Glossary of terms. The following is a list of specific
terms, found elsewhere in this chapter, along with definitions of
their intended meaning:
ADVERSE IMPACTS ON GROUNDWATER
A significant reduction in groundwater levels or changes
in groundwater quality that limit the ability of an existing groundwater
user to withdraw groundwater.
ALLEY
A permanent service way providing a secondary means of access
to abutting lands.
APPLICANT
A landowner, developer or subdivider, as hereinafter defined,
who has filed an application for plan approval, including heirs, successors
and assigns.
BLOCK
A tract of land or a lot or group of lots bounded by streets,
public parks, railroad rights-of-way, watercourses, bodies of water,
boundary lines of the Town, or by any combination of the above.
BUILDING
A structure formed of any combination of materials that is
erected on the ground and permanently affixed thereto, and designed,
intended or arranged for the housing, shelter, enclosure or structural
support of persons, animals or property of any kind.
CENTRAL SEWAGE
A private or public sewage system designed to serve more
than one dwelling unit or building; not including the use of a single
disposal system for two or more dwellings on the same lot. See "on-site
sewage system" for further information.
CENTRAL WATER SUPPLY
A private or public water supply system designed to serve
more than one dwelling unit or building; not including the use of
a single well or disposal system for two dwellings on the same lot.
See "on-site water supply" for further information.
COMMON OPEN SPACE
A parcel or parcels of land or an area of water, or a combination
of land and water, within a subdivision, which parcel or parcels have
been designed and intended for the use or enjoyment of residents of
the development. It does not include streets, off-street parking areas
and areas set aside for utility placement, rights-of-way or similar
public facilities.
CONSERVATION AREAS (SECONDARY)
Viewpoints, stone walls, groves of large trees, rock ledges
and other areas of value to a subdivision or as conservation features,
as shall be determined by the Planning Board and subdivider.
COUNTY
The County of Sullivan, New York.
CUL-DE-SAC
A minor street providing a single access to a group of lots
with a turnabout area at the end of such street.
DEC
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
DEVELOPER
The owner, or authorized agent of the owner, including but
not limited to any individual, partnership or corporation, that undertakes
a subdivision or any of the activities covered by this chapter, particularly
the preparation of a subdivision plan showing the layout of the land
and the public improvements involved therein. The term "developer"
is intended to include the term "subdivider," even though the personnel
involved in successive stages of a project may vary.
DRIVEWAY
A defined private access from an individual lot to a public
or approved private right-of-way.
DWELLING
A building arranged, intended, designed or used as the living
quarters for one or more families living independently of each other
upon the premises. The term "dwelling" shall not be deemed to include
hotel, motel, rooming house or tourist home.
(2)
DWELLING, TWO-FAMILYA building arranged, designed and intended for, and occupied by, two families living independently.
(3)
DWELLING, MULTIFAMILYA building arranged, designed and intended for, and occupied by, three or more families living independently and having no cooking or sanitary facilities in common with any other dwelling unit; including apartment houses, apartment hotels, flats and garden apartments.
EASEMENT
A right-of-way granted, but not dedicated, for limited use
of private land for a public or quasi-public or private purpose, and
within which the lessee or owner of the property shall not erect any
permanent structure, but shall have the right to make any other use
of the land which is not inconsistent with the rights of the grantee.
FRONTAGE
That side of a lot abutting on a street or way and ordinarily
regarded as the front lot, but it shall not be considered as the ordinary
side of a corner lot.
LOT
A tract or parcel of land held in single or joint ownership,
not necessarily shown on a duly recorded map, which is occupied or
capable of being occupied by buildings, structures and accessory buildings,
including such open spaces as are arranged, designed or required.
The term "lot" shall also mean parcel, plot, site or any similar term.
(1)
LOT AREAThe area of land contained within the limits of the property lines bounding that lot. Any portion of a lot included in a street right-of-way shall not be included in calculating lot area.
(2)
LOT IMPROVEMENTA division or redivision of land wherein lot area is shifted from one parcel to another so to improve the shape or dimension of each. See §
300-13 hereof for further clarification.
(3)
LOT WIDTHThe average of the widths of a lot at the building setback line and the rear lot line.
