Unless otherwise specified, all distances shall be measured horizontally. The following terms shall have the following meanings:
Accessory Use or Structure: A use or structure other than that or the primary or intended use or structure.
Agriculture: Land, buildings, or structures used for general farming, agriculture, floriculture, horticulture, viticulture, greenhouses, and the sale of agricultural products, not including animals or poultry.
Agriculture Facilities: See above.
Alterations, Structural: Any change in the supporting members of a building, i.e. walls, floors, columns, beams, or girders.
Automobile Filling/Service Station: A place where any fuel or lubricating medium is offered for sale to the public and introduced directly into motor vehicles, including lubricating, minor repairs, or installation of parts and accessories. Also major repairs done inside a building.
Billboard: Any structure on which advertising for goods or services not offered on the premises.
Building: Any structure with a roof, supporting walls or beams.
Building Height: The vertical distance from ground level at the front wall of a building to the highest point of the roof.
Building Line: The distance from the front property line to the front building or porch foundation.
Business: An enterprise that offers a commodity or service for sale.
Comprehensive Plan: A plan adopted by the Village Planning Commission and the Village Council indicating the general location of and extent of present and proposed land use, transportation facilities and community facilities, including goals, objectives, and policies of the Village of Forest, Ohio.
Conditional Use: A use other than a principally permitted use, requiring a Conditional Use Permit and approval of the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Conditional Use Permit: A permit issued by the Zoning Enforcement Officer upon approval by the Board of Zoning Appeals to allow a Conditional Use.
Condominium: Same as “Dwelling, Multiple Family” Where each family owns its own dwelling unit, but common areas of the building and site are owned and maintained jointly by occupants.
Convenience, Commercial: Retail sales and service businesses that meet the day-to-day needs of Village residents.
Coverage: The percentage of a lot area covered by any building.
Drainage way: Any watercourse, gully, dry stream, creek, or ditch, the purpose of which is to drain water from streets, building gutters, storm sewers, or adjacent lands.
Dwelling: Any building or portion thereof designed or used as the residence of one or more persons.
Dwelling, Single Family: A building used for residential purposes by one family.
Dwelling, Two Family: Same as above, only by two families.
Dwelling, Multiple Family: Same as above, only by three or more families living independently of one another.
Dwelling, Detached: A building having no wall in common with another building.
Dwelling, Attached: A building having one wall in common with another building.
Dwelling, Row: A building having one common wall on each side common to an adjoining building, including the last building in the row.
Dwelling Unit: One or more rooms designed for or used by one family with one Kitchen or kitchenette.
Establishment: A building or structure used for commercial or industrial purposes.
Family: One person or two or more living together as a single housekeeping unit.
Flood Plain: Areas adjoining any river, creek, or stream whose surface elevation is lower than the high water level of the regional flood.
Garage, Private: A detached building or a portion of the principal building for storage of vehicles and personal property.
Garage, Public: A building or any part thereof used for equipping, servicing, repairing, selling, or storing vehicles or equipment, other than a private garage or a filling station.
Garden Apartment: A multi-story, walk-up apartment building usually grouped around a common open space with off-street parking near the site.
Government Facilities: Land and buildings used to accommodate public administrative and operating facilities. See Section 1105.06.
Health Department: The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Harding County Health Department.
Home Occupation: An occupation by a resident of a dwelling which does not significantly alter the use of the dwelling for residential purposes. See Section 1113.08.
Hotel: A building used primarily as the temporary abiding place of individuals with or without meals, and comprising of more than twelve (12) sleeping rooms or apartments.
House Trailer: Same as Mobile Home.
Knox Box Cabinet: A cabinet assessable by Police and Fire Department containing Haz-Mat data, interior master keys, entry cards, floor plans, shut off valve locations, and evacuation procedures.
Land Use Plan: See Comprehensive Plan.
Loading Space: Space within a zoning lot used for the standing, loading, or unloading of delivery vehicles.
Lot: A parcel of land defined by boundary lines in a recorded deed or plat, fronting on a legally dedicated public thoroughfare. No part of the proposed thoroughfare rights of way shall be included in determining lot area.
Lot Area: The area within the lot lines.
Lot, Corner: A lot fronting on two or more intersecting streets.
Lot Depth: The mean horizontal distance between front and rear lot lines.
Lot Lines: The property boundary lines.
Lot Line, Front: The line defining the boundaries of the lot and street.
Lot Line, Rear: The line opposite and most distant from the front lot line.
Lot Line, Side: Any lot line other than a front or rear lot line. A side line separating one lot from another is called an interior side lot line.
Lot Width: The width measured from one side lot line to the other side lot line at the building setback line.
Manufactured Housing/Mobile Home: Any vehicle or mobile structure on wheels or rollers built on a steel chassis and designed to be moved from one site to another, used with or without a permanent foundation. Designed as one family dwelling, ready for occupancy except for parking, assembly (if required), placement on foundation (if required), and connection to utilities.
