For the purpose of this chapter the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ACCESSIBLE. A parcel which has an area where a driveway or public easement provides vehicular access to an existing road or street and meets all applicable location standards of the State, County and City or has an area where a driveway or proposed public easement can provide vehicular access to an existing road or street and meet all applicable location standards.
ALLEY. A public or private right-of-way shown on a plat which provides secondary access to a lot, block, or parcel of land.
CAPTION. The name by which the plat is legally and commonly known.
CITY. The City of Big Rapids.
CITY COMMISSION. The elected legislative body of the City of Big Rapids.
CITY MANAGER. The person appointed to the Office of City Manager by the City Commission.
DEVELOPMENT DESIGN STANDARDS. Standards and specifications for construction and installation of improvements as established and administered by the City.
DEVELOPMENT SITE. Any parcel or lot on which exists or which is intended for building development.
DIVISION. The partitioning or splitting of a parcel or tract of land by the proprietor or by his or her heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors, or assigns for the purpose of sale, or lease of more than one year, or of building development that results in one or more parcels of less than 40 acres or the equivalent, and that satisfies the requirements of Sections 108 and 109 of the Land Division Act, Act 288 of the Public Acts of 1967, as amended.
ENGINEER. A civil engineer who is a professional engineer licensed under Article 20 of the Occupational Code, Act 299 of the Public Acts of 1980, being Sections 339.2001 to 339.2014 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.
EXEMPT SPLIT. The partitioning or splitting of a parcel or tract of land by the proprietor or by his or her heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors, or assigns that does not result in one or more parcels of less than 40 acres or the equivalent. A property transfer between two or more adjacent parcels, if the property taken from one parcel is added to an adjacent parcel.
FLOODPLAIN. That area of land adjoining the channel of a river, stream, water course, lake, or other similar body of water which will be inundated by a flood which can reasonably be expected for that region.
FORTY ACRES OR EQUIVALENT. Forty acres, a quarter-quarter section containing not less than 30 acres, or a government lot containing not less than 30 acres.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT. The State’s Department of Environmental Quality or District Health Department No. 10, Mecosta County Offices.
IMPROVEMENTS. Street construction and surfacing, curb and gutter, water mains, storm and sanitary sewers, sidewalks, walkways, graded outlawns and bridges or culverts.
LAND DIVISION ACT. Act 288 of the Public Acts of 1967, as amended; the Act that regulates the division of land in the State of Michigan.
LAND USE PLAN. Big Rapids 2010: A Comprehensive Community Development Plan adopted by the City Planning Commission as specified in Act 285 of the Public Acts of 1931, as amended.
LOT. A measured portion of a parcel or tract of land, which is described and fixed in a recorded plat.
MUNICIPALITY. A township, city, or village.
OUTLOT. A lot within the boundary of a recorded plat set aside for purposes other than a development site, park or other land dedicated to public use or reserved to private use.
PARCEL. A continuous area or acreage of land.
PARENT PARCEL OR PARENT TRACT. A parcel or tract lawfully in existence on March 31, 1997.
PLANNER. The person employed by the City as its City Planner or the Planning Consultant designated by the City to provide planning services.
PLANNING COMMISSION. A board appointed by the City Commission with responsibilities for the development of regulations governing the subdivision of land and review of proposed plats as outlined in Sections 14 and 15 of the Municipal Planning Act, Act 285 of the Public Acts of 1931, as amended.
PLAT. A map or chart of a subdivision of land.
PRELIMINARY PLAT. A map showing the prominent features of a proposed subdivision submitted to an approving authority for purposes of preliminary consideration.
PROPRIETOR. A natural person, firm, association, partnership, corporation, or combination of any of them that holds an ownership interest in land whether recorded or not.
PUBLIC SEWER. A sewerage system as defined in Section 4101 of Part 41 (Sewerage Systems) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being Section 324.4101 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.
PUBLIC UTILITY. All persons, firms, corporations, copartnerships, or municipal or other public authority providing gas, electricity, water, steam, telephone, sewer, or other services of a similar nature.
PUBLIC WATER. A system of pipes and structures through which water is obtained and distributed to the public, including wells and well structures, intakes, and cribs, pumping stations, treatment plants, reservoirs, storage tanks and appurtenances, collectively or severally, actually used or intended for use for the purpose of furnishing water to the public for household or drinking purposes.
REPLAT. The process of changing, or the map or plat that changes, the boundaries of a recorded subdivision plat or part thereof. The legal dividing of an outlot within a recorded subdivision plat without changing the exterior boundaries of the outlot is not a replat.
SUBDIVIDE OR SUBDIVISION. The partitioning or splitting of a parcel or tract of land by the proprietor or by his or her heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors or assigns for the purpose of sale, or lease of more than one year, or of building development that results in one or more parcels of less than 40 acres or the equivalent, and that is not exempted from the platting requirements of the Land Division Act.
SURVEYOR. A professional surveyor licensed under Article 20 of the Occupational Code, Act 299 of the Public Acts of 1980, being Sections 339.2001 to 339.2014 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.
TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP. A map showing existing physical characteristics, with contour lines at sufficient intervals to permit determination of proposed grades and drainage.
TRACT. Two or more parcels that share a common property line and are under the same ownership.
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS (ZBA). A board appointed by the City Commission having authority to hear appeals of administrative decisions, to interpret zoning text and the zoning map, and to decide on variance requests.
(Ord. 496-7-02, passed 7-15-02; Am. Ord. 655-1-13, passed 1-22-13)