For the purpose of this chapter, certain words and
terms are defined as follows:
ACCESSORY USE OR BUILDING
A subordinate use or building customarily incidental to and
located upon the same lot occupied by the main use or building, provided
that no such accessory building shall be used for housekeeping purposes.
AGRICULTURE
The tilling of the soil, the raising of crops, forestry,
horticulture and gardening, including the keeping or raising of domestic
animals and fowl, and including any agricultural industry or business,
such as fruit packing plants, dairies, animal hospitals or similar
uses.
ALLEY
A public thoroughfare less than 30 feet wide.
ALTERATION
Any change in the total floor area, use, adaptability, or
external appearance of an existing structure.
APARTMENT HOUSE
A building used or intended to be used as the residence of
three or more families living independently of each other.
BASEMENT
A story having part but not more than 1/2 of its height below
grade. A basement shall be counted as a story, for the purpose of
height regulations, if it is subdivided and used for business purposes,
or for dwelling purposes by other than a janitor employed on the premises.
BOARDINGHOUSE
A building where, for compensation, lodging and/or meals
are provided for at least five but not exceeding 14 persons.
BUILDING
Any structure having a roof supported by columns or walls
for the housing or enclosure of persons, animals or chattels.
BUILDING, HEIGHT OF
The vertical distance measured from the level of the curb
or the established curb grade opposite the middle of the front of
the building to the highest point of the roof. For buildings set back
from the street line, the height shall be measured from the average
elevation of the ground surface along the front of the building.
BUILDING, MAIN
The principal building or one of the principal buildings
upon a lot, or the building or one of the principal buildings housing
the principal use upon the lot.
CELLAR
A story having more than 1/2 of its height below grade.
DWELLING
Any building, or portion thereof, which is designed for use
for residential purposes, except hotels, boardinghouses, lodging houses,
tourist cabins, and trailers.
DWELLING, MULTIFAMILY
A building arranged or designed to be occupied by more than
one family.
[Amended 9-12-1988]
DWELLING, SINGLE-FAMILY
A building arranged or designed to be occupied by one family,
the structure having only one dwelling unit.
DWELLING UNIT
One or more rooms in a dwelling designed for living or sleeping
purposes and having at least one kitchen.
FAMILY
One or more persons occupying a premises and living in a
single dwelling unit, as distinguished from an unrelated group occupying
a boardinghouse, lodging house, tourist home, or hotel.
GARAGE, PRIVATE
An accessory building designed or used for the storage of
not more than four automobiles owned and used by the occupants of
the building to which it is accessory, provided that on a lot occupied
by a multifamily dwelling, the private garage may be designed and
used for the storage of 1 1/2 times as many automobiles as there
are dwelling units in the multifamily dwelling.
GARAGE, PUBLIC
A building or portion thereof, other than a private garage,
designed or used for servicing, repairing, equipping, renting, selling
or storing motor-driven vehicles.
HOME OCCUPATION
An occupation carried on by the occupant of a dwelling in
a residential zone as a secondary use in connection with which there
is no exterior display and not more than one person is employed, other
than members of the family residing on the premises, including but
not limited to such occupations as hairdressers, dressmaking and alteration,
preparation of foodstuffs and confectionery, and renting of private
rooms to nontransients, such as students, school teachers, and the
like.
HOTEL
A building designed or occupied as the more or less temporary
abiding place of 15 or more individuals who are, for compensation,
lodged, with or without meals, and in which provision is not generally
made for cooking in individual rooms or suites.
LOT
A parcel of land occupied or to be occupied by a main building
or group of main buildings and accessory buildings, together with
such yards, open spaces, lot width and lot area as are required by
this chapter, and having frontage upon a street, either shown on a
plat of record or considered as a unit of property and described by
metes and bounds.
LOT, CORNER
A lot abutting on two or more streets at their intersection.
LOT, DEPTH OF
The average horizontal distance between the front and rear
lot lines.
LOT OF RECORD
A lot which has been recorded in the Clerk's office of the
Circuit Court of Louisa County, Virginia.
LOT, WIDTH OF
The average horizontal distance between the side lot lines.
MANUFACTURE and/or MANUFACTURING
The processing and/or converting of raw, unfinished or finished
materials, or products, or any or either of them into an article or
articles or substance of different character, or for use for a different
purpose; industries furnishing labor in the case of manufacturing
or the refinishing of manufactured articles.
NONCONFORMING USE
The use of any building or premises, which use was legal
prior to the adoption or amendment of this chapter, contrary to the
use regulations of this chapter for the zone in which the building
or premises is located.
PUBLIC GROUNDS
Area reserved, by deed or otherwise, for public use only.
SETBACK
The distance by which any building or structure must be separated
from the front lot line.
STORY
That portion of a building, other than the basement, included
between the surface of any floor and the surface of the floor next
above it or, if there is no floor above it, the space between the
floor and the ceiling next above it.
STORY, HALF
A space under a sloping roof which has the line of intersection
of roof decking and wall face not more than three feet above the top
floor level and in which space not more than 2/3 of the floor area
is finished off for use.
STREET LINE
The dividing line between a street or road and the contiguous
property.
STREET; ROAD
A public thoroughfare which affords principal means of access
to abutting property.
STRUCTURE
Anything constructed or erected, the use of which requires
permanent location on the ground or attachment to something having
a permanent location on the ground, including advertising signs, billboards
and poster panels.
TOURIST COURT, AUTO COURT, MOTEL, AUTEL or MOTEL LODGE
A building or group of buildings containing individual sleeping
rooms designed for or used temporarily by automobile tourists or transients,
with garage or parking space conveniently located to each unit. Cooking
facilities may be provided for each unit.
TOURIST HOME
A dwelling where lodging only is provided for compensation
for not exceeding 14 persons, in contradistinction to hotels and boardinghouses,
and open to transients.
TRAILER, AUTOMOBILE
A vehicle, with or without motive power, designed to be used
for human habitation.
TRAILER COURT
Any area or tract of land used or designed to accommodate
one or more automobile trailers.
YARD
An open space on a lot other than a court, unoccupied and
unobstructed from the ground upward, except as otherwise provided
herein.
YARD, FRONT
An open space on the same lot with a building between the
front line of the building (exclusive of steps) and the front lot
or street line and extending across the full width of the lot.
YARD, REAR
An open, unoccupied space on the same lot with a building
between the rear line of the building (exclusive of steps) and the
rear line of the lot and extending the full width of the lot.
YARD, SIDE
An open, unoccupied space on the same lot with a building
between the side line of the building (exclusive of steps) and the
side line of the lot and extending from the front yard line to the
rear yard line.
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
The official charged with the enforcement of this chapter.
He may be any appointed or elected official who is by formal resolution
designated to the position by the Town Council. He may serve with
or without compensation as determined by the Council.