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For planners, density doesn’t just describe how close people live to their neighbors. It also describes the language used while applying for grants.

Letters of intent for Metro’s construction excise tax planning grants included a project summary box for applicants to include a 50-word description of how they’d use the money. Those summaries don’t come with a translation, however.

Here are a couple samples:

Original, courtesy of Happy Valley:

• Rock Creek Industrial Pre-Certification Study: Utilize CET Grant funds to augment local in-kind work in facilitating work products/processes associated with an “Industrial Pre-Certification Study” for multiple 20+ acre properties located in Industrial Campus (RSIA-compliant) and Employment Center & Rock Creek Mixed Employment (Employment Area-compliant) zoned areas within the roughly 400 gross-acre Rock Creek employment area.

Translation:

• Use a grant to match city employee time spent studying how best to develop industrial land in the 400-acre Rock Creek employment area.

Original, courtesy of Washington County:

• Aloha-Reedville Study: The Aloha-Reedville Study intends to examine the extent to which current circumstances, community aspirations and emerging urban service and planning opportunities provide options to fulfill Region 2040 objectives, while addressing local community issues. The project seeks to optimize the current development capacity of the study area by increasing capacity in centers and corridors.

Translation:

• Find out how people want to see the area grow and then direct development to areas best suited for each use.

To be fair, the letters of intent are written by planners for planners, said Andrea Vannelli, senior planner with Washington County.  “I could see how that could be hard for nonplanners to understand.”