Urban Planning glossary

Community groups are doing great work to address vacant property in their neighborhoods and developing increasingly sophisticated approaches to neighborhood revitalization. To help community groups keep up with the latest trends, the Detroit Vacant Property Campaign has partnered with various organizations to produce the following urban planning glossary and resource guide. For each term below, there is a definition provided by a local expert, a link to an informational primer written by the expert, and links to addtional resources on the Internet. We'll be updating the glossary regularly, so be sure to check back soon and see what's new!

Although Community Legal Resources invited submissions, the organizations below are solely responsible for the content of the attached materials. CLR thanks them and appreciates all of their hard work contributing to this resource guide.

BROWNFIELDS

"Put simply, a brownfield is a piece of land or a building that is more expensive to redevelop because it may be polluted – and therefore needs to be cleaned up."

- Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice

For more information on Brownfields from Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, click here.

To learn more, you can also vist these links:

Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice

Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority

COMPLETE STREETS

"Complete streets are roadways planned, designed and constructed to accommodate safe access for all users."

- Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance

For more information on Complete Streets from the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, click here.

To learn more, you can also vist these links:

Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance

Michigan Complete Streets Coalition

GREENWAYS

"Greenways are typically long parks or natural areas that usually include a trail."

- Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance

For more information on Greenways from the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, click here.

To learn more, you can also vist these links:

Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance

Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan: Greenways Initiative

LAND BANKS

"A land bank is a quasi-governmental entity dedicated to returning vacant, abandoned, and foreclosed property within its jurisdiction back to productive use."

- The Detroit Land Bank Authority

For more information on Land Banks from the Detroit Land Bank Authority, click here.

To learn more, you can also vist these links:

Detroit Land Bank Authority

Wayne County Land Bank

Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority

PUBLIC TRANSIT

"Public transit is a method for getting people where they need and want to go without requiring that everyone have their own vehicle."

- Transit Rider's United

For more information on Public Transit from Transit Riders United, click here.

To learn more, you can also vist these links:

Transit Riders United

Detroit Department of Transportation

SUSTAINABILITY

"Sustainability is a principle based on the idea that... social equality, economic strength and environmental protection are tied together..."

- Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice

For more information on Sustainability from Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, click here.

To learn more, you can also vist these links:

Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice

URBAN AGRICULTURE

"Urban agriculture is basically agricultural activities taking place within the context of an urban setting (such as neighborhoods in Detroit)."

 - Office of the Detroit City Planning Commission

For more information on Urban Agriculture from the Office of the Detroit City Planning Commission, click here.

To learn more, you can also vist these links:

Office of the Detroit City Planning Commission

Earthworks Urban Farm

The Greening of Detroit

Think we missed something? If your organization is working on these or any related topics and would like to provide additional resources - then please contact Sam Butler at sebutler@clronline.org or (313) 962-3171 ext. 229.