These definitions / terms have been formulated to relate to the context of this document.
Access
Access is the right of way to enter and exit developments and properties by all transport modes and pedestrians. An access can take the form of either a roadway for vehicular traffic or a footway for pedestrians. Access roads on urban arterials are spaced at regular intervals in order to ensure synchronisation of traffic signals and efficient traffic operations.
Accessibility
Good accessibility is being able to reach a wide range of activities, people, resources, opportunities and information with the least effort and cost. This may require a degree of mobility to avoid unnecessary wastage of energy and time in getting from origin to destination along public ways or crowded lines of communication, where long queues may prevail. This may also require overcoming non-physical obstacles such as lack of information (about a good or service) or improving the affordability of goods and services.
Agenda 21
A global action plan for socially, economically and environmentally sustainable development. Agenda 21 was adopted at the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.
Arterials / spines / routes
Roads classified as metropolitan or provincial roads fulfilling the function of collectors and distributors of traffic. These roads have a higher order function than local access providers to residential land uses in suburbs.
Bonded Housing
Housing developed by means of a bond granted by a financial institution, usually associated with private sector/open market housing.
Building Lines
The distant from the boundary to where buildings may be erected
Conservation
The management of the use of natural and human resources to ensure that such use is sustainable. Besides sustainable use, conservation includes protection, maintenance and rehabilitation of resources.
Compact
A compact urban form increases efficiency in the way people can use the city and the way in which the city is run. More people live in a smaller area in a compact city and this higher density allows for efficient provision of public transport, social and other services. The antithesis of a compact city is urban sprawl.
Containment
Containment refers to limiting the geographic spread of development, i.e. the horizontal. The city form can be enhanced by guiding spatial development. Containment takes place at two levels:
- Containing development within a defined urban boundary prevents urban sprawl.
- The physical spread of nodes is contained to enhance the performance of the nodes and to protect the surrounding areas from continuous encroachment of land use change.
Coverage
The percentage of the stand which may be covered by buildings
Declining Areas
Areas showing signs of economic or physical neglect. The high incidence of illegal land uses is usually an early indicator. Depressed areas have a declining economy.
Density (residential)
Gross residential density is the overall number of dwelling units divided by the total size of the area. Net residential density expresses the number of dwelling units divided by the size of the area that is taken up by residential use only. This is expressed as the number of units per hectare.
Higher residential densities are encouraged along arterials as well as in and around nodes as they make the provision of services and public transport viable.
Development Proposal
A proposal to change the current use of an area or parcel of land. It includes sub-divisions, rezonings and township establishments. Also included would be the "land development applications" as per the Development Facilitation Act, 1995.
Development Rights
The legal rights linked to land, not to the owner of the land, according to which the owner can develop the property or land.
Fragmented Development
Urban development that takes place in an ad hoc fashion without being integrated into, or related to, the surrounding areas. It results in a break in the urban fabric.
Greenfield Development
Urban development on previously unserviced, vacant land, which had been used for agriculture or other non-urban uses.
Guideline
Guidelines form a framework within which decisions are taken that will support an overall vision or strategy. Guidelines could be presented in a variety of forms, such as neighbourhood development plans and Council policies.
Home Enterprises
Home Enterprises: Non-residential land use that does not disturb the amenity of an area and is compatible with the surrounding land uses. The existing character of the area should be maintained.
These rights must still be applied for in terns of the applicable town-planning scheme if required. All requirements in terms of the applicable town-planning scheme regarding for example parking must be complied with.
Medium and large-scale home enterprises should be encouraged and supported in areas where they can serve as a transition zone from a non-residential area to a residential area.
Small Scale home Enterprises: Operates from a residential dwelling house and do not change the residential character of the area. A maximum of 20% of the building on the property my be used, a maximum of 2 additional staff members can be employed on the property at any one time.
Medium Scale Home Enterprise: Operates from a residential dwelling house and do not change the residential character of the area. A maximum of 49% of the building on the property my be used (the residential use is still the dominant use), a maximum of 5 additional staff members can be employed on the property at any one time.
