Land Use Education & Training:

Introduction

Every profession has its lingo, that is to say its list of frequently used terms familiar to practitioners of that profession. This is certainly the case within the fields of land-use planning and regulation. A lingo is developed and defined by those who use it often, and works effectively to specify and to clarify statements made between professionals. Communication problems arise, however, when a lingo is used outside of its professional circles. "Outsiders" may become confused and lost in the various terms and their usage. It is therefore necessary for a group, when embarking on a new subject, to define the terms and phrases that they are developing in order to promote adequately interpersonal communication and to allow newcomers to adapt more easily to a professional language.

Many people are unfamiliar with land-use lingo. In addition, Wisconsin law provides specific legal definitions for many terms that come up regularly in land-use discussions. As DNR involvement with land use and community planning increases, DNR staff and the pubic will have a greater need to be familiar with land-use terminology. Here, we provide a list of general land-use terms and acronyms for easy reference.

A hard copy of this glossary can be downloaded as a .PDF file

In addition we have created an online interactive version of the glossary below for fast and easy reference. You use the dropdown menu below to access the interactive version of Land Use Lingo: A Glossary of Land Use Terms

Terms are categorized for easier reference under the following headings: