Glossary

Use the letters below to jump to that section of the glossary.

A B C D E G H I L M N P R S T U V W

A
Affordable Housing: Decent housing that costs no more than 30% of the household income per month. Ideally, affordable housing should be incorporated into mixed-income neighborhoods and be indistinguishable from market-rate housing.
AmeriCorps: Federal organization that provides volunteers to communities to create and expand programs that build neighborhood capacity. See http://www.AmeriCorps.org
Area Specific Plan (ASP): ASPs are an effective way to ensure that land use and development goals for a particular area of the city are created which protect that area’s unique characteristics while encouraging redevelopment and reinvestment. ASPs are typically created by the neighborhood and business associations located in that area and become amendments to the City’s master plan. See Chapter 11 of the 2002 Master Plan available at http://www.grcity.us
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B
Benchmarking: The process of setting “benchmarks,” which means identifying accurate historical data against which a data set can be compared now and in the future. In our case, it is the process of comparing our region's performance against the practices of other regions for the purpose of improving performance.
Biodiversity: The diversity, or variety, of plants, animals and other living things in a particular area or region. It encompasses habitat diversity, species diversity and genetic diversity.
Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA): The City of Grand Rapids Board to which appeals are made contesting the application of the zoning ordinance to a particular property or building. See http://www.GRCity.us/Planning
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT): Innovative, high capacity, higher speed, cost-effective public transit solution that can achieve the performance of the more expensive light rail system. Utilizes dedicated bus lanes and other state-of-the-art technologies to improve service. See http://www.RideTheRapid.org
Business Association (BA): A nonprofit organization of business owners representing a neighborhood commercial district. Business associations generally meet monthly and undertake activities that market their area and businesses and improve their neighborhood.
Business Improvement District (BID): State economic development tool that allows a business association or other organized community body to implement a special assessment on property taxes to be used to fund improvements within the district. See http://www.legislature.mi.gov; Enabled by Public Act 120 of 1961
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C
Charrette: A brief but intense design workshop where stakeholders and citizens are invited to contribute to the work of an interdisciplinary team during the early stages of design and planning.
Collaboration: When individuals or a group work together in a joint intellectual effort or on the same endeavor. Working together on a common enterprise or project.
Combined Sewer Overflow (CS0): Outdated sewer system that allows stormwater runoff to mix with household waste during periods of intense rainfall and be dumped into bodies of water. EPA regulations now require the effects of CSOs to be mitigated resulting in the removal of most of these systems. See http://www.ci.grand-rapids.mi.us/index.pl?page_id=3323
Common Framework, The: A comprehensive document created as a result of two years of objective data gathering, analysis and strategic planning conducted by more than 250 volunteers across ten essential activities: Environment, Economy, Education & Research, Health & Human Services, Tourism, Arts & Culture, Land Use, Infrastructure, Transportation/Logistics, and Governance.
Community: A community is a set of people with some shared element — in particular a group of people who live in the same geographical area is a community. The substance of shared element varies widely, from a situation to interest to lives and values. The term is widely used to evoke sense of collectivism.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): Federal grant program that funds local community development activities such as affordable housing initiatives, anti-poverty programs, neighborhood associations, and others. The City of Grand Rapids and Kent County both receive CBDG funds. See http://www.HUD.gov
Community Development Corporation (CDC): Nonprofits organized for the purpose of providing housing and economic development services within a community or neighborhood. Their programs are typically geared to low-income citizens and struggling neighborhoods. Typically, a majority of board members are from the target neighborhood. An example of a CDC is New Development Corp. See http://www.NewDevelopmentCorp.org
Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM): Association of community development corporations, individuals, and other organizations interested in promoting and expanding community-based housing and economic development across the state of Michigan. See http://www.CEDAM.info
Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO): A designation the City of Grand Rapids gives to housing organizations, which qualifies them for special funding through the federal government. See http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/affordablehousing/programs/home/topical/chdo.cfm
Community Land Trust (CLT): Affordable housing method that enables property to remain affordable even after changing owners. Dwelling Place is currently coordinating efforts to create a CLT in Grand Rapids. See http://www.iceclt.org
Congress for New Urbanism (CNU): A national nonprofit organization that works with multi-disciplinary professionals to promote walkable, diverse, and sustainable development. See http://www.CNU.org
Conservation Easement: A voluntary, legal agreement between a landowner and a land conservancy or government agency that permanently limits development of the property in order to retain conservation values of the land.