Large Scale Home Enterprises: No residential component is present on the site, but the existing building on the site are being used for non-residential purposes. New developments can be supported at a maximum floor area of 0,3 if sufficiently motivated and supported by the planning department. A business zoning can also be considered where appropriate, sufficiently motivated and supported by the planning department.
Integrated Development Plan (IDP)
A plan to integrate development and management of municipal areas as stipulated in the Development Facilitation Act, 1995, the Local Government Transition Act, Second Amendment Act, 97 of 1996 and the Municipal Systems Act, 2000.
All metropolitan local councils are required to formulate and implement an Integrated Development Plan incorporating metropolitan land use planning, transportation planning, infrastructure planning and the promotion of economic development, taking cognisance of needs and priorities as determined by the metropolitan council concerned.
Infill
The development of undeveloped or underdeveloped land within a developed urban area with infrastructure (link services) available.
Ingress / Egress
Entrance / exit to a property.
Inner City
An area in Greater Johannesburg comprising the Johannesburg Central Business District and surrounding residential areas.
Intensification
The process of intensifying activities or land use by increasing the floor area, height or number of activities.
Inter-modal Transport
The integration and co-ordination of services, infrastructure and facilities between all modes within the transport system.
Land Use
The activities on a defined piece of land such as residential, commercial, industrial or a mixture of these.
Land Development Objective (LDO)
A requirement in terms of the Development Facilitation Act, 65 of 1995. A methodology and end product are given that result in an integrated development plan for an area in which the community have had input. In Gauteng the process has been superceded by the Integrated Development Plans. (See IDP).
Leap-frog development
Developments which takes place on undeveloped land, separating the new township from existing development. It is thus not contiguous with existing development. Usually motivated by the lower cost of land on the city's periphery. Contributes to urban sprawl.
Local Economic Development (LED)
LED is a locally driven process, designed to identify, harness and utilise resources to stimulate the economy and create new job opportunities. LED is not one specific action or programme, but the sum total of individual contributions of a broad spectrum of the community. LED occurs when the local authority, business, labour, NGOs and - most importantly - individuals strive to improve their economic status by combining skills, resources and ideas (NBI, 1998: 2).
Level of Service
The level of infrastructure service is the relative sophistication and convenience of the service provided.
Mixed land use
Mixed land use refers to a combination of land uses such as a mix of commercial / industrial / residential / retail / entertainment / institutional uses. It also refers to a mix of uses within a specific use. For example, various types of residential use based on densities.
The advantage of mixed uses is that access and convenience are increased as transportation distances are decreased.
The combination depends on the specific area. A mixed-use building could refer to retail at street level, institutional on the floor above and residential on the top floors. Mixed land use in an industrial area could include industry, commercial and retail uses.
Mobility
Mobility is the degree of free flow movement of vehicles and pedestrians. It is the ability to move at an acceptable speed and travel time without undue interruption and at acceptable levels of comfort, convenience and safety. Mobility and accessibility have an indirectly proportionate relationship whereby restricted or limited access will result in high mobility.
Modal Transfer Station
A facility at which public transport passengers can change vehicle or mode.
Nodes
A node is a place where both private and public investment tends to concentrate. Nodes are usually associated with major road intersections, or with public transport nodes such as railway stations and taxi ranks. It offers the opportunity to locate a range of activities, from small to large enterprises and is often associated with mixed-use development including high-density residential use. An important element that influences the notion of activity nodes is density. When combined with the diverse activities in a node, densification facilitates the limiting of the node radii to walking distance. An advantage of high-density nodes is that economies of scale can be exploited in terms of public infrastructure provision and private investment. Nodes differ in size, the types of activity that occur within them, the size of the areas served and the significance within the city.
Non Urban Residential Use
Land in rural areas utilised mainly for residential purposes.
Precinct
Refers to the combined areas of Emmarentia, Greenside and Parkview, including the surrounding open spaces.
Red Data species
Classified endangered species.
