Words used in this Zoning Code are used in their ordinary English usage. However, for the purpose of this Zoning Code, certain words used herein are defined and whenever used in this Code shall have the meaning indicated in this section, whether or not capitalized or otherwise highlighted, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning.
(a) The following are general terms of reference:
(1) "Board" means the Board of Zoning Appeals of Cleveland Heights, Ohio. (See Chapter 1109.)
(2) "City" means the City of Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
(3) "Commission" means the City Planning Commission of Cleveland Heights, Ohio. (See Chapter 1111.)
(4) "Commissioner of Building" means the individual designated by the Mayor as being in charge of the Division of Building in the Department of Public Service, and is synonymous with "Building Commissioner".
(5) "Council" means the City Council of Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
(6) "Date of passage" means the date upon which this Zoning Code was passed by Council.
(7) "District" means a part of the City wherein regulations of this Zoning Code are uniform as classified by the provisions of Chapter 1105.
(8) "Mayor" means the Chief Executive Officer of the City.
(9) "Municipal" means anything of or pertaining to the City.
(10) "Public notice" means advance notice of a hearing or proceeding as prescribed in this Zoning Code which states the subject matter to be heard and the time and place of the hearing or proceeding, printed once in a newspaper of general circulation in the Municipality.
(11) "Zoning Administrator" means the Planning and Development Director or the Director’s designee. (See Chapter 1107.)
(b) Certain general terms are hereby defined as follows:
(1) "Abutting" means having a common border with, or being separated from such a common border by a right of way, alley or easement.
(2) "Accessory building" means a subordinate building which is incidental to or customarily in connection with the principal building or use and which is detached from the principal building but located on the same lot with such principal building or use.
(2.5) “Accessory parking space” means an open or enclosed area, accessible from a street, for parking motor vehicles of owners, occupants, employees, customers, or tenants of the main building or use.
(3) "Accessory use or structure" means a use, object or structure constructed or installed on, above or below grade which is incidental to or customarily in connection with, or subordinate to, the principal building or use and is located on the same lot with such principal building or use.
(4) "Alley" means a public or private way permanently reserved as a secondary means of access to abutting property.
(5) "Animal clinic" or “veterinary office” means a place where animals or pets are given medical or surgical treatment and the boarding of animals is limited to short-term care incidental to the clinic use, unless longer-term animal day care or overnight boarding of animals has been approved under the terms of Section 1153.05(bb).
(6) “Animal day-care facility” means a facility that cares for pet animals during the day at the request of the pets’ owners. An animal day-care facility shall not include overnight boarding unless explicitly approved by the Planning Commission in the conditional use permit.
(7) "Automobile service station, major repair" means a building or portion of a building in which structural repair, rebuilding or reconditioning of motor vehicles, or parts thereof, is conducted, including collision service; spray painting; body, fender, clutch, transmission, differential, axle, spring, and frame repairs; major overhauling of engines requiring the removal of the engine cylinder, head or crankcase pan; repairs to radiators requiring the removal thereof; complete recapping or retreading of tires; or similar activities.
(8) "Automobile service station, minor repair" (See also gasoline station) means a building or part of a building, structure or space used for the retail sale of lubricants and motor vehicle accessories, the routine maintenance and service and the making of repairs to motor vehicles, except that repairs described as major repairs in subsection (b)(6) hereof shall not be permitted.
(9) "Bar, tavern or night club" means any premises wherein alcoholic beverages are sold at retail for consumption on the premises and minors are excluded therefrom by law for all or part of the time the establishment is open for business, and in which dancing may be permitted.
(10) "Basement" means a portion of a building partly or entirely underground whose ceiling or underpart of the floor above is four (4) feet or less above the average finished ground elevation. The "average finished ground elevation" is the mean elevation of the finished grade around all of the exterior of the building.
(11) "Blockface" means the properties that face the same side of a single street which are located between intersecting streets. A corner lot shall be part of the blockface parallel to the lot’s front lot line.
(12) "Boarding house". See lodging house.
