Glossary of Terms

Below is a glossary of commonly used terms or acronyms in conducting City business.


Planning, Zoning & Inspections

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act
ADT Average Daily Traffic - Sometimes used as a measure of traffic volume in traffic impact analysis
ALF Assisted Living Facility
B-1 Central Business Zoning District - See Chapter 9 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
B-2 Highway Commercial Zoning District - See Chapter 8 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
BAR Board of Architectural Review - See Chapter 14 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
BFE Base Flood Elevation - See Section 14.1-6-2 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
BRL Building Restriction Line - See Chapter 1 of Winchester Zoning Ordinance for definitions of Setback and Yards
BZA Board of Zoning Appeals - See Chapter 20 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
CAM Council Action Memo - Accompanies staff reports and exhibits for development cases subject to review by City Council
CE Corridor Enhancement Zoning District - See Chapter 14.2 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
CIP Capital Improvement Plan (or Program)
CLG Certified Local Government - a federal program administered through the Virginia DHR that provides historic preservation grants to member Cities, including Winchester
CM-1 Commercial Industrial Zoning District - See Chapter 10 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
COA Certificate of Appropriateness - Issued for approved exterior changes in the HW and CE overlay districts
COB Certificate of Occupancy for Business
CO Certificate of Occupancy - See Section 18-1 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
COH Home Occupation Certificate of Use - See Section 18-19 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
CP Comprehensive Plan - State-mandated long-range plan for the City
CUP Conditional Use Permit - See Section 18-2 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
DHCD Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development
DHR Virginia Department of Historic Resources
EIP Education, Institution and Public Use Zoning District- See Chapter 16.1 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
EZ Enterprise Zone- See Chapter 8 of City Code
FAR Floor Area Ratio – a measurement of permitted building floor area relative to total parcel area
FIRM Flood Insurance Rate Map - See Section 14.1-6-9 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
FP Flood Plain Zoning District - See Chapter 14.1 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
FWSA Federal Highway Administration
GDP Generalized Development Plan - Sometimes included as a proffer with conditional rezoning requests
GFA Gross Floor Area
HE-1 Higher Education Zoning District - See Chapter 16 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
HR High Density Residential Zoning District- See Chapter 5 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
HR-1 Limited High Density Residential Zoning District - See Chapter 5.1 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
HS Health Services Zoning District - See Chapter 15 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
HW Historic Winchester Zoning District- See Chapter 14 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
LBBCA Local Board of Building Code Appeals - See Section 6-3 of City Code
LR Low Density Residential Zoning District - See Chapter 3 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
LSO Land Subdivision Ordinance
M-1 Limited Industrial Zoning District - See Chapter 11 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
M-2 Intensive Industrial Zoning District - See Chapter 12 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
MC Medical Center Zoning District - See Chapter 15.1 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
MPO Metropolitan Planning Organization - Federal transportation laws and regulations require the establishment of an MPO in every urbanized area of the U.S. with a population over 50,000. MPOs are responsible for meeting the federal metropolitan planning regulations for transportation
MR Medium Density Residential Zoning District - See Chapter 4 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
MS Minor Subdivision - a division or consolidation of land involving 3 or fewer lots and not involving the dedication of new public streets or utilities. See Section 6-5 of the Land Subdivision Ordinance
NCU Non-Conforming Use - The otherwise legal use of a building or structure or of a tract of land that does not conform to the use regulations of this ordinance for the districts in which it is located. See Chapter 17 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
NSVRC Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission - Winchester City is a member of this state-defined regional planning body
NOV Notice of Violation
PC Planned Commercial Zoning District - See Section 13-2 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
PC Winchester City Planning Commission - See Chapter 19 of City Code
PHW Preservation of Historic Winchester - a grass roots local preservation organization that offers resource information to owners of historic properties
PUD Planned Unit Development Zoning District - See Section 13-1 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
RB-1 Residential Business Zoning District - See Chapter 7 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
RO-1 Residential Office Zoning District - See Chapter 6 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
ROW Right of Way - generally refers to public and private streets and alleys, but sometimes used interchangeably with ‘easement’ when referring to access, drainage, or utilities
RZ Land Rezoning - See Chapter 22 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
SD Major Subdivision - a division of land involving more than 3 lots or involving the dedication of new public streets or utilities. See Section 4 of the Land Subdivision Ordinance
SP Site Plan - See Chapter 19 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance
SV Street Vacation - a request by one or more property owners to have the City approve an ordinance ceasing public street or alley use of public right-of-way. Often paired with a conveyance request.
TP Temporary Permit - permit issued for certain uses of property on a periodic basis such as a fireworks stand, pumpkin sales, and Christmas trees
TPA Total Project Area - All land within the exterior boundaries of the tract on which a multifamily or townhouse development is located, including private lots, off‑street parking areas, and common open space
VDOT Virginia Department of Transportation
WFCHS Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society - operates 3 museums (Abrams Delight, George Washington Office, and Stonewall Jackson HQ) owned by the City
WZO Winchester Zoning Ordinance
ZTA Zoning Text Amendment - See Chapter 22 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance