Glossary
This glossary contains common terms, acronyms, abbreviations, and definitions used throughout this web site. Please click on a letter to go to the listings that start with that letter.
A
- ADA
- Americans with Disabilities Act – Refers to the American with Disabilities Act Legislation that was pass in the United States in 1990.
- ADT
- Average Daily Traffic (or Trips)
- AFT
- American Farmland Trust
- AFV
- Alternative Fuel Vehicles
- AHRI
- American Heritage Rivers Initiative
- AIC
- American International College
- AICP
- American Institute of Certified Planners – This is the American Planning Association’s professional institute, providing recognized leadership nationwide in the certification of professional planners, ethics, professional development, planning education, and the standards of planning practice. (Definition taken from the official website – http://www.planning.org/aicp/)
- AMPO
- Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations
- ANR
- Approval Not Required
- APA
- American Planning Association
- APD
- Aquifer Protection District
- ATR
- Automatic Traffic Recorder – These are used to collect daily traffic volume information as well as vehicle classification, speed, and gap.
- AQI
- Air Quality Index
- AVR
- Average Vehicle Ridership
B
- BAPAC
- Barnes Aquifer Protection Advisory Committee
- BRPC
- Berkshire Regional Planning Commission
- BID
- Business Improvement District
- BLOS
- Bicycle Level of Service
- BMP
- Best Management Practice
- BMS
- Bridge Management System
- BOA
- Board of Appeals (or Adjustment)
- BTPD
- Bureau of Transportation Planning and Development
- BTS
- Bureau of Transportation Statistics
C
- CAAA
- Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990
- CAN DO
- Collaborating for the Advancement of Nursing: Developing Opportunities
- CARD
- Commercial Area Revitalization District
- CAS
- Community Action Statement
- CBD
- Central Business District
- CBIA
- Connecticut Business & Industry Association
- CCC
- Cape Cod Commission
- 3C
- Continuing, Comprehensive, and Cooperative Planning Process
- CCGS
- Cooperating Colleges of Greater Springfield
- CD
- Community Development
CDAChild Development Associate
CDAG Community Development Action GrantCDBGCommunity Development Block GrantCDCCommunity Development CorporationCDFCommunity Development FundCDPCommunity Development PlanCEDACCommunity Economic Development Assistance CorporationCEDSComprehensive Economic Development StrategyCEEDCommunity Enterprise Economic DevelopmentCERCLAComprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 §101 (39)CHAPACitizen Housing and Planning AssociationCHDOsCommunity Housing Development OrganizationsCIISCapital Improvement Inventory SystemCIPCapital Improvements Plan (or Program)CMAQCongestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement ProgramCMRPCCentral Massachusetts Regional Planning CommissionCMSCongestion Management SystemCMSAConsolidated Metropolitan Statistical AreaCNGCompressed Natural GasCOCarbon MonoxideCOGCouncil of GovernmentsComm-PASSCommonwealth Procurement Access and Solicitation SystemCPACommunity Preservation ActCPTCCitizen Planner Training CollaborativeCSBGCommunity Service Block GrantCSOCombined Sewer Overflow
D
- DCR
- Department of Conservation and Recreation
- DECE
- Developing Early Childhood Educators – An Early Childhood initiative that seeks to align local stakeholders to develop a consistent, clearly articulated, well integrated, universal and comprehensive system for early childhood educators to access, afford and attain industry recognized credentials.
- DEP
- Department of Environmental Protection
- DET
- Division of Employment and Training
- DBE
- Disadvantage Business Enterprise
- DHCD
- Department of Housing and Community Development
- DOE
- Department of Energy
- DOE
- Department of Education
- DOR
- Department of Revenue
- DOT
- Department of Transportation
- DPW
- Department of Public Works
- DRI
- Developments of Regional Impact
E
- EACC
- Economic Assistance Coordinating Council
- ECE
- Early Childhood Education
- EDA
- Economic Development Administration
- EDC
- Economic Development Council
- EDD
- Economic Development District
- EDIC
- Economic Development and Industrial Corporation
- EEC
- Early Education and Care, MA Department
- EIR
- Environmental Impact Report
- EIS
- Environmental Impact Statement
- EJ
- Environmental Justice
- ENF
- Environmental Notification Form
- E.O.
