One Martin's
Glossary of Terms

Federal law ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities in public spaces and facilities.

Housing that a household can afford without spending more than 30% of their income on rent or mortgage, including taxes, insurance, and utilities. Martin County defines different levels of affordability based on a percentage of the median household income for the are

Any farm or ranch activity that attracts visitors, such as farm stands, corn mazes, fruit picking, or farm stays.

Proven methods, often for landscaping and farming, that help improve water quality, save water, and protect natural resources. These are based on research and designed to be effective and practical.

A special purpose government created to finance and manage infrastructure for planned communities.

A specific area identified as needing improvement due to issues like decay, a lack of affordable housing, or outdated infrastructure. The county can create special plans and use funds to revitalize these areas.

A key document that guides how Martin County will grow and develop in the future. It sets long-term goals and objectives for land use, public spending, and neighborhood improvements.

A requirement in Florida's growth management laws that public facilities and services (like roads, water, sewer, schools) must be available at the same time development impacts occur.

A legal agreement that restricts development on a piece of land to protect its natural, scenic, historical, or open-space values. This helps preserve important environmental areas.

The act of building, clearing, digging, or significantly changing the size, use, or appearance of any structure or land.

Any building activity, mining, significant change in how a structure or land is used, or dividing land into three or more pieces.

Any direct or indirect release of solid, liquid, or gas into the environment, including spilling, leaking, or dumping.

Large-scale developments that, due to their size, location, or nature, are likely to have a substantial effect on the health, safety, or welfare of citizens of more than one county. These require state-level review.

The central command facility for managing emergencies and disasters.

State agency responsible for environmental regulation and protection in Florida, including water quality.

State agency responsible for planning, building, and maintaining Florida's transportation system.

Federal agency that coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from all-hazards.

The designation on the county's future land use map that indicates the allowed types and intensity of development for a particular piece of land.

A computer system for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth's surface. Used for mapping, planning, and environmental analysis.

Building new homes or businesses on vacant land within existing developed areas, typically in the more urban parts of the county. This helps use existing infrastructure efficiently.

Development that happens far away from existing urban areas, making it difficult and expensive to provide public services like water and sewer, and often going against community planning goals.

Buildings or spaces designed for both commercial (work) and residential (living) use, where the living space is secondary to the primary workspace.

Environmentally friendly approaches to stabilize shorelines and reduce erosion using natural materials and methods that also create habitat for marine life.

A measure of the quality or effectiveness of public facilities and services, such as how smoothly traffic flows on a road or the capacity of a wastewater treatment plant.

A planning approach that directs where and how growth occurs to ensure it is sustainable, efficient, and aligns with community goals, often by concentrating development in certain areas and protecting others.

A property or building that combines more than one type of land use (e.g., shops, offices, and homes) in a unified design, sharing infrastructure and facilities.

A federally mandated and federally funded transportation policy-making organization in the United States that is made up of representatives from local government and governmental transportation authorities. Martin County is part of one.

A permit program under the Clean Water Act that regulates discharges of pollutants into U.S. waters. Martin County operates under such permits for stormwater.

A plan specifically designed to manage and protect natural preserve areas within the county.

Any substance or material that can harm the environment, including waste, chemicals, biological materials, and certain characteristics of wastewater like pH or temperature.

Water that has had something added to it, either on purpose or by accident, which makes it unsuitable for disposal into storm drains, natural drains, or surface waters.

When human activities change the chemical, physical, biological, or radioactive makeup of water.

The ability of a community or system to withstand, recover from, and adapt to disruptive events like natural disasters, climate change impacts, or economic shocks.

The parts of Martin County located outside of the designated urban service district, generally west of the Turnpike and I-95. These areas are characterized by lower density development and more open space.

A specific change or addition to the county's planning documents that aims to preserve and support the rural character and way of life in certain areas.

A private wastewater treatment system for individual properties, typically consisting of a septic tank and a drainfield, where wastewater is treated and absorbed into the ground.

One of Florida's five water management districts, responsible for water resources in South Florida, including water supply, flood control, and environmental protection.

Roads maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation.

The runoff water that comes from rainfall, flowing over land surfaces, including buildings and paved areas. Ideally, stormwater is just rainwater without pollutants.

Man-made wetlands or other engineered systems designed to naturally filter and clean stormwater runoff before it enters larger bodies of water, helping to improve water quality.

All bodies of water on the surface of the earth, including rivers, lakes, streams, springs, wetlands, and any other fresh, brackish, or saltwater bodies.

A public financing method used as a subsidy for redevelopment, infrastructure, and other community-improvement projects.

Higher-density commercial and industrial uses, or residential areas with more than two homes per acre or lots smaller than half an acre.

A specific geographic area where public water and/or wastewater services are provided by a regional utility. This area is typically targeted for more dense development.

A type of development that spreads out inefficiently, requiring the costly extension of public services and blurring the lines between urban and rural areas.

Water that has been used and contains dissolved or suspended waste materials (e.g., from toilets, sinks, industrial processes).

The regular testing and assessment of water bodies to determine their chemical, physical, and biological characteristics, and to track changes over time.

An area of land that drains all the streams and rainfall to a common outlet such as a river, lake, or ocean. Understanding watersheds is key to managing water quality.

Areas where water is present at or near the soil surface for significant parts of the year, leading to unique soil development and supporting specialized plants and animals. They play a crucial role in water quality and habitat.

Housing affordable for people or families earning up to 140% of Martin County's median income. This often includes essential workers like teachers, nurses, and first responders.

Local laws that divide a county or city into different areas (zones) and regulate the types of land use and development allowed in each zone (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial).