For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ACCESSORY BUILDING. A subordinate building or portion of the main building which is located on the same lot as the main building and the use of which is clearly incidental to the use of the main building.
ALLEY. A public right-of-way which affords a secondary means of access to abutting property.
BASEMENT. A portion of a building located partly underground, but having less than half of its floor-to-ceiling height below the average grade of the adjoining grounds.
BOARDING HOUSE. Any dwelling other than a hotel or motel where meals or lodgings and meals for compensation are provided.
BUILDING. Any structure for the shelter, support or enclosure of persons, animals, chattel or property of any kind, and when separated by party walls without openings, each portion of the buildings so separated shall be deemed a separate BUILDING.
BUILDING HEIGHT. The vertical distance from the average of the highest and lowest point of that portion of the lot covered by the building to the highest point of the roof for flat roofs; to the deck line of mansard roofs; or to the tallest height for gable, hip and gambrel roofs.
BUILDING-INTEGRATED SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM. A solar energy system that is directly integrated into the building by replacing typical building materials.
CELLAR. The portion of the building having more than half of the floor-to-ceiling height below the average grade of the adjoining ground.
COMMUNITY SOLAR GARDEN. A solar-electric array that provides retail electric power (or a financial proxy for retail power) to multiple community members or businesses residing or located off-site from the location of the solar energy system, as defined by M.S. § 216B.1641, as it may be amended from time to time, or successor statute.
CORNER LOT. A lot situated at the junction of and fronting on two or more streets.
CURB LEVEL. The level of the established curb in front of the building measured at the center of the front. Where no CURB LEVEL has been established, the City Engineer shall establish the CURB LEVEL or its equivalent for the purpose of this chapter.
DEPTH OF LOT. The mean horizontal distance between the mean front street and the mean rear lot line. The greater frontage of a corner lot is its depth, and its lesser frontage is its width.
DEPTH OF REAR YARD. The mean horizontal distance between rear line of the building and the centerline of an alley, where an alley exists, otherwise a rear lot line. The building does include any open decks, patios or steps onto the main building.
DISTRICT. A section of the city for which the regulations governing the height, area, use of buildings and premises are the same.
DWELLING. Any building or part thereof which is designed or used exclusively for residential purposes by one or more human beings either permanently or transiently; a mobile home or house trailer shall be considered a dwelling. A building or portion thereof designed or used exclusively for residential occupancy, including one-family, two-family and multi-family dwelling units, and apartment buildings, but not including units used for occupancy in hotels or motels. May also be called a RESIDENCE or RESIDENTIAL BUILDING.
DWELLING, MULTIPLE-FAMILY. A building designed for or occupied by more than two families. DWELLING, MULTI-FAMILY is residential building used for occupancy by three or more families living independently of each other and containing three or more dwelling units, but not including group, row, townhouses or dormitories.
DWELLING, ONE-FAMILY. A building designed for or occupied exclusively by one family.
DWELLING, ONE-FAMILY, ATTACHED (GROUP, ROW OR TOWNHOUSE). One of two or more residential dwellings joined to other dwellings by a common wall without openings and with individual entrances to each dwelling from the exterior. Each dwelling unit shall have principal access onto the ground floor and shall be occupied by not more than one family.
DWELLING, ONE-FAMILY, DETACHED. A residential building containing not more than one dwelling unit and entirely surrounded by open space and yards located on the same lot.
DWELLING, TWO-FAMILY. A building designed for or occupied by two families. DWELLING, TWO-FAMILY is a residential building containing not more than two dwelling units, but not including group, row or townhouses. May also be referred to as a DUPLEX.
DWELLING UNIT. One or more rooms physically arranged so as to create an independent housekeeping unit for occupancy by one family. A DWELLING UNIT contains separate toilet, cooking and sleeping accommodations. DWELLING UNITS may be rented or owner-occupied. May also be called a RESIDENCE or ROOMING HOUSE DWELLING UNIT.
FAMILY. Any number of individuals related either by marriage, blood, adoption or another legal unit as defined either by state or federal law.
FARMING. The cultivation of the soil and all activities incident thereto.
FLOOR AREA. The sum of the gross horizontal areas of the several floors of a building measured from the exterior walls including basements and attached accessory buildings.
GARAGE, PRIVATE. A garage with a capacity of not more than four automobiles for storage only, which is erected as an accessory building.
GARAGE, PUBLIC. Any premises except those described as a private or community garage, used for the storage or care of power-driven vehicles, or where any such vehicles are equipped for operation, repair or kept for remuneration, hire or sale.
GLARE. The brightness of a light source, or reflected light, that causes eye discomfort, impairs visibility or creates a potentially hazardous situation for either pedestrians or motorists.
GROUND-MOUNTED SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM. A solar energy system that is installed onto the ground directly or by means of brackets or poles.
HOME OCCUPATION. Any occupation of a service character which is clearly secondary to the main use of the premises as a dwelling and does not change the character thereof.
HOTEL. Any building or portion thereof where lodging is offered to transient guests for compensation and in which there are more than five sleeping rooms with limited cooking facilities in an individual room or apartment.
JUNK YARD. Land or buildings where waste, discarded or salvaged materials are brought, sold, exchanged, stored, cleaned, packed, disassembled or handled, including, but not limited to, scrap metal, rags, paper, rubber products, glass products, lumber products and products from wrecking of automobiles, other vehicles accessory to any business or industrial use on the same lot.
