For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
AASHTO. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
ADMINISTRATOR. The employee or officer of the city appointed by the Mayor to administer this chapter; or his or her duly authorized representative.
ALLEY. A public right-of-way that affords a secondary means of vehicular access to the side or rear of premises that front on a nearby street.
AMENDMENT. A change in the provisions of this chapter properly effected in accordance with state law and the procedures set forth herein.
APPLICANT. Any person, firm or governmental agency who executes the necessary forms to procure official approval of a development or permit to carry out construction of a new development or redevelopment from the city.
AREA, GROSS. The entire area within the lot lines of the property proposed for subdivision/development, including any areas to be dedicated/reserved for street and alley rights-of-way and for public uses.
ASTM. American Society of Testing Materials.
BLOCK. An area of land entirely bounded by streets, highways, barriers or ways (except alleys, pedestrian ways or exterior boundaries of a subdivision unless the exterior boundary is a street, highway or way) or bounded by a combination of streets, public parks, cemeteries, railroad rights-of-way, waterways or corporate boundary lines.
BUILDING PERMIT. A permit issued by the city for the construction, erection or alteration of a structure or building and the related ground and surface preparation prior to and after completion of construction, erection or alteration of a structure or building.
CENTERLINE.
(1) The CENTERLINE of any right-of-way having a uniform width;
(2) The original CENTERLINE, where a right-of-way has been widened irregularly; or
(3) The new CENTERLINE, whenever a road has been relocated.
CENTERLINE OFFSET. The distance between the centerlines of two roughly parallel streets, measured along the third street with which both parallel streets intersect.
CERTIFY or CERTIFICATION. Formally attesting that the specific inspections and tests were performed and that the inspections and tests comply with the applicable requirements of this chapter.
CITY. The city or the area within the territorial limits of the city, and that territory outside of the city over which the city has jurisdiction or control by virtue of any constitutional or statutory provision.
CITY ENGINEER. A professional engineer registered in the state appointed by the Mayor.
CLEARING. Any activity which removes the natural vegetative ground cover.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. A plan or any portion thereof adopted by the City Council to guide and coordinate the physical and economic development with the city. Sometimes referred to as a land-use plan, the COMPREHENSIVE PLAN includes but is not limited to plans and programs regarding the location, character and extent of streets and related facilities; public buildings and uses; utilities; schools; residential, commercial or industrial land uses; parks; and drainage facilities.
CROSS-SLOPE. The degree of inclination measured across a right-of-way rather than in the direction traffic moves on the right-of-way.
CURB AND GUTTER, INTEGRAL. The rim forming the edge of a street, plus the channel for leading off surface water, constructed of placed concrete as a single facility.
DEDICATE. To transfer the ownership of a right-of-way, parcel of land or improvement to the city or other public entity without compensation.
DENSITY, NET. The total number of dwelling units divided by the total project area less the area for street rights-of-way.
DEVELOP. To erect any structure or to install any improvements on a tract of land, or to undertake any activity (such as grading) in preparation therefor.
DEVELOPER. Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, estate or other group or combination acting as a unit, and developing or proposing to develop land within the corporate limits; may be synonymous with SUBDIVIDER. In the event that a DEVELOPER or SUBDIVIDER is not the record owner, then both shall sign and be responsible for all submittals and the performance thereunder.
DEVELOPMENT. Any human-made change to real estate or property, including:
(1) The division or subdivision of any duly recorded parcel of property;
(2) Construction, reconstruction or placement of a building or any addition to a building;
(3) Construction of roads, bridges or similar projects;
(4) Redevelopment of a site;
(5) Filling, dredging, grading, clearing, excavating, paving or other nonagricultural alterations of a ground surface;
(6) Storage of materials or deposit of solid or liquid waste; or
(7) Any other activity that might alter the magnitude, frequency, direction or velocity of stormwater flows from a property.
DIMENSIONS. In relation to the size of a lot, refers to both lot depth and lot width.
EASEMENT. A right to use a portion of another person's real property for certain limited purposes.
ESCROW DEPOSIT. A deposit in cash or other approved securities to assure the completion of improvements within a subdivision.
EXCAVATION. Any act by which organic matter, earth, sand, gravel, rock or any other similar material is cut into, dug, quarried, uncovered, removed, displaced, relocated or bulldozed, and shall include the conditions resulting from these actions.
FILL. Any act by which earth, sand, gravel, rock, rubble or concrete is deposited, placed, replaced, pushed, dumped, pulled, transported or moved by humans to a new location used to build up a piece of ground, and including the conditions resulting therefrom. Sod, frozen material, organic matter or any other material which by decay or otherwise might cause settlement, shall not be utilized as FILL.
FINAL PLAT. The final engineering, survey, maps, drawings and supporting material indicating the subdivider's plan of the subdivision which, if approved, may be filed with the County Recorder of Deeds.
FRONTAGE. The lineal extent of the front (street side] of a lot.
GRADE (GRADIENT). The degree of inclination of the site or right-of-way expressed as a percentage; synonym for SLOPE.