Mobile Home Park: Land divided into three (3) or more lots with foundations laid out to provide sites for mobile homes permanently installed for a period of time exceeding sixty (60) days. See Section 1113.06.
Modular Housing: A building or part of a building pre-constructed with wood substrate, constituting a dwelling unit except for preparations for its placement. Manufactured Housing/Mobile Homes are not considered modular housing.
Motel: A building or group of buildings provided for transient guests, with or without kitchen facilities.
Nonconformities: A legally existing use, structure, or land which fails to comply with the standards set forth in this Zoning Ordinance applicable to the district in which it is located.
Official Thoroughfare Plan: A Comprehensive Plan adopted by the Village Planning Commission indicating the general location for state highways and village streets in the incorporated Village of Forest and its planning area.
Parking Space: The area required for parking one (1) vehicle. The area to be not less than eight (8) feet wide and eighteen (18) feet long, within a structure or in the open, exclusive of driveways or access drives. Any parking space constructed of any material shall meet all the requirements of the Village and shall not interfere with any type of utility.
Parks and Recreational Facilities: Land and buildings used to accommodate public and non-commercial recreation purposes. See Section 1105.06.
Person: Any group acting as a unit or a human being.
Personal Services: Any enterprise conducted for gain offering services to the general public.
Planning Commission: The Village Planing Commission of the Village of Forest, Ohio. See Section 1117.03.
Private Recreation: An association operated on a non-profit basis for members paying dues, which owns or leases land whose use is restricted to members and guests.
Professional Office: Any building or structure used for providing professional services.
Public and Semi-Private Facilities: Lands and buildings used to accommodate public and semi-private facilities. See Section 1105.06.
Restaurant, Sit-down: An establishment offering food and beverages sold only inside the building.
Restaurant, Carry-out: An establishment offering food and beverages packaged to be carried out or consumed within the building or on the premises.
Restaurant, Drive-in: An establishment offering fast service food and beverages which may be packaged and consumed on or off premises, or provided through drive through service.
Sectional Homes: Manufactured building sections with wheels, axles, and hitch removed, installed on a permanent masonry foundation. See Section 1113.12.
Semi-Private Facilities: See public and semi-private facilities.
Setback Line: The required distance from the lot line to a building.
Sewers, Central or Group: An approved sewage disposal system providing a collection network, central sewage treatment facilities, and/or disposal system.
Sewers, On-site: A septic tank or similar approved installation using an approved process for the elimination of sewage and effluent, subject to the approval of the Hardin County Health Department and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
Sign, Business: A sign directing attention to a business, profession, commodity, or entertainment offered on the same lot.
Story: The portion of a building extending from the upper surface of one floor and the upper surface of the floor above or the roof. A basement shall not be counted as a story unless more than one-inch (1/2) is above grade level at the front of the building.
Structure: Any construction, the use of which requires permanent location on the ground or attachment to something having permanent location on the ground.
Use: The employment or occupation of a building, structure, or land for a people’s service, benefit or enjoyment.
Variance: A variation from a strict interpretation of the terms of this Ordinance, owing to conditions or circumstances applying only to the property in question. As used in this Ordinance, a variance is authorized only for height, area, or setback requirements.
Village: Village of Forest, Ohio.
Village Council: The Village Council of the Village of Forest, Ohio.
Village Planning Commission: The Village Planning Commission of the Village of Forest, Ohio. See Planning Commission.
Yard: A space on the same lot with a main building, open, unoccupied, and unobstructed, except as otherwise provided in this Zoning Ordinance.
Yard, Front: A yard extending the full width of a lot and between the front lot line and the front of the main building.
Yard, Rear: A yard extending across the full width of the lot and between the rear lot lines and the rear of the main building. Where a lot abuts an alley, one half (1/2) of the alley width may be considered part of the rear yard.
Yard, Side: A yard extending from the main building to the side lot line and from the front yard or front lot line where no front yard is required, to the rear yard. The width of the side yard shall be measured from the nearest point of the side lot line to the nearest point of the main building.
Zoning Permit: The document issued by the Zoning Enforcement Officer authorizing buildings, structures, or uses consistent with the terms of this Zoning Ordinance, for the purpose of carrying out and enforcing its provisions.
Zoning District: Any portion of the incorporated area of the Village of Forest, Ohio for which regulations governing the use, height, area, intensity of use by buildings, land, and open spaces around buildings are established.
Zoning District Map: The Zoning District Map for this Zoning Ordinance establishing and showing various zoning districts. See Section 1105.07.
Zoning Enforcement Officer: Review applications for Zoning Permits and enforces this Zoning Ordinance. See Section 1117.02.
Zoning Lot: A single tract of land which (at the time of filing for a Zoning Permit) is designated by its owner or developer to be used, developed, or built upon as a unit under a single ownership or control. It may or may not conform with a lot of record. It shall have the required frontage on an improved dedicated roadway of required width.
Zoning Ordinance: Shall apply to Zoning Ordinance No. 991, passed 2-26-81, and as subsequently amended.
(Ord. 1876. Passed 6-11-15.)
CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF FOREST