For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
APPLICANT. A person, firm or corporation submitting an application for development or subdivision and upon whom final responsibility for ensuring compliance with the terms and conditions of the ordinance rests.
BUFFER EASEMENT. An easement not less than ten feet in width adjacent to a major street, or between dissimilar uses of land which may be required by the Planning Board for new developments.
DEDICATION. A gift, by the owner, of a right of use of land for a specified purpose or purposes. Because a transfer of property rights is entailed, dedication must be made by written instrument, and is completed with an acceptance.
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT. A separate and distinct document prepared by the applicant and approved by the Planning Board which fully and completely discloses the status of any street or road upon which the house, lot or parcel fronts. A copy of the DISCLOSURE STATEMENT shall be provided to the purchaser of the subject real estate.
EASEMENT (RIGHT-OF-WAY). A grant by the property owner of a strip of land for a specified purpose and use by the public, a corporation or persons.
EXISTING LOT (EXISTING LOT OF RECORD). A portion of land, which is a part of a subdivision or a larger tract of land, a plat of which has been recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds of Polk County prior to the adoption of this chapter or a lot described by metes and bounds, the description of which has been so recorded prior to the adoption of this chapter.
FINAL PLAT. A plat which conforms with the provisions of this chapter, the mapping requirements set forth in G.S. § 47-30 and The Manual of Practice for Land Surveying in North Carolina. The FINAL PLAT shall be prepared in accord with this chapter and in such a fashion as to be suitable for recording by the Polk County Register of Deeds.
LAND DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL. Any plan indicating an owner or applicant's intentions toward the development of a tract of land, i.e., master plan, preliminary plan, research concept.
LOCAL STREET. A road which serves primarily to provide access to adjacent land, over relatively short distances.
LOT. A portion of a subdivision or any other parcel of land intended as a unit for transfer of ownership, or for development, or both. The word LOT includes the words PLOT or PARCEL.
LOT, CORNER. A lot located at the intersection of two or more streets.
LOT, INTERIOR. A lot other than a corner lot with only one frontage on a street.
LOT, PANHANDLE. A lot other than one having access on a cul-de-sac, which contains a narrow strip providing street access. Also known as a FLAG LOT.
LOT, SINGLE-TIER. A lot which backs upon a limited access highway, a railroad, a physical barrier or another type of land use and to which access from the rear is usually prohibited.
LOT, THROUGH or a DOUBLE FRONTAGE LOT. A lot other than a corner lot with frontage on more than one street. Through lots abutting two streets may be referred to as DOUBLE FRONTAGE LOTS.
MARGINAL ACCESS STREET. A strip of land, owned publicly or privately, set aside primarily for vehicular service access to the back side of properties otherwise abutting a street, an alley.
PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE. An unconditional written understanding, approved by the Planning Board whereby a guarantor agrees that the developer, subdivider or applicant will pay the costs of stated construction improvements if performance is not made as stated.
PLAN. A graphic representation or map of the tract of land to be developed indicating all proposed divisions of land, their uses, improvements and other information as may be required to fully disclose the applicant's intentions. The purpose of a PLAN is to provide general and specific information and is not intended to be a recordable document.
PLANNING BOARD. The Town of Columbus Planning Board.
PLAT. A map or plan of a parcel of land which is to be, or has been subdivided and is intended to be a recordable document.
RECOMBINATION. The combining of portions of previously subdivided and recorded lots if the total number of lots is not increased as established by this chapter.
ROAD OR STREET, PRIVATE. A dedicated private right-of-way which affords access to abutting properties and conforms to the requirements of § 153.69 below.
ROAD OR STREET, PUBLIC. A dedicated public right-of-way for vehicular traffic which affords access to abutting properties and conforms with the requirements of § 153.68 below. A PUBLIC STREET is intended to be taken over by the State Department of Transportation upon completion.
ROAD, SUBDIVISION COLLECTOR. A local road within a major subdivision which serves as a connector street between local residential streets and the thoroughfare system and includes cul-de-sac or dead end roads more than 2,500 feet in length, connecting roads between the local residential subdivision roads and the thoroughfare system, loop roads more than 5,280 feet (one mile) in length, and other roads having a "collector" type function in the thoroughfare system.
ROAD, SUBDIVISION LOCAL. A local road within a major subdivision which serves to access individual parcels of land and includes cul-de-sac or dead end roads less than 2,500 feet in length, short roads that connect blocks, other roads that do not connect to thoroughfares or serve major traffic generators.
SECTION. A grouping of lots, right-of-way, common space and associated improvements therein, designating a preliminary plan, final plan and final plat, numbered consecutively and relating to phases of a master plan, if applicable.
SETBACK. The distance from an established property boundary or other line defined in this chapter that established the buildable area on the lot.
SEWER SYSTEM, COMMUNITY. Any privately-owned sewer system serving more than one residence.
SEWER SYSTEM, INDIVIDUAL. Any septic tank or ground absorption system serving a single source or connection and approved by the District Health Department.
SEWER SYSTEM, PUBLIC. Any sewer system owned and operated by a local government or water authority.
STREET LINE. The edge of the roadway pavement or surface.
SUBDIVIDER. Any person, firm or corporation who subdivides or develops any land deemed to be a subdivision as herein defined.
SUBDIVISION ADMINISTRATOR. The Town Manager, Town Planner or any other designated person of the town responsible for assisting in the administration and enforcement of this chapter.
SUBDIVISION, CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT. A type of major subdivision that is intended to allow smaller than minimum lot sizes with dwelling units clustered in smaller areas in order to preserve larger areas of open space and environmental resources.
SUBDIVISION, FAMILY. A subdivision of land by a property owner among his or her immediate family as a gift, as settlement of the property owner's estate, or for nominal consideration; the conveyance of a tract or tracts to a grantee who would have been an heir of the grantor if the grantor had died intestate immediately prior to the conveyance; or the conveyance of a tract or tracts for the purpose of dividing lands among the tenants in common, all of whom inherited, by intestacy or by will, the land from a common ancestor.
SUBDIVISION, MAJOR. A subdivision of land by a property owner into six or more lots or parcels for the purpose of sale or development (whether immediate or future).
SUBDIVISION, MINOR. A subdivision of land by a property owner into three, four or five lots or parcels for the purpose of sale or development (whether immediate or future).
SUBDIVISION, SPECIAL. A subdivision for purposes other than general, residential or commercial development including:
(1) Building locations for condominiums or townhouses within an approved major subdivision;
(2) Utility facilities such as sub-station sites, meter vaults, pump station sites and the like; and
(3) Cemetery plots.
SUBDIVISION, TWO-LOT. A subdivision that involves not more than two lots and does not adversely affect the remainder of the parcel or the adjoining property.
TOWN COUNCIL. The Town of Columbus Town Council.
WATER SYSTEM, COMMUNITY. Any privately-owned water system serving 15 or more residential connections or serving more than 25 year-round residents. Plans and specifications for any community water system require written approval from the State Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources, Division of Health Services, Water Supply Branch.
WATER SYSTEM, INDIVIDUAL. A source of water serving a single connection.
WATER SYSTEM, PRIVATE. Any water system serving from two to 14 connections, inclusively or 25 or fewer year-round residents.
WATER SYSTEM, PUBLIC. Any water system owned and operated by a local government in the town.
(Ord. passed 5-17-2007)