(Effective May 15, 2006)
Word usage: Unless the context clearly indicates the contrary, the present tense shall include the future; the singular shall include the plural; the word “lot” shall include the word “plot”; the word “structure” shall include the word “building”; the word “shall” is always mandatory and not directory; the word ”may” is permissive. The word “use” and the word “used” refer to any purpose for which a lot or land or part thereof is arranged, intended or designed to be used, occupied, maintained, made available or offered for use; and to any purpose for which a building or structure or part thereof is arranged, intended or designed to be used, occupied, maintained, made available or offered for use, or erected, reconstructed, altered,
enlarged, moved or rebuilt, with the intention or design of using the same.
ABANDONMENT – The relinquishment of property, or a cessation of the use of the property, by owner with the intention neither of transferring rights of the property to another owner nor of resuming the use of the property.
ABUT – to physically touch or border upon or to share a common property line. See “adjoining lot or and” and “contiguous”.
ACCESS – A way or means of approach to provide physical entrance to a property.
ACCESSORY STRUCTURE – A subordinate structure detached from but located on the same lot as the principal structure, the use of which is incidental and accessory to that of the principal structure. (See Figure 22)
ACCESSORY USE – A use customarily incidental to the principal use of a building, lot or land, or part thereof.
ACTIVE ADULT AND SENIOR HOUSING – Dwelling units for elderly occupancy in detached, semi-detached, attached or two storied structures or any combination thereof, including condominium, apartment, cooperative and congregate units.
AGENT - An individual or group specifically authorized to act on behalf of or in the place of that individual or group giving such authorization. Proof of such specific authorization shall be supplied to the Commission and/or administrative staff in all matters as they relate to these Regulations.
ADDITION – A structure added to the original structure at some time after the completion of the original.
ADJOINING LOT OR LAND – a lot or parcel of land which shares all or part of a common lot line with another lot or parcel of land. See “abut” and “contiguous”.
ADULT BOOK STORE - A retail establishment selling publications and other material of a sexual nature.
ADVERTISING DISPLAY – See “sign”.
AGRICULTURE – the production, keeping or maintenance, for sale, lease or personal use, of plants and animals useful to man, including but not limited to forages and sod corps; grains and seed crops; dairy animals and dairy products, poultry and poultry products; livestock, including beef cattle, sheep, swine, horses, ponies, mules or goats, or any mutations or hybrids thereof, including the breeding and grazing of any or all such animals; bees and dairy products; fur animals; trees and forest products; fruits of all kinds, including grapes , nuts and berries: vegetables.
AISLE – The traveled way by which cars enter and depart parking spaces. (See Figure 2)
ALLEY - A service way providing a secondary means of public access to abutting property and not intended for general traffic circulation.
ALTERATION OF BUILDING OR STRUCTURE – Any change in supporting members of a building, except such change as may be required for its safety; any enlargement to a building; or removal of a building form one location to another. Ordinary repairs shall not be deemed to constitute alterations.
AMUSEMENT AND RECREATION SERVICES - Establishments engaged in providing amusement or entertainment for a fee or admission charge and include such activities as dance halls; studios; theatrical producers; bands, orchestras and other musical entertainment; bowling alleys and billiard and pool establishments; commercial sports such as arenas, rings, racetracks, public golf courses and coin-operated devises; amusement parks; membership sports and recreation clubs; amusement and bathing beaches; swimming pools; riding academies; carnival operations; expositions; game parlors and horse shows.
ANIMAL HOSPITAL – A place where animals or pets are given medical or surgical treatment and the boarding of animals is limited to short-term care incidental to the hospital use.
APRATMENT UNIT - One or more rooms with private bath and kitchen facilities comprising an independent self-contained dwelling unit in a building containing more than two dwelling units.
APARTMENT UNIT, EFFICIENCY – See “dwelling unit, efficiency.”
APPROVED PLAN – A plan which has been granted final approval by the appropriate approving authority.
AREA OF PRINCIPAL BUILDING – The horizontal area measured around the outside of the foundation walls and of the floors of roofed porches and roofed terraces inclusive.
ANTENNA - Any system of wires, poles, rods, reflecting discs, or similar devices used for the transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves.
AQUIFER - A geological unit in which porous and permeable conditions exist and thus capable of yielding usable amounts of water.
ASSISTED LIVING FOR THE ELDERLY AND CONGREGATE HOUSING – Dwelling units for elderly occupancy in two or three stories structures, which provide three meals per day, personal care services, transportation and housekeeping services (effective 12/6/03).
ATTENTION–GETTING DEVISE – A devise designed or intended to attract by noise, sudden intermittent or rhythmic movement, physical change or lighting changes, such as banners, flags, streamers, balloons, propellers, whirligigs, searchlights and flashing lights.
ATTIC – That part of a building which is immediately below and wholly or partly within the roof framing. See “story, half”.
AUTOMATIC CAR WASH – A structure containing facilities for washing automobiles using a chain conveyor or other method of moving the cars along and automatic or semiautomatic application of cleaner, brushes, rinse water and heat drying.
AUTOMOBILE – A self-propelled free moving vehicle, with four or more wheels, primarily for conveyance on a street or roadway.
AUTOMOBILE REPAIR - See “garage, repair.”
AUTOMOBILE SALES - The use of any building, land area or other premise for the display and sale of new or used automobiles, panel trucks or vans, trailers or recreation vehicles and including any warranty repair work and other repair service conducted as an accessory use.
AUTOMOBILE SERVICE STATION - Any building, and area or other premises, or portion thereof, used or intended to be used for the retail dispensing or sales of vehicular fuels and including as an accessory use the sale and installation of lubricants, tires, batteries and similar accessories.
AUTOMOBILE WASH - Any building or premises or portions thereof used for washing automobiles.
AUTOMOBILE WRECKING YARD – See “junkyard.”
AUTOMOBILE REPAIR SERVICES AND GARAGES – Establishments primarily engaged in furnishing automotive repair, rental, leasing and parking services to the general public.
AWNING – A roof-like cover that is temporary in nature and that projects from the wall of a building for the purpose of shielding a doorway or window from the elements. (See Figure 24)
(COMMENT: The key phrase is that awnings are temporary in nature. Once they become permanent, then all setbacks should be measured from the end of the awning. Otherwise, as temporary awnings, they can project into required yards.)