Contributing Factors: Casual relationships or driving forces.
Corridor Improvement Authority (CIA): State economic development tool that enables the city to establish an authority to capture the taxes assessed on a specifically designated district and use those taxes to finance neighborhood improvement and redevelopment projects. See http://www.legislature.mi.gov; Enabled by Public Act 280 of 2005
Corridor Improvement District: The geographical area targeted by a CIA (see previous entry).
CRI: GVSU Community Research Institute (CRI)'s mission is to assist nonprofit organizations in the Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland Metropolitan area with the acquisition of information and technical skills that will help them to understand the evolving needs of the community, plan programs, solve problems, and measure outcomes.
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED): The goal of CPTED is to prevent crime through designing a physical environment that positively influences human behavior – people who use the area regularly perceive it as safe, and would-be criminals see the area as a highly risky place to commit crime. See http://www.CPTED-Watch.com
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D
Data: Individual facts, statistics or items of information.
Data Dictionary: A catalog or table containing information about the data stored in a database. A data dictionary might contain the full names of attributes and meaning of codes.
Data Element: The smallest unit of information used to describe a particular characteristic of a data set. A data element is a logically primitive description that cannot be further subdivided.
Data Mining: The process of analyzing data to identify patterns or relationships.
Data Sets: A collection of data records that includes facts, statistics or other items of information.
Delta Strategy, The: Delta Strategy enhances community effectiveness in addressing seemingly intractable issues through cross-sector dialogue and collaboration.
Demographics: Statistical data of an area's population such as age, sex, income, education, etc.
Diversity: Diversity is the term used to describe the relative uniqueness of each individual in the population. This includes characteristics or factors such as personality, work style, religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, having a disability, socioeconomic level, educational attainment, and general work experience. Diversity refers to all of the characteristics that make individuals different from each other.
Downtown Alliance (DA): The DA is a business improvement district in downtown GR designed, governed and implemented by stakeholders to strengthen the downtown area by: advocating for the interests of downtown; providing a clean, friendly and attractive downtown; creating a more productive business and community environment; preserving and enhancing the downtown character; all of which are essential to downtown’s success as a place to work, live, shop and recreate. See http://www.DowntownGR.org
Downtown Development Authority (City of Grand Rapids) (DDA): Established in 1979 to promote economic growth and revitalization and encourage historic preservation within the central business district. See http://www.grand-rapids.mi.us/index.pl?page_id=1657; Enabled by Public Act 197 of 1975
Downtown Improvement District (DID): City of Grand Rapids board that oversees the activities of the Downtown Alliance. See http://www.DowntownGR.org/about_us-resources.php
Downtown Management Board (DMB): Former name for the Downtown Improvement District. See alphabetical listing of services at http://www.grand-rapids.mi.us
Dwelling Place: Dwelling Place improves the lives of people by creating quality affordable housing, providing essential support services and serving as a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization. Efforts are focused in the Heartside Neighborhood. See http://www.DwellingPlaceGR.org
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E
Economic Prosperity: Depends upon business, trade and employment. A strong economy provides us ithe the resources we need to improve life and achieve sustainability (source: West Michigan Regional Indicators - Vital Signs).
Educational Attainment: The annual estimate of the percentage of persons aged 25 - 34 years with a bachelors degree or higher.
Employers Internship Toolkit: A resource guide created for West Michigan employers that will aid them in the development of their organization's internship program.
