Zoning Terms (NYC)
The sum of the gross areas of the several floors of a building or buildings, this measurement is taken from the exterior faces of exterior walls or from the center lines of walls separating two buildings.
Floor Area
A landscape architect, journalist, social critic, and public administrator, this individual is considered the "father" of American landscape architecture, and is responsible for many plans and designs of open spaces around the country.
Frederick Law Olmsted
This landmarked office skyscraper is located in the Financial District and famously proved to be controversial because of its lack of setbacks would not allow sunlight to reach the surrounding ground.
Equitable Building (120 Broadway)
This beachfront dispute in Ventura County, California created the "essential nexus" takings test for conditioning development approvals on dedications and exactions.
Nollan v. California Coastal Commission
This Special Purpose District is designated by the letters "FW" in which special regulations set forth in Article XII, Chapter 7, apply.
Special Flushing Waterfront District
The author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities, this individual is credited with nurturing a new era of community-led planning. Famously they opposed Robert Moses on some of the most prominent planning controversies of the 20th century.
Jane Jacobs
An icon of contemporary landscape architecture, this 1.45-mile-long elevated linear park on a former New York Central Railroad spur has inspired cities throughout the United States to redevelop obsolete infrastructure as public space.
High Line
Conclusions of this case determined that the Landmark Commission's action did not constitute a taking, that the Landmarks Law did not interfere with the "present uses" of the site, and that Plaintiff could still obtain a reasonable return on its investment by selling its development rights.
Penn Central Transportation Co. v. City of New York
Developments of this type contain one or more buildings on a single zoning lot, or two or more zoning lots that are contiguous or would be contiguous but for their separation by a street or a street intersection, and are used predominantly for residential uses.
Large-Scale Residential Development
An American marine biologist, author, and conservationist, this individual authored Silent Spring and is credited with bringing environmental advocacy to a new level of public awareness.
Rachel Carson
Performed pursuant to the Heritage Documentation Program (HDP) division of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS), this is sometimes required for projects affecting historic and cultural resources.
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)
In this significant case, the plaintiff argued that the town's zoning ordinance discriminated against low-income families and led to the formalized concept of a regional "fair share" affordable housing burden.
Southern Burlington County NAACP v. Township of Mount Laurel
This use is any lawful use, whether of a building or other structure or of a zoning lot, which does not conform to any one (or more) of the applicable use regulations of the district in which it is located, either on December 15, 1961, or as a result of any subsequent amendment thereto.
Non-Conforming
This individual was a founding member of the Congrès International d'Architecture Moderne (CIAM) and pioneered the "towers in the park" concept that was adopted in cities around the United States.
Le Corbusier
Similar to the Lever House, this landmark provided an open plaza that defined architectural style for New York City skyscrapers for several decades and inspired city incentives for developers to install "privately owned public spaces."
Seagram Building (375 Park Avenue)
Legal challenges that can be initiated based on a determination that was made in violation of lawful procedure, was affected by an error of law or was arbitrary and capricious or an abuse of discretion.
Article 78 Proceedings
These type of buildings abut only one side lot line and do not abut another building on the same or an adjoining zoning lot and are surrounded on all sides but one by yards, other open area or street lines on the zoning lot.
Zero Lot Line Building
As a sociologist, historian, civil rights activist and founder of the NAACP, this individual rose to prominence with the 1899 publication of The Philadelphia Negro. The publication was among the first to determine that discrimination was at the heart of problems within isolated black urban communities.
W. E. B. Du Bois
This well known development included artificial exterior lighting and heliostats (sun-tracking mirrors) to mitigate potential shadows impacts on the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church.
53 West 53
This case determined "it is not the role of the courts to weigh the desirability of any action or choose among alternatives, but to assure that the agency itself has satisfied SEQRA, procedurally and substantively."
Jackson v New York State Urban Dev. Corp.