(a) As used in this chapter, words used in the present tense include the future; the singular number includes the plural, and the plural the singular; the word "lot" includes the word "plot"; the word "building" includes the word "structure"; the word "occupies" includes the words "designed or intended to be occupied"; the word "used" includes the words "arranged, designed or intended to be used"; the word "shall" is mandatory and not directory; and the word "residence" includes the word "dwelling".
(b) In addition, as used in this chapter:
(1) "Accessory building" means a subordinate building or portion of a main building, the use of which is incidental to that of the main building.
(2) "Boarding house" means a building, other than a hotel, where lodging and meals for more than six nontransient persons are served for compensation.
(3) "Building height" means the mean vertical distance from the average established grade in front of the lot, or from the average natural grade at the building line, if higher, to the highest point in the coping of flat roofs, or to the deck line of a mansard roof, or to the mid-height of the highest gable or dormer of a pitched or hipped roof or, if there are no gables or dormers, to the mid-height of a pitched or hipped roof.
(4) "Building line" means the minimum horizontal distance between the street lot line and the enclosed parts of the building.
(5) "Double house" means a detached dwelling arranged, intended and designed to be occupied by two families, with a vertical party wall or walls separating the living quarters of each. Each of the living quarters shall conform to the requirements for a single dwelling.
(6) "Duplex house" means a double house with the front or main entrance for each family facing on intersecting streets and occupying the lot at the intersection thereof, with a vertical party wall or walls separating the living quarters of each. Each of the living quarters shall conform to the requirements for a single dwelling.
(7) "Dwelling" means a building arranged, intended or designed to be occupied by not more than two families living independently of each other and doing their own cooking upon the premises.
(8) "Family" means any number of individuals living together as a single housekeeping unit and using certain rooms and housekeeping facilities in common, as distinguished from a group occupying a boarding house, lodging house or hotel, as a more or less temporary place of abode.
(9) "Garage" means a garage for storage only, for private use, having no business, commercial service or industry with respect to motor vehicles in connection therewith.
(10) "Half story" means a partial story under a gable, hip or gambrel roof, the wall plates of which on at least two opposite exterior walls are not more than four feet above the floor of such story, except that any partial story used for residence purposes shall be deemed a full story.
(11) "Lot" means land occupied by one building or one unit group of buildings and its accessory buildings and uses, including such open spaces as are provided or required by this Zoning Code. For any new or added construction, the lot shall be defined on the plan filed with the Building Department.
(12) "Nonconforming use" means the lawful use of land existing at the time of the enactment of Ordinance 1953-21, passed May 13, 1953, that does not conform to the provisions of this Zoning Code for the district in which it is located.
(13) "Single-family dwelling" means a dwelling entirely detached and independent from any other structure arranged, intended and designed to be occupied by a single family. It shall contain not less than 960 square feet of floor area if a one-story house, 800 square feet on the first floor if a one and one-half story house and a total of not less than 1,400 square feet if a two-story house, and shall consist of not less than three rooms and a bath. It shall have, in addition, an approved utility room, a partial basement or a full basement.
(14) "Structure" means anything constructed or erected, the use of which requires a fixed location on the ground or an attachment to something having a fixed location on the ground.
(15) "Structural alteration" means any change in the stairs or in the supporting members of a building, such as bearing walls, columns, beams or girders.
(Ord. 1953-21. Passed 5-13-53.)
(16) "Two-family dwelling" means a detached dwelling arranged, intended and designed to be occupied by two families, one of which has its principal living rooms upon the first floor and the other of which has its principal living rooms upon the second floor, and which contains not less than 1,000 square feet of floor area, not less than four living rooms and a bath for each family unit.
(Ord. 1960-57. Passed 1-11-61.)
(17) "Yard" means an open space on the same lot with a building, unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground upward, except as otherwise provided in this Zoning Code.
A. "Front yard" means a space within and extending the full width of the lot between the street lot line and the enclosed parts of the building setting back from the nearest such street lot line.
B. "Rear yard" means a space within and extending the full width of the lot between the rear walls of the building and the rear lot line of the lot.
C. "Side yard" means a space within the lot between a side lot line and the side walls of the building nearest thereto. Side yards shall extend through from the street line or the front yard to the rear yard. The least width of any side yard space shall be measured at right angles to the side lot line. When an unbroken section of a side wall is not parallel with the side lot line, the required width of any side yard space shall be taken as the average width, provided that the side yard space shall not be narrower than three feet at any point.
(18) "Zoning Code" means Ordinance 1953-21, passed May 13, 1953, as amended, codified as Title Four of Part Twelve - the Planning and Zoning Code.
(Ord. 1953-21. Passed 5-13-53.)