As used in these regulations, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AASHTO GREEN BOOK
American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials, A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, latest edition, including all supplemental amendments.
ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act, latest edition, including all supplemental amendments.
APPROVAL NOT REQUIRED (ANR)
The process described in MGL c. 41, § 81P by which a plan may be recorded after a determination by the Planning Board that approval under the Subdivision Control Law is not required.
AQUIFER
A geologic stratum containing groundwater that can be withdrawn and used for human purposes.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPS)
Any activities, prohibitions, practices, procedures, programs, or other measures designed to prevent or reduce the discharge of pollutants directly or indirectly into waters of the United States, or best practices for the management of other subdivision impacts on the natural and built environment.
BOARD
The Planning Board of the Town of Ayer.
BUFFER ZONE
When not otherwise qualified, any required buffer around wetlands, perennial streams, wellhead protection areas, etc.
BUILDING CODE
The Massachusetts State Building Code.
COMMON DRIVEWAY
A driveway serving up to three detached dwelling units or buildings.
COMPLETE STREETS
The planning, scoping, design, implementation, operation and maintenance of streets in order to reasonably address the safety and accessibility needs of users of all ages and abilities. Complete streets consider the needs of motorists, pedestrians, transit users and vehicles, bicyclists, and commercial and emergency vehicles moving along and across streets in a manner that is sensitive to the local context.
CONSERVATION RESTRICTION (CR)
A restriction and agreement in perpetuity for the protection of the common open space, in accordance with MGL c. 184, § 31. A CR is a legally binding set of restrictions that is monitored and enforced by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation Services, the Ayer Conservation Commission, a conservation organization enabled to hold CRs or a land trust.
DETENTION; DETENTION BASIN
A facility that collects water from developed areas and releases it at a slower rate than it enters the collection system. The excess of inflow is temporarily stored in a pond or a vault and is typically released over a few hours or a few days.
DPW, AYER
The Department of Public Works of the Town of Ayer, through its Superintendent of Public Works and Town Engineer.
HOMEOWNERS' ASSOCIATION
A corporation or trust owned or to be owned by the owners of lots within a tract approved for residential development, which holds title to the common open space and which is responsible for the costs and maintenance of said open space and any other facilities to be held in common.
IMPERVIOUS SURFACES
A hard-surface area which either prevents or retards the entry of water into the soil mantle as under natural conditions prior to development; and/or a hard-surface area which causes water to run off the surface in greater quantities or at an increased rate of flow from the flow present under natural conditions prior to development.
INFRASTRUCTURE
The set of facilities constructed or improved by the applicant to provide access and all utilities to the proposed subdivision, including, but not limited to, roadways and all improvements thereto, walkways, sewage systems, water supply and distribution, electricity, telecommunications, telephone service, stormwater management, snow collection areas, and public bus and transit pickup areas (as applicable).
ITE HANDBOOK
Institute of Traffic Engineers Handbook, latest edition, including all supplemental amendments.
LOT
An area of land in one ownership or effective control, with definite boundaries, used, or available for use, as the site of one or more buildings.
MAAB
Massachusetts Architectural Access Board Rules and Regulations (521 CMR), latest edition, including all supplemental amendments.
MASSACHUSETTS (MASS) STATE PLANE
Massachusetts State Plane Coordinate System [North American Datum (NAD 83) of 1983], with the units being United States survey foot.
MassDEP
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
MassDOT
Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
MassDOT CONSTRUCTION STANDARD DETAILS
MassDOT Construction Standard Details, latest edition, including all supplemental amendments.
MassDOT PD&DG
MassDOT Project Development and Design Guide, latest edition, including all supplemental amendments.
MassDOT SSHB
MassDOT Standard Specifications for Highways and Bridges, latest edition, including all supplemental amendments.
MassDPH
Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
MS4
Municipal separate storm sewer systems. The regulatory requirements vary depending on the size of the system, small, medium, or large.
MUTCD
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, latest edition, including all supplemental amendments.
NAVD 88
North American Vertical Datum of 1988.
NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION (NPS)
NPS pollution occurs when rainfall, snowmelt, or irrigation runs over land or through the ground, picks up pollutants, and deposits it into rivers, lakes, streams or groundwater.
NPDES
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.
OSRD (OPEN SPACE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT)
An open space residential development subdivision as defined in the applicable section of the Ayer Zoning Bylaw.[1]
PARCEL
An area of land held in common ownership, with definite boundaries, other than a lot intended for building purposes.
PEER REVIEW CONSULTANT
A person who is not an Ayer employee or public official who shall assist the Planning Board with plan review, impact analyses of various types (i.e., traffic, environmental), inspections or other technical or legal assistance necessary to ensure compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. Such consultants shall be selected and retained by the Planning Board, with actual and reasonable costs for their services to be paid by the applicant.
PERFORMANCE BOND
A deposit of money in the form of a cash deposit with the Municipal Treasurer, a bond, or letter of surety.
PERIMETER PLAN
A plan that shows no changes in any existing property boundaries.
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER
An engineer registered in good standing as a professional engineer with the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors.
PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR
A land surveyor registered in good standing as a professional land surveyor with the Massachusetts Board of Registered Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors.
RECORD PLANS (aka "AS BUILT PLANS")
A. 
Construction or engineering plans prepared after the completion of construction, by the engineer of record, in such a manner as to accurately identify and depict the location of all on-site improvements, which includes but is not limited to all structures, parking facilities, detention/retention areas, curbs, sidewalks and other improvements.
B. 
The amended final site plans specifying the locations, dimensions, elevations, capacities and capabilities of structures or facilities as they have been constructed. (Temple Terrace, Fla.)
RETENTION; RETENTION BASIN
Also known as "wet basins," retention basins use a permanent pool of water as the primary mechanism to treat stormwater. The pool allows sediments to settle (including fine sediments) and removes soluble pollutants. Wet basins must have additional dry storage capacity to control peak discharge rates.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
A strip of land occupied or intended to be occupied by a street, sidewalk, pedestrian path, water main, sanitary main or other purposes for which the Town of Ayer or its agents may require access periodically for maintenance and improvements.
ROADSIDE DESIGN GUIDE
AASHTO Roadside Design Guide, latest edition, including all supplemental amendments.
STORMWATER
The water that runs off surfaces such as rooftops, paved streets, highways, and parking lots. It can also come from hard grassy surfaces like lawns, playing fields, and from graveled roads and parking lots.
STORMWATER AUTHORITY
The Town of Ayer Planning Board is the Stormwater Authority pursuant to Ayer's Phase II NPDES Stormwater Management Bylaw.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
Constructed facilities or measures to help protect receiving water quality and control stormwater quantity. Examples include storage, vegetation, infiltration and filtration.
SUBDIVISION
The division of a tract of land into two or more lots in such manner as to require provision for one or more new ways, not in existence when the Subdivision Control Law became effective in the Town of Ayer, to furnish access for vehicular traffic to one or more of such lots, and shall include resubdivision and, when appropriate to the context, shall relate to the process of subdivision of land.
SUBDIVISION CONTROL LAW
MGL c. 41, §§ 81K through 81GG.
ZONING ACT
MGL c. 40A.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 300, Zoning, § 300-10.1.