BACK-TO-BACK LOTS - Separate land parcels which have at least half of each rear lot line coterminous.
BASE FLOOD ELEVATION – The highest elevation, expressed in feet above sea level, of the level of flood waters occurring in the regulatory base flood.
BASEMENT - A space having ½ or more of its floor-to-ceiling height of not less than 61/2 feet. (See Figure 3.)
BED-AND-BREAKFAST – An owner-occupied dwelling unit that contains no more than three guest rooms where lodging, with or without meals, is provided form compensation.
BERM – A mound of earth, or the act of pushing earth into a mound. (See Figure 23.)
BILLBOARD – See “sign, billboard.”
BLOCK – An area bounded by intersecting streets, public park, railroad right-of-way, boundary line of a trace of unsubdivided land, encroachment line of a river, boundary line of the city or by any combination of the above. (See Figure 18.)
BLOCK FRONTAGE - That portion of a block which abuts a single street.
BOARD OF APPEALS – An officially constituted body whose principal duties are to grant variances from the strict application of the Zoning Ordinances.
BOARDINGHOUSE – A dwelling or part thereof in which lodging is provided by the owner or operator to more than three boarders.
BOND - A form, cash, irrevocable letter of credit, or surety bond, of financial surety in favor of the Town to assure completion of proposed work. (See Section 28.4)
BUFFER STRIP - Land area used to visibly separate one use from another or to shield or block noise, lights or other nuisances. (See Figure 2.) (COMMENT: Buffer strip may be required to include fences or berms, as well as shrubs and trees.)
BUILDABLE AREA – The area of a lot remaining after the minimum yard and open space requirements of the Zoning Ordinance have been met. (See Figure 20)
BUILDING – Any structure having a roof supported by columns or walls and intended for the shelter, housing or enclosure of any individual, animal, process, equipment, goods or materials of any kind or nature.
BUILDING, ACCESSORY – A subordinate structure on the same lot as the principal or main building or use occupied or devoted to a use incidental to the principal use. (See Figure 22.)
BUILDING COVERAGE – The horizontal area measured within the outside of the exterior walls of the ground floor of all principal and accessory buildings on a lot. (See Figure 20.)
BUILDING HEIGHT – The vertical distance of a building measured from the average elevation of the finished grade within 20 feet of the structure to the highest point of the roof. (See Figure 3.) (COMMENT: Building heights usually exclude penthouses containing mechanical equipment such as air-conditioning or elevator equipment and church spires, water towers, radio antennas, etc. The provision for measuring the finished lot grade within 20 feet of the structure is to prevent the deliberately building up of a portion of the site on which the building will site in order to permit an additional story to be constructed.) (See “height.”)
BUILDING OFFICAL – That individual designated by the appointing authority to enforce the provisions of the Building Code.
BUILDING LINE – A line parallel to the street line at a distance therefrom equal to the depth of the front yard required for the zoning district in which the lot is located. See “setback line.” (See Figure 20.)
BUILDING PERMIT – Written permission issued by the proper municipal authority for the construction, repair, alteration or addition of a structure.
BUILDING, PRINCIPAL – A building in which is conducted the principal use of the lot on which it is located. (See Figure 22.)
BUSINESS SIGN – See “sign, business.”
CAMPUS – The grounds and building of a public or private college, university, school or institution.
CAMPGROUND - An area or tract of land on which accommodations for temporary occupancy are located or may be placed, including tents and recreational equipment, and which is primarily used for recreational purposes and retains an open air or natural outdoor character. (See Section 18, Commercial Recreation)
CAR WASH – See “automatic car wash” and “automobile wash.”
CARRY-OUT RESTAURANT – An establishment which by design of physical facilities or by service or packaging procedures permits or encourages the purchase of prepared ready-to-eat foods intended primarily to be consumed off the premises and where the consumption of food in motor vehicles on the premises is not permitted or not encouraged.
CELLAR – A space with less than ½ of its floor-to-ceiling height above the average finished grade of the adjoining ground or with floor-to-ceiling height of less than 6 ½ feet. (See Figure 3.)
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE – A document issued by the proper authority that the plans for a proposed use meets all applicable codes and regulations.
CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY - A document issued by the proper authority allowing the occupancy or use of a building and certifying that the structure or use has been constructed or will be used in compliance with all the applicable municipal codes and ordinances.
CHAIN STORE – Retail outlets with the same name, selling similar types of merchandise, operating under a common merchandising policy and usually owned or franchised by a single corporate entity.
CHANGE OF USE – Any use which substantially differs from the previous use of a building or land.
CHILD-CARE CENTER – A private establishment enrolling four or more children between two and five years of age and where tuition, fees or other forms of compensation for the care of the children is charged and which is licensed or approved to operate as a child-care center.
CHIMNEY – a structure containing one or more flues for drawing off emissions from stationary sources of combustion.
CHURCH – A building or structure, or groups of buildings or structures, which by design and construction are primarily intended for the conducting of organized religious services and accessory uses associated therewith.
CLEAR CUTTING - The indiscriminate removal of trees, shrubs, or undergrowth with the intention of preparing real property for nonagricultural development purposes.
CLUB – A group of people organized for a common purpose to pursue common goals, interests or activities and usually characterized by certain membership qualifications, payment of fees and dues, regular meetings and a constitution and bylaws. (COMMENT: Typically, clubs were usually permitted in residential neighborhoods under the phrase “clubs, lodges and social buildings.” These clubs were related to the neighborhood in terms of the ethnic, religious or cultural characteristics of the residents.)
COMMERCIAL GARAGE – See “garage, public.”
COMMERCIAL GREENHOUSE – A structure in which plants, vegetables, flowers and similar materials are grown for sale.
COMMERCIAL USE - Activity carried out for a pecuniary gain.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE – Any motor vehicle licensed by the state as a commercial vehicle.
COMMISSION – The East Hampton Planning and Zoning Commission.
COMMON ELEMENTS – Land amenities, parts of buildings, central services and utilities and any other elements and facilities owned and used by all condominium unit owners and designated in the master deed as common elements.
