Abutting
“Abutting” shall mean land having a common property line or separated only by an alley,
easement or private street.
Accessory use
“Accessory use” shall mean a use lawfully permitted in the zone, which use is incidental to, and subordinate to, the principal use of the site or of a main building on the site and serving a purpose which does not change the character of the principal use, and which is compatible with other principal uses in the same zone and with the purpose of such zone.
Ancillary
“Ancillary” shall mean subordinate to a main or principal use, or that which serves as an aid.
Appurtenant
“Appurtenant” shall mean an addition to, an adjunct of, or attached to a more important thing and passing with it upon sale, transfer, or conveyance.
Building
“Building” shall mean any structure having a roof, which structure is used, or intended to be used, for the shelter or enclosure of persons, animals, or property. When such structure is divided into separate parts by one or more unpierced walls extending from the ground or foundation up, each part shall be deemed a separate building, except for minimum side yard requirements. The word “building” shall include the word “structure.”
Building, accessory
“Accessory building” shall mean a detached subordinate building located on the same building site as the main building and designed and intended for a use which is subordinate to the use of the main building.
Building height
“Building height” shall mean the vertical distance from the average contact ground level at the front wall of the building to the highest point of the roof, except that structures built in a special flood hazard area may use the vertical distance from the base flood elevation, as defined in Section 8-4.201, to the highest point of the roof.
Building, main
“Main building” shall mean a building in which is conducted the principal use of the building site on which such building is situated.
Conditional use
“Conditional use” shall mean a principal or accessory use of land or of structures thereon, which use may be essential or desirable to the public convenience or welfare in one or more zones, but which use may also impair the integrity and character of the zone restrictions on the location and extent of the use are imposed and enforced. Such use shall become a principal permitted use or accessory use when all specific additional restrictions are completed and permanently satisfied in conformance with an approved use permit. Should such restrictions be of a continuing nature, the use shall remain conditional so long as the restrictions are complied with but shall become an unlawful use whenever and so long as the restrictions are not complied with. A conditional use shall require a use permit from the appropriate authority.
Incidental
“Incidental” shall mean a use or activity that is accompanying but not a major part of a primary use.
Lot or ground coverage
“Lot or ground coverage” shall mean the percentage of the total lot area which is covered by structures.
Lot area
“Lot area” shall mean the total horizontal area included within lot lines but excluding any portion of such area which has been dedicated for public right-of-way purposes.
Lot, corner
“Corner lot” shall mean a lot abutting upon two (2) or more streets at their intersection or upon two (2) parts of the same street, such streets or parts of the same street forming an interior angle of less than one hundred thirty-five (135) degrees.
Lot depth
“Lot depth” shall mean the total horizontal area included within lot lines, but excluding any portion of such area which has been dedicated for public right-of-way purposes.
Lot, interior
“Interior lot” shall mean a lot other than a corner lot.
Lot, key
“Key lot” shall mean the first lot to the rear of a corner lot, the front line of which key lot is a continuation of the side line of the corner lot (exclusive of any alley) and fronting on the street which intersects or intercepts the street upon which the corner lot fronts.
Lot lines
“Lot lines” shall mean the property lines bounding a lot. The definitions set forth in this chapter shall be applicable to lots which are basically square or rectangular in shape. When such definitions are not applicable due to irregularity in the shape of the lot, as would be the case with a triangular or wedge-shaped lot, “lot lines” shall be as determined by the Planning Director, subject to appeal and review by the Commission.
Lot line, front
“Front lot line” shall mean, in the case of an interior lot, the line separating the lot from the street right-of-way and, in the case of a corner lot, the shorter street frontage.
Lot line, rear
“Rear lot line” shall mean the lot line opposite and most distant from the front lot line.
Lot line, side
“Side lot line” shall mean any lot boundary which is not a front or rear yard line.
Lot line, side street
“Side street lot line” shall mean a side lot line separating a lot from a street.
Lot width
“Lot width” shall mean the horizontal distance between the side lot lines measured at right angles to the depth of the lot at the front yard setback line. Whenever such definition cannot be applied due to irregularity in the shape of the lot, the lot width shall be as determined by the Planning Director, subject to appeal and review by the Commission.
Principal use
“Principal use” shall mean the primary use of land or a main building, which use is compatible with the purpose of the zone and which is permitted in the zone. If a use is listed in a specific zone as a principal permitted use, it shall mean that the owner, lessee, or other person who has a legal right to use the land, can conduct such principal permitted use, subject to general limitations, such as health, safety, parking, drainage, utilities, access, site plan and building permit review, approval, or conditional approved, and such other limitations are generally applied to similarly situated uses in such zone.
Primary Dwelling
“Primary Dwelling” shall mean a structure designed, intended, and use for residential purposes, as elsewhere provided for herein. It shall not include Ancillary Dwelling; Secondary Dwelling; Guest House; or Living Quarters.
Residential density, gross
“Gross residential density” or “residential units per gross acre” shall mean the average number of units on one acre of land in a given area where the acreage is based upon the total land in the area, including nonresidential uses.
Residential density, net
“Net residential density” or “residential units per net acre” shall mean the average number of residential units on one acre of land used or available for residential purposes, subtracting out land used for non-residential purposes, e.g., parking, landscaping, drainage or improvement areas, swimming pools, garages, etc.
Setback or setback line
“Setback” or “setback line” shall mean a line established by the provisions of this title or other provisions of this Code to govern the placement of buildings or structures with respect to lot lines, streets, or alleys.
Story
“Story” shall mean that portion of a building included between the surface of any floor and the surface next above such floor or, if there is no floor above such floor, the space between the floor and the ceiling next above the floor.
Street line
“Street line” shall mean the boundary between a street right-of-way and abutting property,
Structural alteration
“Structural alteration” shall mean any change in the structural members of a building, such as bearing walls, columns, beams, or girders.
Structure
“Structure” shall mean anything constructed, the use of which requires permanent location on the ground, including swimming pools, but excluding driveways, patios, or parking spaces where the area is unobstructed from the ground up (also see “Building”).
Vehicle charging station
“Vehicle charging station” shall mean one or more publicly available parking spaces served by electric vehicle service equipment, as defined by state law.
Yard
“Yard” shall mean an open space, other than a court, on the same site with a building, which open space is unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground upward except for landscaping or as set forth elsewhere in this title, but not including any portion of any street, alley, or road right-of-way except as set forth elsewhere in this chapter.
Yard, front
“Front yard” shall mean a yard of uniform depth extending across the full width of the lot between the front lot line and the nearest vertical support or wall of the main building or enclosed or covered porch attached thereto. The front yard of a corner lot shall mean the yard adjacent to the shorter street frontage.
Yard, rear
“Rear yard” shall mean a yard of uniform depth extending across the full width of the lot between the rear lot line and the nearest vertical support or wall of the main building or enclosed or covered porch attached thereto; provided, however, the rear yard of a corner lot shall extend only to the side yard adjacent to the street.
Yard, side
“Side yard” shall mean a yard on each side of the main building extending from the front yard to the rear yard, the width of each yard being measured between the side line on the lot and the nearest vertical support or main wall of each building or enclosed or covered porch attached thereto. A side yard on the street side of a corner lot shall extend from the front yard to the rear lot line.
(Ord. 1445, eff. August 14, 2014; as amended by §§ 2–3, Ord. 1522, eff. August 6, 2020)