Environmental Integrity: Values the health functioning of biological organisms within the ecosystem they inhabit (source: West Michigan Regional Indicators - Vital Signs).
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G
Get the Lead Out (GTLO): Pilot program that began in 2001 by the Community Leadership Institute at Aquinas College to combat the increasing numbers of inner-city children with elevated blood-lead levels. Pilot program ended in 2005 and resulted in the formation of the Healthy Homes Coalition. See http://www.HealthyHomesCoalition.org/about-us/
GILC: The GILC is made up of individuals who represent leadership from conservation organizations, businesses, and local government in West Michigan, serving in an advisory role for the Green Infrastructure Initiative, providing information and ideas to catalyze change.
Globalization: The increasing interconnectedness of people and places as a result of advances in transport, communication and information technologies that cause political, economic, and cultural convergence.
Governance: The act, process or power of governing by committees formed to administer and exercise authority and control of something.
Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC): Primarily two-year higher education institution located in downtown Grand Rapids. GRCC also provides job-retraining programs for adults. See http://www.GRCC.edu
Grand Rapids Community Foundation (GRCF): Grand Rapids area foundation that administers grant programs in a variety of fields including community and neighborhood development. See http://www.GRFoundation.org
Grand Rapids Community Media Center (GRMC): A highly respected local nonprofit that provides media training, web design, and other assistance to area groups for nominal fees. See http://www.GRCMC.org
Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW): GROW exists to provide women of West Michigan the education and resources that will allow then to strive towards their dream of achieving self-fulfillment and positive economic change. See http://www.GrowBusiness.org
Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD): The City of Grand Rapids’ law enforcement organization.
Grand Rapids Public School (GRPS): School system serving the City of Grand Rapids. See http://www.grps.k12.mi.us
Grand Valley Metropolitan Council: Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (GVMC) is an alliance of governmental units in the Grand Rapids, Michigan metropolitan area that are appointed to plan for the growth and development, improve the quality of the communities' life, and coordinate governmental services.
Grand Valley State University: A four-year university established in 1960 offering a strong liberal education that includes undergraduate and graduate programs. Visit http://www.gvsu.edu for more information.
Green Infrastructure Leadership Council: The GILC is made up of individuals who represent leadership from conservation organizations, businesses, and local government in West Michigan, serving in an advisory role for the Green Infrastructure Initiative, providing information and ideas to catalyze change.
Green Roof: A roof covered with vegetation and soil, or a growing medium. Benefits include reduced stormwater runoff, reduced urban heat island effect and air and water filtration.
Greenway: A corridor open space that often follows a natural feature such as a stream, valley or floodplain and is used for recreation, conservation and non-motorized transportation to connect amenities.
GVMC: Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (GVMC) is an alliance of governmental units in the Grand Rapids, Michigan metropolitan area that are appointed to plan for the growth and development, improve the quality of the communities' life, and coordinate governmental services.
GVSU: A four-year university established in 1960 offering a strong liberal education that includes undergraduate and graduate programs. Visit http://www.gvsu.edu for more information.
GVSU Annis Water Resources Institute: The Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI) is a multidisciplinary research organization committed to the study of freshwater resources. The mission of the Institute is to integrate research, education, and outreach to enhance and preserve freshwater resources.
GVSU Community Research Institute: CRI's mission is to assist nonprofit organizations in the Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland Metropolitan area with the acquisition of information and technical skills that will help them to understand the evolving needs of the community, plan programs, solve problems, and measure outcomes.
GVSU Sustainability Initiative: The GVSU Sustainability Initiative helps to model sustainability on campus in a fully integrated fashion through university expertise, education and curriculum, facilities management and administration, student involvement, and community engagement.