GRADE, EXISTING. The vertical location of the existing ground surface prior to excavation or filling.
GRADE, FINAL. The vertical location of the ground or pavement surface after grading work is completed.
GRADING. Excavation or fill, or any combination thereof, and including the conditions resulting from any excavation or fill.
GREEN SPACE. Land devoted to park, recreation or other open space which is not part of an individual lot occupied by another principal use such as a house.
IDOTSTANDARD SPECIFICATIONS. The current edition of the Illinois Department of Transportation's STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION are the standards to which the streets must be constructed.
IMPROVEMENT PLANS. The engineering plans showing types of materials and construction details for the facilities to be installed in or in conjunction with a subdivision.
IMPROVEMENTS. Any site grading or street, curb and gutter, sidewalk, drainage ditch, sewer, catch basin, newly planted tree, off-street parking area or other facility necessary for the general use of property owners in a subdivision.
INTERSECTION. The point at which two or more public rights-of-way (generally streets) meet.
LETTER OF CREDIT. An irrevocable cash assurance pledged by a financial institution on behalf of a subdivider/developer, and provided in lieu of a surety bond as a means of guaranteeing the installation of required improvements within or in conjunction with a subdivision.
LOT. An individual platted parcel in an approved subdivision.
LOT AREA, GROSS. The area of a horizontal plane bounded by the front, side and rear lines of a lot, but not including any area occupied by the waters of a duly recorded lake, river or stormwater management pond. For those lots that include property under water, GROSS LOT AREA shall be considered as the area of a horizontal plane bounded by the 100-year flood high water mark along all banks and the remaining lot lines.
LOT, CORNER. A lot abutting upon two or more streets at their intersection or upon two parts of the same street. The point of intersection of the street lines is the corner. Both these side lines shall be deemed front lot lines.
LOT OF RECORD. An area of land designated as a lot on a plat of subdivision recorded with the County Recorder of Deeds, in accordance with state law.
LOT, THROUGH. A lot having a pair of approximately parallel lot lines that abut two approximately parallel streets. Both these lot lines shall be deemed front lot lines.
METES AND BOUNDS DESCRIPTION. A description of real property not by reference to a lot or block shown on a recorded subdivision plat, but in terms of a known point and the bearings and distances of the lines forming the boundaries of the property.
ON RECORD. Officially adopted by the legislative body of a municipality, township, county, state or other governmental entity; or officially adopted by a department of the state (e.g., IDOT). Generally, materials which are ON RECORD may be found in the office of the County Recorder of Deeds, but certain other legal materials such as state regulations or municipal ordinances that cannot be found in the office of the Recorder of Deeds shall nonetheless be deemed ON RECORD.
OWNER. A person having sufficient proprietary interest in the land sought to be subdivided to commence and maintain proceedings to subdivide the same under these regulations.
PARCEL. All contiguous land in one ownership.
PARKWAY. The area, normally grass covered, between the back of curb/gutter and the right-of-way lines or from the back of curb/gutter to the sidewalk.
P.C.C. Portland cement concrete.
PERMITTEE. Any person to whom a building permit is issued.
PERSON. Any natural person, joint venture, joint stock company, partnership, association, club, company, corporation, business, trust or organization, or the manager, lessee, agent, servant, officer or employee of any of them.
PLANNING COMMISSION. The Planning Commission of the city, which is a group appointed by the Mayor tasked with reviewed planning and zoning issues.
PRELIMINARY PLAT. The preliminary engineering, survey, maps, drawings and supportive material indicating the proposed layout of a subdivision.
PRIME FARMLAND. Land that is best suited to food, feed, forage, fiber and oilseed crops. It may be cropland, pasture, woodland or other land, but it is not urban and built-up land or water areas. It is either used for food or fiber or is available for those uses. The soil qualities, growing season and moisture supply are those needed for a well-managed soil to economically produce a sustained high yield of crops. PRIME FARMLAND produces the highest yields with minimum inputs of energy and economic resources, and farming it results in the least damage to the environment.
PROPERTY. A parcel of real estate.
RESERVE. To set aside a parcel of land in anticipation of its acquisition by the city (or other governmental entity) for public purposes.
RESERVE STRIP. A narrow strip of land between a public street and adjacent lots which is designated on a recorded subdivision plat or property deed as land over which vehicular travel is not permitted.
REVERSE CURVE. A curve in a street heading in approximately the opposite direction from the curve immediately preceding it so as to form an “S” shape.
RIGHT-OF-WAY, PUBLIC. A strip of land which the owner/subdivider has dedicated to the city or other unit of government for streets, alleys and other public improvements.
SETBACK LINE. A line that is usually parallel to the front, side or rear property line of a lot, thereby establishing the minimum distance a building must be placed away from the lot line. Minimum setback requirements are set forth in Chapter 154.
SEWERAGE SYSTEM, PRIVATE. A sewer system including collection and treatment facilities established by the developer to serve a new subdivision in an outlying area.
SIDEWALK. A pedestrian way constructed in compliance with the standards of this chapter generally abutting or near the curb line of the street.