(13) "Building" means any structure having a roof supported by or suspended from columns or walls and which is completely enclosed to serve as a shelter or enclosure for persons, animals, chattels or property of any kind. The term "building" does not include any vehicle, trailer (with or without wheels) nor any removable device, such as furniture, machinery or equipment.
(14) "Building height" means the vertical distance from the grade to the highest point of the roof surface if it is a flat roof; to the deck line for a mansard roof; and to the mean height level between eaves and ridge line for gambrel, gable or hip roofs.
(15) "Building line" means an imaginary linear extension of the building wall parallel to the street right-of-way line defining the limits of the front yard, or in the case of a corner lot, the side yard abutting the street.
(16) "Building, principal" means a building occupied by the main use or activity on the lot on which such building is located.
(17) "Car wash" means a building or area that provides facilities for washing and cleaning motor vehicles, which may use production line methods with a conveyor, blower, or other mechanical devices and/or which may employ hand labor.
(18) "Cellar". See basement.
(19) "Cemetery" means land used or intended to be used for the burial of the human dead and dedicated for cemetery purposes, including columbariums and mausoleums, when operated in conjunction with and within the boundaries of such cemetery.
(20) "Child day-care" means administering to the needs of infants, toddlers, pre- school children, and school children outside of school hours by persons other than their parents or guardians, custodians, or relatives by blood, marriage or adoption for any part of the twenty-four (24) hour day in a place or residence other than a child's own home.
(21) "Child day-care home" means a permanent residence of the provider in which child day-care is provided for one (1) to six (6) children at one (1) time and in which no more than three (3) children may be under two (2) years of age at one (1) time. In counting children for the purposes of this definition, any children under six (6) years of age who are related to the provider and who are on the premises of the child day-care home shall be counted.
(22) "Clinic" means a building where human patients are admitted for examination and treatment by a group of physicians or dentists practicing medicine together, but who are not lodged overnight.
(23) "Cluster development" means a development design technique that groups buildings on the site, with no increase in overall density, to allow a better arrangement of open space.
(24) “Community garden” means any piece of land (publicly or privately held) that is cultivated by a group of people rather than a single family or individual.
(25) "Conditional use" means a use permitted in a district other than a principally permitted use which is allowed only under certain conditions, requiring a conditional use permit as regulated in Title Seven and approval of the City Planning Commission or Zoning Administrator , in accordance with the standards and procedures of Sections 1115.08 and 1115.09.
(26) "Conditional use permit" means a permit issued by the Zoning Administrator upon approval by the City Planning Commission, when required, to allow a use other than a principally permitted use to be established within the district on a specific parcel.
(27) "Corner lot". See "lot types".
(28) " Day-care center" means an establishment in which the operator is provided with compensation in return for providing individuals with care for less than twenty-four hours (24) hours at a time. This term includes, but is not limited to, a day nursery, nursery school, pre-school, child or adult day care center and may include incidental facilities for the preparation and consumption of meals, rest and recreation. This term does not include a child day-care home.
(29) "Density" means the number of dwelling units permitted per acre of land.
(30) "Dormitory" means a building used as group living quarters for a student body, religious order, or other group as an associated use to a college, university, boarding school, orphanage, convent, monastery, or other similar use. Dormitories do not include kitchen facilities, except a group kitchen facility to serve all residents.
(31) "Drive-through facility" means any portion of a building or structure from which business is transacted, or is capable of being transacted, directly with customers located in a motor vehicle during such business transactions. The term "drive-through" also includes "drive-up" and "drive-in".
(32) "Dry-cleaning and laundry counter outlets" means a business that provides home-type washing, drying, and/or ironing machines for use by customers on the premises, or serves as a drop-off for dry-cleaning or laundry, but where no dry-cleaning processing is done on the premises.
(33) "Dwelling" means any building or portion thereof which is designed and used exclusively by one (1) or more human occupants for the purpose of residing for an extended time. A dwelling may be comprised of more than one (1) dwelling unit.
