California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). A state law (California Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.), requiring state and local agencies to regulate activities with consideration for environmental protection. If a proposed activity has the potential for a significant adverse environmental impact, an environmental impact report (EIR) must be prepared and certified as to its adequacy before taking action on the proposed project.
California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC). The governor-appointed nine-member commission charged with identifying and cataloging places of special religious or social significance to Native Americans and known graves and cemeteries of Native Americans on private lands. The NAHC also performs other duties regarding the preservation and accessibility of sacred sites and burials and the disposition of Native American human remains and burial items.
Capital Improvements Program (CIP). A program, administered by a city or county government that schedules permanent improvements, usually for a minimum of five years in the future, to fit the projected fiscal capability of the local jurisdiction. The CIP is generally reviewed annually for conformance to and consistency with the Policy Plan.
Capacity. The ability to provide a service or fulfill an obligation in the desired manner or at a desired level of service.
Cluster. Residential development in which a number of dwelling units are placed in closer proximity than usual, or are attached.
Collaborate. To intentionally, willingly work together toward a common objective or goal.
Community action guide. A set of potential actions community members (within a specific community planning area or CPA) can take to remain and become the type of community that current and future residents desire. The guides include action plans that place a focus on self-reliance, grass-roots action, and implementation, allowing the community to take the lead in moving actions forward.
Furthermore, the guides frame these potential actions in a set of community-driven values and aspirations generated based on public input from community members and stakeholders. While some actions will require coordination with, approval from, or assistance by the County, many others can be undertaken without County involvement. The guides may also be augmented by a set of generalized actions presented in a Community Development Toolkit.
Community assets. Public libraries, public museums, arts and cultural facilities, community/senior centers, and similar facilities open to and for the benefit of the public.
Community character / community identity. The history, culture(s), natural features, and human-built features that a community’s residents value and wish to celebrate and maintain. Community character can also be defined as the sum of attributes and assets that make a community unique and establish a sense of place for its residents. Some attributes and assets are tangible, like a unique main street area, while others are intangible, like a general sense of tranquility associated with the natural environment.
Community facilities district (CFD). A special funding and financing mechanism that is formed when the property owners in a geographic area agree to impose a special property tax on the land to fund public improvements and services. Based on future tax revenue, CFDs (aka Mello-Roos) seek public financing through bonds. A Mello-Roos tax must be approved by 2/3 of the voters in a proposed district.
Community planning area (CPA). A planning area identified by the County of San Bernardino as an area where policies, standards, and guidelines may vary, based on local context and community character. A CPA is also used to define the boundaries for community action guides. See also Community Planning Continuum and the types of CPAs.
Community Planning Continuum (CPC). The CPC is a system of community planning activities and documents intended to guide local expectations for County services and set a clear direction for the future of unincorporated communities. The CPC is implemented by both County government (Policy Plan and Implementation Plan) and community residents and stakeholders (Community Action Guide and Community Development Toolkit). The resulting plans, guides, maps, and tools are web-based, living documents that will be updated periodically to reflect progress and change. The CPC includes a hierarchy of community planning areas (CPAs) that will ensure that planning details, tools, and resources match the conditions and needs of each community:
- Detailed CPAs. Includes communities that contain, or have the potential for, a variety of housing opportunities and supporting uses, such as commercial and industrial businesses, schools, a library, parks and recreation facilities, and religious and civic organizations.
- Framework CPAs. Includes communities that are primarily characterized by single-family residential properties and a limited number of supporting uses, such as a school, post office, and commercial businesses.
- Foundation CPAs. Includes communities that are primarily characterized by single-family residential properties. Residents of these communities typically drive to nearby towns or cities for employment, shopping, entertainment, education, and recreation opportunities.
- Fundamental CPAs. Includes communities that are primarily characterized by open space or agriculture with a scattering of residential homes and/or highway commercial uses, or an area where growth is constrained by adjacent land ownership, such as federal lands and state lands.