COMMON OPEN SPACE – See “open space, common.”
COMMON OWNERSHIP – Ownership by one or more individuals in any form of ownership of two ore more contiguous lots.
COMMON PASSAGEWAY – A commonly shared or used pedestrian or vehicular way tat connects ore serves two ore more properties. See “party driveway.”
COMPLETE APPLICATION – An application form completed as specified by ordinance and the rules and regulations of the municipal agency and all accompanying documents required by ordinance for approval of the application.
CONDITIONAL USE - A use permitted in a particular zoning district only upon showing that such use in a specified location will comply with all the conditions and standards for the location or operation of such use as specified in a zoning ordinance and authorized by the Commission.
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT - A permit issued by the authorized board stating that the conditional use meets all conditions set forth I local ordinances.
CONDOMINIUM – A building, or group of buildings, in which units are owned individually, and the structure, common areas and facilities are owned by all the owners on a proportional, undivided basis. (COMMENT: By definition, a “condominium” has common areas and facilities and there is an association of owners organized for the purpose of maintaining, administering and operating the common areas and facilities. It is a legal form of ownership of real estate and not a specific building style. The purchaser has title to his or her interior space in the building and as undivided interest in parts of the interior, the exterior and other common elements. The property is identified in a master deed and recorded on a plat with the local jurisdiction. The common elements usually include the land
underneath and surrounding the building, certain improvements on the land and such items as plumbing, wiring and major utility systems, the interior areas between walls, the public interior spaces, exterior walls, streets and recreational facilities.)
CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION - The community association which administers and maintains the common property and common elements of a condominium. (COMMENT: Condominium associations differ from other forms of community associations in that the condominium association does not have title to the common property and facilities. These are owned by the condominium owner on a proportional, undivided basis.)
CONDOMINIUM, BUSINESS – A building (or group of buildings) used for office, businesses, professional services and other commercial enterprise organized, owned and maintained as a condominium.
CONDOMINIUM, HOTEL – A condominium set up like a hotel in which each room is individually owned and in which some or all rooms are available to transients for rent.
CONDOMINIUM, INDUSTRIAL - An industrial building (or group of buildings) organized, owned and maintained as a condominium.
CONDOMINIUM, OFFICE – An office building (or group of buildings) organized, owned and maintained as a condominium.
CONFERENCE CENTER - A facility used for business or professional conferences and seminars, often with accommodations for sleeping, eating and recreation. (COMMENT: Communities face the decision whether or not to allow conference centers to rent rooms and facilities to transients. Very often a specific percentage of rooms must be devoted to conferences use and only a small percentage of rooms must be devoted to conference use and only a small percentage can be made available for transient trade.)
CONGREGATE HOUSING – A dwelling providing shelter and services for the elderly which may include meals, housekeeping and personal care assistance.
CONNECTICUT RIVER ASSEMBLY CONSERVATION ZONE - Area of East Hampton, shown on the Zoning Map, under the authority of the Connecticut River Assembly with regard to certain development rights as described by Connecticut General Statutes Sec. S 25-102aa. - S25-102jj.
CONSERVATION EASEMENT - An easement granting a right of interest in real property that is appropriate to retaining land or water areas predominately in their natural, scenic, open or wooded condition; retaining such areas as suitable habitat for fish, plants or wildlife.
CONTIGUOUS – Next to abutting or touching and having a boundary or portion thereof which is coterminous. See “abut” and “adjoining lot or land.”
CONVERSION – a change in the use of land or a structure.
CONVENIENCE STORE – Any retail establishment offering for sale prepackaged food products, household items and other goods commonly associated with the same and having a gross floor area of less than 2,000 square feet.
COURT – Any open space, unobstructed from ground to sky, other than a yard, that is on the same lot with and bounded on two or more sides by the walls of a building. See “plaza” and “square.” (See Figure 13)
COURT, INNER – An open area, unobstructed from ground to sly, which is bounded on more that three sides by the exterior walls of one or more buildings. (See Figure 4)
COURT, OUTER - An open area, unobstructed from ground to sly, which is bounded on not more than three sides by the exterior walls of one or more buildings. (See Figure 4)
CURB CUT - The opening along the curb line at which point vehicles may enter or leave the roadway. (See Figure 2)
DAY CARE CENTER/DAY NURSERY – See “child-care center.”
DECK LINE - The intersection of two roof surfaces of a mansard roof forming the highest horizontal line of the steeper roof slope. (See Figure 26)
DENSITY – The number of families, individuals, dwelling units or housing structures per unit of land.
DEVELOPMENT - Any construction or grading activities to improved or unimproved real estate.
DISCOUNT CENTER – A single store or group of stores advertising a wide variety of merchandise for sale at less-than-retail costs.
DISTANCE OF SIGN PROJECTION – The distance from the exterior wall surfaces of a building to the sign element farthest distance from such surface.
DISTRICT - See Zone
DOWN ZONE – To increase the intensity of use by increasing density or floor area into or otherwise decreasing bulk requirements.
DRAINAGE AREA – That area in which all of the surface runoff resulting from precipitation is concentrated into a particular stream.
DRIVE-IN RESTAURANT – A building or portion thereof where food and/or beverages are sold in a form ready for consumption and where all or a significant portion of the consumption takes place or is designed to take place outside the confines of the building, often in a motor vehicle on the site.
DRIVE-IN USE – An establishment which by design, physical facilities, service or by packaging procedures encourages or permits customers to receive services, obtain goods or be entertained while remaining in their motor vehicles.
DRIVEWAY - A private roadway providing access for vehicles to a parking space, garage, dwelling or other structure.
DUPLEX – See “dwelling, two-family.”
DWELLING – A structure or portion thereof which is used exclusively for human habitation.
DWELLING, ATTACHED - A one-family dwelling attached to two or more one-family dwelling by common vertical walls.
DWELLING, DETACHED – A dwelling which is not attached to any other dwelling by any means, (See Figure 5) (COMMENT: The detached dwelling does not have any roof., wall or floor in common with any other dwelling unit.)