(34) "Dwelling, multiple family" means a building or portion thereof designed for occupancy by three (3) or more families living independently of each other in three (3) or more dwelling units where the units are separated by party walls with varying arrangements of entrances.
(35) “Dwelling, single-family” means a building designed or arranged for use by a single family consisting of one dwelling unit only in one of the following forms:
A. “Dwelling, single-family detached” means a building designed or arranged for use by a single family consisting of one dwelling unit only, separated from other dwelling units by open space; or
B. “Dwelling, single-family, attached” means a single-family dwelling that is joined by party walls to another single-family dwelling on a separate parcel.
(36) "Dwelling, town house" means a building that has single-family dwelling units erected as a single building, each dwelling unit being separated from the adjoining unit or units by a party wall without openings extending from the basement floor to the roof and each such building being separated from any other building by space on all sides.
The words "townhouse", "terrace" and "row house" shall be considered synonymous.
(37) "Dwelling, two-family" means a dwelling consisting of two (2) dwelling units arranged, intended or designed to be occupied by two (2) families only. The dwelling units may be either attached side by side or one (1) above the other.
(38) "Dwelling unit" means a group of rooms arranged, maintained or designed to be occupied by a single family and consisting of a complete bathroom with toilet, lavatory and tub or shower facilities; one (1) and one (1) only complete kitchen or kitchenette with approved cooking, refrigeration and sink facilities; approved living and sleeping facilities. All of these facilities shall be in contiguous rooms and used exclusively by such family. The words "dwelling unit", "apartment" and "suite" shall be considered synonymous.
(39) "Enclosed space" means an area that is surrounded on all sides. See also building.
(40) "Family" means a group of individuals who function as a single, cohesive household. The Zoning Administrator shall determine whether a specified group of persons constitutes a household by virtue of being the functional equivalent of a family in the manner set forth in Section 1103.04.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this definition, no family unit shall exceed in total number those persons permitted under the applicable provisions of the Housing Code describing required habitable floor and bedroom areas for each occupant.
(41) “Farmers’ Market” means a market consisting of individual vendors, mostly farmers/producers who sell directly to customers.
(42) “Fence” means any structure composed of wood, iron, steel, masonry, stone or other material and erected in such a manner and in such location as to enclose, secure, partially enclose or secure, provide privacy, decorate, define or enhance all or any part of any premises.
(43) "Floor area, gross" means the total number of square feet of all floor space contained within the outside surface of the exterior walls of a building or from the center line of a common wall separating two (2) buildings but not including space in cellars or basements, space in machinery penthouses or floor space used for accessory off-street parking. However, if the cellar or basement is used for business or commercial purposes, it shall be counted as floor area in computing off-street parking requirements.
(44) “Floor area of a dwelling unit” means the sum of the gross horizontal areas of a building devoted to residential use measured from the exterior faces of exterior walls or from the center line of common walls separating two (2) dwelling units. “Floor area of a dwelling unit” shall not include unfinished basement, attached parking garage, attic, terraces, breezeways, open porches and covered steps.
(45) "Floor area ratio" means the ratio between the number of square feet of floor area and the number of square feet of land in the lot.
(46) "Foster child" means a person under eighteen (18) years of age who is placed in a dwelling unit by an institution or agency, licensed or approved by an appropriate State-regulating agency to place foster children.
(47) "Funeral home" means a building or part thereof used for human funeral services. Such building may contain space and facilities for:
A. Embalming and the performance of other services used in preparation of the dead for burial;
B. The performance of autopsies and other surgical procedures;
C. The storage of caskets, funeral urns, and other related funeral supplies; and
D. The storage of funeral vehicles, but shall not include facilities for cremation.
Where a funeral home is permitted, a funeral chapel shall also be permitted.
(48) "Game rooms" means any premises open to the public other than a residence upon or within which there is located more than seven (7) billiard tables, bowling lanes or pinball machines, videogames or other similar player-oriented amusement devices, as defined by the Codified Ordinances, or any combination of billiard tables, bowling lanes and amusement devices in excess of seven (7). For the purposes of this definition, residence shall include any single-family, two-family and multi-family structure, and a dormitory for college students with a student union operated in conjunction with such dormitory facility, so long as such residence is open to residents and their invited guests only, and is not open to the general public.
