Township of Washington, NJ Title; Definitions

Word usage.

The term "shall" indicates a mandatory requirement, and the term "may" indicates a permissive act.

Words used in the present tense include the future; the singular number includes the plural, and the plural, the singular; the word "lot" includes the word "plot"; the word "building" includes the word "structure"; the word "occupied" includes the words "designed or intended to be occupied"; the word "used" includes the words "arranged, designed or intended to be used."

Certain words and phrases used in this chapter are defined for the purposes hereof as follows:

AVERAGE GROUND ELEVATION

That elevation obtained by averaging the existing ground elevation adjacent to the building at points 10 feet apart, around the perimeter of the foundation. In the case of development applications under the purview of the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment, the average ground elevation shall be obtained by averaging the proposed finished grade adjacent to the building at points 10 feet apart, around the perimeter of the foundation.

[Added 2-11-2002 by Ord. No. 02-2]

BUILDING

A combination of materials to form a construction adapted to permanent, temporary or continuous occupancy and having a roof.

BUILDING AREA

The area included within surrounding exterior walls (or exterior walls and fire walls) exclusive of vent shafts and courts. Areas of the building not provided with surrounding walls shall be included in the "building area" if included within the horizontal projection of the roof or floor above.

[Added 12-1-1980 by Ord. No. 80-24]

COMMON OPEN SPACE

An open space area within or related to a site designated as a development and designed and intended for the use or enjoyment of residents and owners of the development. "Common open space" may contain such complementary structures and improvements as are necessary and appropriate for the use or enjoyment of residents and owners of the development.

CORNER LOT

Any lot at the junction of and fronting on two or more intersecting streets, with an area and a frontage conforming to the requirements prescribed for the respective zones hereinafter created.

DEPTH OF LOT

The mean distance between its mean front street line and its mean rear line. The greater frontage of a corner lot is its depth, and its lesser frontage is its width.

DRIVE-IN RESTAURANT

An establishment where food and/or beverages are sold for consumption in motor vehicles parked upon the premises.

[Added 6-2-1986 by Ord. No. 86-7]

FAMILY

Any number of individuals living together as a single housekeeping unit and using certain rooms and housekeeping facilities in common.

(1)

Any number of persons living together as part of a religious order whose presence is necessary as a result of a house of worship, school or similar religious institution located immediately on or adjacent to the place of residence of said group shall also be deemed to constitute a "family."

(2)

Foster children placed with any family in a single-family dwelling by the Division of Youth and Family Services or a duly incorporated child-care agency, or children placed pursuant to law with families in single-family homes known as "group homes," shall also be deemed to constitute a "family."

(3)

The taking in of lodgers, boarders or roomers in all or part of the premises or the taking in of a subtenant of a portion of the premises shall not be deemed to constitute a "family" and is prohibited.

FARM

A plot of ground exceeding one acre in area, devoted exclusively to agricultural purposes. Said area of one acre shall be exclusive of any area occupied by dwellings or accessory buildings to such dwellings.

FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT

An establishment designed for over-the-counter service which serves primarily a limited, standardized menu of quickly prepared or pre-prepared foods, such as hamburgers, fried chicken, fried fish, etc., packaged in paper or other types of disposable wrappers and containers, for immediate service to consumers primarily for immediate consumption, whether or not interior facilities are provided.

[Added 6-2-1986 by Ord. No. 86-7]

FRONT YARD

An open, unoccupied space within and extending the width of the lot and lying between the street line and the nearest point of the foundation of the building on the lot. No portion of the "front yard" shall be less in width than the required street frontage for the particular zone in which the lot is located.

[Amended 2-1-1988 by Ord. No. 88-2]

HEIGHT OF BUILDING

The vertical distance between the average ground elevation around the foundation of the building and the highest point of the building. For purposes hereof, "ground elevation" shall mean the elevation of the property in its undeveloped state or existing condition, if previously developed; or if a new elevation has been approved by the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment, in connection with an application for development such new elevation.

[Amended 2-11-2002 by Ord. No. 02-2]

INTERIOR LOT

Any lot other than a corner lot.

LOT

A designated parcel, tract or area of land established by a plat or otherwise as permitted by law and to be used, developed or built upon as a unit.

NONCONFORMING LOT

A lot, the area, dimension or location of which was lawful prior to the adoption, revision or amendment of a zoning ordinance, but fails to conform to the requirements of the zoning district in which it is located by reason of such adoption, revision or amendment.

