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Village of Ravena, NY
Albany County
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Except where specifically defined herein, all words used in this chapter shall carry their customary meanings. Words used in the present tense include the future, and the plural includes the singular; the word "lot" includes the word "plot" or "parcel"; the word "building" includes the word "structure"; the word "shall" is always mandatory; the word "may" is permissive; the word "used" shall be considered as though followed by the words "intended for, arranged for or designed to be used or occupied."
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ACCESSORY USE
A term applied to a use, building or other structure customary to the principal use but incidental to, subordinate to and located on the same lot as the principal use.
ALTERATION
As applied to a building, any change or rearrangement in the nonstructural parts, or an enlargement of said building or structure.
ALTERATION, STRUCTURAL
As applied to a building, any change in its supporting members, such as bearing walls, columns, beams or girders.
APARTMENT HOUSE
A building arranged, intended or designed to be occupied by three or more families living and cooking independently of each other.
AREA, BUILDING
The total of areas taken on a horizontal plane at the main grade level of the principal building and all accessory buildings, exclusive of uncovered porches, terraces and steps.
AREA, NET SITE
The total area within the property lines, excluding external streets.
ATTIC
That space within a building which is immediately below and wholly or partly enclosed by the roof framing. An "attic" with a finished floor shall be counted as 1/2 story in determining the permissible number of stories.
BASEMENT
A story partly underground but having at least one-half (1/2) of its height above the average level of the adjoining ground. A "basement" shall be counted as a story for the purposes of height measurement if the vertical distance between the ceiling and the average level of the adjoining ground is more than four feet or if used for business or dwelling purposes.
BILLBOARDS
See "sign."
BOARDINGHOUSE
Any dwelling in which at least two rooms, but not more than six rooms, are offered for rent and table board is furnished only to roomers. A rooming house or a furnished rooming house shall be deemed a "boardinghouse."
BUFFER, INDUSTRIAL
Those areas of land set aside to remain in their natural state to separate different types of Zoning districts.
[Amended 5-19-1992 by L.L. No. 1-1992]
BUILDING
Any structure having a roof supported by columns or walls and intended for the shelter, housing or enclosure of persons, animals or chattels.
[Amended 5-19-1992 by L.L. No. 1-1992]
BUILDING, ACCESSORY
See "accessory use."
BUILDING, DETACHED
A building fully surrounded by open space on the same lot.
BUILDING, FRONT LINE OF
The line of that face of the building nearest the front line of the lot. This face includes covered porches, whether enclosed or unenclosed, but does not include steps.
BUILDING HEIGHT
The vertical distance measured from the average elevation of the proposed finished grade at the front of the building to the highest point of the roof for flat roofs, to the deckline of mansard roofs and to the mean height between eaves and ridges for gable, hip and gambrel roofs.
BUILDING, PRINCIPAL
A building in which is conducted the main or principal use of the lot on which said building is situated.
BUILDING, SEMIDETACHED
A building attached by a party wall to another building of the same type on an adjacent lot, but having one side yard.
CAMPSITE
An area of land, privately or publicly owned, used primarily for transient travelers, providing off-street parking and recreational facilities.
CELLAR
A story partly underground and having more than one-half (1/2) of its clear height below the average level of the adjoining ground. A "cellar" shall not be considered in determining the permissible number of stories.
CLUB, MEMBERSHIP
An organization catering exclusively to members and their guests, or premises and buildings for recreational or athletic purposes which are not conducted primarily for gain, provided that there are not conducted any merchandising or commercial activities except as required generally for the membership and purposes of such club.
COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY
Laundries catering to the public and industry, but not having individual coin-operated washing machines.
COURT
An unoccupied open space, other than a yard, on the same lot with a building, which is bounded on two or more sides by the walls of such building.
COURT, INNER
A court enclosed on all sides by exterior walls of a building or by exterior walls and lot lines on which walls are allowable.
COURT, OUTER
A court enclosed on not more than three sides by exterior walls and lot lines on which walls are allowable, with one side or end open to a street, driveway, alley or yard.
COVERAGE
That percentage of the plot or lot area covered by the building area.
CURB LEVEL
The officially established grade of the curb in front of the midpoint of the lot.
DAY CAMPS
An area of land, with or without buildings, designed for formal and informal recreation or education for children and young adults.
