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

JLT

Jacob’s Ladder Trail

JTC

Joint Transportation Committee

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

VMT

Vehicle Miles Traveled

VOC

Volatile Organic Compound

VOR

Vehicle Occupancy Rate

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]

X

Y

Z

ZBA

Zoning Board of Adjustment (or Appeals)

Executive Orders and Legislative Acts

E.O. 418

production of affordable housing across a broad range of incomes

M.G.L. Chapter 30B

uniform procurement law for local governments

M.G.L. Chapter 40A

zoning

M.G.L. Chapter 40B

planning/comprehensive permits

M.G.L. Chapter 41, Sections 81K-81GG

subdivision control (revised November 2005)