[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]

NONCONFORMING STRUCTURE

A structure, the size, dimension or location of which was lawful prior to the adoption, revision or amendment of a zoning ordinance, but which fails to conform to the requirements of the zoning district in which it is located by reasons of such adoption, revision or amendment.

[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]

NONCONFORMING USE

A use or activity which was lawful prior to the adoption, revision or amendment of a zoning ordinance, but which fails to conform to the requirements of the zoning district in which it is located by reasons of such adoption, revision or amendment.

[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]

OPEN PORCH

A roofed piazza or porch or porte cochere which projects beyond the main wall of a building into a required yard.

OPEN SPACE

Any parcel or area of land or water essentially unimproved and set aside, dedicated, designed or reserved for public or private use or enjoyment or for the use or enjoyment of owners and occupants of land adjoining or neighboring such open space; provided that such areas may be improved with only those buildings, structures, streets and off-street parking and other improvements that are designed to be incidental to the natural openness of the land.

PLACES OF WORSHIP

A building, or group of buildings, that are intended and specifically designed for the conducting of organized religious services or prayer by persons of similar beliefs. Places of worship may include accessory uses that are customarily associated with such uses, including a clergy residence and facilities for education, social events, and meetings, which are for the use or benefit of the members of the religious congregation.

[Added 6-20-2022 by Ord. No. 22-11]

PRINCIPAL BUILDING

A building in which there is or may be conducted the main or principal use of the lot on which the building is situated, including individual condominium units.

[Added 11-1-2011 by Ord. No. 11-15]

PRIVATE GARAGE

A garage in which no business, service or industry connected with motor vehicles is carried on.

PUBLIC AREAS

Includes public parks, playgrounds, trails, paths and other recreational areas; other public open spaces; scenic and historic sites; and sites for schools and other public buildings and structures.

PUBLIC OPEN SPACE

An open space area conveyed or otherwise dedicated to a municipality, municipal agency, board of education, state or county agency or other public body for recreational or conservational uses.

REAR YARD

An open, unoccupied space within and extending the full width of the lot between the rear walls of the main building and the rear line of the lot.

RESIDENTIAL DENSITY

The number of dwelling units per gross acre of residential land area, including streets, easements and open space portions of a development.

SIDE YARD

An open, unoccupied space within the lot between a side lot line and the parts of the building nearest thereto. Such side yard shall extend through from the street line or the front yard to the rear yard or another street.

SNACK BAR

An establishment commonly called a "snack bar," "dairy bar," "hamburger stand," "hot dog stand," or "fast-food establishment," where customers are served food and/or beverages for immediate consumption outside the confines of the building or structure in which the business is conducted or for consumption in motor vehicles parked upon the premises, whether said food and/or beverages are brought to the motor vehicle by a consumer or a person employed by management. This shall not include refreshment stands at parks, clubs, athletic fields or other similar recreational areas or the temporary operation of refreshment stands at properly licensed fairs, bazaars and other similar functions.

[Added 6-2-1986 by Ord. No. 86-7]

STORY

That portion of a building between a floor and the floor next above. A story which extends less than four feet above the ground surface at the building wall shall not be counted in determining the number of stories.

STREET

Any street, avenue, boulevard, road, parkway, viaduct, drive or other way which is an existing state, county or municipal roadway, or which is shown upon a plat heretofore approved pursuant to law, or which is approved by official action as provided by law, or which is shown on a plat duty filed and recorded in the office of the county recording officer prior to the appointment of a Planning Board and the grant to such Board of the power to review plats; and includes the land between the street lines, whether improved or unimproved, and may comprise pavement, shoulders, gutters, curbs, sidewalks, parking areas and other areas within the street lines.

STRUCTURE

A combination of materials to form a construction for occupancy, use or ornamentation, whether installed on, above or below the surface of a parcel of land.

TOWNHOUSE

A building or structure designed for or occupied by no more than one family and attached to other similar buildings or structures by not more than two party walls extending from the foundation to the roof and providing two direct means of access from the outside; provided, further, that said townhouse unit shall be designed so that no portion of any unit is oriented horizontally over any other unit and each such unit shall be serviced and equipped with independent cooking, sleeping, heating and sanitary facilities; in addition, for the purposes of this chapter, a "townhouse" may be part of a townhouse development wherein individual unit owners own a portion of the building and land or it may be held in condominium ownership or cooperative ownership.

WIDTH OF LOT

Its mean width measured at right angles to its mean depth.