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H
Healthy Homes Coalition (HHC): Nonprofit dedicated to ending childhood lead poisoning and to apply the lessons learned to other children’s environmental health issues. See http://www.HealthyHomesCoaltion.org
Historic Preservation Commission (HPC): Grand Rapids committee tasked with ensuring that the City of Grand Rapids is able to preserve buildings with historical value for future generations. See http://www.grcity.us/index.pl?page_id=2627
Home Repair Services (HRS): Non-profit organization that assists low-income homeowners in the Kent County area. See http://www.HomeRepairServices.org
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I
Indicator: A numerical measure of quality of life. Indicators are used to illustrate progress in meeting a range of economic, social, and environmental goals. A feature or phenomenon that can be objectively measured in quantitative or qualitative terms as a means of gauging progress toward achieving a goal or measuring the impact of a specific intervention.
Infrastructure: A basic underlying framework or features of an organization which provides fundamental operation and systems used in business, community or the region.
Innovation (WIRED): The name for the 12 WIRED funded projects, ranging from initiatives to retain workers to programs for helping the region create and capitalize on innovative new products or ideas.
Innovation Champion: The person(s) charged with implementing and leading each WIRED West Michigan innovation.
Inter City Christian Federation (ICCF): Non-profit housing corporation that builds new housing, rehabs existing housing, provides emergency housing, assists with long term rental housing, and provides homeowner education classes. See http://www.ICCF.org
Interurban Transit Partnership (ITP): Authority that oversees the local transit system, The Rapid. Comprised of a 15-member board of directors representing 6 municipalities (East Grand Rapids, Grandville, Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Walker, Wyoming) served by The Rapid. See http://www.RideTheRapid.org
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L
Land Banking: Purchasing land cheaply with the intent to sell it when the demand for the land, and the price, increase.
Land Use: Is the human modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements (source: Wikipedia.org)
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED): Rating system that provides standards for construction to be considered environmentally sustainable. As of 2007, Grand Rapids has 12% of the Nation’s LEED-certified buildings. See http://www.usgbc.org/leed
LEED - Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND): Rating system that integrates smart growth, urbanism, and LEED building standards into a program that can evaluate design at the neighborhood scale. See http://www.usgbc.org/leed/nd
Local First: An organization that promotes shopping at locally owned businesses so that each dollar spent is re-circulated in the local economy. See http://www.LocalFirst.com
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): LISC’s mission is to support the development of local leadership, the creation of affordable housing, commercial, industrial, and community facilities, businesses and jobs by providing capital, training and information, and technical expertise to community organizations. See http://www.lisc.org OR http://www.lisc.org/michigan/index.shtml
Low Impact Development (LID): Land planning program that manages stormwater runoff through conservation and use of natural geographical features. LID practices result in less flood risk, improved aesthetic value, and better protected natural habitats. See http://www.LowImpactDevelopment.org
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M
Macatawa Area Coordinating Council: The Macatawa Area Coordinating Council, located in the greater Holland/Zeeland, MI area, encourages cooperation among 13 neighboring units of government on area-wide issues and serves as the MPO for these jurisdictions.
MACC: The Macatawa Area Coordinating Council (MACC), located in the greater Holland/Zeeland, MI area, encourages cooperation among 13 neighboring units of government on area-wide issues and serves as the MPO for these jurisdictions.
Metadata: Information that describes the content, quality, condition, origin, and other characteristics of information. It can be classified by subject matter; how, when, where, and by whom the data was collected, availability and distribution information. Metadata is usually stored on a data dictionary.
Metro Tri-Plex: A term used when referencing the Grand Rapids, Holland and Muskegon areas collaborating together as a whole.
Metropolitan Planning Organization: A metropolitan planning organization, or MPO, is a transportation policy-making organization made up of representatives from local government and transportation authorities. Federal legislation passed in the early 1970s required the formation of an MPO for any urbanized area with a population greater than 50,000. MPOs were created in order to ensure that existing and future expenditures for transportation projects and programs were based on a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive planning process. Federal funding for transportation projects and programs are channeled through this planning process.
Metropolitan Statistical Area: Is an area containing a core city with a population of at least 50,000 people, together with neighboring communities that have a high degree of economic and social connection.
Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth (DLEG): DLEG is the state department responsible for overseeing construction codes; jobs, education & training; Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority; as well as the state Energy Office. See http://www.michigan.gov/DLEG
Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC): The State’s official economic development agency. Provides help with site location, job training grants, tax abatement information, etc. See http://www.MichiganAdvantage.org OR http://www.theMEDC.org
Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA): MSHDA provides financial and technical assistance through public and private partnerships to create and preserve safe and decent affordable housing, engage in community economic development activities, develop vibrant cities, towns and villages, and address issues faced by the homeless. See http://www.michigan.gov/MSHDA
Michigan State University Extension (MSUE): MSUE focuses on bringing knowledge-based educational programs to the people of the state to improve their lives and communities. County-based staff members team up with on-campus faculty members to serve every county with programming focused on agriculture/natural resources; children, youth &families; and community & economic development. See http://www.msue.msu.edu
Mixed-Income: A building, development, or neighborhood with housing that is affordable to a range of household incomes. A primary goal is to provide housing within walking distance of one’s place of employment - no matter what position is held.
Mixed-Use: A building or area that provides a variety of land uses. For example, a building with retail on the ground floor and offices and/or residential on the upper floors.
MPO: A metropolitan planning organization, or MPO, is a transportation policy-making organization made up of representatives from local government and transportation authorities. Federal legislation passed in the early 1970s required the formation of an MPO for any urbanized area with a population greater than 50,000. MPOs were created in order to ensure that existing and future expenditures for transportation projects and programs were based on a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive planning process. Federal funding for transportation projects and programs are channeled through this planning process.
MSA: A Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is an area containing a core city with a population of at least 50,000 people, together with neighboring communities that have a high degree of economic and social connection.
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N
Natural Resources: Any part of the environment that species depend on for their survival. Materials that occur in nature and are essential or useful to humans, such as water, air, land, forests, fish and wildlife, topsoil, and minerals.
Neighborhood Association (NA): A group of residents and property owners who advocate for or organize activities within a particular neighborhood. See http://maps.grand-rapids.mi.us/CommunityDevl/viewer.htm for a listing of Grand Rapids’ NAs
Neighborhood Business Alliance (NBA): NBA consists of representatives from all 20 area business associations who meet together monthly to coordinate city-wide services, share best practices and advocate on issues effecting neighborhood businesses and districts.
Neighborhood Enterprise Zone (NEZ): NEZs in the City of Grand Rapids are aimed at promoting home ownership and investment in areas where the greatest impact will occur and where such improvements may trigger additional investment in nearby neighborhoods. First time homeowners who buy new or recently rehabbed homes are eligible for tax breaks lasting up to 12 years. See http://www.ci.grand-rapids.mi.us/index.pl?page_id=5515
Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy (NRSA): NRSA is a program that builds collaboration between federal and local governments, private and community organizations, and residents within a specific neighborhood. These partnerships become the foundation for neighborhood revitalization and economic development. NRSA is intended to be a strategy that empowers low- and middle- income families within the NRSA area.
Neighborhood Ventures (NV): A nonprofit community and economic development agency that works within urban business districts to bring greater vitality into neighborhoods through a variety of initiatives. See http://www.NeighborhoodVentures.org
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P
Pedestrian-Oriented Development (POD): Development designed with an emphasis primarily on sidewalks and pedestrian access to the site and building rather than on vehicular access and parking. Traditionally, this means the building is built close to the sidewalk, building walls along the sidewalk include large windows, and the main entrance is oriented to the sidewalk. See also Walkability. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedestrian-oriented_development
Policy Council (WIRED): A group of 14 diverse leaders in West Michigan appointed as an 'advisory council' for the WIRED West Michigan initiative who play an integral role in the ongoing approval, guidance and development of each WIRED innovation.