(49) “Garage, parking” means a principal or accessory building or an enclosed space within the principal building in which motor vehicles owned by the general public are parked, including facilities operated as a business enterprise with a service charge or fee paid to the owner or operator of such facility, with no facilities for mechanical service or repair of a commercial or public nature. Parking garage may be attached or detached and shall be considered enclosed parking spaces. A parking deck shall be considered a parking garage.
(50) “Garage, private parking” means a detached accessory building or an attached portion of the principal building designed to store motor vehicles and other normal household accessories of the residents of the principal building, with no facilities for mechanical service or repair of a commercial or public nature. Private parking garage shall be considered enclosed parking spaces.
(51) "Gasoline station" (See also automobile service station) means an establishment where liquids used as motor fuels are stored and dispersed into the fuel tanks of motor vehicles by an attendant or by persons other than the station attendant and may include facilities available for the sale of other retail products.
(52) "Grade" means the average level of the finished surface of ground adjacent to the exterior walls of the building, except when any wall of a building approximately parallels and is not more than five (5) feet from a street right-of-way line, then the elevation of the street center line at the center of the building wall adjoining the street shall be the grade.
(53) “Greenbelt” means an open area which may be cultivated or maintained in a natural state surrounding development or used as a buffer between land uses or to mark the edge of a developed area.
(54) “Green roof” means a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium with the capacity to absorb rainwater and reduce a building’s heat island effect.
(55) “Greenway” means a linear park, alternative transportation route, or open space conservation area that provides a passive recreational opportunity, pedestrian and/or bicycle paths and/or conservation of open spaces or natural areas.
(56) "Home occupation" means an occupation for gain which is subordinate and incidental to the use of the premises as a dwelling, carried on by a person in the home in which he or she resides.
(57) "Hotel" means a building in which lodging is provided and offered to the public for compensation on a daily rate and which is open to occupancy for periods of less than one (1) week, in contrast to a lodging house as defined in this section. Motels are not included in this definition.
(58) "Indoor recreation" means an indoor facility for any number of uses such as game courts, exercise equipment, exercise and/or dance floor area, pools, locker rooms, spa, whirlpool or hot tub, and which may include an accessory retail shop for the sale of related equipment.
(59) “Industrial design” means an establishment where the form, usability, physical ergonomics, marketing, brand development and sales of various products are researched and developed. An industrial design establishment may only create prototypes of products, but may not manufacture products for sale and distribution. Outside storage or display is prohibited. All business, servicing, processing and storage uses must be located within the building.
(60) "Junk motor vehicle" means any motor vehicle, licensed or unlicensed, without regard to its age or value, that is parked in any unenclosed area of any portion of a yard or lot, with or without the consent of the owner of the property, for a period of seventy-two hours (72) hours or longer, when such motor vehicle is apparently inoperable, or is in such condition that it could not be legally operated on the public streets, or is in an extensively damaged, dilapidated or disassembled condition.
(61) "Junk yard" means any building, open area, or part thereof, used as a place of storage of waste and refuse or of old material which is capable of being used again in some form.
(62) "Landscaped area" means an area that is permanently devoted to and maintained for the growing of trees, shrubs, grass or other plant material.
(63) “Live/Work Dwelling” means a space used by a single household as a dwelling unit and as a work space, where the work space occupies at least 50% of the unit’s total floor area. The living space of the live/work dwelling shall contain a kitchen area and sanitary facilities. The work space in a live/work dwelling is designed or equipped exclusively or principally for the conduct of work activities and is to be regularly used for such activities by one or more occupants of the unit.
(64) "Loading space, off-street" means an area located totally outside of any public right-of-way for the temporary parking of vehicles entering the premises for picking up and making delivery,
(65) "Lodging house" means a building occupied for, or arranged, intended or designed to be occupied for rooming, or rooming and boarding for compensation by not less than four (4) persons by prearrangement for definite periods of not less than one (1) week in contrast to a hotel which is open for occupancy for shorter periods. The term "lodging house" includes "boarding house" and "rooming house".
