For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
COMMISSION. The City Planning Commission.
COUNCIL. The City Council.
CITY PLANNER or PLANNER. The staff planner or consulting planner of the city.
CITY ENGINEER or ENGINEER. The staff engineer or consulting engineer for the city.
EASEMENT. A grant by the owner of the use of a strip of land by the public, a corporation or persons, for specific uses and purposes, and shall be designated a public or private easement, depending on the nature of the user and in conformance with the Subdivision Control Act of the state.
LOT. A parcel or portion of land separated from other parcels or portions by descriptions as in a subdivision or on a record survey map or by metes and bounds for purposes of sale, lease, or separate use.
GENERAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN. A composite of the graphic and written proposals recommending the physical development of the community which shall have been duly adopted by the Commission.
IMPROVEMENTS. Grading, street surfacing, curb and gutter, sidewalks, crosswalks, water mains and lines, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, culverts, bridges, utilities and other additions to the natural state of land, which increases its value, utility or habitability.
MAJOR THOROUGHFARE PLAN. That part of the general development plan which sets forth the location, alignment and dimensions of existing and proposed major thoroughfares.
PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE. Any security which may be accepted by the Council in lieu of a requirement that certain improvements be made prior to approval of a final plat, including performance bonds, escrow agreements, and other similar collateral or surety agreement.
PLAT. A map or chart of a subdivision of land.
(1) PRE-PRELIMINARY PLAT (STAGE ONE) is a map showing the proposed layout of the subdivision in sufficient detail to provide adequate basis for review and assistance by the appropriate city officials.
(2) PRELIMINARY PLAT (STAGE TWO) is a map showing the salient feature of a proposed subdivision submitted to an approving authority for purposes of preliminary consideration, prepared in conformance with the Subdivision Control Act.
(3) FINAL PLAT is a map prepared in conformance with the requirements of the Subdivision Control Act 288 of 1967, as amended, and this chapter, and suitable for recording by the County Register of Deeds.
PUBLIC UTILITY. A firm, corporation, co-partnership or municipal authority providing gas, electricity, water, steam, telephone, sewer, transportation or other services of a similar nature.
STREET. Any street, avenue, boulevard, road, land, parkway, viaduct, alley or other way which is an existing state, county or municipal roadway; or a street or way shown on a plat heretofore approved pursuant to law or approved by official action; or a street or way on a plat duly filed and recorded in the office of the County Register of Deeds; and including the land between the street lines, whether improved or unimproved, and may comprise pavement, shoulders, gutters, sidewalks, parking areas, lawn areas, and other areas, within the street lines.
(1) MAJOR THOROUGHFARES. Arterial streets of considerable continuity which carry a large volume of both private and commercial vehicles.
(2) COLLECTOR STREETS. Streets carrying traffic from minor streets to major streets, including principal entrance streets of a residential development.
(3) MINOR STREETS. Streets which are used primarily for access to abutting residential properties.
(4) MARGINAL ACCESS STREETS. Minor streets which are parallel and adjacent to major thoroughfares and highways, and which provide access to abutting properties and protection from through traffic.
(5) CUL-DE-SACS. Short streets having one end permanently terminated by a vehicular turn- around.
(6) ALLEYS. Minor ways which are used primarily to provide vehicular access to the rear or side of properties otherwise abutting on a street.
SUBDIVIDER. Any individual, firm, association, partnership, corporation, trust, or any other legal entity presenting a subdivision plat for approval.
SUBDIVISION. The partitioning or dividing of a parcel or tract of land by the proprietor thereof, or by his heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors or assigns, for the purposes of sale or lease of more than one year, or of building development, where the act of division creates five or more parcels of land, each of which is ten acres or less in area are created by successive divisions within a period of ten years.
SUBDIVISION CONTROL ACT. The Subdivision Control Act 288, Michigan Public Acts of 1967, as amended.
ZONING CODE. The Zoning Code of the city.
('68 Code, § 6-1403) (Ord. 434, passed 1-24-73)