For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
BLOCK. Property abutting 1 side of a street and lying between the 2 nearest intersecting streets, or between the nearest such street and railroad right-of-way, unsubdivided acreage, river or live stream; or between any of the foregoing and any other barrier to the continuity of development.
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, to be designated as a “public” or “private” easement depending on the nature of the use.
ENGINEER. The staff engineer or consulting engineer of the city.
FILING DATE. For the purpose of these regulations, the filing date shall be the initial meeting date at which the plan for preliminary plat (stage 1), preliminary plat (stage 2), tentative on final, and final plat review appears on the Planning Commission or City Commission’s regular meeting agenda.
IMPROVEMENTS. Grading, street surfacing, curb and gutter, sidewalks, crosswalks, water mains and lines, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, culverts, bridges, utilities, other additions to the natural state of land which increases its value, utility or habitability.
LOT. A measured portion of a parcel or tract of land, which is described or fixed in a recorded plat.
MAJOR STREETS OR THOROUGHFARE PLAN. The part of the master plan which sets forth the location, alignment and dimensions of existing and proposed streets and thoroughfares.
MASTER PLAN. The comprehensive land use plan for the city, including graphic and written proposals indicating the general locations recommended for the streets, parks, schools, public
buildings, zoning districts, and all physical developments of the city, and includes any unit or part of the plan separately adopted, and any amendments to the plan or parts thereof duly adopted by the Planning Commission.
PLANNER. The staff planner or consulting planner of the city.
PARCEL or TRACT. A continuous area or acreage of land which can be described as provided for in the Subdivision Act, being M.C.L.A. §§ 560.101 et seq.
PLAT. A map or chart of a subdivision of land.
(1) PRELIMINARY PLAT (STAGE 1). A map indicating the proposed layout of the subdivision in sufficient detail to provide adequate basis for review and to meet the requirements and procedures set forth in this chapter.
(2) PRELIMINARY PLAT (STAGE 2). A map showing the salient features of a proposed subdivision submitted to an approving authority for purposes of preliminary consideration prepared in conformance with the Subdivision Act.
(3) FINAL PLAT. A map of all or part of a subdivision providing substantial conformance to the preliminary plat (stage 2) of the subdivision prepared in conformance with the requirements of the Subdivision Act and this chapter, and suitable for recording by the county’s Register of Deeds.
PROPRIETOR. A natural person, firm, association, partnership, corporation or combination of any of them which may hold any ownership interest in land, whether recorded or not.
STREET. Any street, avenue, boulevard, road, lane, parkway, viaduct, alley or other way which is an existing state, county or city roadway; or a street or way shown in 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’s Register of Deeds. A street includes the land
between the street lines, whether improved or unimproved, and may comprise pavement, shoulders, gutters, sidewalks, parking areas and lawns.
(1) MAJOR THOROUGHFARE. An arterial street of great continuity which is intended to serve as a large volume trafficway for both the immediate city area and region beyond, and may be designated in the city’s major thoroughfare plan as a major thoroughfare, parkway, expressway or equivalent term to identify those streets comprising the basic structure of the street plan.
(2) COLLECTOR STREET. A street intended to serve as a major street means of access from minor streets to major thoroughfares which has considerable continuity within the framework of the major thoroughfare plan.
(3) MINOR STREET. A street of limited continuity used primarily for access to abutting residential properties.
(4) MARGINAL ACCESS STREET. A minor street paralleling and adjacent to a major thoroughfare which provides access to abutting properties and protection from through traffic.
(5) BOULEVARD STREET. A street developed to 2-lane, 1-way pavements separated by a median.
(6) TURNAROUND. A short boulevard street permanently terminated by a vehicular turnaround.
(7) CUL-DE-SAC STREET. A short minor street having 1 end permanently terminated by a vehicular turnaround.
(8) ALLEY. A minor service street used primarily to provide secondary vehicular access to the rear or side of properties otherwise abutting on a street.
SUBDIVISION. The partitioning or dividing of a parcel or tract of land by the proprietor thereof or by his or her heirs, executors, administrators, legal
representatives, successors or assigns for the purpose of sale, or lease of more than 1 year, or building development, where the act of division creates 5 or more parcels of land, each of which is 10 acres or less in area; or 5 or more parcels of land, each of which is 10 acres or less in area are created by successive divisions within a period of 10 years.
SUBDIVISION ACT. The Subdivision Control Act, Michigan Public Act 288 of 1967, as amended (M.C.L.A. §§ 560.101 et seq.).
(Prior Code, § 27-3) (Ord. 53, passed 8-21-1969)