(66) "Lot" means a parcel of land of sufficient size to meet minimum zoning requirements for use, coverage, and area, and to provide such yards and other open spaces as are herein required. The term "zoning lot" is used synonymously with "lot" in this Zoning Code. Such lot shall have frontage on an improved public street but not include any portion thereof, or on an approved private street, and may consist of:
A. A single lot of record;
B. A portion of a lot of record.
C. A combination of complete lots of record, of complete lots of record and portions of lots of record, or of portions of lots of record.
(67) "Lot area" means the area contained within the lot lines exclusive of any portion of the right of way of any public street.
(68) "Lot coverage" means the ratio of total ground floor area of all buildings on a lot to the area of the lot expressed as a percentage.
(69) "Lot line" means the boundary line defining the limits of the lot. "Lot line" is synonymous with "property line".
A. "Front lot line" means the line separating the lot from the street right of way on which the lot fronts. On a corner lot, the front lot line shall be the shorter lot line abutting a street except that if the lot is square (depth to width dimensions is a ratio of from 3:2 to 3:3) then the front lot line may be either lot line abutting a street.
B. "Rear lot line" means the lot line opposite and most distant from the front lot line; or in the case of triangular or otherwise irregularly shaped lots, a line ten (10) feet in length entirely within the lot, parallel to and at a maximum distance from the front lot line.
C. "Side lot line" means any lot line other than a front or rear lot line.
(70) "Lot of record" means a lot or parcel of land the deed of which has been recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds of Cuyahoga County prior to the effective date of this Zoning Code.
(71) "Lot types": Terminology used in this Zoning Ordinance with reference to corner lots, interior lots and through lots is as follows:
A. "Corner lot" means a lot abutting on two (2) streets at their intersection where the angle of such intersection is not more than 135 degrees.
B. "Interior lot" means a lot with only one (1) frontage on a street.
C. "Through lot" means a lot other than a corner lot with frontage on more than one (1) street. Through lots abutting two (2) streets may be referred to as double frontage lots.
(72) "Lot width" means the distance between the side lot lines measured along a straight line parallel to the front lot line at the required front setback line.
(73) "Mural" means a graphic illustration or presentation other than a sign that is painted or otherwise applied to an outside wall, facade or surface of a building or structure.
(74) “Neighborhood high school” means an educational facility designed to serve residents of the community with educational services for high school aged youth.
(75) "Nonconformity" means a lot, use of land, building, use of buildings, or use of buildings and land in combination lawfully existing at the time of enactment of this Zoning Code or its amendments which do not conform to the regulations of the district or zone in which it is situated, and is therefore incompatible.
A. "Nonconforming use" means any building or land lawfully occupied by a use on the effective date of this Zoning Code or any amendment thereto which, on such effective date, does not conform with the use regulations of the district in which it is situated.
B. "Nonconforming site condition" means any lot, building or structure lawfully existing on the effective date of this Zoning Code or any amendment thereto, which, on such effective date, does not conform to the lot area, width or yard regulations, parking requirements, sign regulations, landscaping or screening requirements or other development standards of the district in which it is situated.
(76) "Nursing home" means an extended or intermediate care facility which provides skilled nursing and dietary care for persons who are ill or incapacitated or which provides service for the rehabilitation of the persons who are convalescing from illness or incapacitation.
(77) “Ornamental Pool” means any water pool having less than 100 square feet of water surface containing less than two (2) feet of water at its deepest point, located out-of-doors on private property.
(78) “Outdoor Play Equipment” or “Recreational Equipment” means play apparatus such as swing sets and slides, sandboxes, poles for nets, trampolines and similar equipment.
(79) "Outdoor storage" means the keeping, in an unroofed area, of any goods, material, merchandise, vehicles, or junk in the same place for more than twenty-four (24) hours.
