For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ACTIVE WORK. Laying the foundation walls or pouring concrete for the same has begun and construction work continues in good faith in accordance with the requirements of § 1420.06(g).
ALTERATION OF A BUILDING OR STRUCTURE. Any change or rearrangement in the structural parts or in the exit facilities, or any enlargement, whether by extending on any side or by increase in height, or the moving from one location or position to another.
APPROVED. As applied to any material, device or mode of construction, means approved by the Building Inspector under the provisions of this chapter, or by any other authority designated by law to give approval to the matter in question.
AREAWAY. Any subsurface space adjacent to a building for lighting or ventilating cellars or basements or for other purposes.
BASEMENT. A story of which the lesser part is below the grade or curb level. It shall be counted as a story except where the construction below the top of the first floor is first class fireproof construction.
BAY WINDOW. A window support on a foundation or support, extending beyond the main wall of a building.
BUILDING. A structure built for the support, shelter and enclosure of persons, animals, chattels or movable property of any kind. When separated by a complete fire separation wall, each portion of such BUILDING so separated shall be deemed a separate building.
BUILDING, ACCESSORY. A building subordinate to the main building on a lot and used for purposes customarily incidental to those of the main building.
BUILDING, AMUSEMENT. A building used for amusement purposes.
BUILDING AREA. The aggregate of the maximum horizontal cross-section area of a building or structure on a lot, including enclosed porches, but excluding cornices, eaves, gutters or chimneys projecting not more than 18 inches; bay windows not extending through more than one story and not projecting more than five feet; steps; one-story open porches; balconies; and terraces.
BUILDING, BUSINESS. A building or part of a building used for business, such as an office building, bank, store, market, restaurant, laundry, bakery or stable.
BUILDING, EDUCATIONAL. Any public or parochial school, college, academy or seminary, including any building or portion of the same containing one or more rooms used for the assembling of persons for the purpose of acquiring knowledge, or for mental, physical or manual training.
BUILDING, INDUSTRIAL. Any building wherein manufacture or a kindred enterprise is carried on, such as a manufacturing building, warehouse, factory, laboratory, freight depot or carbarn.
BUILDING INSPECTOR. The Building Inspector appointed by the Board of Township Commissioners or any duly authorized deputy, assistant or representative of such Building Inspector.
BUILDING, PUBLIC. Any building in which persons congregate for civil, political, social or religious purposes or in which persons are held or detained for reasons of public or civic duty or for correctional purposes, such as a courthouse, passenger station, library, museum, exhibition building, lecture hall, church, dance hall, bath house, armory, fire house, police station, jail or post office.
CELLAR. A story of which the greater part is below the grade or curb level. It shall not be counted as a story in determining the height of a building.
CURB LINE. The line separating the footway from the road portion of a highway, or, if there is no footway, then a line separating the legal right-of-way line from the road portion of a highway.
DEAD LOAD. The weight of the walls, permanent partitions, framing, floors, roofs and all other permanent stationary construction forming a part of a building or structure.
DWELLING. Any house or building, or portion thereof, used primarily as the home, residence or sleeping place of one or more human beings. For purposes of this chapter, DWELLINGS are further defined as follows.
(1) HOUSE TRAILER. Any vehicle for living or sleeping purposes. If a HOUSE TRAILER is used for living or sleeping purposes within the township for an aggregate of more than 30 days in any period of one year, it shall be considered a single-family dwelling for all purposes of this chapter.
(2) MULTIPLE DWELLING. A building designed for and occupied exclusively as a residence for three or more families living independently of each other and having no party wall in common with an adjacent building.
(3) ROW DWELLINGS. A series of connected buildings designed for and occupied exclusively as residences for two families in each unit with one family living wholly or partly over the other and having party walls in common with adjacent units.
(4) SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED DWELLING. A building designed for and occupied exclusively as a residence for but one family and having no party wall in common with an adjacent building.
(5) SINGLE-FAMILY SEMIDETACHED DWELLING. A building designed for and occupied exclusively as a residence for but one family and having only one party wall in common with an adjacent building.
(6) SINGLE-ROW DWELLINGS. A series of connected buildings designed for and occupied exclusively as residences for but one family in each unit and having party walls in common with adjacent units.
(7) TWO-FAMILY DETACHED DWELLING. A building designed for and occupied exclusively as a residence for two families with one family living wholly or partly over the other and having no common party wall with an adjacent building.
(8) TWO-FAMILY SEMIDETACHED DWELLING. A building designed for and occupied exclusively as a residence for two families with one family living wholly or partly over the other and having only one party wall in common with an adjacent building.
FLOOR AREA. The area of the horizontal cross-section at the exit floor, measured to the center of the party walls or fire walls and to the outside of other walls.
FOOTING. The spreading course at the base or bottom of a foundation wall, column or pier.
GARAGE BUILDING. Buildings, structures or premises used primarily for the housing or parking of motor driven vehicles, including the following.
(1) MINOR GARAGE. A one-story building, not a private garage, used solely for the storage of motor vehicles.
