For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ALLEY. A strip of land, owned publicly or privately, set aside primarily for vehicular service access to the back or side of properties otherwise abutting on a street.
BUFFER STRIP. Provides a visual barrier between incompatible land uses. An undisturbed natural area may be used if it provides an effective screen. When a buffer is planted, it shall consist of deciduous or evergreen trees, spaced not more than ten feet apart, planted so that one tree is offset from the next one, and not less than one row of dense shrubs spaced not more than five feet apart. Regardless of which type of buffer used, it shall be at least ten feet in width and eight feet in height immediately after planting. The Planning Board may permit a solid fence to be installed, if the design is approved by the Administrator. Also, the Planning Board may require a larger BUFFER STRIP where it is necessary for the benefit of the community and/or adjoining residents.
BUILDING SETBACK LINE. A line establishing the minimum allowable distance between the nearest portion of any building and the street right-of-way line or any other lot line as determined by the town zoning regulations.
DEDICATION. A gift, by the owner, or a right to use of land for a specified purpose or purposes. Because a transfer of property rights is entailed, DEDICATION must be made by written instrument and is completed with an acceptance.
EASEMENT. A grant by the property owner of a strip of land for a specified purpose and use by the public, a corporation or persons.
LOT. A portion of a subdivision or any other parcel of land intended as a unit for transfer of ownership or for development or both.
LOT OF RECORD. A lot which is part of a subdivision, a plat of which has been recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds of the county to the adoption of this chapter, or a lot described by metes and bounds, the description of which has been so recorded prior to the adoption of this chapter.
LOT TYPES
(1) CORNER LOT. A lot which occupies the interior angle at the intersection of two street lines which make an angle of more than 45 degrees and less than 135 degrees with each other. The street line forming the least frontage shall be deemed the front of the lot except where the two street lines are equal, in which case the owner shall be required to specify which is the front when requesting a building permit.
(2) INTERIOR LOT. A lot other than a corner lot with only one frontage at street.
(3) LOT, REVERSE FRONTAGE. A lot, which is not accessible from one of the parallel or nonintersecting streets upon which it fronts.
(4) LOT, THROUGH (DOUBLE-FRONTAGE). A lot which fronts upon two parallel streets, or which fronts upon two streets, which do not intersect at the boundaries of the lot.
OPEN SPACE. An area (land and/or water) generally lacking in human-made structures and reserved for enjoyment in its unaltered state.
PLAT. A map or plan of a parcel of land which is to be, or has been subdivided, and meeting the requirements of G.S. § 47.30, as amended.
PRIVATE DRIVEWAY. A roadway serving two or fewer lots, building sites, or other division of land and not intended to be public ingress or egress.
PRIVATE STREET. A roadway providing access to three or more lots, building sites or other divisions of land, and not to be dedicated to the public. PRIVATE STREETS shall be so designated on the final plat of a subdivision. A written disclosure statement is required in accordance with G.S. § 136-102.6.
PUBLIC SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM. A system serving two or more dwelling units and approved by the County Health Department or the State Department of Natural Resources and Community Development, Division of Environmental Management.
PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM.
(1) A system for the provision to the public of piped water for human consumption if such system has at least 15 service connections or regularly serves an average of at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year. Such terms include:
(a) Any collection, treatment, storage and distribution facility under control of the operator of such system and used primarily in connection with such system; and
(b) Any collection or pretreatment storage facility not under such control, which is used primarily in connection with such system.
(2) A PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM is either a community water system or a non-community water system.
(a) COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEM. A public water system which serves at least 15 service connections used by year-round residents or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents.
(b) NON-COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEM. A public water system, which is not a community water system.
(3) Approval by the Sanitary Engineering Division, Division of Health Services, Department of Human Resources, is required for all public water systems.
RECREATION AREA OR PARK. An area of land or combination of land and water resources that is developed for active and/or passive recreation pursuits with various human-made features that accommodate such activities.
RESERVE STRIP. A strip of land (usually only a foot or two wide) owned privately, and set aside around a subdivision in order to prevent access to adjacent property by way of subdivision streets.
RURAL ROADS.
(1) LOCAL ROAD. Serves primarily to provide access to adjacent land and for travel over relatively short distances.
(2) MAJOR COLLECTOR. A road, which serves major intra-county travel corridors and traffic generators and provides access to the arterial system.
(3) MINOR ARTERIAL. A rural link in a network joining cities and larger towns and providing intrastate through movement.
(4) MINOR COLLECTOR. A road, which provides services to small local communities and links locally important traffic generators with their rural hinterland.
(5) PRINCIPAL ARTERIAL. A rural link in a network of continuous routes serving corridor movements having trip length and travel density characteristics indicative of substantial statewide or interstate travel and existing solely to serve traffic. This network would consist of interstate routes and other routes designed as principal arterials.
SPECIAL TYPES OF RURAL ROADS.
(1) CUL-DE-SAC. A short street having but one end open to traffic and the other end being permanently terminated and a vehicular turnaround provided.
(2) FRONTAGE ROAD. A local street or road, that is parallel to a full or partial access controlled facility and functions to provide access to adjacent land.
SUBDIVIDER. Any person, firm or corporation who subdivides or develops any land deemed to be a subdivision as herein defined.
(Ord. passed 1-4-2000)