Resident's Associations
Refers to the Emmarentia, Greenside and Parkview Resident Associations
Residents
Refers to persons residing in Emmarentia, Greenside and Parkview
Road hierarchy
The classification of all roads in terms of their level of importance in a transportation network. The roads are classified in terms of the functions performed and the characteristics of each road in the transportation network.
Scoping Assessment
The process of collecting data and the interpretation thereof to determine if any environmental issue will accrue due to a proposed or intended development.
Strategic Environmental Assessment. (SEA)
The administrative or regulatory process of evaluating the environmental impacts of a policy, plan or programme and its alternatives. SEA is the application of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to the level of policies, plans and programmes.
Social Housing
Housing provided in terms of a government subsidy scheme (see affordable housing).
Sustainable Development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Town Planning Scheme
A planning tool that sets out use rights pertaining to land. The information is kept in a set of regulations and on a zoning map.
Urban Agriculture
The cultivation of crops within the urban areas and on the urban fringes, for subsistence or commercial purposes. The activity is often of a small scale and a high intensity.
Urban Development Boundary / Urban Edge
A demarcated line that serves to direct and control the outer limits of urban expansion. Outside the continuous urban development of the metropolitan core area, urban development should only be permitted within small towns and rural nodes, and in areas where the environment and agriculture are not compromised.
Urban fabric
This refers to the way in which buildings, roads and open spaces relate to one another. Where there are wide streets, plenty of open spaces between buildings, and large blocks, the urban fabric is said to be coarse. A fine urban fabric would refer to an area where the buildings are in close proximity to one another, the block size is small and there are narrower, but many, roads.
Urban sprawl
An undesirable situation in which the geographical size of the city keeps expanding to include development of new areas. Costs of providing and maintaining services to far flung areas is high, public transportation is not efficient and access to urban opportunities minimal. The antithesis of a compact city.
Vision
A vision expresses a commonly desired future for the area. It conveys the ideal towards which the area is collectively striving. It is an idealised picture of how the region could and should function.
Abbreviations
A.H.
Agricultural Holding.
CBD
Central Business District.
CID
City Improvement District
CMU
Contract Management Unit.
CPU
Corporate Planning Unit.
CoJ
City of Johannesburg.
DFA
Development Facilitation Act, 65 of 1995.
DPTE
Department of Development Planning, Transportation and Environment.
DP & F
Development Planning and Facilitation.
EIA
Environmental Impact Assessment. The administrative or regulatory process by which the environmental impact of a project is determined.
EMLC
Eastern Metropolitan Local Council.
EMPR
Environmental Management Programme Report. In terms of the Minerals Act, No 50 of 1991. The owner of every mine is required to obtain approval for an environmental management programme, described in the Environmental Management Programme Report. This is a document in which the overall character of the site and its surroundings is described, including mining methods, the environmental impact and the management of the impacts.
FAR
Total floor area allowed as a factor of the stand size
FITP
First Integrated Transport Plan.
GJMC
Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Council.
HOV
High Occupancy Vehicle.
IEM
Integrated Environmental Management. A South African Developed Procedure designed to ensure that the environmental consequences of developments are taken into consideration and understood during the planning process.
JCP
Johannesburg City Parks
JPC
Johannesburg Property Company
JRA
Johannesburg Roads Agency
JW
Johannesburg Water
LIDP
Integrated Development Plans undertaken for 11 Administrative Regions in the City of Johannesburg.
MEC
Member of the Executive Council of the province designated by the Premier of the Provincial Government.
MIS
Management Information Systems.
MOSS
Metropolitan Open Space System.
NMLC
Northern Metropolitan Local Council.
Propcom
See JPC
RSDF
Regional Spatial Development Framework
SDF
Spatial Development Framework.
SMDF
Greater Johannesburg Strategic Metropolitan Development Framework, 1998.
SMLC
Southern Metropolitan Local Council.
UAC's
Utilities, Agencies and Corporatised Entities e.g. Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), Citu Power, City Parks, Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), Metropolitan Trading Company (MTC), etc. (for a full list and contact details contact / or the Region office)
WMLC
Western Metropolitan Local Council.
WWTW
Waste Water Treatment Works - treatment of sewage water.
