ANNEX - Annexation - process by which County properties are added to the City.

CDD - Community Development Department (where Planning is)

CC - City Council - the final authority on development in Petaluma. Considers Planning Commission recommendations, hears appeals.

Central Petaluma Specific Plan - specially prepared plan that deals with only the special attributes and requirements related to the downtown core. To read or download Central Petaluma Specific Plan.

Commercial (zoning) Read this.

DEIR - Draft Environmental Impact Report

EIR - Environmental Impact Report

FEIA - Fiscal and Economic Impact Assessment

FEIR - Final Environmental Impact Report

FM - Final Map

General Plan 2025 - current version of the City's general plan which sets goals and requirements for land use. Considered to be law, since it's enacted by City ordinance. To download and read the General Plan

GIS - Geographic Information Systems - sophisticated systems that use computers and databases to display and manipulate geographic information. See the GIS section of the web site.

GPA - General Plan Amendment

HCPC - Historic and Cultural Preservation Committee Read about City committees.

Industrial (zoning) Read this.

IS - Initial Study

Major Development Project - a somewhat subjectively applied term to describe projects we'll post in this area of the web site.

Mixed Use (zoning) Read this.

MND - Mitigated Negative Declaration

ND - Negative Declaration

PABC - Pedestrian and Bicycle Committee Read about City committees.

PC - Planning Commission - appointed by Council to hear issues of development, including property use rights, traffic, environmental concerns. Generates findings and makes recommendations to Council for final approval/denial.

PREZ - Prezoning

Project Status
In Review
Approved, under appeal
Approved, not yet under construction
Approved, under construction

PDF - Portable Document Format - the ubiquitous format commonly used for electronic documents, published by Adobe.

PUD - Planned Unit Development Residential (zoning)

REZ - Rezoning; residential, mixed use, etc. To see zoning, please visit the GIS maps

SPAR - Site Plan and Architectural Review (a process by the Planning Commission)

TAC - Tree Advisory Committee Read about City committees.

TSM - Tentative Subdivision Map

VTM - Vested Tentative Map

ZONAM - Zoning Code Amendment