It is not intended that this glossary include only words used or referred to in this chapter. The words are included in order to facilitate the interpretation of this chapter for administrative purposes and in carrying out the duties by appropriate officers.
A. 
As used in this chapter, words in the singular include the plural, and those in the plural include the singular. Words in the present tense include the future tense; words used in the masculine gender include the feminine and neuter. The word "person" includes "individual," "corporation," "unincorporated association" and "partnership." The word "structure" includes the meaning of "building," and each shall be construed as if followed by the phrase "or part thereof."
B. 
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ACCELERATED EROSION
The removal of the surface of the land through the combined action of man's activities and natural processes at a rate greater than would occur from natural processes alone.
APPLICANT
A landowner or developer, as hereinafter defined, who has filed an application for development, including his heirs, successors, and assigns.
APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT
Every application, whether preliminary, tentative or final, required to be filed and approved prior to the start of construction or development, including but not limited to an application for a building permit, for the approval of a subdivision plan, for the approval of a development plan.
BLOCK
A tract of land bounded entirely by streets; by streets and a watercourse; by streets and a railroad; by streets and the corporate boundaries of the City; by streets and public land or other park or recreation area; or any combination of the above.
BUFFER AREA
A strip of land, a mound or berm planted and maintained in shrubs, bushes, trees, grass or other ground cover material and within which no structure or building shall be authorized except a wall or fence which meets City requirements as contained in the Zoning Ordinance.[1]
BUILDING
Any structure for which a building permit is required by the City of Pittston Building Code,[2] i.e., any combination of materials forming any structure which is erected on the ground and permanently affixed thereto, designed, intended, or arranged for the housing, sheltering, enclosure, or structural support of persons, animals or property of any kind.
BUILDING SETBACK LINE
An established line within a property defining the minimum required distance between any building to be erected and the adjacent right-of-way line of the street on which it fronts, to provide the front yard specified by the City of Pittston Zoning Ordinance.[3]
CARTWAY
The portion of a street right-of-way, paved or unpaved, customarily used by vehicles in the regular course of travel over the street.
CLEAR SIGHT TRIANGLE
An area of unobstructed vision at street intersections defined by lines of sight between points at a given distance from the intersection of the street center lines.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
The long-range Comprehensive Plan for the City, prepared in accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.[4]
CONDOMINIUM
A form of ownership of real property, as defined in the Pennsylvania Uniform Condominium Act of 1980,[5] which includes an undivided interest in a portion of a parcel, together with a separate interest in a space within a structure.
DENSITY
A measure of the intensity of use of a parcel of land. It shall be expressed in dwelling units per acre. The measure is arrived at by dividing the number of dwelling units by the net site acres. The term "net density" shall mean the maximum number of permitted dwelling units of a single type or a combination of dwelling unit types, where permitted, for any net site area.
DETENTION BASIN
A structure designed to retard surface water runoff for a period of time sufficient to cause the deposition of sediment and to reduce the velocity and volume of surface flows leaving a site, thus preventing further erosion.
DEVELOPER
Any landowner, agent of such landowner, or tenant with the permission of such landowner, who makes or causes to be made a subdivision of land or a land development.
DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT
A written contract between a subdivider or developer and the landowner on one hand and the City on the other, specifying the conditions of final approval by the City.
DRAINAGE
See "storm drainage facility," "swale" and "watercourse."
DRIVEWAY
A private means of vehicle access from a public or private street to a single lot; provided, however, that two contiguous lots may share a common driveway where the applicable requirements of this chapter and the City Zoning Ordinance[6] are complied with on each lot.
EARTHMOVING ACTIVITY
Activity resulting in the movement of earth or stripping of vegetative cover from the earth.
EASEMENT
A permanent right granted for limited use of private land, normally for a public purpose. The owner of the property shall have the right to make any other use of the land which is not inconsistent with the rights of the grantee (e.g., utility, drainage, and public access easements).
ENGINEER
A professional engineer, licensed and registered as such by standards established by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
FILL
Any act by which earth, sand, gravel, rock or any other material is placed, pushed, dumped, pulled, transported, or moved to a new location above the natural surface of the ground or on top of the stripped surface, including the conditions resulting therefrom; the difference in elevation between a point on the original ground and a designated point of higher elevation on the final grade; or the material used to make a fill.
GUARANTEE, MAINTENANCE
Any security that may be required of a developer by the City after final acceptance by the City for improvements installed by the developer. Such security may include, but is not limited to, a federal or commonwealth lending institution irrevocable letter of credit or restrictive or escrow account.
GUARANTEE, PERFORMANCE
Any security that may be required of a developer by the City in lieu of a requirement that certain improvements be made before the City approves the developer's subdivision plan or land development plan. Such security may include, but is not limited to, those instruments cited above as acceptable for maintenance guarantees.
IMPERVIOUS SURFACE
Material which is impenetrable and unable to absorb water, including but not limited to buildings, structures, and paved areas (driveways, parking lots, etc.).