Community services district (CSD). A special funding and financing mechanism that is formed as an independent, self-governed entity that can provide locally adequate levels of public facilities and services, an effective form of governance for combining two or more special districts that serve overlapping or adjacent territory into a multifunction special district, a form of governance that can serve as an alternative to the incorporation of a new city, and a transitional form of governance as the community approaches cityhood.
Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). A plan developed in the collaborative framework established by the Wildland Fire Leadership Council and agreed to by state, tribal, and local government, local fire department, other stakeholders, and federal land management agencies managing land in the vicinity of the planning area. A CWPP identifies and prioritizes areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments and recommends the types and methods of treatment on Federal and non-Federal land that will protect one or more at-risk communities and essential infrastructure and recommends measures to reduce structural ignitability throughout the at-risk community. A CWPP may address issues such as wildfire response, hazard mitigation, community preparedness, or structure protection.
Compatible. In relation to use, the ability for two or more uses to coexist without conflict, with minimal conflict that can be mitigated, or in a beneficial manner. When used in relation to a structure, indicates that the structure is built so that its appearance is similar to that of the principal unit to which the structure is accessory or to the general character of the neighborhood or community with regards to color, materials, construction, lighting, signs, or the emission of sounds, noises and vibrations. See also incompatible.
Complete streets network. A system of on- and off-street facilities (e.g., sidewalks, bike lanes, and trails), that enable all users of all ages and abilities to navigate within or through a community area, with an emphasis on mobility focus areas. The system can consist of one or more facility type based on the intended users and access requirements. Individual facilities may overlap or not, serve all or just some users, and be contiguous or disconnected. Complete streets facilities and improvements are subject to physical constraints presented by the local context and financial feasibility limitations.
Comply with. To follow specified existing ordinances, regulations or procedures.
Complement / complementary. Combining or coexisting (e.g., two buildings or land uses) in such a way as to enhance or emphasize the qualities of each other.
Concurrent. Services, facilities, activities or other things that are provided or are occurring at the same time as something else.
Consider. To remain open to and evaluate a range of possible actions or outcomes as part of a decision.
Consistent. To be or act in harmony or aligned with something; see also inconsistent.
Consolidate. To bring together aspects, features, or components of a system or locale that can serve better in a consolidated form, compared to existing or provided separately.
Construct. To build something: buildings, roads, channels, etc.
Context. Local or regional environmental, social, and economic conditions.
Context-sensitive. An approach, design, standard, or practice that is sensitive to and varies according to the local or regional environmental, social, and economic conditions.
Contiguous land administration. Parcels that share a border and are under the ownership or administrative authority of a single entity, enabling more effective and efficient use, preservation, and/or management of the land and its resources and relationship to surrounding lands and resources.
Continue. To maintain and/or resume an action.
Cooperate. To work in a positive effort with another entity toward a mutually beneficial end. Such work may take the form of direct action, passive support, or even inaction.
Coordinate. To work in a positive effort with another entity in the process of conducting individual actions or initiatives that relate to each other and that can benefit from concurrent or cooperative activity.
County service area (CSA). Separate legal entities authorized by California laws and formed by the County Board of Supervisors to fund the County’s provision of services, capital improvements and financial flexibility. They are formed and tailored to meet the specific needs of an area so that the property owners only pay for the services they that they want. Some of the unincorporated areas within San Bernardino County are exclusively serviced by these CSAs. CSA’s in the County are generalized characterized by small and remote service areas with primary customers being single family residential parcels.
Critical and essential facilities. Public safety and services sites, structures and institutions that, if negatively impacted by an emergency, could exacerbate the problem, reduce a (generally public) entity’s ability to respond, or present a significant secondary problem or a problem greater than the original emergency.
Cultural humility. An approach to public service (particularly medical and social services), where the professional service provider embraces a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and lifelong learning about the cultures of their clients, working to learn with and from their clients to better serve individuals and defined populations.