DWELLLING, GARDEN APRATMENT – See “dwelling, multifamily.”(See Figure 10)
DWELLING, HIGH-RISE – An apartment building of eight or more stories. (See Figure 12)
DWELLING, MID-RISE – An apartment building containing from three to seven stories. (See Figure 11)
DWELLING, MULTI-FAMILY – A dwelling containing more than two dwelling units.
DWELLING, PATIO HOUSE – A one-family dwelling on a separate lot with open space setbacks on three sides and with a court. (See Figure 6) (COMMENT: Patio homes may be attached to similar houses on adjacent lots and still meet this definition. Also known as “zero lot line homes.”)
DWELLING, QUADRUPLEX - Four attached dwelling in one structure in which each unit has two open space exposures and shares one or two walls with an adjoining unit or units (See Figure8)
DWELLING, SEMIDETACHED – A one-family dwelling attached to one other one-family dwelling by a common vertical wall and each dwelling located on a separate lot. (See Figure 7) (COMMENT: The semidetached dwelling is part of a two-family structure with the dwelling units side-by-side as opposed to one on top of the other. The semidetached dwelling also could be the end unit of a townhouse row, a patio house and a duplex.)
DWELLING, SINGLE-FAMILY – A building containing one dwelling unit.
DWELLING, SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED – A dwelling which is designed for and occupied by not more than one family and surrounded by open space or yards and which is not attached to any other dwelling by any means. See “dwelling, detached.”
DWELLING, TOWNHOUSE – A one-family dwelling in a row of at least three such units in which each unit has its own front and rear access to the outside, no unit is located over another unit, and each unit is separated from any other unit by one or more common fire-resistant walls. (See Figure 9)
DWELLING, TRIPLEX - a dwelling containing three dwelling units, each of which has direct access to the outside or to a common hall.
DWELLING, TWO FAMILY - A structure on a single lot containing two dwelling units, each of which is totally separated from the other by an unpierced wall extending from ground to roof or an unpierced ceiling and floor extending from exterior wall to exterior wall, except for a common stairwell exterior to both dwelling units.
DWELLING UNIT – One or more rooms, designed, occupied or intended for occupancy as separate living quarters, with cooking, sleeping and sanitary facilities provided within the dwelling unit for the exclusive use of a single family maintaining a household. See ”housing unit.”
DWELLING UNIT, EFFICIENCY - A dwelling unit consisting of not more than one habitable room together with kitchenette and sanitary facilities.
EASEMENT – A grant of one or more of the property rights by the property owner to and/or for the use by the public, a corporation or another person or entity.
EASEMENT, CONSERVATION – An easement precluding future or additional development of the land.
EASEMENT, DRAINAGE – An easement required for the installation of stormwater sewers or drainage ditches and/or required for the preservation or maintenance of a natural stream or watercourse or other drainage facility.
EAVE – The projecting lower edges of a roof overhanging the wall of a building.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION – A college or university authorized by the state to award degrees.
EFICIENCY UNIT – See “dwelling unit, efficiency.”
ELEEMOSYNARY OR PHILANTHROPIC INSTITUTION – A private or nonprivate organization which is not organized or operated for the purpose of carrying on a trade or business and no part of the net earnings of which are for the benefit of any individual.
ENCROACHMENT – Any obstruction in delineated floodway, right-of-way or adjacent land. (See Figure 15)
ENLARGEMENT - An increase in the size of an existing structure.
EROSION - The detachment and movement of soil or rock fragments by water, wind, ice or gravity.
EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL - (See Section 27 for Erosion & Sedimentation Control definitions.)
EXISTING GRADE OR ELEVATION – The vertical location of the ground surface prior to excavating or filling.
EXISTING USE - The use of a lot or structure at the time of the enactment of a zoning ordinance.
EXTENDED-CARE FACILITY - A long-term facility or distinct part of a facility licensed or approved as a nursing home, infirmary unit of a home for the aged or a governmental medical institution. See “long-term care facility” and “nursing home.”
EXTERIOR WALL - Any wall which defines the exterior boundaries of a building or structure.
FACADE – The exterior wall of a building exposed to public view or that wall viewed by persons not within the building. (See Figure 13)
FACTORY – A building in which semifinished or finished materials are converted to a different form or state or where goods are manufactured, assembled, treated or processed.
FACTORY-BUILT HOUSE – A dwelling unit that is constructed and assembled at a factory and transported to the building’s site and placed on a prebuilt foundation.
FAIR MARKET VALUE – The price of a building or land which would be agreed upon voluntarily in fair negotiations between a knowledgeable owner willing, but not forced, to sell and a knowledgeable buyer willing, but not forced, to buy.
FAMILY – One or more individuals occupying a dwelling unit and living as a single household unit.
FARM - A tract of land primarily used for agricultural uses. (See Agriculture)
FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT - An establishment whose principal business is the sale of pre-prepared or rapidly prepared food directly to the customer in a ready-to –consume state for consumption either within the restaurant building or off premises.
FENCE - Any artificially constructed barrier of any material or combination of materials erected above grade to enclose or screen areas of land.
FINAL APPROVAL – The last official action of the Planning and Zoning Commission taken on a development plan which has been given preliminary approval, after all conditions and requirements have been met, and the required improvements have been installed or guarantees properly posted for their installation, or approval conditioned upon the posting of such guarantees.
FINISH ELEVATION – The proposed elevation of the land surface of a site after completion of all site preparation work. See “grade, finish.”
FLAG LOT – A lot fronting on or abutting a public road and where access to the public road is by an access strip at least 25’ wide (see Sec .6.5.2) (see figure 18)
FLEA MARKET – An occasional or periodic market held in an open area or structure where groups of individual sellers offer goods for sale to the public.
FLOATING ZONE – An unmapped zoning district where all the zone requirements are contained in the ordinance and the zone is fixed on the map only when an application for development, meeting the zone requirements, is approved.
FLOOD, BASE FLOOD ELEVATION - See “base flood elevation.”
FLOOD DAMAGE POTENTIAL- The susceptibility of a specific land use at a particular location to damage by flooding and the potential of the specific land use to increase off-site flooding or flood-related damages.