(80) "Overlay district" means a district described on the zoning map within which, through superimposition of a special designation, further regulations and requirements apply in addition to those of the underlying districts to which such designation is added.
(81) “Overnight boarding of animals” describes an activity that may be conditionally permitted in conjunction with an animal clinic, veterinary office, animal grooming facility, or animal day-care facility in which overnight care is provided for pet animals at the request of the pets’ owners.
(82) “Parcel” means a tract of land that is recorded by the Cuyahoga County Auditor as a distinct entity for taxing purposes and which is identified by a single permanent parcel number. (Ord. 55-2001. Passed 6-18-01.)
(83) "Parking deck" means a one (1) story unenclosed structure in which and on which motor vehicles may be parked.
(84) “Parking lot” (See also garage, parking) means an area not within a building where motor vehicles may be stored for the purposes of temporary, daily or overnight off-street parking.
(85) "Parking space, off-street" means an open or enclosed area adequate for parking an automobile with room for opening doors on both sides, with access to a public street. Arrangement of the parking space shall be such as to allow ingress and egress of an automobile without the necessity of moving any other automobile, and shall be located totally outside of any public right of way.
(86) "Personal services" mean any enterprise conducted for gain which primarily offers services to the general public such as shoe repair, watch repair, barber shops, beauty parlors, and similar activities.
(87) "Places of worship" mean a building in a residential district originally designed for and only for, and used primarily for public worship. The word "place of worship" includes the words "church", "chapel", "synagogue","temple", and "mosque", and their uses and activities which are customarily related. Church, chapel, synagogue, temple, mosque or other place dedicated to worship located in a commercial district shall be treated as a "meeting room" for the purposes of enforcing this Zoning Code.
(88) "Planned Development" or "PD" shall mean an area of land in which a variety of residential, commercial and/or office uses are accommodated as a conditional use in a pre-planned environment under more flexible standards, such as lot sizes and setbacks, than those restrictions that would normally apply under the standard district regulations. The procedure for approval of such development contains requirements in addition to those of permitted uses.
(89) “Portable on-demand storage structure” means any container, storage unit, shed-like container or other portable storage structure with a volume equal to or exceeding fifty cubic feet other than an accessory building or shed complying with Code requirements that can be or is used for the storage of personal property of any kind and which is located for such purpose outside a building.
(90) "Premises" means a lot together with all buildings and structures thereon.
(91) "Public land" means any land owned by the City or by any other governmental entity.
(92) "Public use" means any use of a building or land by the City or by any other governmental entity for any public purpose.
(93) "Recycling collection station" means an accessory use that serves as a neighborhood drop-off point for the collection and temporary storage of small recoverable resources such as glassware, plastic jugs and metal cans, but which does not involve any processing.
(94) “Regional high school” means an educational facility marketed and designed to serve a larger area than the community with educational services for high school aged youth.
(95) “Research and development, limited” means an establishment where research and development is conducted in industries that include, but are not limited to, green technology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical instrumentation or supplies, communication and information technology, electronics and instrumentation, and computer hardware and software. Limited research and development does not involve the manufacture, fabrication, processing or sale of products, except as incidential to the research and development business. Outside storage or display is prohibited. All business, servicing, processing and storage uses must be located within the building.
(96) "Research and testing laboratory" means a building or group of buildings for scientific research, investigation, testing or experimentation, but not facilities for the manufacture or sale of products, except as incidental to the main purpose of the laboratory.
(97) "Restaurant, counter service" means a retail service establishment whose principal business is the sale of foods, frozen desserts, or beverages in ready to consume individual servings, for consumption either within the restaurant building or for carry-out, and where customers are not served their food, frozen desserts, or beverages by a restaurant employee at the same table or counter where the items are consumed.
(98) "Right-of-way" means a strip of land taken, dedicated or otherwise recorded as an irrevocable right of passage for use as a public way. In addition to the roadway, it normally incorporates the curbs, lawn strips, sidewalks, water and sewer lines, lighting, and drainage facilities, and may include special features (required by the topography or treatment) such as grade separation, landscaped areas, viaducts and bridges. "Right-of-way line" also means "street line".
