For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. Unless otherwise specified, all distances shall be measured horizontally and at right angles to the line in relation to which the distance is specified.
AGENT. The representative of the town who has been appointed to serve the Town Council in the processing, reviewing, and approving of preliminary subdivision plats.
ALLEY. A permanent service right-of-way providing a secondary means of access to abutting properties, which shall be construed to include, but not be limited to, rights-of-way known as Poplar Alley, Center Lane, and Cooper’s Alley.
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE. The individual appointed by the Town Council for the day-to-day enforcement and inspection of this chapter.
BASE FLOOD. A flood that has a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. Also referred to as the 100-YEAR FLOOD.
BASE FLOOD ELEVATION (BFE). The water surface elevation of the base flood in relation to the datum specified on the flood insurance study and flood insurance rate map.
BUILDING. Any enclosed or open structure other than a tent or mobile home having a roof supported by columns or walls designed to support, shelter, house, or enclose persons, animals, or property of any kind. The word BUILDING includes the word STRUCTURE.
BUILDING/CODE OFFICIAL. The person appointed by the Town Council who issues the building permits for the structural design, construction, alteration, reconstruction, repair, restoration, demolition, or razing of all or part of any building. It includes a Deputy Building/Code Official.
BUILDING PERMIT. An approval statement signed by the Zoning Administrator and the Building/Code Official authorizing the construction, alteration, reconstruction, repair, restoration, demolition, or razing of all or a part of any building.
BUILDING SETBACK. The minimum distance by which any structure must be separated from the property line of a lot.
CLERK. The Clerk of the Circuit Court of Prince William County.
COMMISSION. The Planning Commission of the town.
CUL-DE-SAC. A street with one outlet and an appropriate turnaround for safe and convenient reverse traffic movement.
EASEMENT. A grant or reservation by a property owner to another person for the use of a specified portion, or all, of said property for a specific purpose, without including title to the property.
ENGINEER. An individual who is qualified to engage in the practice of engineering or land surveying as attested by the issuance to such person of a currently valid license as a professional engineer by the State Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers and Landscape Architects.
FLOODPLAIN. An area flooded by a flood of specific frequency or magnitude and delineated as a regulated area by federal, state, or local government order through the use of maps, flood elevations, flood profiles, or other techniques.
FRONTAGE. The distance measured from side lot line to side lot line, parallel to the street line.
HEALTH OFFICIAL. The Health Director or Sanitarian serving the town.
HIGHWAY ENGINEER. The resident engineer employed by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and serving the town.
JURISDICTION. The area or territory subject to the legislative control of the Town Council.
LAND USE and USE OF LAND. Also includes BUILDING USE and USE OF BUILDING.
LOT. A parcel of land created by a metes and bounds description or plat of subdivision meeting minimum zoning requirements for area, coverage, setbacks, and other spaces as required at time of recordation. The word LOT includes the words PLOT and PARCEL.
LOT, CORNER. A lot abutting upon two or more streets, at their intersection; the shortest side, fronting upon a street, shall be considered the front of the lot, and the longest side, fronting upon a street, shall be considered the side of the lot.
LOT, DEPTH OF. The mean horizontal distance between the front and rear lot lines.
LOT, DOUBLE-FRONTAGE. An interior lot having frontage on two streets.
LOT, INTERIOR. A lot other than a corner lot.
LOT OF RECORD. A lot which has been legally recorded in the Clerk of the Court’s office.
LOT, WIDTH OF. The mean horizontal distance between the side lot lines, measured at the building setback.
OWNER. Any person, group of persons, firm or firms, corporation or corporations, or any other legal entity having legal title to the land sought to be subdivided under this chapter.
PARKING STRUCTURE, MULTILEVEL. A structure with multiple stories designed for the parking of passenger vehicles and in which there is no provision for the repairing of vehicles.
PEDESTRIAN WAY or CROSSWALK. A right-of-way across, along, or within a block, for use by pedestrian traffic, whether designated as a PEDESTRIAN WAY, CROSSWALK, or otherwise designated, which may include utilities.
PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT. Parcels set aside for specialized purposes where tracts suitable in location, area, and character for the uses and structures proposed are to be planned and developed on a unified basis.
PLAT, FINAL. The map or plan of a subdivision of land that meets all the requirements of this chapter, including any accompanying material that may be required.
PLAT, PRELIMINARY. The plan or map of a property drawn to scale, submitted with all tentative plans showing the relationship of the proposed subdivision to existing railroads, lakes, rivers, off-site drainage areas, creeks, public and semipublic facilities.
RE-SUBDIVISION. An authorized change in property lines of a recorded subdivision.
RIGHT-OF-WAY. A strip of land dedicated or reserved for a street, crosswalk, railroad, road, water main, sanitary or storm sewer main, public utility, or other special uses. For land platting purposes, the term RIGHT-OF-WAY shall mean that every RIGHT-OF-WAY, established after November 1, 1981, and shown on a final plat is to be separate and distinct from the lots or parcels adjoining such RIGHT-OF-WAY and is not included within the dimensions or areas of such lots or parcels. A RIGHT-OF-WAY intended for a street, crosswalk, water main, sanitary sewer storm drain, or any other use, involving maintenance by a public agency, shall be dedicated to public use.
SECRETARY. The Secretary of the Planning Commission of the town.
STREET. A strip of land, including the entire right-of-way intended to be dedicated for use as a means of vehicular and pedestrian circulation by the public at large. The term STREET includes avenues, boulevards, highways, roads, bridges, and the approaches thereto and all other public thoroughfares, but not alleys.
STREET, ARTERIAL. Any existing or future street, identified in any adopted plan, carrying traffic, or anticipated traffic, of more than 3,000 vehicles per day.
STREET, MAJOR. Any existing or future street, identified in an adopted plan, carrying traffic, or anticipated traffic, of 500 to 3,000 vehicles per day.
STREET, MINOR. Any existing or future street that is primarily used as a means of public access to abutting properties, with anticipated traffic of less than 500 vehicles per day.
STREET, SERVICE. A public street, generally parallel and contiguous to major streets, primarily designed to promote safety by properly spacing points of access to major streets.
STREET WIDTH. The total right-of-way width of the strip of land dedicated or reserved for public travel, including roadway, curb, gutter, sidewalk, and planting strip.
SUBDIVIDER. A person owning any tract, lot, or parcel of land to be subdivided, or a group of two or more persons owning any tract, lot, or parcel of land to be subdivided, or a person given power of attorney to act on the owner’s behalf in the subdivision of land.
SUBDIVISION. The division of a parcel of land into two or more lots or parcels each for the purpose of transfer of ownership or building development; or, if a new street is involved in such division, any division of a parcel of land. The word SUBDIVISION, or any derivative thereof, shall have reference to the term SUBDIVIDER.
SURVEYOR. A land surveyor certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
TOWN ENGINEER. The licensed engineer designated by the Town Council to furnish engineering assistance for the administration of this chapter.
(1998 Code, § 54-1) (Ord. passed 9-5-2017; Ord. O-2021-05, passed 12-7-2021; Ord. O-2022-05, passed 11-1-2022)