FLOOD-FRINGE AREA – That portion of the flood hazard area outside of the floodway based on the total area inundated during the regulatory base flood plus 25% of the regulatory base flood discharge. See “floodway,” “flood, regulatory,” “base and flood regulatory” and “base flood discharge.” (See Figure 15)
FLOOD HAZARD AREA – The floodplain consisting of the floodway and the flood-fringe area. (See Figure 15)
FLOOD HAZARD DESIGN ELEVATION – The highest elevation, expressed in feet above sea level, of the level of floodwaters which delineates the flood-fringe area.
FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP – The official map on which the Federal Insurance Administration had delineated both the areas of special flood hazards and the risk premium zone applicable to the community.
FLOODPLAIN – The channel and the relatively flat area adjoining the channel of a natural stream or river which has been or may be covered by floodwater. (See Figure 15)
FLOODPROOFING – A combination of structural provisions, changes or adjustments to properties and structures subject to flooding for the reduction or elimination of flood damage to properties, water and sanitary facilities and other utilities, structures and the contents of buildings.
FLOODWAY – The channel of a natural stream or river and portions of the floodplain adjoining the channel which are reasonable required to carry and discharge the floodwater of flood flow of any natural stream or river. See “floodway, regulatory.” (See Figure 15)
FLOODWAY, REGULATORY – The channel and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the regulatory base flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than 2/10 of one foot.
FLOOR AREA, GROSS – The sum of the gross horizontal areas of the several floors of a building measured from the exterior face of exterior walls, or from the center line of a wall separating two buildings, but not including interior parking spaces, loading space for motor vehicles or any space where the floor-to-ceiling height is less than six feet. (COMMENT: Interior parking spaces and loading spaces are excluded in order not to penalize applicants that include these facilities.)
FLOOR AREA, NET – The total of all floor area of a building, excluding stairwells and elevator shafts, equipment rooms, interior vehicular parking or loading and all floors below the first or ground floor, except when used or intended to be used for human habitation or service of the public. (COMMENT: Very often, for ease, of administration, net floor area is expressed as gross floor area minus a certain percentage. Empirically, stairwells, elevator shafts, equipment rooms and utility rooms generally average out to about 15% of the gross floor area. Thus, “net floor area” may be defined as gross floor area minus 15%.)
FLOOR AREA RATIO – The gross floor area of all buildings on a lot divided by the lot area. (See Figure 14)
FRATERNAL ORGANIZATION - A group of people formally organized for a common interest, usually cultural, religious or entertainment, with regular meetings, rituals and formal written membership requirements.
FRONTAGE – That side of a lot abutting on a street; the front lot line. (See Figure 20) (COMMENT: On a corner or through lots the frontage may be designated by the owner but it should be consistent with the orientation of the other lots and improvements on the same side of the street. On improved lots the frontage is usually the side where the main building entrance is located and in the general direction in which the principal building faces.)
FRONT FOOT – A measure of land width, being one foot along the front lot line of a property.
FRONT LOT LINE – See “lot line, front.”
FRONT YARD – See “yard, front.”
FUNERAL HOME – A building used for the preparation of the deceased for burial and the display of the deceased and ceremonies connected therewith before burial or cremation.
GARAGE – A deck, building or structure, or part thereof, used or intended to be used for the parkin and storage of vehicles.
GARAGE, COMMUNITY – A garage used exclusively for the parking and storage of vehicles owned or operated by residents of nearby dwelling units and their guests, which is not operated as a commercial enterprise and is not available to the general public, and which is owned, leased or cooperatively operated by such residents.
GARAGE, MUNICIPAL - A structure owned or operated by a municipality and used primarily for the parking and storing of vehicles owned by the general public.
GARAGE, PRIVATE CUSTOMER AND EMPLOYEE – A structure which is accessory to a non-retail commercial or manufacturing establishment, building or use and is primarily for the parking and storage of vehicles operated by the customers, visitors and employees of such building and which is not available to the general public.
GARAGE, PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL - A structure which is accessory to a residential building and which is used for the parking and storage of vehicles owned and operated by the residents thereof and which is not a separate commercial enterprise available tot eh general public.
GARAGE, PUBLIC – A building, or portion thereof, other than a private customer and employee garage or private residential garage, used primarily for the parking and storage of vehicles and available to the general public.
GARAGE REPAIR – Any building, premises and land in which or upon which a business, service or industry involving the maintenance, servicing, repair or painting of vehicles is conducted or rendered. See “automotive repair, services and garages.”
GARBAGE – Animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling, storage, sale, preparation, cooking and serving of foods. See “solid waste.”
GARDEN APARTMENT – See “dwelling, multifamily.”
GLARE – The effect produced by brightness sufficient to cause annoyance, discomfort or loss I visual performance and visibility.
GOVERNMENT AGENCY – Any department, commission, independent agency or instrumentality of the United States, or state, county, incorporated or unincorporated municipality, township, authority, district or other governmental unit.
GRADE – The degree of rise or descent of a sloping surface. (See Figure 16)
GRADE, FINISHED - The final elevation of the ground surface after development. See “finished elevation.” (See Figure 21)
GRADE, NATURAL – The elevation of the ground surface in its natural stated, before man-made alterations.
GRAPHIC SCALE – See “scale.”
GRAVEL PIT - An open land area where sand, gravel and rock fragments are mined or excavated for sale or off-tract use.
GREEN AREA – Land shown on a development plan, master plan or official map for preservation, recreation, landscaping or park.
GREENBELT – An open area which may be cultivated or maintained in a natural state surrounding development or used as a buffer between land uses or to mark the edge of an urban or developed area.
GREENHOUSE – A building whose roof and side are made largely of glass or other transparent or translucent material and in which the temperature and humidity can be regulated for the cultivation of delicate or out-of season plants for subsequent sale for personal enjoyment. See “nursery.”
GROSS FLOOR AREA - See “floor area, gross” and “floor area, net.”
GROSS HABITABLE FLOOR AREA – See “floor area, net.”
GROSS LEASEABLE AREA - The total floor area for which the tenant pays rent and which the tenant pays and which is designed for the tenant’s occupancy and exclusive use. (COMMENT: Gross leaseable area does not include public or common areas such as utility rooms, stairwells, malls, etc.)
GROUND COVER – Grasses or other plants grown to keep soil from being blown or washed away.
