FAR stands for Floor Area Ratio (sometimes called FSI, or Floor Space Index). This ratio tells you how much you’re allowed to build on a parcel of land; it’s a ratio that compares the total floor space in a building to the size of the plot it sits on. It’s pretty...

Horizontal improvements are the physical infrastructure components installed on a parcel of land to prepare it for development and occupancy prior to vertical construction. Unlike vertical improvements, which refer to buildings and above-ground structures, horizontal...

A Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) is a construction contract arrangement in which a contractor agrees to complete a project for a price that will not exceed a specified maximum amount, except in cases involving approved scope changes or unforeseen conditions defined...

A form-based code is a land development regulation system that emphasizes the physical form, design, and spatial relationship of buildings and public spaces rather than strictly separating land uses through conventional zoning categories. Unlike traditional zoning...

A flag lot is a parcel of land characterized by an irregular shape in which the main buildable portion of the property is set back from the public street and connected to it by a long, narrow access strip. The configuration resembles a flag attached to a pole, with...