Words used in the singular include the plural, and words in
the plural include the singular. The word "person" indicates a corporation,
an incorporated association and a partnership, as well as an individual.
The word "building" indicates "structure" and shall be construed as
if followed by the words "or part thereof." The word "street" indicates
"road" and "land," and "watercourse" includes "drain," "ditch' and
"stream." The word "may" is permissive; the word "shall" and "will"
are mandatory, subject to the provisions of this chapter.
[Amended 12-5-1989]
Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following terms shall,
for the purpose of this chapter, have the meanings indicated:
ALLEY
A narrow serviceway providing a secondary means of access
to abutting properties.
AMENITY
A condition capable of perception and creating a pleasant
experience, tranquil or exciting, by reason of natural and/or manufactured
conditions.
APPLICANT
A landowner or developer, as hereinafter defined, who has
filed an application for development including their heirs, successors
and assigns.
APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT
Every application, whether preliminary or final, required
to be filed and approved prior to start of construction or development,
including but not limited to an application for a building permit,
for the approval of a subdivision plot or plan.
BLOCK
An area usually bounded by streets or streets and natural
or manufactured features.
BUILDER
A person, who is not necessarily the owner of the land or
agent of the same, who by contract or other written agreement is charged
with the responsibility of construction of buildings or other structures,
or of making any construction improvements on any parcel of land.
BUILDING SETBACK LINE
A line within a lot, so designated on a subdivision plan,
between which line and the ultimate right-of-way line of the street
on which the lot abuts a building may not be erected.
CLEAR SIGHT TRIANGLE
An area of unobstructed vision at intersections defined by
lines of sight between points at a given distance from the intersection
of street center lines.
COMMISSION
The City of Cortland Planning Commission.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
The official public document adopted by the City Planning
Commission or Common Council of current adoption consisting of maps,
charts and textual matter, that constitutes a policy guide to decisions
about the physical, economical and social development of the City.
CUL-DE-SAC
A street with access at one end and terminated at the other
by a paved vehicular turnaround.
DEVELOPER
Any landowner, agent of such landowner or tenant with the
permission of such landowner, who makes or causes to be made a subdivision
or land development.
DEVELOPMENT PLAN
A plan required by the City for review of subdivision, resubdivision,
land development, redevelopment, changes in use or operation of land,
structures and facilities. This plan shall include a sketch plan (where
considered necessary), a preliminary plan and a final plan.
EASEMENT
A right-of-way or other right granted for the use of private
land for certain public, quasi-public or private purposes.
ENDORSEMENT
The review signature of the City of Cortland Planning Commission.
ENGINEER
A professional engineer licensed as such in the State of
New York duly appointed as the Engineer for the City or its planning
agency.
GRADE
A slope of a street or other public way, specified in percent
and shown on plans as specified herein.
IMPROVEMENT
Grading, paving, curbing, streetlights and signs, fire hydrants,
wells, water mains, sanitary sewers, storm drains, sidewalks, parking
areas, crosswalks and street shade trees.
LAND DEVELOPMENT
The improvement of one or more than one contiguous lots,
tracts or parcels of land for any purpose, including change or alteration
of structures, land features or the utilization of land and structures
sufficient to cause a change in the circulation and environmental
character of the immediate area. Also, "land development" shall include
subdivision.
LANDOWNER
The legal or beneficial owner or owners of land, including
the holder of an option or contract to purchase (whether or not such
option or contract is subject to any condition); a lessee having a
remaining term of not less than 40 years or other person having a
proprietary interest in land shall be deemed to be a landowner for
the purposes of this chapter.
LOT
A parcel of land which is occupied or is to be occupied by
one principal building or other structure or use, together with any
necessary buildings or other structures or uses customarily incidental
to such principal building or other structure or use, and such open
spaces as are arranged or designed to be used in connection with such
principal building or other structure or use, such open spaces and
the area and dimensions of such lot being not less than the minimum
required by this chapter. The term "lot" is used to describe a land
area for purposes of describing subdivision and zoning requirements,
and as such is distinguished from a tax lot or a deeded lot.
MINOR SUBDIVISION
Any subdivision containing not more than four lots fronting
on an existing street, not involving any new street or road or the
extension of municipal facilities and not adversely affecting the
development of the remainder of the parcel or adjoining property and
not in conflict with any provision or portion of the Comprehensive
Plan, Official Map or Zoning Ordinance, if such exists, or this chapter.
[Amended 4-2-2002]
PARKING SPACE
Space designed primarily for the parking of one motor vehicle.
Parking dimensions shall be a minimum of 8 1/2 feet wide and
18 1/2 feet long, exclusive of passageways and driveways appurtenant
thereto and giving access thereto.
PAVED AREA
All areas, excluding buildings, surfaced with concrete, paving
brick, bituminous or other materials to create all-weather surface,
including parking areas, drives, roadways and sidewalks.
PLAT
The map or plan of a subdivision or land development, whether
preliminary or final.
RESERVE STRIP
A parcel of land separating a street from adjacent properties.
RESUBDIVISION
A change of an approved or recorded subdivision plat if such
change affects any street layout shown on such plat, or area reserved
thereon for public use, or any change of a lot line, or if it affects
any map or plan legally recorded prior to the adoption of any regulations
controlling subdivisions.
ROADWAY
The portion of a street or alley intended for vehicular use.
SIGHT DISTANCE
The distance of unobstructed view along the center line of
a street from the driver's sight height of four feet to the farthest
visible point four inches above the street surface.
SOIL SURVEY
A report entitled "Soil Survey of Cortland County, New York,"
published by the Soil Conservation Service, United States Department
of Agriculture, and as amended, which is available in the City or
through the Extension Service or Agricultural Agent.
STREET
A strip of land, including the entire ultimate right-of-way
publicly or privately owned, serving primarily as a means of vehicular
and pedestrian travel, furnishing access to abutting properties which
may also be used to provide space for sewers, public utilities, shade
trees and sidewalks.
A.
Local streets shall mean streets used primarily as the principal
means of access to adjacent properties.
B.
Collector streets shall mean streets which collect traffic generated
on local streets and serve a relatively short, convenient and direct
means of access from the various development areas of the City to
secondary road systems.
C.
Secondary streets shall mean streets serving to connect major
streets with each other and also to handle internal movement within
the City.
D.
Major streets shall mean streets or highways serving to connect
through streets or highways with each other and also to handle internal
movement within the City.
STREET LINE
The ultimate right-of-way as defined below.
STRUCTURE
Any manufactured object having an ascertainable stationary
location on or in land or water, whether or not affixed to the land.
SUBDIVISION
The division or redivision of a lot, tract or parcel of land
by any means into two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other divisions
of land, including changes in existing lot lines for the purpose,
whether immediate or future, of lease, transfer of ownership or building
or lot development; provided, however, that the division of land for
agricultural purposes into parcels of more than five acres, not involving
any new street or easement of access, shall be exempted.
SWALE
A low-lying stretch of land designed to gather or carry surface
water runoff.
TOPSOIL
The surface layer of earth which supports plant growth.
ULTIMATE RIGHT-OF-WAY
The expected future right-of-way width computed from the
center line of an established right-of-way, as shown on the Official
Map of the City adopted by the Common Council.