(99) "Row house". (See dwelling, town house.)
(100) "Satellite dish receiving antenna" also referred to as a satellite earth station, means a round parabolic antenna designed to receive television broadcasts relayed by microwave signals from communications satellites orbiting the earth.
(101) "School facilities" mean publicly or privately owned facilities providing full-time day instruction and training at the elementary, junior high and high school levels in accordance with the requirements of Ohio R.C. Chapter 3313; or publicly or privately owned facilities providing kindergarten or nursery school training and care whose annual sessions do not exceed the school sessions for full-time day schools and which are operated by a board of education or an established religious organization.
(102) "Senior citizen apartments" mean a building or group of buildings containing independent living units of which no less than eighty percent (80%) are occupied by persons sixty-two (62) years or older or by disabled persons.
(103) "Setback" means the required minimum horizontal distance between a lot line and a structure as established by this Zoning Code.
(104) "Setback line" (See also yard, required) means a line established by this Zoning Code generally parallel with and measured from the lot line, defining the limits of the required yard in which no building, or structure may be located above ground, except as may be provided in this Zoning Code. The term "setback line" also includes "required setback line".
(105) "Sign" means any identification, description, illustration or device which is affixed to or integrated into a building, structure or land, or otherwise situated on a lot and which is intended to direct or attract attention to, or announce or promote a product, place, activity, person, institution or business by means of letters, words, designs, colors, symbols, flags, banners, fixtures, images or illuminations. Signs shall be further classified by physical design or structure, and function or purpose based on the following:
A. Physical Characteristics.
1. "Advertising device" means any banner affixed on a pole, wire or rope, or streamer, wind operated device, flashing lights or other similar device.
2. "Awning" means a sign located on the face of the awning material.
3. "Freestanding" means a sign which is supported from the ground or a structure, other than a building.
4. "Marquee" means a sign affixed to a marquee which marquee is over an entrance to a building and supported from that building. For the purposes of these regulations, a marquee shall be permitted only for an auditorium used for dance, plays, concerts, movies and other similar productions.
5. "Portable" means a sign which is designed to be moved and is not permanently, or intended to be permanently, attached to a building, structure or the ground.
6. "Projecting" means a sign erected on the outside wall of a building and which projects out at an angle therefrom.
7. "Temporary" means a sign which is designed to be used for a period not to exceed forty-five (45) days, and which is either a window sign that is not painted on or otherwise permanently affixed to a window or glass portion of a door, or a yard sign.
8. "Wall sign" means a sign erected parallel to or affixed on the outside wall of any building, and not extending more than twelve (12) inches therefrom, and which does not project above the roof line or beyond the corner of the building.
9. "Window" mean a sign on the inside of a building affixed to, or near, a window for the purposes of being visible to and read from the outside of the building.
B. Functional.
1. "Building marker" means a sign indicating the name of a building and date and incidental information about its construction or historical significance, which sign is cut into a masonry surface or made of bronze or other permanent material, and mounted at the time the building was constructed or affixed subsequent to a structure being designated as an historical landmark.
2. "Commercial identification" means a sign primarily intended to identify the use, activity, service or business on the premises.
3. "Construction" means a sign identifying a building project only during the time of construction, including new construction, additions and renovations.
4. "Directional" means a sign located near the street directing or guiding traffic and parking on private property with no part of any such sign more than four (4) feet above grade.
5. "Institutional identification" means a sign identifying the name and/or address of a place of worship, school, public library, public safety facility, public park or playground, public recreation facility, cemetery, or public parking lot or garage, and which may include a bulletin board, and which contains only messages pertaining to activities on the site.
6. "Instructional" means a sign intended to instruct employees, customers or users as to specific parking requirements; the location or regulations pertaining to specific activities on the site or in the building; specific services offered, or methods of payment accepted.
7. "Name plate" means a sign indicating only the name and address of the person, business, profession or activity occupying the lot, or building(s).