NATURAL SUBDIVISION
Parcels separated by an existing Town, county or state highway
that is maintained year-round.
ON-SITE SEWAGE SYSTEM
An individual sewage system designed to treat sewage by subsurface
means within the boundaries of an individual lot. See "central sewage"
for further information.
ON-SITE WATER SUPPLY
An individual system designed to provide water from a drilled
well or spring within the boundaries of an individual lot. See "central
water supply" for further information.
PARCEL
An area of land resulting from the division of a tract of
land for the purposes of transfer of ownership, use or improvement.
PAVEMENT
Improvement of the traveled portion of a roadway with a hard, solid surface material conforming to the standards of Chapter
A350, Street Specifications, of the Code of the Town.
PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE
It is the intention of the Town to supersede Town Law § 277 and accept only a letter of credit or cash equivalent guaranteeing that the subdivider will install all required or planned improvements in form and substance consistent with §
300-17 of this chapter.
PERSON
Any individual, firm, trust, partnership, public or private
association or corporation, or other entity.
PLAN
A drawing, map, chart, plan or plotting indicating the subdivision
or resubdivision of land, which in its various stages of preparation
can include the following:
(1)
SKETCH PLANA general plan, identified as such with the title "Sketch Plan" on the map, indicating existing site features of a tract and its surroundings and the general layout of the proposed subdivision, to be used as a basis for conceptual consideration by the Town Planning Board, site inspection and determining allowable density.
(2)
PRELIMINARY PLANA complete plan prepared by a licensed professional engineer or surveyor, identified as such with the wording "Preliminary Plan" in the title, accurately showing proposed streets and lot layout and such other information as required by this chapter.
(3)
FINAL PLANA complete and exact plan, identified as such with the wording "Final Plan" in the title, with a licensed professional engineer's or surveyor's seal affixed, and prepared for official recording with modifications as required during the review and approval of the preliminary plan.
SECRETARY
The clerk or secretary designated to accept applications,
plans, fees and correspondence on behalf of the Town Planning Board.
SHOULDER
That portion of a roadway between the outer edge of the traveled
way or pavement and the point of intersection of the slope lines at
the outer edge of the roadway, for the accommodation of stopped vehicles
and for lateral support.
STREET
A highway or road intended primarily for the purposes of
vehicular traffic, including the following:
(1)
STREET, MINORA road, the primary purpose of which is to collect vehicular traffic from individual dwellings or places of business.
(2)
STREET, COLLECTORA road, the primary purpose of which is to collect vehicular traffic from minor streets and deliver it to major streets.
(3)
STREET, MAJORA road, the primary purpose of which is to collect vehicular traffic from collector streets and deliver it to destination points or arterial highways.
SUBDIVISION
The division of any parcel of land into two or more lots, plots, sites or other division of land by any means for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of transfer of ownership or building development, excepting lot improvements and natural subdivisions as defined in §
300-13 hereof.
(1)
MINOR SUBDIVISIONAny subdivision containing not more than four lots fronting on an existing street, not involving the extension of municipal facilities.
(2)
MAJOR SUBDIVISIONany subdivision: i) not classified as a minor subdivision, including but not limited to subdivisions containing more than four lots or any subdivision requiring a new street, street extension, extension of municipal facilities or off-site sewer or water supply; or ii) any subdivision of a parcel of land within three years of final approval of a previous subdivision of all or a portion of the same parcel. Application for a further subdivision of any portion of a minor subdivision within a period of three years from the approval date of the original subdivision shall constitute application for a major subdivision, regardless of ownership of any portion of the minor subdivision.
SURVEYOR
A land surveyor licensed by the state.
TOWN
Town of Bethel, Sullivan County, New York.
TOWN BOARD
Governing council of the Town of Bethel.
TOWN ENGINEER
An engineer licensed as such by the state who may be appointed
or hired on a consulting basis to provide engineering advice to the
Town.
TOWN LAW
The New York State Town Law that governs the operation of
all towns within the state.
WATERCOURSE
A discernible, definable natural course or channel along
which water is conveyed ultimately to streams and/or rivers at lower
elevations, including intermittent streams but excepting drainage
ditches, swales or diversion terraces.
WETLANDS
Wetlands as mapped by the DEC, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer
or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including surface water.