Vinings Neighborhood

acronyms & other info-c.doc 6/21/2006

acronyms & other info-c.doc update

Reference guide explaining selected terminology of interest to Vinings

BOC = Board of Commissioners
PC = Planning Commission (advisory to the BOC)
County Planning Staff (Community Development Department) are the real
professionals who analyze zoning and other issues for the County, and advise the BOC. This is completely different than the Planning Commission. (Rob Hosack is the Director of Community Development.)
BZA = Board of Zoning Appeals (or “Variance Board”)

Types of Residential Zoning Districts
R = Residential (followed by number of thousand square feet minimum lot size)
RA = Residential Attached (although Detached housing is permitted)
(RA will be followed by a number indicating density.)
(Density means the number of housing units per acre.)
RM = Residential Multi-Family (followed by a number indicating density)
RD = Residential Duplex
FST = Fee Simple Townhomes
UC = Urban Condominium (this Zoning Classification does not
provide for a maximum density)
RSL = Residential Senior Living
UVC = Urban Village Commercial (this is a mixed use classification)
PVC = Planned Village Commercial (this is a mixed use classification)
OSC = a Zoning “Overlay” which allows a developer to use an existing
residential Zoning District but escape most of the rules, including lot size,
but requires greenspace so that net density should only increase
modestly (there are some tricky pitfalls for neighborhoods).
CS = Conservation Subdivision is a new Zoning District that promotes open
space similar to OSC, but allows the developer to also get higher density.
Lot sizes in OSC and CS are smaller.
Residential density – number of housing units per acre
(*potential trend in Cobb County with mixed use may give the same residential
density as single use zoning – but allow additional commercial. This will
result in extreme overdevelopment.)

Selected other Zoning Districts
LRO = LowRise Office (up to 2 stories)
O&I = Office and Institutional (up to 4 stories)
MRO = MidRise Office (up to 8 stories)
OHR = HighRise Office
NRC = Neighborhood Retail Commercial (neighborhood compatible retail)
CRC = Community Retail Commercial
RRC = Regional Retail Commercial
GC = General Commercial
LI = Light Industrial
HI = Heavy Industrial

See next page for land use terms and other terms.


Selected Land Use Classifications
Very Low Density Residential (VLDR) = 0 – 2 units per acre
Low Density Residential (LDR) = 1 – 2.5 units per acre
Medium Density Residential (MDR) = 2.5 – 5 units per acre
High Density Residential (HDR) = 5 – 12 units per acre.
(Cobb County currently has no land use classifications that allow more than 12 units per acre, even though the County has Zoning Districts that allow more than 12 units per acre. This will be a future issue.)
There are a variety of non-residential Land Use classifications.
We will be particularly concerned with
Neighborhood Activity Center (NAC)
Community Activity Center (CAC)
Regional Activity Center (RAC)
Industrial (IND)
Industrial Compatible (IC).

Other terms
Variance = permission to not comply with the Zoning Code
Land Use Permit = Under the Zoning Code certain uses require a permit.
Special Land Use Permit – Certain “uses” require special permits.

GRTA = Georgia Regional Transportation Authority
NWCS = Northwest Connectivity Study (transit)
BRT/HOV = Bus Rapid Transit operating in HOV lanes on I-75 (Alternative A)
Alternative A = BRT/HOV – GRTA has chosen Alternative A for the NWCS
Phase 2 Study – GRTA is conducting an additional study for additional transit
Northwest Corridor HOV/BRT Project = the new name for the NWCS now that
it has moved to the federal level.
Also – Transit in the I-285 corridor to run from Cumberland to Doraville.
Need to be aware of effect of transit stations on land use.

ARC = Atlanta Regional Commission
RTP = Regional Transportation Plan, which the ARC must update every 3
years, and must provide acceptable plans to keep the Atlanta Region
in compliance with the Federal Clean Air Act
TIP = Tranportation Improvement Plan, which is updated annually and lists the
Region’s transportation improvement projects
RDP = Regional Development Plan, which the ARC must update every 3
years. The current RDP promotes higher density, and is very hostile to
suburban-style development and Low-Density-Residential Zoning.

Georgia Department of Transportation = GDOT
Federal Transit Administration = FTA
Cobb County Department of Transportation = CDOT
Cobb Community Transit = CCT
Vinings Homeowners Association = VHA
Cobb County Civic Coalition = CCCC
CCID = Cumberland Community Improvement District, which is a
State-authorized self-taxing district allowing the “CID” to raise funds to
pay for a variety of “improvements”.