8. "Public purpose/safety" means a sign erected by a public authority, utility, public service organization or private industry upon the public right-of-way or on private property which is required by law or otherwise intended to control traffic, direct, identify or inform the public, or provide needed public service as determined by the rules and regulations of governmental agencies or through public policy.
9. "Residential identification" means a sign identifying the name and address of a completed residential subdivision, or the name, address and phone number of a multiple-family development. A residential identification sign for a multiple- family development may also include a removable insert advising of a unit for rent in the building, subject to the provisions of Sections 1163.06(f)(2) and 1163.06(f)(6) herein.
(106) "Story" means that part of a building other than a basement or a half-story between any floor and the floor above, or, in its absence, the ceiling or roof above.
(107) "Street" means a public way which affords the principal means of access to abutting property.
(108) "Street center line" means a line halfway between the street right-of-way lines.
(109) "Structure" means anything constructed or erected, the use of which requires a fixed location on the ground or is attached to something having a fixed location on the ground, and including, but not limited to signs, fences, backstops for sports fields or courts, pergolas, decks, pools, patios, paved areas, sidewalks and gazebos.
(110) "Structural alteration" means any change that would prolong the life of the supporting members of a building or structure, such as the bearing walls, columns, beams or girders.
(111) “Swimming Pool” means any water pool having more than 100 square feet of water surface, which is capable of containing in excess of two (2) feet of water at its deepest point, located out-of-doors on private property. All other pools are “ornamental pools.”
(112) “Sustainable” means in a manner which supports healthy, productive environments and minimizes waste and consumption of non-renewable materials.
(113) “Sustainable Development” means development which: increases the efficiencies with which buildings and their sites use energy, water and materials; and reduces building impacts on human health and environment through better siting, design, construction, operation, and maintenance.
(114) "Townhouse". (See dwelling, townhouse.)
(115) “Veterinary office”. See “animal clinic.”
(116) “Wetlands” means those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions , including swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas. (See 40 CFR 232.2(r)). Wetlands shall be delineated by a site survey approved by the City of Cleveland Heights using delineation protocols accepted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Ohio EPA at the time of application of this regulation. If a conflict exists between the delineation protocols of these two agencies, the delineation protocol that results in the most inclusive area of wetlands shall apply.
(117) “White roof” means a roof that is white or light in color that reflects light and heat and measurably reduces a building’s heat island effect.
(118) "Yard" means an open space on the same lot with a principal building that lies between the principal building and the nearest lot line, unoccupied and unobstructed by any portion of the structure from the ground upward, except for accessory uses, structures or buildings as expressly permitted in this Zoning Code.
(119) "Yard, corner side" means on a corner lot, the yard between the principal building and the side lot line adjacent to the street and extending from the front yard to the rear lot line.
(120) "Yard, front" means a yard across the full width of the lot extending from the front of the principal building to the front lot line. On a residential corner lot in a residential district, the front yard shall face the shorter street dimension of the lot except that if the lot is square or almost square; i.e., has depth to width dimensions in a ratio of from 3:2 to 3:3, then the front yard may face either street. On a corner lot of a nonresidential use or in a nonresidential district, the front yard shall face the major street.
(121) "Yard line". (See building line.)
(122) "Yard, rear" means a yard extending the full width of the lot between the principal building and the rear lot line. On a corner lot, the rear yard shall be the area between the rear lot line and the principal building, extending from the side lot line abutting an interior lot to the side yard abutting a street.
(123) "Yard, required" (See also setback line) means the open space between a lot line and a setback line that is the minimum area required to comply with the regulations of the district in which the lot is located, and within which no structure shall be located except as expressly permitted in this Zoning Code.
(124) "Yard, side" means a yard between the principal building and the side lot line and extending from the front yard to the rear yard on an interior lot.
(125) "Yard, width or depth" means the horizontal distance from a lot line to the principal building measured perpendicular to the building.
(126) "Zoning lot". (See lot.)
(Ord. 105-2017. Passed 1-16-18; Ord. 153-2021. Passed 12-6-21; Ord. 70-2021. Passed 11-1-21.)