DOG KENNEL
A structure used for the harboring of more than three dogs that are more than six months old.
DUMP
A lot or land or part thereof used primarily for the disposal, by abandonment, dumping, burial, burning or any other means and for whatever purpose, of garbage, sewage, trash, refuse, junk, discarded machinery, vehicles or parts thereof or waste material of any kind.
DWELLING
A building designed or used as the living quarters for one or more families. The terms "dwelling," "one-family dwelling," "two-family dwelling" and "dwelling group" shall not be deemed to include automobile court, rooming house or tourist home.
DWELLING, MULTIPLE
A building used or designed as a residence for three or more families living independently of each other and doing their own cooking therein, including apartment houses, apartment hotels, flats and group houses.
DWELLING, ONE-FAMILY
A detached building designed for or occupied exclusively by one family.
DWELLING, ROW OR GROUP
A building consisting of a series of noncommunicating one-family sections having a common wall between each two adjacent sections.
DWELLING, TWO-FAMILY
A building designed for or occupied exclusively by two families living independently of each other.
DWELLING UNIT
A dwelling or portion thereof providing complete living facilities for one family.
FAMILY
One or more persons occupying the premises and living as a single housekeeping unit, as distinguished from a group occupying a boardinghouse, lodging house, club, fraternity or hotel.
FLOOR AREA
A. 
The sum of the gross horizontal areas of the several floors of a building or buildings. Measurements shall be taken from the outer face of exterior walls or from the center line of walls separating two buildings. More specifically, the "floor area" shall include:
(1) 
Basement and cellar space.
(2) 
Floor space for mechanical equipment with structural headroom of seven feet six inches or more.
(3) 
Elevator shafts and stairwells at each floor.
(4) 
Penthouses.
(5) 
Interior balconies and mezzanines.
(6) 
Enclosed porches.
(7) 
Accessory buildings.
B. 
However, the "floor area" of a building shall not include:
(1) 
Accessory off-street parking or unloading spaces.
(2) 
Uncovered steps, exterior fire escapes.
(3) 
Terraces, stairways, open porches, outside balconies.
(4) 
Accessory outside water tanks and cooling towers.
GARAGE, PRIVATE
An enclosed space for the storage of one or more motor vehicles, provided that no business, occupation or service is conducted for profit therein nor space therein for more than one car is rented to a nonresident of the premises.
GARAGE, PUBLIC
Any garage other than a private garage, available to the public, operated for gain and which is used for storage, repair, rental, greasing, washing, servicing, adjusting or equipping of automobiles or other motor vehicles.
GARDEN-TYPE APARTMENTS
A building of not more than two stories designed as a residence for three or more families living independently of each other and doing their own cooking therein, which building is not to exceed 10 family units.
GASOLINE STATION
Any area of land, including structures thereon, that is used for the sale of gasoline or any other motor vehicle fuel and oil and other lubricating substances, including any sale of motor vehicle accessories, and which may or may not include facilities for lubricating, washing or otherwise servicing motor vehicles.
GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY SERVICE FACILITIES
Those buildings and/or grounds needed to service the municipality.
GRADE, ESTABLISHED
The elevation of the center line of the streets as officially established by the Village authorities.
GRADE, FINISHED
The complete surfaces of lawns, walks and roads brought to grades as shown on the official plans or designs relating thereto.
HOME OCCUPATION
An occupation for gain or support conducted only by members of a family residing on the premises, except that one person outside the family may be employed, and conducted entirely within the dwelling, provided that no article or service is sold or offered for sale except such as may be produced by said residents.
HOSPITAL, GENERAL MEDICAL AND SURGICAL ONLY
Institutions for temporary occupation by the sick or injured for the purpose of diagnosis, treatment or other care of physical ailments.
[Amended 5-19-1992 by L.L. No. 1-1992]
HOTEL
A building containing more than six rooms which are rented or hired out to be occupied for sleeping purposes by guests and where a general kitchen and dining room are provided within the building or in an accessory building.
HOUSE TRAILER
Any portable or mobile vehicle used or designed to be used for living purposes.
HOUSE TRAILER STORAGE
The keeping of a trailer on the property of the principal use, but not for the purpose of human occupancy.
