A building permit is required to erect a new building or structure, or demolish, relocate, repair, alter or make additions to an existing building or structure.

Subdivision is the process where a parcel of land is divided into two or more parcels in order to obtain separate legal titles for each parcel.

Defines the service area for a piece of infrastructure (water, storm, sanitary, transportation, fire.

Refers to the full development capacity of land, subject to infrastructure capacity and land use planning policy. Often measured in population, units, development area, or land area. In Calgary, usually associated as planned land (Area Structure Plan in place) or serviced land (all leading infrastructure in place).

The number and geographic distribution of new communities around the city’s edges.

Defined developing area residential markets, used in The City’s Suburban Residential Growth report.

Greenfield land is undeveloped land at the city’s edges used for agriculture or other reserve purpose. Greenfield development is the process of building this land into urban development.

Brownfield land is previously used for industrial purposes or some commercial uses. Brownfield development is the process of undertaking the remediation and regulatory work required to redevelop this land from its previous use to another higher use.

The number of dwelling units divided by the specified area, usually stated as units per hectare. Usually, but not always, non-developable land is removed from the equation.