The Language of Local Government – Definition of Terms:

Agenda – A list of items to be brought up at a meeting.

Annexation – The process by which a municipality, upon meeting certain requirements, expands its corporated limits.

Bid – Formal quotation, based on common specifications, for the provision of goods or services.  Opened at public for meeting consideration and award.

Budget – A comprehensive financial plan to sustain municipal operations during a given year with related explanation.

Buffer – A strip of land, vegetation and/or opaque wall that sufficiently minimizes the physical or visual intrusion generated by an existing or future use.

CDBG - Community Development Block Grant

Call for the question – Term used to end the discussion and vote on the motion.

Capital outlay – Expenditures made to acquire fixed assets or additions to them usually made from the general fund or utility fund where the assets are to be used.

Comp Plan - Lady Lake Comprehensive Plan

Conflict of interest – A term used in connection with a public official’s relationship to matters of private interest or personal gain and which prohibits participation in the discussion under decision.

Consent agenda – A policy of the governing body to approve, in one motion, routine and/or non-controversial items, which can be determined prior to the meeting.

Contiguous – Sharing a common boundary.

Contingency – An appropriation of funds to handle unexpected events and emergencies, which occur during the course of the fiscal year.

CAFR - Comprehensive Annual Financial Report

DCA - Department of Community Affairs

DEP - Department of Environmental Protection

DPR - Department of Professional Regulations

DRI - Development of Regional Impact

Density – The number of families, individuals, dwellings, units, or housing structures per unit of land.

Development – A physical change, exclusive of new construction and substantial improvement, to improved or unimproved real estate, including, but not limited to mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavating or drilling operations.

EAR - Evaluation and Appraisals Report

Easement – An interest in land owned by another that entitles its holder to a specific limited use or enjoyment.

Emergency measure – An ordinance recognized by the legislative body as requiring immediate passage.

FDOT - Florida Department of Transportation

FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency

FRDAP - Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program

General fund – The general operating fund of the municipality used to account for all financial resources except those required to be accounted for in a special fund.

Impact fees – Set aside fees collected from developers to pay for infrastructure improvements.  Monies used as new development further impacts the municipalities.

Infrastructure – The facilities and systems shared or used by all citizens such as transportation, water supply, wastewater and solid waste disposal systems.

Intergovernmental agreements – Contract between two or more public agencies for the joint exercise of powers common to the agencies.

Intergovernmental revenues – Revenues from other governments in the form of grants, entitlements, shared revenues, or payments in lieu of taxes.

Jurisdiction – The power, right, or authority to interpret and apply the law; the authority of a sovereign power to govern or legislate; the power or tight to exercise authority, control; the limits or territory within which authority may be exercised.

LDRs - Lady Lake Land Development Regulations

LPA - Local Planning Agency

Line item – A specific item or group of similar items defined by detail in a unique account in the financial records.  Revenue, expenditure and justifications are reviewed, anticipated and appropriated at this level.

MPO - Metropolitan Planning Organization

Millage Rate – The rate at which real and personal property is taxed, with one mill equal to $1.00 per $1,000 of assessed taxable value.  For example, a property tax rate of 2.5 would mean a tax of $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed taxable value. 

NOPC - Notice of Proposed Change

NPDES - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

Non-conforming – A use which does not comply with present zoning conditions but which existed lawfully and was created in good faith prior to the enactment of the zoning provisions.

Ordinance – An enforceable municipal law, statute or regulation, which applies to all citizens within that municipality; penalty provisions may apply.

P & Z - Planning and Zoning Board

PD & E - Planning, Development, and Environmental Study

PUD – Planned Unit Development

Public hearing – Provides citizens the opportunity to express their position on a specific issue, both pro and con, as mandated by either statute or by order of proper authority after due notice.

Quasi-Judicial – A governmental body that hears sworn testimony, obtains evidence and provides for cross-examination of witnesses, with the decision based solely on the evidence presented.

Quorum – The prescribed number of members of any body that must be present to legally transact business.

RFP (Request for Proposals) – Notice and related information from a municipality requesting proposals for professional services.

Resolution – A decision, opinion, policy or directive of a municipality expressed in a formally drafted document and voted upon.

Right-of-way – Strip of land owned by a government agency over which the public has right of passage, such as streets, parkways, medians, sidewalks, easements and driveways constructed thereon.

SJRWMD - St. John’s River Water Management District

SRF - State Revolving Fund

Sunshine Law – Legislation providing that all meetings of public bodies shall be open to the public (a/k/a open public meeting law).

TMDL – Total Maximum Daily Load, which is the amount of contaminant allowable by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in reference to stormwater runoff.

TRC - Technical Review Committee

VCCDD - Village Center Community Development District

Vacate – To annul; to set aside; to cancel or rescind.

Variance – Modification from the provisions of a zoning ordinance granted by a legislative body upon submission of an application and a hearing.