JUNKYARD
A lot or structure or part thereof used primarily for the collecting, storage and sale of wastepaper, rags, scrap metal or discarded material, or for the collecting, dismantling, storage and salvaging of machinery or vehicles not in running condition and for the sale of parts thereof.
LAUNDERETTE
A business premises equipped with individual clothes-washing machines for the use of retail customers, exclusive of laundry facilities provided as an accessory use in an apartment house or an apartment hotel.
LINE, STREET
The dividing line between the street and the lot.
LOADING SPACE
The area required for parking delivery trucks, which in this chapter is held to be an area 12 feet wide by 40 feet long and 14 feet in height.
LODGING HOUSE
A building in which not more than six rooms are rented and in which no table board is furnished.
[Amended 5-19-1992 by L.L. No. 1-1992]
LOT, CORNER
A parcel of land at the junction of and fronting on two or more intersecting streets.
LOT, DEPTH OF
A mean horizontal distance between the front and rear lot lines, measured in the general direction of its side lot lines.
LOT, INTERIOR
A lot other than a corner lot.
LOT LINES
Any line dividing one lot from another.
LOT, THROUGH
An interior lot having frontage on two approximately parallel streets.
LOT, WIDTH OF
The mean width measured at right angles to its depth.
MOBILE HOME
A structure, transportable in one or more sections, which, in the traveling mode, is eight body feet or more in width or 40 body feet or more in length, or, when erected on site, is 320 or more square feet and which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air-conditioning and electrical systems contained therein.
[Amended 5-19-1992 by L.L. No. 1-1992]
MOTEL
A building or group of buildings, whether detached or in connected units, used as individual sleeping or dwelling units designed primarily for transient automobile travelers and providing for accessory off-street parking facilities. The term "motel" includes buildings designated as tourist courts, auto courts, motor lodges and by similar appellations.
MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP
A building or portion of a building arranged, intended or designed to be used for making repairs to motor vehicles.
NONCONFORMING BUILDING, LOT OR STRUCTURE
A building, lot or structure, the size, dimensions or location of which was lawful prior to the adoption or amendment of these zoning provisions but which fails to conform to the requirements of the zoning district in which it is located by reason of such adoption or amendment.
[Added 5-19-1992 by L.L. No. 1-1992]
NONCONFORMING USE
A use or activity which was lawful prior to the adoption or amendment of these zoning provisions but which fails to conform to the requirements of the zoning district in which it is located by reason of such adoption or amendment.
[Amended 5-19-1992 by L.L. No. 1-1992]
NURSERY SCHOOL
A school designed to provide daytime care or instruction for two or more children from two to five years of age inclusive and operated on a regular basis.
NURSING OR CONVALESCENT HOME
Any dwelling with less than 15 sleeping rooms where persons are housed or lodged and furnished with meals and nursing care for hire.
OPEN SPACE
An unoccupied space open to the sky on the same lot with the building.
PARKING SPACE
The area required for parking one automobile, which in this chapter is held to be an area 10 feet wide and 20 feet long, not including passageways.
PLANNED DISTRICT
Districts noted as Planned Commercial, Residential and Industrial are special types of districts developed to meet community needs and subject to municipal review through the Planning and Zoning Boards.
PRIVATE CLUB
A building used by any social, fraternal, religious, professional or ethnic organization.
PROFESSIONAL OFFICE
A room, wing or detached building housing the following practices: medicine, dentistry, law, architecture, engineering, real estate.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION BUILDING
Buildings used for access to commercial transportation, primarily by passengers and only secondarily or incidentally for luggage and parcels, such as bus terminals, train stations and airports.
[Amended 5-19-1992 by L.L. No. 1-1992]
PUBLIC UTILITY FACILITIES
Private or public installations for electricity, gas, telephone, water, sewage and storm sewer.
RESIDENTIAL HOTEL
A dwelling occupied by permanent guests only and not by transients. It may include restaurants, newsstands or other accessory services primarily for serving its occupants and only incidentally the public.
RESIDENTIAL RECREATIONAL FACILITIES
Those areas set aside for informal play, e.g., swings, sandboxes, jungle gym, paddling pool and associated seating.
ROADSIDE STAND
A covered or uncovered structure kept in a neat and orderly manner for the sale of farm or home produce actually grown or made on the premises of the resident and set at the roadside of the resident's property.