- Executive Order
- EOA
- Economic Opportunity Area
- EOAF
- Executive Office of Administration and Finance
- EOEA
- Executive Office of Economic Affairs
- EOEA
- Executive Office of Elder Affairs
- EOEA
- Executive Office of Environmental Affairs
- EOTC
- Executive Office of Transportation and Construction
- EPA
- Environmental Protection Agency
- ETA
- Economic Target Area
F
- FA
- Federal Aid
- FC
- Functional Classification (of roadways)
- FCAC
- Franklin Community Action Corporation
- FHA
- Federal Housing Administration
- FHWA
- Federal Highway Administration – An agency of the United States Department of Transportation that provides financial and technical support to each state for constructing, improving, and preserving America’s highway system.
- FRCOG
- Franklin Regional Council of Governments
- FTA
- Federal Transit Administration – An agency of the United State Department of Transportation that administers federal funding to support a variety of locally planned, constructed, and operated public transportation systems throughout the U.S., including buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail, streetcars, monorail, passenger ferry boats, inclined railways, and people movers.
G
- GED
- General Educational Development – Sometimes known as a “General Equivalency Diploma” or “General Education(al) Diploma”
- GIS
- Geographic Information System – A system for capturing, storing, analyzing and managing data and associated attributes which are spatially referenced to the earth.
- GPS
- Global Positioning System
H
- HAC
- Housing Appeal Committee
- HAP
- Housing Allowance Project (Hampden/Hampshire Housing Partnership)
- HCAC
- Hampshire Community Action Commission
- HCC
- Holyoke Community College
- HDSP
- Housing Development Support Program
- HIF
- Housing Innovation Fund
- HMDL
- Home Modification for Individuals with Disabilities Loan
- HOD
- Highway Overlay District
- HOD
- Historic Overlay District
- HOP
- Homeownership Opportunities Program
- HOV
- High Occupancy Vehicle
- HPG
- Housing Preservation Grant
- HSEP
- Hartford-Springfield Economic Partnership
- HUD
- United States Department of Housing and Urban Development – A Cabinet department of the United States government focused on housing.
I
- IFB
- Invitation for Bid
- ITS
- Intelligent Transportation Systems
- ISTEA
- Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991
J
K
L
- Ldn
- Abbreviation for the three hundred sixty-five day average, in decibels, of day-night average sound levels generated by aircraft flight operations.
- LHA
- Local Housing Authority
- LIHEAP
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
- LIHTC
- Low Income Housing Tax Credit
- LOS
- Level of Service
- LPMS
- Local Pavement Management System
- LRV
- Light Rail Vehicle
- LTA
- Local Technical Assistance
M
- MA
- Metropolitan Area
- MAPC
- Metropolitan Area Planning Council
- MARPA
- Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies
- MassGIS
- Massachusetts Geographic Information System
- MBE
- Minority Business Enterprises
- MEPA
- Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act
- MGIC
- Massachusetts Geographic Information Council
- M.G.L.
- Massachusetts General Laws
- MHC
- Massachusetts Historical Commission
- MHD
- Massachusetts Highway Department (aka MassHighway)
- MHP
- Massachusetts Housing Partnership
- MIFA
- Massachusetts Industrial Finance Agency
- MIG
- Municipal Incentive Grant
- MISER
- Massachusetts Institute for Social and Economic Research
- MMA
- Massachusetts Municipal Association
- MOA
- Memorandum of Agreement
- MOBD
- Massachusetts Office of Business Development
- MOD
- Massachusetts Office on Disability
- MOU
- Memorandum of Understanding
- MPO
- Metropolitan Planning Organization – The body which approves federally funded projects in Hampshire and Hampden counties.
- MRPC
- Montachusett Regional Planning Commission
- MSA
- Metropolitan Statistical Area
- MTA
- Massachusetts Turnpike Authority
- Municipal
- A city, town, village, or a small grouping of them, typically governed by a mayor and a city council.
