For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ALLEY. A public or private right-of-way shown on a plat which provides secondary access to a lot, block, or parcel of land.
APPLICANT. A natural person, firm, association, partnership, corporation or combination of any of them that holds an ownership interest in land, whether recorded or not.
BLOCK. A piece of or parcel of land entirely surrounded by public highways, streets, streams, railroad, right-of-way, a park, and the like, or a combination thereof.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN. The City of St. Johns Community Development Plan, prepared, adopted, and amended pursuant to Public Act 285 of 1931, as amended, being M.C.L.A. §§ 125.31 et seq.
CROSSWALK. A right-of-way dedicated to public use which crosses a block to facilitate pedestrian access to adjacent streets and properties.
EASEMENT. A grant by the owner of the use of a strip of land by the public, a corporation, or persons for specific uses or purposes and shall be designated as public or private depending on the nature of the user and in conformance with the Land Division Act, being M.C.L.A. 560.101 et seq.
EXEMPT SPLIT or EXEMPT DIVISION. The partitioning or splitting of a parcel or tract of land by the proprietor thereof, or by his or her heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors or assigns, that does not result in one or more parcels of less than ten acres or the equivalent; provided all resulting parcels are accessible for vehicular travel and utilities from existing public roads through existing adequate roads or easements or through areas owned by the owner of the parcel that can provide such access.
FORTY ACRES OR THE EQUIVALENT. Either 40 acres, a quarter-quarter section containing not less than 30 acres, or a government lot containing not less than 30 acres.
GOVERNING BODY. The City Commission of the City of St. Johns.
IMPROVEMENTS. Grading, street surfacing, curb and gutter, sidewalks, street lighting, crosswalks, water mains and lines, fire hydrants, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, street trees, culvert, bridges, utilities, and 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 and fined in a recorded plat.
PROPRIETOR. A natural person, firm, association, partnership, corporation, or any combination of any of them which may hold any ownership interest in land, whether recorded or not.
OUTLOT. When included within the boundary of a recorded plat, means a lot set aside for purposes other than a building site, park, or other land dedicated to public use or reserved for private use.
PLANNING COMMISSION. The Planning Commission as established for the City of St. Johns.
PLAT. A map or chart of a subdivision of land.
(1) PRELIMINARY PLAT. A map showing the salient features of a proposed subdivision submitted to an approving agency for the purpose of preliminary consideration.
(2) FINAL PLAT. A map of all or part of a subdivision prepared and certified as to its accuracy by a registered professional civil engineer or registered land surveyor. The FINAL PLAT map shall meet the requirements of the Land Division Act of 1967, being M.C.L.A. 560.101 et seq., and be acceptable for recording in accordance with that or succeeding Acts.
(3) REPLAT. The process of changing the map or plat which changes the boundaries of a recorded subdivision plat or part thereof. The legal dividing of an outlot within a recorded subdivision plat without changing the exterior boundaries of the outlot is not a replat.
PUBLIC OPEN SPACE. Land dedicated or reserved for public ties. Includes parks, parkways, recreation areas, school sites, community or public building sites, and other public spaces.
PUBLIC UTILITY. Any person, firm, corporation, copartnership, or municipal authority providing such public utilities as gas, electricity, water, steam, telephone, sewer, transportation, and other services of a similar nature.
RIGHT-OF-WAY. Land reserved, used, or to be used for a street, alley, walkway or other public purpose.
SETBACK LINE, REQUIRED. The line delineating the minimum required depth under the Zoning Code of the front yard.
STREET. A right-of-way dedicated to public use, which provides vehicular access to adjacent properties, whether designated as a street, highway, thoroughfare, parkway, road, avenue, lane, or however otherwise designated comprising all the land between right-of-way lines, whether improved or unimproved, and may include pavement, curbs, gutters, shoulders, sidewalks, parking areas, lawn areas, and other areas within the right-of-way lines.
(1) LOCAL STREET. A street supplementary to a major street or collector street intended to serve the local needs of the neighborhood and of limited continuity used primarily as access to abutting residential properties and as so classified by the city.
(2) CUL DE SAC. A minor street of short length having one end open to traffic and being permanently terminated at the other end by a vehicular turn around.
(3) COLLECTOR STREET. A street intended to serve as a major means of access from minor streets to major thoroughfares and as so classified by the city.
(4) MAJOR STREET. An arterial street of great continuity which is intended to serve as a large volume trafficway for both the immediate municipal area and the region beyond and as so classified by the city.
(5) HALF STREET. A street having lesser than the required right-of-way width for a street of full width as required by this chapter.
(6) TURN-AROUND. A short boulevard street permanently terminated by a vehicular turn- around.
SUBDIVIDER. An individual, firm, association, syndication, co-partnership, corporation, trust, or any other legal entity commencing proceedings under this chapter to effect a subdivision of land hereunder for himself or for another.
SUBDIVISION or SUBDIVIDE. The partitioning or dividing of a parcel or tract of land by the proprietor thereof or by his heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors, or assigns for the purpose of sale, or lease of more than one year, or of building development, that results in one or more parcels of less than 40 acres or the equivalent and that is not exempted from the platting requirements of the Land Division Act, Sections 108 and 109, being M.C.L.A. §§ 560.108 and 560.109. Subdivide or subdivision does not include a property transfer between two or more adjacent parcels if the property taken from one parcel is added to an adjacent parcel and any resulting parcel shall not be considered a building site unless the parcel conforms to the requirements of the Land Division Act, this chapter and other local ordinances.
TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP. A map showing existing characteristics with contour lines at sufficient intervals to permit determination of proposed grades and drainage.
(Ord. 509, passed 4-22-2002)