Unified Development Ordinance Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the zoning terms you’ll see in Durham notices, staff reports, and neighborhood meetings.
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If Durham zoning conversations ever feel like they’re written in a different language, you’re not imagining it. The Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) uses a lot of shorthand - some of it technical, some of it legal, and some of it just… planner jargon. This glossary is a plain-English cheat sheet for the terms you’re most likely to see on postcards, posted hearing signs, staff reports, and site plans, so you can follow what’s being proposed (and when you can weigh in) without having to read the whole code.
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