- MVC
- Martha’s Vineyard Commission
- MVPC
- Merrimack Valley Planning Commission
- MWRA
- Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
N
- NARC
- National Association of Regional Councils
- NEARC
- New England Association of Regional Councils
- NFA
- Non-Federal Aid
- NHS
- National Highway System
- NHS
- Neighborhood Housing Services program
- NHTSA
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NMCOG
- Northern Middlesex Council of Governments
- NOx
- Nitrogen Oxide
- NP&EDC
- Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission
- NPDES
- National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
- NTHP
- National Trust for Historic Preservation
- NTSB
- National Transportation Safety Board
O
- OCPC
- Old Colony Planning Council
- OEDP
- Overall Economic Development Program
- OSRP
- Open Space and Recreation Plan
P
- P-21
- Pathways to Success by 21
- PCI
- Pavement Condition Index
- PDR
- Purchase of Development Rights
- PHT
- Peak Hour Traffic (or Trips)
- PILOT
- Payment in Lieu of Taxes
- PL
- [Metropolitan] Planning Funds
- PMS
- Pavement Management System
- PMSA
- Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area
- PMUG
- Pavement Management Users Group
- POAD
- Planner on a Disc
- PPP
- Public Participation Process
- PURD
- Planned Unit Residential Development
- PVPC
- Pioneer Valley Planning Commission – A public agency that, together with local governments, addresses problems and opportunities in the region.
- PVRBCRLF
- Pioneer Valley Regional Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund
- PVTA
- Pioneer Valley Transit Authority
- PWED
- Public Works/Economic Development
Q
R
- RDAL
- Rental Development Action Loan
- REMI
- Regional Economic Models, Inc.
- RFP
- Request for Proposals
- RFQ
- Request for Qualifications
- RFR
- Request for Response
- RIF
- Roadway Inventory Files
- RLF
- Revolving Loan Fund
- RPA
- Regional Planning Agency
- RPAs
- Regional Planning Agencies
- RPMS
- Regional Pavement Management System
- RTA
- Regional Technology Alliance
- RTA
- Regional Transit Authority
- RTP
- Regional Transportation Plan
S
- SBA
- Small Business Administration
- SIP
- State Implementation Plan (for air quality)
- SOMWBA
- State Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance
- SOV
- Single Occupancy Vehicle
- SP
- Special Permit
- SPP
- Special Permit Planning
- SPR
- Site Plan Review
- SRPEDD
- Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District
- SPACE
- Springfield Area Council for Excellence
- SPR
- Statewide Planning and Research Funds
- SRO
- Single Room Occupancy
- STCC
- Springfield Technical Community College
- STIP
- Statewide Transportation Improvement Program
- STP
- Surface Transportation Program
T
- TCSP
- Transportation and Community System Preservation [Pilot Program]
- TDM
- Transportation Demand Management
- TDR
- Transfer of Development Rights
- TEA-21
- Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
- TIF
- Tax Increment Financing
- TIP
- Transportation Improvement Program
- TMA
- Transportation Management Area
- TMC
- Turning Movement Counter – Intersection turning movement counters are used to collect intersection vehicle turning movement volumes.
- TND
- Traditional Neighborhood District
- TOD
- Transit Oriented Design (or Development)
- TRO
- Trip Reduction Ordinance
- TRB
- Transportation Research Board
- TSM
- Transportation Systems Management
- TTY
-
T
ele
TY
pe/
T
ele
TY
pewriter) – An electronic device use by the deaf for typed communications over the telephone.
U
- UGB
- Urban Growth Boundary
- ULI
- Urban Land Institute
- UMass
- University of Massachusetts
- UPWP
- Unified Planning Work Program
- URDG
- Urban Revitalization Development Grant
- USDA
- United States Department of Agriculture
- USDI
- United States Department of the Interior
- USFS
- United States Forest Service
- USFWS
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service
- USGS
- United States Geological Survey
- USPLS
- United States Public Land Survey
- UST
- Underground Storage Tanks
V
W
- WAP
- Weatherization Assistance Program
- WBE
- Women-owned Business Enterprises
- WHPA
- Wellhead Protection Area
- WIA
- Workforce Investment Act
- WMNTMA
- The Western Massachusetts Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association
- WNEC
- Western New England College
- WQMP
- Water Quality Management Plan
- WRWA
- Westfield River Watershed Association
- WRWSAC
- Westfield River Wild & Scenic Advisory Committee
- WSC
- Westfield State College
- WSP
- Water Supply Protection [District]