Priorities for Regional Collaboration
Purchase of Development Rights (PDR): PDR compensates farmland-owners for the appraised, fair market value of their property development rights in exchange for a permanent agricultural conservation easement on their property. This ensures that the land will forever be agricultural land. See http://www.accesskent.com/YourGovernment/BOC/PDR/default.htm
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R
Rapid Growth: A weekly e-newsletter that positively promotes the economic development activities occurring in West Michigan. Articles incorporate new urbanist and neighborhood revitalization concepts. See http://www.RapidGrowthMedia.com
Region: A geographical area connected through transportation patterns, commerce, media and other interrelated interests.
Regional Indicators: A tool used to help assess the sustainability of West Michigan. Indicators are used to measure trends in social, economic, and environmental systems and to help people see the bigger picture through small details. They represent a 50,000 foot view, not a slide on a microscope.
Renaissance Zone (Ren Zone): Renaissance Zones are distressed and blighted areas which are virtually tax free for businesses or residents presently in or moving to a Zone. The Zones are designed to provide selected areas with a powerful market-based incentive and the elimination of most state and local taxes, to spur new jobs and investment. See http://www.GRCity.us
Request for Proposals (RFP): An RFP is basically an invitation for companies to bid on a particular project by laying out their proposed plans and costs for delivering a requested service..
Request for Qualifications (RFQ): An RFQ is an invitation for companies to submit a proposal demonstrating their qualifications to carry out a project Once a company is selected based on an RFQ, then design plans are created jointly.
Return on Investment (ROI): Generally a financial investment term used to describe the monetary outcome of a particular investment. In the community development world, returns on investments can be financial and/or social gains.
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S
See BZA: See BZA
Smart Growth: Development that concentrates growth in the already populated areas to avoid urban sprawl; and advocates compact, transit-oriented, walkable, bicycle-friendly land use, including neighborhood schools, streets that work for everyone, mixed-use development with a range of housing choices. Smart growth values long-range, regional considerations of sustainability over a short-term focus. See http://www.SmartGrowth.org
Social Justice: Involves the identification of issues, the development of standards, and the implementation of programs that address our responsibility for the ethical treatment of individuals, communities and other stakeholders (source: West Michigan Regional Indicators - Vital Signs).
Stakeholder: Specific people or groups seen as integral to planning and achieving the vision, goals and objectives because they have a strong vested interest in the outcome.
State Equalized Value (SEV): The SEV is approximately 1/2 of the market rate for real property and is determined by the local municipality’s assessor’s office subject to the approval of the County and State. Property taxes are based on the lesser of the SEV or the Capped Value of the property. See http://www.ci.grand-rapids.mi.us/index.pl?page_id=154
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO): Using federal grant money SHPO identifies, evaluates, registers, interprets and protects the state's historic properties. SHPO is a federally-mandated program. See http://www.michigan.gov/SHPO
Stewardship: The concept of responsible caretaking; based on the premise that we do not own resources, but are managers and are responsible to future generations for their condition.
Sustainability: Meeting the needs of today without compromising the future generations' ability to meet their own needs. From the U.N. Brundtland Report 1987
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T
Tax Increment Financing (Authority) (TIFA): Economic tool that enables local taxes to be captured for use in redevelopment and area improvement projects. TIFAs oversee the implementation and activties of an area utilizing a TIF. The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is a TIFA. See http://www.legislature.mi.gov; Enabled by P.A. 197 of 1975; P.A. 450 of 1980; P.A. 281 of 1986; P.A. 381 of 1996; P.A. 280 of 2005
The Rapid: Transit system serving 6 municipalities in the Greater Grand Rapids area. The Rapid operates 19 fixed routes, demand-response services for people with disabilities and those living outside the fixed-route service area, car and vanpooling programs, and the Air Porter shuttle among other services. See http://www.RideTheRapid.org
The Right Place, Inc: Regional economic development agency that promotes economic growth in the areas of employment, productivity and technology in Greater Grand Rapids by developing jobs through business retention, expansion, and attraction efforts. See http://www.RightPlace.org
Traffic-Calming: Traffic calming involves changes in street alignment, installation of barriers, and other physical measures to reduce traffic volume and speed. in the interest of street safety, livability, and other public purposes. See http://www.TrafficCalming.org
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD): Moderate- and high-density housing concentrated in mixed-use developments located along transit-routes. The location, design, and mix of uses in a TOD emphasize pedestrian-oriented environments and support the use of public transportation. See http://www.ReconnectingAmerica.org/Public/TOD
Trend: A general course of direction demonstrated through observation of data and/or indicators over time.
