Interpretation of Terms or Words
For the intent of these Regulations, certain terms or words used herein shall be interpreted as follows:
(a) The word “person” includes a firm, association, organization, partnership, trust, company, or corporation as well as an individual.
(b) The present tense includes the future tense, the singular number includes the plural, and the plural number includes the singular.
(c) The word “shall” is a mandatory requirement, the word “may” is a permissive requirement, and the word “should” is a preferred requirement.
(d) The words “used” or “occupied” include the words “intended, designed, or arranged to be used or occupied”.
(e) The word “lot” includes the words “plot” or “parcel”.
(f) Regardless of capitalization, definitions are standard.
ALLEY (See Thoroughfare)
BLOCK
A unit of property entirely surrounded by public highways and streets, railroad rights-of-way, waterways, or other barriers, or combination thereof.
BUFFER AREA
A strip or parcel of land, privately restricted or publicly dedicated as open space located between a residential development and other incompatible use for the purpose of protecting and enhancing the residential environment.
BUILDING LINE (see SETBACK LINE)
CITY ADMINISTRATOR
A person appointed by Mayor to handle the Administration of the City. The City Administrator may appoint an authorized representative to administer the Regulations.
COMMUNITY FACILITIES
Existing, planned, and proposed parks, playgrounds, schools, other public lands and buildings of the City for which these Regulations are in effect.
COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
A plan, which may consist of several maps, data, policies, and other descriptive matter, for the physical development of the City which has been adopted by the City to indicate the general location for proposed physical facilities including housing, industrial and business uses, major streets, parks, schools, public sites, and other similar information.
CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS
A complete set of engineering drawings drawn to scale containing, but not limited to, grading plans, street plans and profiles, cross-sections, sanitary sewer plans and profiles, water main plans and profiles, storm sewer plans and profiles, a complete topographical layout of all existing appurtenances and structures located within the right-of-way, and any other requirement as outlined in the City of Urbana Design Criteria and Construction Standards and Drawings.
CORNER LOT (See Lot)
COVENANT
A written promise or pledge.
CUL-DE-SAC (See Thoroughfare)
CULVERT
A transverse drain that channels under a bridge, street or driveway.
DEAD-END STREET (See Thoroughfare)
DEDICATION
The appropriation of land to the City by its owner for any public use.
DENSITY
A unit of measurement; the number of dwelling units per acre of land.
(a) "Gross density" means the number of dwelling units per acre of the total land to be developed.
(b) "Net density" means the number of dwelling units per acre of land when the acreage involved includes only the land devoted to residential uses.
(c) "Density, low residential" means land to be utilized for residential purposes, including public housing and industrialized units, which does not exceed four dwelling units per gross acre.
(d) "Density, medium residential" means land to be utilized for residential purposes, including public housing and industrialized units, which does not exceed six dwelling units per gross acre.
(e) "Density, high residential" means land to be utilized for residential purposes, including public housing and industrialized units, which does not exceed twelve dwelling units per gross acre.
DEVELOPER
Any person, subdivider, partnership or corporation, or duly authorized agent who constructs or contracts to construct improvements on subdivided land.
DEVELOPMENT (See Subdivision)
DEVELOPMENT AREA
Any contiguous (abutting) area owned by one person or operated as one development unit and used or being developed for commercial, industrial, residential, or other purposes upon which earth- disturbing activities are planned or underway.
DWELLING UNIT
Space within a building, comprising living, dining, sleeping rooms and storage closets, as well as space and equipment for cooking, bathing and toilet facilities, all used by only one family and its household employees.
EASEMENT
Authorization by a property owner for the use by another, and for a specified purpose, of any designated part of his property.
ENGINEER
Any person registered to practice professional engineering by the State Board of Registration as specified in the Ohio Revised Code.
ENGINEER, CITY
Such person designated as the City Engineer for the City.
FINAL PLAT (see Plat)
IMPROVEMENTS
Street pavement or resurfacing, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, pedestrian walkway, water lines, sanitary and storm sewers, landscaping, and other related matters normally associated with the development of land into building sites.
INSPECT, INSPECTION
The visual observation of construction to permit the City or their representative to render his or her professional opinion as to whether the contractor is performing the services in a manner indicating that, when completed, the services will be in accordance with the City of Urbana Subdivision Regulations, Construction Standards and Drawings, and Design Criteria. Such observations shall not be relied upon in any part as acceptance of the services, nor shall they relieve any party from fulfillment of customary and contractual responsibilities and obligations.
LOCATION MAP (see Vicinity Map)
LOT
A piece or parcel of land occupied or intended to be occupied by a principal building or a group of such buildings and its accessory buildings and uses, and having frontage on an improved public or private street.
(a) Corner - A lot located at the intersection of two (2) or more streets.
(b) Through Frontage - A lot other than a corner lot with frontage on more than one (1) street. Through lots abutting two (2) streets may be referred to as double frontage lots.
(c) Interior - A lot with only one (1) frontage on a street.
LOT AREA
The computed area contained within the lot lines.
