in the public right-of-way (e.g., sidewalks) or water features (e.g., ponds or fountains).
Land Development Code - The legal guidelines by which the City of Austin controls the uses of buildings or areas of land and also the rules about building size and height, setbacks from lot lines, and required open space. A Regulating Plan, once adopted, will be part of the City’s Land Development Code.
Land Use Element -Information on the land use, site design, and layout (such as building height, setbacks, density, and parking) that demonstrates compliance with zoning, site development, and transportation. Land Use Site Plans require approval from Land Use Commission for Conditional Use Permits noted in the City’s Land Use Development Code, LDC 25-2-491, and for the building and/or parking within the 1000-foot Hill Country Roadway Corridor.
Legal Use - A use that the City's Land Development Code (LDC) allows.
Major Drainage/Regional Detention - Includes infrastructure necessary for the construction of the drainage improvements but is not limited to detention and water quality, environmental controls, and protection of important environmental features. Existing conditions typically included in site plans are topography, watercourses, floodplains, significant vegetation, other environmental features, and any existing improvements on the site. Within this framework, a site plan illustrates the proposed development and provides details on features such as access, utilities, landscaping, buffers, and the location of new structures.
Map Codes - Zoning districts are identified by codes on City of Austin zoning maps. A complete list of map codes and zoning districts is in the City’s Land Development Code, LDC 25-2-32.
Missing Middle - Housing types that fall between a single-family home and a mid-rise apartment building. This includes townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, rowhouses, and cottage courts. Consistent with goals established by the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint, the City Council has passed several initiatives seeking to increase the City’s supply of missing middle housing.
N - S
New Construction - Adding a new structure or unit.
Non-applicant - A community member who is not applying for a development permit and is affected by local development.
Non-complying - A building, structure, or property that does not comply with applicable site development regulations for the zoning district in which it is located but did comply with applicable regulations at the time of its construction. No building, structure, or property is made non-complying solely as a result of a change in the use, zoning, or development of the adjacent property. No building or structure that complied with zoning regulations in effect immediately before March 1, 1984, shall be deemed to have become or shall become non-complying due to the passage of Ordinance No. 840301-S.
Non-conforming Use - The use of any land, building, or structure that does not conform with current applicable use regulations but complied with use regulations in effect when the use was established. However, no use of a building, structure, or property that conformed with the zoning regulations in effect on March 1, 1984, is made non-conforming by the passage of Ordinance Number 840301-S.
Off-site Parking - Parking on a different site from the main site. Visit LDC 25-6-501 for more information.
Permitted Use - A use defined by the City's Land Development Code (LDC), listed as a permitted use in the use regulations for a particular district, and authorized as a matter of right when conducted in keeping with the requirements of the Code.
Pervious Surfaces - Pervious surfaces allow water to filter into the ground, which enables natural groundwater to recharge, helps with filtration of pollutants, and reduces erosion and flooding. The City of Austin limits the amount of a site that can be covered with impervious surfaces.
Residential Project - Single-family, duplex, two-unit, or three-unit projects on one lot that are zoned for residential use.
Right of Way (ROW) - The area owned and/or controlled by the City. It typically includes the street surface, sidewalks, alleys, and grassy areas between pavement and property lines. The boundaries of the ROW will vary depending on the physical conditions at any given location.
Setback - The space between a lot’s border and the area where a building can be built. Setbacks typically cannot have anything built on them. Limited items can be built in the setback and are outlined in the City’s Land Development Code, LDC 25-2-513.
Shared Parking - Parking used by more than one business at different times of the day, week, or year.
Single-family Residential - Only one unit exists on the property.
Site Plan - A site plan is a detailed drawing of proposed improvements and construction on a lot. During the site plan review process, reviewers ensure all site development standards are met.
T - Z
Two-unit Residential - The use of a lot for two dwelling units, each in a separate building, other than a mobile home.
Three-unit Residential - The use of a lot for three dwelling units other than a mobile home.
Tiny Homes - A dwelling unit that is 400 square feet or less in floor area, excluding loft space.
Vacant - There is no structure on the property or if all the existing buildings on the property are permitted for demolition or relocation.
Variance - A legal exception that can be asked for by a property owner wanting to do something with their property that is different from the existing zoning codes. The Board of Adjustment reviews these requests and decide if they can make an exception in that specific situation.
Waiver - A request for a standard to be reduced or eliminated.
Zoning - The division of a jurisdiction into zoning districts within which permissible uses are prescribed and restrictions on building height, bulk, layout, parking, and other requirements are defined.
Zoning Districts - Specific geographic areas within the city that are subject to a set of regulations governing land use and development. Zoning districts are intended to promote compatible land use patterns.