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U
U.S. Dept of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): HUD’s mission is to increase homeownership, support community development and increase access to affordable housing free from discrimination. HUD administers CDBG. See http://www.hud.gov
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): The mission of USGBC is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life. USGBC also sponsors and supervises the LEED program. See http://www.usgbc.org
United Growth for Kent County, Revitalizing Neighborhoods Committee (UGKC, RNC): UGKC is a citizen-based nonprofit that unites urban and rural people and organizations around the promotion of positive land use in Kent County and West Michigan. RNC represents the urban contingency and assists community-based organizations in building capacity, improving the social and economic vitality of neighborhoods; and identifying and mitigating the effects of urban sprawl. See http://www.UnitedGrowth.org
Urban Design: An aspect of urban or suburban planning that focuses on creating a desirable environment in which to live, work and play. A well designed urban or suburban environment demonstrates the four generally accepted principles of urban design: clearly identifiable function for the area; easily understood order; distinctive identity; and visual appeal.
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V
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT): The number of miles that residential vehicles are driven. See http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/rtecs/chapter3.html
Vital Signs, The: WMSA formed a collaborative partnership with seven organizations with expertise in identifying, gathering, analyzing, reporting and using data to create the West Mihcigan Regional Indicators - Vital Signs. Members of these seven organizations formed a steering committee to plan and oversee this project (see Regional Indicators for more information).
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W
Walkability: The degree to which a community’s stores, schools, parks, civic and recreational opportunities are accessible to pedestrians rather than being auto-oriented. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/walkability
Watershed: A geographical area that acts as a drainage basin for a common waterway, like a river, lake, stream, or wetland.
West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC): Nonprofit organization working to protect and enhance West Michigan’s natural and human environments by translating the concerns of people into positive action. See http://www.wmeac.org
West Michigan Region: A seven-county area (Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Muskegon, Newaygo & Ottawa) with the Holland-Muskegon-Grand Rapids metro area at its core.
West Michigan Regional Urban Design Charrette (WMRUD)
West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission: The WMSRDC is a federal and state designated regional planning and development agency serving 127 local governments in Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, and northern Ottawa Counties.
West Michigan Strategic Alliance (WMSA): WMSA is a collaborative effort among leaders of governmental units, businesses, institutions and private citizens from around the region who seek to improve the productivity of the region's limited resources; to achieve sustainable communities by balancing economic prosperity, environmental integrity and social justice; and to improve the quality of life for all citizens.
WIRED: Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) A $15 million dollar grant awarded to WMSA and supported by the U.S. Department of Labor - Employment and Training Administration (ETA) created to cultivate the creation of high skill and high wage opportunities for American workers.
WMSA's Mission: To be a catalyst for regional collaboration.
WMSA's Vision: To be the best place place to live, work and play in the Midwest.
WMSRDC: The West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission (WMSRDC) is a federal and state designated regional planning and development agency serving 127 local governments in Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, and northern Ottawa Counties.
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development: A $15 million dollar grant awarded to WMSA and supported by the U.S. Department of Labor - Employment and Training Administration (ETA) created to cultivate the creation of high skill and high wage opportunities for American workers.
WorkKeys: The name given for a series of tests (Applied Math, Reading for Information, and Locating Information) developed by the American College Testing Program (ACT) for the National Career Readiness Certificated (NCRC) program, used throughout business and industry to measure different skills and abilities.
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