LODGING HOUSE. A building or premises where lodging is provided for compensation for three or more persons, but not exceeding 25 persons.
LOT. One unit of a recorded plat or subdivision occupied or to be occupied by a building and its accessory buildings and including as a minimum such open spaces as are required under this chapter and having frontage on a public street.
LOT AREA. The lot area is the land area within the lot lines.
LOT, DOUBLE FRONTAGE. An interior lot having frontage on two streets.
LOT, INTERIOR. A lot other than a corner lot.
LOT LINES. The lines bounding a lot as defined herein. When a LOT LINE abuts a street, avenue, park or other public property except an alley, the line shall be known as a STREET LINE, and when a LOT LINE abuts an alley, it shall be known as an ALLEY LINE.
LOT WIDTH. The width of a lot is the width measured at the building setback line.
MOBILE HOME. Any vehicle required to have a certificate of title, but is used as a residence will be defined as a MOBILE OR MANUFACTURED HOME.
MOTEL. A building or group of buildings used primarily for the temporary residence of motorists or travelers.
NONCONFORMING USE. A use lawfully in existence at the effective date of this chapter and not conforming to the regulations for the district in which it is situated.
ORNAMENTAL WIND DEVICES. Any device that rotates in a wind current, resulting in a pleasing effect for the viewer of the device that does not convert wind to energy.
PERSONS. Any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, joint stock association or body politic; includes any trustee, receiver, assignee or other similar representative thereof.
PLOT. A tract other than one unit of a recorded plat or subdivision and occupied and used or intended to be occupied and used by a building and its accessory buildings and having a frontage upon a public street or upon a thoroughfare or upon a highway or upon a traveled or used road and including as a minimum such open spaces as required under this chapter.
ROOF-MOUNTED SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM. A solar energy system mounted to a house or other building.
SETBACK. The minimum horizontal distance between a building and the street line.
SIGN. A name, identification, description, display, illustration or device which is affixed to or represented directly upon a building, structure or land in view of the general public, and which directs attention to a product, place, activity, person, institution or business.
SIGN, BUSINESS. A sign, which directs attention to a business or profession or to a commodity, service or entertainment, sold or offered upon the premises where such a sign is located.
SIGN, FLASHING. Any illuminated sign on which the illumination is not kept stationary or constant in intensity and color at all times when the sign in use.
SIGN, ILLUMINATED. Any sign which has characters, letters, figures, designs or outlines illuminated by electric lights or luminous tubes as apart of the sign.
SIGN, NAME PLATE. Any sign which states the name or address or both of the business or occupant of the lot where the sign is placed.
SIGN, PYLON. A free-standing sign erected upon a single pylon or post, which is in excess of ten feet in height with a sign mounted on top thereof.
SIGN, ROTATING. A sign which revolves or rotates on its axis by mechanical means.
SIGN, SURFACE AREA OF. The entire area within a single, continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of the actual sign surface. It does not include any structural elements outside the limits of the sign and not forming an integral part of the display. Only one side of a double-face or V-type sign structure shall be used in computing total surface area.
SMALL WIND ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEM. A wind energy conversion system which has a name plate rated capacity of no greater than 40 kilowatts and is primarily intended to produce power for on-site consumption, as a supplement to utility power or in lieu of utility power.
SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM. A set of devices whose primary purpose is to provide for the collection, storage and distribution of solar energy for space heating or cooling, electricity generation or water heating.
SOLAR FARM. A commercial facility that converts sunlight into electricity for the principal purpose of wholesale sales of generated electricity.
SOLAR THERMAL SYSTEM. A system that includes a solar collector and a heat exchanger that heats or preheats water for building heating systems or other hot water needs of the building.
STRUCTURE. Anything constructed or erected, the use of which requires location on the ground or attachment to something having a location on the ground.
STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS. Any change in the supporting members of a building such as bearing walls, columns, beams or girders.
STREET. A public right-of-way affording primary access by pedestrians and vehicles to abutting properties, whether designated as a street, highway, thoroughfare, parkway, throughway, road, avenue, boulevard, lane, place or however otherwise designated.
USE. The purpose, for which land or premises or a building thereon is designated, arranged or intended or for which it is or may be occupied or maintained.
USE, ACCESSORY. A use incidental or accessory to the principal use of a lot or a building and located on the same lot as the principal use.
VARIANCE. A modification or variation of the provisions of this chapter as applied to a specific piece of property, except that modification in the allowable uses within a district shall not be considered a VARIANCE.
WIND ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEM. Any device, such as a wind charger or wind turbine, which converts wind to a form of usable electric energy.
YARD. Any space in the same lot with a building open and unobstructed from the ground to the sky.
YARD, FRONT. A yard extending across the front of the lot between the inner side yard lines and lying between the front line of the lot and the nearest line of the building.
YARD, REAR. An open space unoccupied except for accessory buildings on the same lot with a building between the rear lines of the building and the rear line of the lot, for the full width of the lot.
YARD, SIDE. An open, unoccupied space on the same lot with a building between the building and the side line of the lot, and extending from the front lot line to the rear of the back yard.
(Ord. 266, passed 5- -2008; Ord. 296, passed 3-7-2016)