GROUND COVERAGE – See “lot coverage.”
GROUND FLOOR – The first floor or a building other than a cellar or basement.
GROUP-CARE FACILITY – A facility or dwelling unit housing persons unrelated by blood or marriage and operating as a group family household. (COMMENT: A group-care facility may include halfway houses; recovery homes; and homes for orphans, foster children, the elderly, battered children and women. It also could include a specialized treatment facility proving less than primary health care. See “group family household.”
GROUP FAMILY HOUSEHOLD – a group of individuals not related by blood, marriage, adoption or guardianship living together in a dwelling unit as a single housekeeping unit under a common housekeeping management plan based on an intentionally structured relationship providing organization and stability. See “family.”
HALF STORY – See “story, half.”
HEALTH-CARE FACILITY – A facility or institution, whether public or private, principally engaged in providing services for health maintenance, diagnosis or treatment of human disease, pain, injury deformity or physical condition, including, but not limited to, a general hospital, special hospital, mental hospital, public health center, diagnostic center, treatment center, rehabilitation center, extended-care facility, skilled nursing home, nursing home, intermediate-care facility, tuberculosis hospital, chronic disease hospital, maternity hospital, outpatient clinic, dispensary, home health care agency, boarding home or other home for sheltered care and bioanalytical laboratory or central services facility serving one or more such institutions but excluding institutions that provide healing solely by prayer. See “health services.”
HEALTH SERVICES – Establishments primarily engaged in furnishing medical, surgical or other services to individuals, including the offices of physicians, dentists and other health practitioners, medical and dental laboratories, out-patient care facilities, blood banks and oxygen and miscellaneous types of medical supplies and services.
HEIGHT – The vertical distance of a structure measured from the average elevation of the finished grade within 20 feet of the structure to the highest point of the structure. See “building height.” (See Figure 3)
HEIGHT OF STRUCTURE - The height of any structure other than a building is the vertical dimension measured from the average graded level of the ground immediately contiguous to its base up to its highest point.
HIGH-RISE – See “dwelling, high rise.”
HIGHEST AND BEST USE – An appraisal concept that determines the use of a particular property likely to produce the greatest net return in the foreseeable future. (COMMENT: The term “highest and best use” has little validity in planning or zoning studies. Its major application is probably as a comparison between several uses to determine which is more profitable.)
HISTORIC AREA - A district or zone designated by a local authority, state of federal government within which the building, structures, appurtenances and places are of basic and vital importance because of their association with history or because of their unique architectural style and scale, including color, proportion, form and architectural detail, or because of their being a part of or related to a square, park or area the design or general arrangement of which should be preserved and/or developed according tot a fixed plan based on cultural, historical or architectural motives or purposes. (COMMENTS: Designation by the appropriate state agency is a prerequisite for listing by the National Register of Historic Places.)
HISTORIC BUILDING – Any building or structure which is historically or architecturally significant.
HISTORIC BUILDING STYLES - Recognized architectural styles such as Colonial; Federal; Greek Revival; Victorian; gothic Revival: Romanesque Revival. (See Figure 19) (COMMENT: The definition is actually a partial listing of major American historic building styles. For purpose of historic district zoning for a particular area, this listing might be revised as appropriate and detailed architectural definitions of each style are added.)
HISTORIC DISTRICT - See “historic area.”
HISTORIC PRESERVATION - The protection, rehabilitation and restoration of the district sites, buildings, structures and artifacts significant in American history, architecture, archaeology or culture.
HOME OCCUPATION - An occupation, profession, activity or use that is clearly a customary, secondary and incidental use of a residential dwelling unit which does not alter the exterior of the property or affect the residential character of the neighborhood (effective July 8, 2006).
HOME PROFESSIONAL OFFICE – A home occupation consisting of the office of a practitioner of a recognized profession, provided that not more than two persons are employed who are not members of the family, and that such office shall be in the main building only and shall not occupy more than the equivalent of 50% of the area of the first floor of the principal building. For the purpose of this definition, a “teacher” shall be restricted to a person giving individual instruction in a musical instrument, in singing or in academic or scientific subjects to a single pupil at a time. A home professional office shall not include the office of any person professionally engaged in the purchase or sale of economic goods. Dancing instruction, band instrument or voice instruction in groups, tea rooms,
tourist homes, beauty parlors, barber shops, hairdressing and manicuring establishments, real estate offices, convalescent homes, mortuary establishments, travel agencies and stores, trades or businesses of any kind not herein excepted shall not be deemed to be home professional office.
HOSPITAL - An institution providing primary health services and medical or surgical care to persons, primarily inpatients, suffering from illness, disease, injury, deformity and other abnormal physical or mental conditions and including, as an integral part of the institution, related facilities such as laboratories, outpatient facilities or training facilities.
HOTEL – A facility offering transient lodging accommodations to the general public and providing additional services such as restaurants, meeting rooms and recreation facilities .See “boarding house,” “motel,” “resort” and “tourist home.”
HOUSEHOLD – A family living together in a single dwelling unit, with common access to and common use of, all living and eating areas and all areas and facilities for the preparation and storage of food within the dwelling unit.
HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY - Housing designed for people 55 years of age or older. (COMMENT: Such housing usually has wider doors, elevators that can accommodate wheelchairs, special support and hand bars and bathroom and kitchen facilities designed specifically for the elderly. It also may include care facilities, central recreation areas and accessory medical facilities. Elderly person housing may be private or subsidized under one or more governmental programs.)
HOUSING UNIT – A room or group of rooms used by one or more individuals living separately from others in the structure, with direct access to the outside or to a public hall and containing separate toilet and kitchen facilities. See “dwelling unit.”
IMPERVIOUS SURFACE – Any material which reduces and prevents absorption of stormwater into previously undeveloped land. (See Figure 30.)
INDUSTRIAL PARK - A large tract of land that has been planned, developed and operated as an integrated facility for a number of individual industrial uses, with special attention to circulation, parking, utility needs, aesthetics and compatibility.
INGRESS – Access or entry.
INTERIOR LOT – See “lot, interior.”
