For the purposes of this title, certain words herein shall be defined as and interpreted as follows. Words used in the present tense shall include the future; the singular shall include the plural, the plural shall include the singular; the masculine gender shall include the feminine; the term "shall" is always mandatory, and the term "may" is permissive.
ACQUISITION PLAT: The graphical representation of the division of land or rights in land, created as the result of a conveyance or condemnation for right of way purposes by an agency of the government or other persons having the power of eminent domain.
ALIQUOT PART: A fractional part of a section within the United States public land survey system. Only the fractional parts one-half, one-quarter, one-half of one-quarter, or one- quarter of one-quarter shall be considered an aliquot part of a section.
ALLEY: Public property dedicated to public use primarily for vehicular access to the back or side of properties otherwise abutting on a street.
AUDITOR'S PLAT: A subdivision plat required by either the auditor or the assessor, prepared by a surveyor under the direction of the auditor.
BLOCK: An area of land within a subdivision that is entirely bounded by streets, railroad rights of way, rivers, tracts of public land, or the boundary of the subdivision.
CITY ENGINEER: The professional engineer registered in the state of Iowa designated as city engineer by the governing body or other hiring authority.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN: The general plan for the development of the community, that may be titled master plan, community development plan or some other title, which plan has been adopted by the governing body. Such community development plan shall include any part of such plan separately adopted, and any amendment to such plan or parts thereof.
CONVEYANCE: An instrument filed with a recorder as evidence of the transfer of title to land, including any form of deed or contract.
CUL-DE-SAC: A street having one end connecting to another street, and the other end terminated by a vehicular turnaround.
DIVISION: Dividing a tract or parcel of land into two (2) parcels of land by conveyance or for tax purposes. The conveyance of an easement, other than public highway easement, shall not be considered a division for the purpose of this title.
EASEMENT: An authorization by a property owner for another to use a designated part of his property for a specified purpose.
FLOOD HAZARD AREA: Any area subject to flooding by a one percent (1%) probability flood, otherwise referred to as a 100-year flood; as designated by the Iowa national resources council or the federal insurance administration.
FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE: An ordinance regulating the development of all property located within a floodplain as shown on the FEMA floodplain map for the city of Oxford. The Oxford floodplain management ordinance is set out in title 12 of this code.
FLOODWAY: The channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent lands that must be reserved in order to discharge the waters of a 100-year flood without cumulatively raising the waterway surface elevation more than one foot (1').
FORTY ACRE ALIQUOT PART: One-quarter of one-quarter of a section.
GOVERNING BODY: The city council of the city of Oxford, Iowa.
GOVERNMENT LOT: A tract, within a section, that is normally described by a lot number as represented and identified on the township plat of the United States public land survey system.
IMPROVEMENTS: Changes to land necessary to prepare it for building sites including, but not limited to, grading, filling, street paving, curb paving, sidewalks, walkways, water mains, sewers, drainageways, and other public works appurtenances.
LOT: A tract of land represented and identified by number or letter designation on an official plat.
LOT, CORNER: A lot situated at the intersection of two (2) streets.
LOT, DOUBLE FRONTAGE: Any lot that is not a corner lot that abuts two (2) streets.
METES AND BOUNDS DESCRIPTION: A description of land that uses distances and angles, uses distances and bearings, or describes the boundaries of the parcel by reference to physical features of the land.
OFFICIAL PLAT: Either an auditor's plat or a subdivision plat that meets the requirements of this title and has been filed for record in the offices of the recorder, auditor, and assessor.
OWNER: The legal entity holding title to the property being subdivided, or such representative or agent as is fully empowered to act on its behalf.
PARCEL: A part of a tract of land.
PERMANENT REAL ESTATE INDEX NUMBER: A unique number or combination of numbers assigned to a parcel of land pursuant to Iowa Code section 441.29.
PLANNING COMMISSION: The appointed commission designated by the governing body for the purpose of this title, and may also be the zoning commission, in which case such commission shall be known as the planning and zoning commission.
PLAT: A map, drawing, or chart on which a subdivider's plan for the subdivision of land is presented, that he or she submits for approval and intends, in final form, to record.
PLAT OF SURVEY: The graphical representation of survey of one or more parcels of land, including a complete and accurate description of each parcel within the plat, prepared by a registered land surveyor.
PLATS OFFICER: The individual assigned the duty to administer this title by the governing body or other appointing authority.
PROPRIETOR: A person who has a recorded interest in land, including a person selling or buying land pursuant to a contract, but excluding persons holding mortgage, easement, or lien interest.
STREET: Public property, not an alley, intended for vehicular circulation. In appropriate context, the term "street" may refer to the right of way bounded by the property lines of such public property, or may refer to the paving installed within such right of way.
STREET, ARTERIAL: A street primarily intended to carry traffic from one part of the city to another, and not intended to provide access to abutting property.
STREET, COLLECTOR: A street primarily designed to connect smaller areas of the community, and to carry traffic from local streets to arterial streets.
SUBDIVIDER: The owner of the property being subdivided, or such other person or entity empowered to act on the owner's behalf.
SUBDIVISION: The division of land into two (2) or more parts for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of transfer of ownership or building development. The term, when appropriate to the context, may refer to the process of subdividing or to land subdivided.
SUBDIVISION PLAT: The graphical representation of the subdivision of land, prepared by a registered land surveyor, having a number or letter designation for each lot within the plat and a succinct name or title that is unique for the county where the land is located.
SURVEYOR: A registered land surveyor who engages in the practice of land surveying pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 542B.
TRACT: An aliquot part of a section, a lot within an official plat, or a government lot.
UTILITIES: Systems for the distribution or collection of water, gas, electricity, wastewater, and stormwater. (Ord. 94-90, 3-8-1994, eff. 3-8-1994; amd. 2015 Code)