“SALDO” isn’t a reference that most Altoona residents are likely to recognize at this point in time.

That is likely to change rather quickly, though, especially for people who plan property changes or new development of some kind.

The reference is likely to become more recognizable in general to people, especially over the next few months.

SALDO means subdivision and land development ordinances — recognizable to local-level planners, less recognizable to people until they are personally required to adhere to one or more of those community-oriented rules.

SALDO is a pathway to orderly development when communities open themselves to its many possibilities.

While some people are dead-set against anyone having any direct control over what they want to do, in the long run a community benefits when it is not an unruly hodgepodge of conflicting uses and “only-me” considerations.

As Mirror readers might recall, one of the local news items included in the newspaper’s Oct. 3 edition was “Progress made on city’s SALDO, zoning revisions.”

That article reported that the consultant who created the recently adopted city comprehensive plan was well underway regarding revisions/updates to the city’s subdivision and land development ordinances and the zoning ordinance.

According to the article, an open house geared toward educating the public on zoning and land development will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at the city’s Margaret Avenue training facility.

The format of the open house will allow attendees to learn about the issues even if they come late to the event, as there will be explanatory materials and officials present to answer questions, according to Community Development Director Diana White.

The event is part of information gathering for the project, White said.

There will be another open house in March, when project consultant czb has produced a draft of the new ordinances, White said.

Czb’s goal is to make interpretation of the rules as easy as possible without abandoning development standards or creating what was described as a free-for-all.

The article points out that the consultant wants city staff members to be able to handle more cases administratively, reducing the need for the city’s Zoning Hearing Board and Planning Commission to rule on simpler cases.

That would lighten the workload of the board and commission, while shortening the approval processes for developers and property owners.

There also would be financial savings for the city as a result of what the consultant is working to accomplish.

According to Planning Commission Chairman Dave Albright and White, ordinances will be more logically organized, more concise, more streamlined, easier to understand and less redundant than the current ones because they will include helpful features such as color-coded graphics, charts, checklists and bullet points.

According to White, if an applicant meets the code, his or her application should be approved quickly.

The new format will reward good preparation, Albright said.

He said that for those willing to play by the rules, there will be less second-guessing about what is permitted and what is not.

Being a modern city requires being able to perform necessary functions in a way consistent with the times.

That is how the Mountain City is trying to position itself, and leaders deserve praise for working on that behalf.

SALDO isn’t a word on the lips of most Altoona residents but, based on accomplishments to date, that seems destined to change.