INSTITUTIONAL USE – A nonprofit or quasi-public use or institution such as a church, library, public or private school, hospital or municipally owned or operated building, structure or land used for public purpose.
INTERMEDIATE-CARE FACILITY – A facility which provides, on a regular basis, health-related care and services to individuals who do not require the degree of care and treatment which a hospital or skilled nursing facility is designated to provide but who, because of their mental or physical condition, require care and services (above the level of room and board) which can be made available to them only through institutional facilities such as these.
ISLAND:
(1) A land area totally surrounded by water.
(2) In parking lot design, built-up structures, usually curbed, place at the end of parking rows as a guide to traffic and also used for landscaping, signing or lighting.
ISOLATED LOT – An undeveloped substandard lot in separate ownership from surrounding property.
JUNK – Any scrap, waste, reclaimable material or debris, whether or not stored or used in conjunction with dismantling, processing, salvage, storage, baling, disposal or other use in disposition. (COMMENT: “junk” includes unregistered vehicles, tires, vehicle parts, equipment, paper, rags, metal, glass, building materials, household appliances, brush wood and lumber).
JUNKYARD – Any area, lot, land, parcel, building or structure or part thereof used for storage, collection, processing, purchase, sale or abandonment of wastepaper, rags, scrap metal or other scrap or discarded goods, materials, machinery or two or more unregistered, inoperable motor vehicles or other type of junk.
KENNEL - An establishment in which more than six dogs or domesticated animals more than one year old are housed, groomed, bred, boarded, trained or sold.
KIOSK – A freestanding structure upon which temporary information and/or posters, notices and announcements are posted.
LAND SURVEYER – One who is licensed by the state as a land surveyor and is qualified to make accurate field measurements and mark, describe and define land boundaries.
LANDSCAPE – An expanse of natural scenery; or the addition of lawns, trees, plants and other natural and decorative features to land. (COMMENT: Landscape treatment can include walks, patios and some elements of street furniture. Natural materials often are referred to as “soft” landscape, and other materials are known as “hard” landscape.)
LEASE – A contractual agreement for the use of lands, structures, buildings or parts thereof for a fixed time and consideration.
LIGHT INDUSTRY – Any operation which assembles, improves, treats, compounds or packages goods or material in a manner which does not create a noticeable amount of noise, dust, odor, smoke, glare or vibration outside of the building in which the activity takes place, which does not require outside storage of goods or materials, and which does not generate (in the opinion of the Planning and Zoning Commission) objectionable amounts of truck traffic (effective July 8, 2006).
LOADING SPACE - An off-street or berth used for the loading or unloading of commercial vehicles.
LONG-TERM-CARE FACILITY- An institution or a distinct part of an institution which is licensed or approve to provide health care under medical supervision for 24 or more consecutive hours to two or more patients who are not related to the governing authority or its members by marriage, blood or adoption. {COMMENT: A long-term-care facility may be either a skilled nursing facility, where patients receive above a certain number of hours of nursing care daily (New Jersey requires 2.75 hours), or intermediate-care facility, where patients received less than the established number of hours of nursing care daily. In addition to a nursing home, other long-term-care facilities are governmental medical institutions.}
LOT – A designated parcel, tract or area of land established by plat, subdivision or as otherwise permitted by law, to be used, developed or built upon as a unit. (See Figure 22)
LOT AREA – The total area within the lot lines of a lot, excluding and street rights-of way.
LOT AVERAGING – A design technique permitting one or more lots in a subdivision to be undersized, provided that the same number of lots in the some subdivision ore oversized by an equal or greater area.
LOT, CORNER – A lot or parcel of land abutting upon two or more streets at their intersection, or upon two parts of the same street forming an interior angle of less than 135 degrees. (See Figure 18)
LOT COVERAGE – That portion of the lot that is covered by building and structures. (COMMENT: Some definitions expand this to include all other manmade improvements on the ground surface which are more impervious than the natural surface, such as paving, driveways, etc.)
LOT DEPTH - The distance measured from the front lot line to the rear lot line. (See Figure 18.) (COMMENT: For lots where the front and rear lot lines are not parallel, the lot depth should be measured by drawing lines from the front to rear lot lines, at right angles to the front lot line, every 10 feet and averaging the length of these lines.)
LOT, DOUBLE FRONTAGE - See “lot, through.”
LOT, FLAG – See “flag, lot.”
LOT FRONTAGE – The length of the front lot line measured at the street right-of-way line. (See Figure 20)
LOT, INTERIOR - A lot other than a corner lot. (See Figure 18)
LOT, ISOLATED – See “isolated lot.”
LOT LINE - A line of record bounding a lot which divides one lot from another lot or from a public or private street or any other public space. (See Figure 20)
LOT LINE, FRONT - The lot line separating a lot from a street right-of-way. (See Figure 20)
LOT LINE, REAR – The lot line opposite and most distant from the front lot line or, in the case of triangular or otherwise irregularly shaped lots, a line 10 feet in length entirely within the lot, parallel to and at a maximum distance from the front lot line. (See Figure 20)
LOT LINE, SIDE – Any lot line other than a front or rear lot line. (See Figure 18)
LOT, MINIMUM AREA OF – The smallest lot area established by the Zoning Ordinances on which a use or structure may be located in a particular district.
LOT REAR – See “flag lot.”
LOT OF RECORD – A lot which exists as shown or described on a plat or deed in the records of the local Registry of Deeds.
LOT, REVERSE FRONTAGE – A through lot which is not accessible from one of the parallel or nonintersecting streets upon which if fronts. (See Figure 29)
LOT, THROUGH – A lot which fronts upon two parallel streets or which fronts upon two streets which do not intersect at the boundaries of the lot. (See Figure 18)
LOT, TRANSITION – a lot in a transition zone or a lot between two zoning districts permitting the same uses as allowed in each zone but with different areas and/or dimensions. (COMMENT: The Zoning Ordinance normally would establish an intermediate size for the transition lot. For example, if located between a 40,000 square foot residential zone and a twenty-thousand-square-foot residential zone, the transition lot might be required to have a minimum of 30,000 square feet. The transition lot also might be part of a lot averaging design)
LOT WIDTH – The horizontal distance between the side lines of a lot measured at the minimum required building setback line.