ROOMING HOUSE
See "boardinghouse."
ROW HOUSE
A building consisting of a series of attached dwelling units having common party walls between units.
SANATORIUM
A private hospital, whether or not such facility is operated for profit.
SEASONAL COTTAGE
A detached building designed for and occupied by one or two families as a second home or on a seasonal basis.
[Amended 5-19-1992 by L.L. No. 1-1992]
SHOPPING CENTER
A group of seven or more retail stores occupying an integral area with its own parking, entrances, exits, storage and service facilities.
SIGN
Any structure or part thereof or any device attached to a structure or painted or represented on a structure, which shall display or include any letter, word, model or device which represents or is in the nature of an announcement, direction or advertisement. A "sign" does not include the flag or insignia of any nation, group of nations, state, city, or other political unit or of any political, educational, charitable, philanthropic, civic, professional, religious or similar campaign, drive, movement or event. However, a "sign" as defined herein shall not include a similar structure or device located within a building.
A. 
BUSINESS SIGNA sign which directs attention to a business or profession conducted or to products sold upon the same lot. A "for sale" or "to let" sign relating to the lot on which it is displayed shall be deemed a "business sign."
B. 
ADVERTISING SIGNA sign which directs attention to a business, commodity, service or entertainment conducted, sold or offered elsewhere than upon the same lot.
C. 
FREESTANDING SIGNA sign which is not attached to a building.
D. 
BILLBOARD SIGNA sign on which illustrated posters or painted-on equivalents are displayed.
E. 
ILLUMINATED SIGNAny sign designed to give forth or reflect any artificial light, such light deriving from any source which is intended to cause such light or reflection.
F. 
FLASHING SIGNAny illuminated sign on which the artificial light is not maintained stationary and constant in intensity and color at all times when in use.
STORY
That portion of a building included between the surface of any floor and the surface of the floor next above it, or if there be no floor above it, then the space between any floor and the ceiling next above it.
STORY, HALF
A story under a gable, hip or gambrel roof, the wall plates of which on at least two opposite exterior walls are not more than two feet above the floor of such story.
STREET
A public or private way which affords the principal means of access to abutting properties.
STREET GRADE
The officially established grade of the street upon which a lot fronts. If there is no officially established grade, the existing grade of the street shall be taken as the "street grade."
STRUCTURE
Anything constructed or erected, the use of which requires location on the ground or attachment to something having location on the ground.
STRUCTURE, UNSAFE
Any structure which, because of disrepair or destruction, total or partial, constitutes a public hazard by reason of the possibility of collapse, broken glass, falling objects or other nuisances.
[Amended 5-19-1992 by L.L. No. 1-1992]
TEMPORARY COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
A. 
Temporary buildings for commercial establishments during urban renewal operations.
B. 
Seasonal facilities (racing, convention and special function summer activities).
THEATER, MOVING-PICTURE
A building or part of a building devoted to the showing of moving pictures on a paid admission basis.
THROUGH LOTS
Interior lots having frontage on two streets other than a corner lot. When such properties are adjacent to a street, both sides shall be considered as front yards.
[Added 3-16-1999 by L.L. No. 1-1999]
TOURIST HOME
A dwelling in which overnight accommodations are provided or offered for transient guests for compensation.
TRAILER PARK
A land area occupied or designed for occupancy by two or more trailers or camp cars in use for permanent living purposes and/or transient occupancy.
USE
The specific purpose for which land or a building is designed, arranged, intended or for which it is or may be occupied or maintained. The term "permitted use" or its equivalent shall not be deemed to include any nonconforming use.
YARD, FRONT
A yard extending fully along the front lot line between the side lot lines.
YARD REAR
A yard extending fully along the rear lot line between the side lot lines.
YARD, REQUIRED
A space open to the sky adjacent to a building and extending along a lot line for a depth or width as specified by the regulations of the district in which the lot is located. No part of any yard on one lot shall be considered as part of a yard similarly required for a building on another lot.
YARD, SIDE
A yard extending fully along the side lot line between the front and rear lot lines.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The definitions of "customary vehicle storage" and "market gardening," which appeared in original Section 210 immediately following this definition, were deleted 5-19-1992 by L.L. No. 1-1992.