LOT LINE
(a) Front - A street right-of-way line forming the boundary of a lot.
(b) Rear -The lot line that is most distant from, and is, or is most parallel with, the front lot line. If a rear lot line is less than 15 feet long, or if the lot comes to a point at the rear, the rear lot line shall be a line at least 15 feet, lying wholly within the lot, parallel to the front lot line.
(c) Side - A lot line which is neither a front lot line nor a rear lot line.
MAINTENANCE SURETY
A surety by a subdivider or developer with the City for the amount of ten percent (10%) of the performance surety guaranteeing the maintenance of the physical improvements according to the plans and specifications within the time prescribed.
MAJOR THOROUGHFARE PLAN
The Comprehensive Plan adopted by the Planning Commission indicating the general location recommended for arterial, collector and local thoroughfares within the City.
MINOR SUBDIVISION (See Subdivision)
MOBILE HOME SUBDIVISION
A subdivision in which three or more mobile homes used for habitation are parked, including any roadway, building, structure, vehicle or enclosure used or intended for use therein.
MONUMENTS
Permanent concrete or iron markers used to establish definite lines of the plat of a subdivision, including all lot corners, boundary line corners, and points of change in street alignment and shall comply with the State of Ohio Minimum Standards for Boundary Surveys.
OFFICIAL THOROUGHFARE PLAN
The part of the Comprehensive Development Plan which sets forth the location, alignment, and dimensions of existing and proposed streets and thoroughfares.
OPEN SPACE
An area open to the sky which may be on the same lot with a building. The area may include, along with the natural environmental features, swimming pools, tennis courts or any other recreational facilities that the Planning Commission deems permissive. Streets, structures for habitation and the like shall not be included.
OUT LOT
Property shown on a subdivision plat outside of the boundaries of the land which is to be developed and which is to be excluded from the development of the subdivision.
OWNER
Any individual, firm, association, syndicate, co-partnership, corporation, trust or other legal entity having sufficient proprietary interest in the land sought to be subdivided to commence and maintain proceedings to subdivide the same under these Regulations.
PAD
A building site prepared by artificial means, including, but not limited to, grading, excavation or filling or any combination thereof.
PARCEL
A piece of land that cannot be designated by lot number.
PARKING SPACE, Off Street
An off-street parking space shall consist of an area as described in the City of Urbana’s Construction Design Criteria for parking of vehicles.
PERFORMANCE SURETY
A surety by a subdivider or developer with the City for the amount of the estimated construction cost guaranteeing the completion of physical improvements according to the plans and specifications within the time prescribed.
PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT
An integrated design of land development for residential, commercial, or industrial uses, or combinations of such uses, in a preplanned environment under more flexible standards, such as lot sizes and setbacks, than those restrictions that would normally apply under these Regulations. The procedure for approval of such development contains requirements in addition to those of the standard subdivision, such as building design principles and landscaping plans.
PLANNING COMMISSION
The City of Urbana Planning Commission.
PLAT
A map of a tract or parcel of land, made from a survey by a registered surveyor in the State of Ohio.
(a) Preliminary Plat - A plat showing all requisite details of a proposed subdivision submitted to the Planning Commission for purpose of preliminary consideration, prepared in conformance with these Regulations.
(b) Final Plat - A plat of all or part of a subdivision providing substantial conformance to the Preliminary Plat of the subdivision prepared in conformance with these Regulations and suitable for recording by the County Recorder.
PROTECTIVE COVENANT
A restriction on the use of all private property within a subdivision, to be set forth on the plat and/or incorporated in each deed, for the benefit of the property owners, and to provide mutual protection against undesirable aspects of development which would tend to impair stability of values.
PUBLIC RESERVATION
A portion of a subdivision which is set aside for public use and made available for public use or acquisition.
PUBLIC UTILITY
A firm, association, syndicate, corporation, co-partnership, municipal authority or public agency, board or commission, duly authorized to furnish, and furnishing under governmental regulations, to the public: facilities, products, or services such as gas, electricity, sewage disposal, communication, telephone, transportation, water, etc.
PUBLIC WALKWAY
A right-of-way dedicated for the purpose of a pedestrian access through residential, commercial, and industrial areas, and located so as to connect to two or more streets, or a street and a public land parcel.
PUBLIC WAY
An alley, avenue, boulevard, bridge, channel, ditch, easement, expressway, freeway, highway, land, parkway, right of way, road, sidewalk, street, subway, tunnel, viaduct, walk or other ways in which the general public or a public entity has a right, or which are dedicated, whether improved or not.
REPLATS/VACATION PLATS
Alteration, modification or adjustment of existing lots, lot lines, property lines or right-of-way lines, and/or vacation thereof within the City shall require Planning Commission and City Council approval.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
Land reserved, used, or to be used for a street, alley, walkway, or other public purpose.
SETBACK LINE
A line established by the Zoning Regulations, generally parallel with and measured from the lot line, defining the limits of a yard in which no portion of any principal structure other than an accessory building may be located, except as may be provided in said Zoning Regulations.