MAINTENANCE BOND - Surety provided to the Town, for the purpose of ensuring that public improvements are viable for a period of one year after approval and acceptance by the Town of such improvements.
MALL:
(1) A shaded walk or public promenade;
(2) A shopping center where stores front on both sides of a pedestrian way which may be enclosed or open.
MANUFACTURING – Establishments engaged in the mechanical or chemical transformation of materials or substances into new products, including the assembling of components parts, the manufacturing of products and the blending of materials such as lubricating oils, plastics, resins or liquors.
MARQUEE – Any hood, canopy, awning or permanent construction which projects from a wall of a building, usually above an entrance.
MEDIAN ISLAND – A barrier placed between lanes of traffic flowing in opposite directions.
MEDICAL BUILDING – A building that contains establishments dispensing health services. See “health services.”
MEZZANINE – A partial story between two full stories. (See Figure 23)
MINI-MALL – A shopping center between 80,000 to 150,000 square feet on site on 8 to 15 acres where tenants are located on both sides of a covered walkway with direct pedestrian access to all establishments from the walkway. (COMMENT: Mini-malls usually function as neighborhood shopping centers or specialty shopping centers. Mini-malls usually do not require an anchor store. See “shopping center” and “specialty shopping center.”
MINI-WAREHOUSE – A structure containing separate storage spaces of varying sizes leased or rented on an individual basis.
MIXED-USED ZONING – Regulations which permit a combination of different uses within a single development.
MOBILE HOME – A structure, transportable in one or more sections, which is at least eight feet in width and 32 feet in length, which is built on a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities.
MOBILE HOME PARK – A site with required improvements and utilities for the long term parking of mobile homes which may include services and facilities for the residents.
MOTEL – As establishment providing transient accommodations containing six or more rooms with at least 25% of all rooms having direct access to the outside without the necessity of passing through the main lobby of the building.
MOTION-PICTURE THEATER – A place where motion pictures are shown to the public for a fee.
MOTOR FREIGHT TERMINAL – A building or area in which trucks, including tractor or trailer units, are parked, stored or serviced, including the transfer, loading or unloading of goods. A terminal may include facilities for the temporary storage of loads prior to transshipment.
MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP – Any building, place or location that is used or designed to be used for making repairs to motor vehicles by a “repairer,” as defined in chapter 245, Section 14-51, of the General Statutes, as amended.
MULTIFAMILY DWELLING – See “dwelling, multifamily.”
MULTIPAHASE DEVELOPMENT – A development project that is constructed in stages, each stage being capable of existing independently of the others.
MULTIUSE BUILDING – A building containing two or more distinct uses. (COMMENT: A multiuse building might include retail stores on the first floor and apartments on the upper floors.)
NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM – A federal program which authorizes the sale of federally subsidized flood insurance in communities where such flood insurance is not available privately.
NATURAL GRADE – See “grade, natural.”
NET AREA OF LOT (NET ACREAGE) – The area of the lot excluding those features or areas which the development ordinance excludes for the calculations.
NONCONFORMING LOT – A lot, the area, dimensions or location of which was lawful prior to the adoption, revision or amendment of the Zoning Ordinance, but which fails by reason of such adoption, revision or amendment to conform to the present requirements of the zoning district.
NONCONFORMING SIGN – Any sign lawfully existing on the effective date of an ordinance, or an amendment thereto, which renders such sign nonconforming because it does not conform to all the standards and regulations of the adopted or amended ordinance.
NONCONFORMING STRUCTURE OR BUILDING – A structure or building the size, dimensions or location of which was lawful prior to the adoption, revision or amendment to a zoning ordinance but which fails, be reason of such adoption, revision or amendment, to conform to the present requirements of the zoning district.
NONCONFORMING USE – A use or activity which was lawful prior to the adoption, revision or amendment of a zoning ordinance but which fails , by reason of such adoption, revision or amendment to conform to the present requirement of the zoning district.
NURSERY – Land or greenhouses used to raise flowers, shrubs and plants for sale. See “greenhouses.”
NURSERY SCHOOL – See “child-care center.”
NURSING HOME – An extended-or intermediate-care facility licensed or approved to provide full-time convalescent or chronic care to individuals who, by reason of advanced age, chronic illness or infirmity, are unable to care form themselves. (COMMENT: Nursing homes are now usually referred to as long-term facilities. See “extended-care facility,” “intermediate-care facility” and “long-term care facility.”
OCCUPANCY OR OCCUPIED – The residing of an individual or individual overnight in a dwelling unit, or the installation, storage or use of equipment, merchandise or machinery in any public, commercial or industrial building.
OCCUPANCY PERMIT – A required permit allowing occupancy of a building or structure after is has been determined that the building meets all the requirements of applicable ordinances. (COMMENT: The occupancy permit may be a temporary one for a given period of time to permit completion of certain improvements. For example, installation of landscaping may be delayed because of weather. Obviously, a temporary permit would not be granted if the unfinished or incomplete improvement is essential to the use or affects health or safety.)
OFFICE – A room or group of rooms used for conducting the affairs of a business, profession, service, industry or government.
OFFICE BUILDING – A building used primarily for conducting the affairs of a business, profession, service, industry or government, of like activity, that may include ancillary services for office workers such as a restaurant, coffee shop, newspaper or candy stand. (COMMENT: Standards for office building vary enormously. Typical controls include floor are ration, height, ground coverage and parking.
OFFICE PARK – A development on a tract of land that contains a number of separate office buildings, supporting uses and open space designed, planned, constructed and managed on an integrated and coordinated basis.
OFFICE AT HOME – A home occupation in which a part of a dwelling unit is used primarily as the resident’s office. See “home occupation” and “home professional office.”
OFF SITE – located outside the lot lines of the lot in question but within the property (of which the lot is a part) that is the subject of a development application, or within a contiguous portion of a street or other right-of-way, (See Figure 25)
OFF-STREET PARKING SPACE – a temporary storage area for a motor vehicle that is directly accessible to an access aisle and which is not located on a dedicated street right-of-way. (See Figure 2)
OFF TRACT – Not located on property that is the subject of a development application nor on a contiguous portion of a street or other right-of-way. (See figure 25)
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