For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ALLEY. A public right-of-way which affords a secondary means of access to abutting property.
BLOCK. An area of land within a subdivision that is entirely bounded by streets, or by streets and the exterior boundary or boundaries of the subdivision, or a combination of the above with a river or lake.
CITY ENGINEER. The engineer designated by the City Council to furnish engineering assistance for the administration of this chapter.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. The plan prepared by and adopted the Planning Commission and approved by the City Council which indicates the general locations recommended for the various functional classes of public works, places and structures and for the general physical development of the city and included any unit or part of such plan separately adopted and any amendment to the plans or parts thereof.
CONCEPT PLAN. A sketch preparatory to the preparation of the preliminary plat to enable the subdivider to save time and expense in reaching general conclusions with the Planning Commission as to the form of the plat and objectives of this chapter.
DESIGN STANDARDS. The specifications to land owners or subdividers for the preparation of plats, both preliminary and final, indicating among other things the optimum, minimum, or maximum dimensions of such items as right-of-way, blocks, easements, and lots.
EASEMENT. A grant by a property owner for the use of a strip of land for the purpose of constructing and maintaining utilities, including but not limited to sanitary sewers, water mains, electric lines, telephone lines, storm sewer or storm drainage ways, and gas lines.
LOT. A portion of a subdivision or other parcel of land intended for building development or for transfer of ownership.
OWNER. Any individual, firm, association, co-partnership, public or private corporation, trust, or any other legal entity having title to or an ownership interest in real estate.
PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS. Public lands and open spaces in the city dedicated or reserved for recreation purposes.
PERCENTAGE OF GRADE. The rise or fall of a slope in feet and tenths of a foot for each 100 feet of horizontal distance. The center line of a street shall be used to determine the street rise of grade.
PEDESTRIAN WAY. A public or private right-of-way across a block or within a block to provide access to be used by pedestrians and which may be used for the installation of utility lines.
PLANNING COMMISSION or COMMISSION. The City of Madison Planning Commission.
PLAT. The drawing or map of a subdivision prepared for filing of record and containing all elements and requirements of this chapter.
PLAT, FINAL. A finished drawing or map showing completely and accurately all legal and engineering information and certification necessary for recording with the county.
PLAT, PRELIMINARY. A preliminary drawing or map indicating the proposed layout of a subdivision, but not in final form for recording, to be submitted to the Planning Commission for its consideration.
PROTECTIVE COVENANTS. Contracts made between private parties as to the manner in which land may be used, with the view to protecting and preserving the physical and economic integrity of any given area.
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, place, or however designated.
STREET, ARTERIAL. A street or highway with access restrictions designed to carry large volumes of traffic between various sections of the city and beyond. It has a secondary function of providing access to abutting land.
STREET, COLLECTOR. A street which carries traffic from local streets to arterials. It provides access to abutting property.
STREET, CUL-DE-SAC. A street turn around with only one outlet.
STREET, HALF. A street having only half of its intended roadway width developed to accommodate traffic.
STREET, LOCAL. A street of limited continuity used primarily for access to the abutting properties and the local need of a neighborhood and ideally leading into collector streets.
STREET, PRIVATE. A street serving as vehicular access to one or more parcels of land which is not dedicated to the public but is owned by one or more private parties.
STREET, SERVICE. Marginal access street otherwise designated as a minor street, which is parallel and adjacent to a thoroughfare which provides access to abutting properties and avoids through traffic.
STREET WIDTH. The shortest distance between lines of lots delineating the street right-of-way.
SUBDIVIDER. Any person, firm, corporation, or partnership causing land to be divided, subdivided, or platted into a subdivision.
SUBDIVISION. A described tract of land which is to be divided into 2 or more lots of parcels, any of which resultant parcels is less than 5 acres in area, for the purpose of transfer of ownership or building development or, if a new street is involved, any division of a parcel of land. The term includes re-subdivision and, where it is appropriate to the context, related either to the process of subdividing or to the land subdivided. The term subdivision shall not apply for subdivisions:
(1) Creating cemetery lots;
(2) Resulting from court orders or the adjustment of a lot line by the relocation of a common boundary.
SURVEYOR. A land surveyor properly licensed and registered in the state.
TANGENT. A straight line departing from a curve which is perpendicular to the radius of that curve.
TRACT. A parcel of land intended for division or development of a subdivision.
U.S.G.S. Refers to the United States Geodetic Survey.
VERTICAL CURVE. The surface curvature on a street center line located between lines of different percentage of grade.
ZONING ORDINANCE. The zoning code controlling the use of land as adopted by the city.
(Ord. 334, passed 12-27-2004)