SIDEWALK
That portion of the road right of way outside the roadway, which is improved for the use of pedestrian traffic.
SKETCH PLAN
An informal plan or sketch showing the existing features of a site and its surroundings and the general layout of a proposed subdivision which can be presented to the Planning Commission for informal discussions.
STREET (See Thoroughfare)
SUBDIVIDER (See Developer) (Ord. 4206. Passed 1-24-06.)
SUBDIVISION
(a) General Definition. The division of any parcel of land shown as a unit or as contiguous units on the last preceding tax roll, into two or more parcels, sites, or lots, any one of which is less than five (5) acres, for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of transfer of ownership, provided however, that:
(1) The division or partition of land into parcels of more than five (5) acres not involving any new streets or easements of access shall be exempted, and
(2) The sale or exchange of parcels between adjoining lot owners where such sale or exchange does not create additional building sites, shall be exempted or the improvement of one or more parcels of land for residential, commercial, or industrial structures or groups of structures involving the division or allocation of land for the opening, widening, or extension of any street or streets;
except private streets serving industrial structures the division or allocation of land as open spaces for common use by owners, occupants, or lease holders, or as easements for the extension and maintenance of public sewer, water, storm drainage, or other public facilities.
(b) Classifications.
(1) Major Subdivision - Division of a lot or parcel of land into five (5) lots or parcels, and/or the creation or establishment of new streets or roadways by the division of a lot or parcel of land.
(2) Minor Subdivision - Division of a lot or parcel of land along an existing public thoroughfare into not more than four (4) lots or parcels not establishing a new street or roadway.
(Ord. 4479-17. Passed 9-5-17.)
SURVEYOR
Any person registered to practice surveying by the State Board of Registration as specified in the Ohio Revised Code.
TERRAIN CLASSIFICATION
Terrain within the entire area of the preliminary plat is classified as level, rolling, hilly or hillside for street design purposes. The classifications are as follows:
(a) "Hillside" means land which has a cross slope range of more than fifteen percent (15%).
(b) "Hilly" means land which has a cross slope range of more than eight percent (8%), but not more than fifteen percent (15%).
(c) "Level" means land which has a cross slope range of four percent (4%) or less.
(d) "Rolling" means land which has a cross slope range of more than four percent (4%) but not more than eight percent (8%).
THOROUGHFARE, STREET, OR ROAD
The full width between property lines bounding every public way of any nature, with a part thereof to be used for vehicular traffic and designated as follows:
(a) Alley - A right-of-way used primarily for vehicular service access to the back or side of properties abutting on another street.
(b) Arterial Street - A general term denoting a highway primarily for through traffic carrying heavy loads and large volumes of traffic, usually on a continuous route.
(c) Collector Street - A thoroughfare, whether within a residential, industrial, commercial, or other type of development, which primarily carries traffic from local streets to arterial streets or to other collector streets, including the principal entrance and circulation routes within residential subdivisions.
(d) Cul-de-sac - A local street with one end open to traffic and the other end terminating in a vehicular turnaround.
(e) Dead-end Street - A street temporarily having only one outlet for vehicular traffic and intended to be extended or continued in the future.
(f) Local Street - A street designed to provide access to abutting property and to discourage through traffic.
(g) Loop Street - A type of local street, each end of which terminates at an intersection with same arterial or collector street, and whose principal radius points of the 180 system of turns are not more than 1000 feet from said arterial or collector street, nor normally more than 600 feet from each other.
(h) Marginal Access Street (Frontage Street) - a local or collector street, parallel and adjacent to an arterial or collector street, providing access to abutting properties and protection from arterial or collector streets.
VARIANCE
A modification of the strict terms of the relevant Regulations where such modification will not be contrary to the public interest and where owing to conditions peculiar to the property, and not the result of the action of the applicant, a literal enforcement of the Regulations would result in unnecessary and undue hardship.
VICINITY MAP
A drawing located on the plat which sets forth, by dimensions or other means, the relationship of the proposed subdivision or use to other nearby development or landmarks and community facilities and services within the City in order to better locate and orient the area in question.
WATERSHED
The drainage basin in which the subdivision drains or that land whose drainage is affected by the subdivision.
YARD
Open space on a lot which is unoccupied and unobstructed except for the permitted obstructions, subject to height limitations and requirements limiting obstruction of visibility.
(a) "Yard, front" means a yard extending between side lot lines across the front of a lot and from the front lot line to the front of the principal building.
(b) "Yard, rear" means a yard extending between side lot lines across the rear of a lot and from the rear lot line to the rear of the principal building.
(c) "Yard, side" means a yard extending from the principal building to the side lot line on both sides of the principal building between the lines establishing the front and rear yards.
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
The City of Urbana Zoning Board of Appeals.
ZONING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
The person designated by the City Administrator to enforce the Zoning Ordinance.
ZONING REGULATIONS
The Zoning Ordinance for the City which regulates the use of land by districts or zones and as the same may be amended or supplemented.
(Ord. 4206. Passed 1-24-06.)