SITE. A parcel of land, or a contiguous combination thereof, where work is performed as a single unified operation.
SITE DEVELOPMENT. Altering terrain and/or vegetation and construction improvements.
STOP WORK ORDER. An order used by the Code Administrator to halt work in progress that is in violation of this chapter.
STREET. A public or private way for motor vehicle travel. The term STREET includes a highway, thoroughfare, parkway, through way, road, pike, avenue, boulevard, lane, place, drive, court and similar designations, but excludes an alley or a way for pedestrian use only.
STREET, ARTERIAL. A major street or highway with the main function of traffic mobility. Arterial's carry high volumes of traffic (greater than 3,000 vehicles/day) at high vehicular speeds (greater than or equal to 45 mph). Arterial routes typically interconnect to other arterials, provide intra-community continuity, but do not penetrate identifiable neighborhoods.
STREET, COLLECTOR. A street of considerable continuity, including the principal entrance street(s) of residential developments and the principal circulating street(s) within the developments, which carries or is proposed to carry intermediate volumes of traffic (500 to 3,000 vehicles/ day) from land access streets to arterials. For example, since a residential home creates ten trips per day on average, a roadway supplying 50 residential homes or more would be categorized as a collector street.
STREET, CUL-DE-SAC. A local street having only one outlet for vehicular traffic and having the other end permanently terminated by a turnaround for vehicles; the term may also be used to refer solely to the turnaround.
STREET, FRONTAGE ROAD. A “minor” street, parallel with and adjacent to, or in the immediate vicinity of, an arterial street or limited access highway, used for local access to abutting lots, and therefore relieving the arterials from providing this access.
STREET, LOCAL. A street that is not an arterial or collector that functions to provide direct access to abutting land. Local streets carry low traffic volumes (less than and 500 vehicles/day) at low vehicular speeds (less than or equal to 30 mph).
STREET, LOCAL (COMMERCIAL). A street normally serving limited amounts of commercial traffic; used primarily for access to the commercial properties. Service to through-traffic movements is deliberately discouraged. Typically, these streets serve one development or a group of small developments at the discretion of the city depending on the intensity of the commercial use(s).
STREET, LOCAL (RESIDENTIAL). A street normally serving limited amounts of residential traffic; used primarily for access to abutting residential properties, sometimes with more than one outlet, but not typically a through route. Typically, these streets serve less than 50 dwelling units.
STREET, TEMPORARY STUB. A street that is temporarily terminated without the use of a cul-de-sac because it is planned for future continuation.
STREET WIDTH. The shortest distance between lines delineating the pavement width of a street, usually measured from back-of-curb to back-of-curb (unless noted otherwise). Not to be confused with right-of-way width, which includes both pavement and parkways.
STRIPPING. Any activity which removes the vegetative surface cover including tree removal, by spraying or clearing, and storage or removal of topsoil.
STRUCTURE. Anything constructed or erected on the ground, or attached to something having a fixed location on the ground. All buildings are STRUCTURES, but not all STRUCTURES are buildings.
SUBDIVIDER. Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, estate or other group or combination acting as a unit, and dividing or proposing to divide land in a manner that constitutes a subdivision as defined herein; synonymous with DEVELOPER. In the event that a SUBDIVIDER or developer is not the record owner, then both shall sign and be responsible for all submittals and the performance thereunder.
SUBDIVISION. Any division of land into two or more lots, except as provided otherwise in the list of exceptions set forth in the Plat Act (ILCS Ch. 765, Act 205, § 1). The term SUBDIVISION includes re-subdivision.
SUBDIVISION, MINOR. A division of land into two but not more than four lots, all of which front upon an existing street, and not involving any new streets, other rights-of-way, easements, improvements or other provisions for public areas and facilities.
TOPOGRAPHY. The relief features or surface configuration of an area of land.
TRAFFIC ASSESSMENT STUDY (TAS). A TAS is required when 500 or more daily vehicle trips are anticipated to be generated by the development or if the development is anticipated to cause severe impacts on either the street system or nearby neighborhoods. It shall identify when a collector street is warranted, internal neighborhood circulation issues, potential connections within and from the development, stop sign and traffic signal locations using Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices warrants, adjacent road network improvements, or other such system capacities and evaluations. Proposed trips shall be estimated using the most recent version of the Institute of Traffic Engineer's (ITE) Trip Generation Manual or by counting a similar existing development. Trips shall be assigned to the proposed street network using a trip generation model.
VACANT. Land on which there are no structures or only structures which are secondary to the use or maintenance of the land itself.
VACATE. To terminate the legal existence of right-of-way or subdivision and to so note on the final plat recorded with the County Recorder of Deeds.
VARIATION, SUBDIVISION. A relaxation in the strict application of the design and improvement standards set forth in this chapter.
ZONING DISTRICT. A designated area within the corporate limits of the city wherein certain uniform requirements or various combinations thereof apply to structures, lots and uses under the terms of the Troy Zoning Code; codified in Chapter 154.
(Ord. 2009-21, § 18.5-2-2, passed 10-5-2009; Am. Ord. 2016-29, passed 11-7-2016)