(2) PRIVATE GARAGE. An accessory building to a single-family or two-family dwelling for the storage of not more than two motor vehicles owned and used by the owner or tenant of the lot for a purpose accessory to the use of the lot, provided that a private garage may be used for the storage of more than two such motor vehicles if the lot contains not less than 1,250 square feet for each such motor vehicle stored, and provided, further, that the space in a private garage may be rented for the storage of not more than two motor vehicles (not trucks) owned or used by others.
(3) PUBLIC GARAGE. A building, not a private or minor garage, used for the storage, care, servicing and repair of motor vehicles.
HALF-STORY. The portion of a building located over any story which is contained wholly or in part within the slope of a roof and is not greater in cross-sectional area than 80% of the story below. The cross-sectional area shall be measured at a distance of four feet above the floor. A HALF-STORY shall not be counted when figuring the required minimum thickness of exterior walls of masonry construction.
HEIGHT OF A BUILDING. Measured from the mean level of the ground or the proposed grade surrounding the building to a point midway between the highest and lowest points of the main roof, provided that chimneys, spires, towers, elevator penthouses, tanks and similar projections shall not be included in the HEIGHT.
LINTEL. A structural member placed over a doorway or window or other opening in a wall, which supports the wall construction above.
LIVE LOAD. The load, other than the dead load, for which a building or structure is designed, including the weight of persons and movable partitions.
LOT. The parcel of land on which a main building and its accessories are placed, together with the required open spaces. The area of a LOT shall be measured to the side of the legal street line only.
OCCUPIED or USED. As applied to any building, shall be construed as though followed by the words OR INTENDED, ARRANGED OR DESIGNED TO BE OCCUPIED OR USED.
OWNER. Includes an owner’s duly authorized agent or attorney or a purchaser, devisee or other person entitled to an interest in the property in question.
PARTITION. A wall of either combustible or noncombustible material built within the exterior or party walls of a building.
PUBLIC SPACE. A hall, lobby, corridor or passageway used in common by the occupants of a building and serving as a means of communication for the public between an entrance to any story of a building and the various rooms, apartments, toilets or other spaces in that story.
REPAIR. The reconstruction or renewal of any part of an existing building or structure for the purpose of its maintenance. The word REPAIR shall not apply to any change of construction.
SIGNATURE and SUBSCRIPTION. Includes a “mark” when a person cannot write, his or her name being written near such mark.
SKELETON FRAME OF A STRUCTURE. The columns and all girders, beams, trusses, spandrels and wind bracing having rigid connections to the columns; the members of floor or roof panels which have no connection with the columns shall be secondary members.
SLOPING ROOF. A roof with a slope of 30 degrees or more from the horizontal.
STORY. The part of a building between any floor and the floor or roof next above. Any STORY of any building, except a public hall or amusement building, higher than 18 feet for the first story and higher than 15 feet for any story above the first floor, shall be considered as an additional story for each additional 15 feet or fraction thereof.
STREET LINE. The legal boundary line of a street, alley, court or highway.
THEATER and OPERA HOUSE. An amusement building or structure for public entertainment of any kind where stage scenery, cinema screens, equipment and apparatus are employed, used or displayed.
WALL, BEARING. A wall which supports any load other than its weight.
WALL, CURTAIN or PANEL. Any exterior non-bearing wall between columns or piers which may or may not be supported by beams or girders at each story.
WALL, ENCLOSURE. An exterior non-bearing wall in skeleton construction anchored to columns, piers or floors but not necessarily built between columns.
WALL, EXTERIOR. An outside wall or vertical enclosure of a building other than a party wall.
WALL, FACED. A wall in which the masonry facing and backing are so bonded by means of headers as to exert common action under load.
WALL, FIRE. A wall which subdivides a building or separates buildings to restrict the spread of fire and which starts at the foundation and extends continuously through all stories to and above the roof.
WALL, FIRE DIVISION. A wall which subdivides a fire resistive building to restrict the spread of fire, but which is not necessarily continuous through all stories not extended through the roof.
WALL, FOUNDATION. A wall built below the grade level and extending up to the first tier of beams above that level.
WALL, INTERIOR. A wall entirely surrounded by the exterior walls of the building.
WALL, NON-BEARING. A wall which supports no other load than its own weight.
WALL, PARAPET. The part of any masonry wall entirely above the roof line.
WALL, PARTY. A wall built upon the dividing line between adjoining premises for their common use.
WALL, VENEERED. A wall having a masonry facing which is attached but not bonded by means of headers or ties to the backing so as to form an integral part of the wall for purposes of load bearing and stability.
WRITING. Includes printing and printed or typewritten matter.
YARD, FRONT. The required open space extending along the street line of any street, alley, court or highway on which the lot abuts and the building or structure faces.
YARD, REAR. The required open space extending along the rear lot line (not necessarily a street line) throughout the whole width of the lot.
YARD, SIDE. The required open space extending along the side lot line throughout the whole depth of the lot.
(Ord. 78, passed 2-3-1947; Ord. 82, passed 2-2-1948; Ord. 633, passed 11-18-1987)