IMPROVEMENTS
Building, for public or quasi-public use, streets, curbs, gutters, streetlights, and signs, water mains, hydrants, sanitary sewer mains, including laterals to the street right-of-way line, storm drainage lines, stormwater management structures, walkways, recreational facilities, open space improvements, shade trees, buffer or screen plantings, and all other additions to the tract that are required by ordinance or necessary to result in a complete subdivision or land development in the fullest sense of the term.
IMPROVEMENTS, PUBLIC
Improvements, including but not limited to those contained in the definition of "improvements," that are intended for dedication to the City, either in fee or by easement.
LAND DEVELOPMENT
Any of the following activities:
(1) 
The improvement of one lot or two or more contiguous lots, tracts, or parcels of land for any purpose involving:
(a) 
A group of two or more residential or nonresidential buildings, whether proposed initially or cumulatively, or a single nonresidential building on a lot or lots regardless of the number of occupants or tenure; or
(b) 
The division or allocation of land or space, whether initially or cumulatively, between or among two or more existing or perspective occupants by means of, or for the purpose of, streets, common areas, leaseholds, condominiums, building groups or other features.
(2) 
A subdivision of land.
(3) 
Development in accordance with Section 503(1.1) of the Municipalities Planning Code.[7]
LAND DISTURBANCE
Any activity which causes land to be exposed to the danger of erosion, including clearing, grading, filling, plowing, or any other earthmoving, as defined.
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 if he is authorized under the lease to exercise the rights of the landowner, or other person having a proprietary interest in land.
LANE, ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION
A lane of a cartway intended for use by vehicles entering, leaving, or crossing a lane of forward travel without interrupting the flow of traffic.
MONUMENT
A tapered, permanent survey reference point of stone or concrete having a round top four inches on each side with a length of 24 inches.
PLAN
(1) 
AS-BUILTA corrected final plan, showing dimensions and location of all streets and other improvements as actually constructed.
(2) 
FINALAn exact and complete site design and layout plan and improvements construction plan prepared by a registered engineer, to be recorded upon approval.
(3) 
IMPROVEMENTS CONSTRUCTIONA component of the preliminary and final plan, prepared by a registered engineer, showing the construction details of streets, drains, sewers, water supply systems, bridges, culverts, and other improvements as required, including a horizontal plan, profiles, and cross sections.
(4) 
PRELIMINARYA site design and layout plan and improvements construction plan prepared by a registered engineer, in less detail than a final plan and prepared for consideration prior to submission of a final plan.
(5) 
RECORDEDA final plan, with accompanying documents as required by this chapter, which has been recorded by the applicant in the office of the Recorder of Deeds of the County of Luzerne.
(6) 
SITE DESIGN AND LAYOUTA component of the preliminary and final plan, prepared by a registered engineer, showing property lines, existing and proposed streets, lots, buildings, public areas, drainage facilities, easements, and other details pertinent to the proposal.
(7) 
SKETCHA plan submitted for review and discussion prior to application for preliminary plan approval, including whatever information the applicant deems useful; for example, a graphic plan, not necessarily to scale, showing approximate tract boundaries and a general layout of lots, buildings, and streets.
PLANNING COMMISSION
The Planning Commission of the City of Pittston.
PLAN OF RECORD
The copy of the final plan which contains the required original endorsements and which is recorded with the County of Luzerne Recorder of Deeds.
RESUBDIVISION
A change in map of an approved or recorded subdivision plat, if such change affects any street layout on such map or area reserved thereon for public use, or any lot line, or if it affects any map or plan legally recorded prior to the adoption of any regulations controlling subdivisions.
RETENTION BASIN
A reservoir, formed from soil or other material, which is designed to detain temporarily a certain amount of stormwater from a catchment area and which also may be designed to permanently retain additional stormwater runoff from the catchment area. Retention basins also may receive fresh water from year-round streams. Unlike detention basins, retention basins always contain water, and thus may be considered man-made lakes or ponds.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
The total width of any land reserved or dedicated as a street, alley, or crosswalk, or for any other public or private purpose.
SEDIMENT
Solid material, both mineral and organic, that is in suspension, is being transported, or has been moved from its site of origin by water.
SEWAGE FACILITIES
(1) 
INDIVIDUAL SYSTEMThe disposal of sewage by use of cesspools, septic tanks, or other safe and healthful means, approved by the City of Pittston Enforcement Officer, and generally within the confines of the lot on which the use is located.
(2) 
COMMUNITY SYSTEMA sanitary sewage system, privately built and operated, in which sewage is carried from individual dischargers by a system of pipes to one or more common treatment and disposal facilities. Treatment and disposal may occur either on site or off site and shall be approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
(3) 
PUBLIC SYSTEMA system for the treatment and disposal of sewage in which sewage is conveyed by a system of pipes to an off-site, publicly operated treatment facility and disposed of through means approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
SHALLOW BEDROCK
Areas where existing public records or field surveys indicate bedrock at depths of four feet or less below natural grade.
SITE AREA
All land area within the site as defined in the deed or deeds. Actual area shall be from a survey rather than from a deed description. "Site area" shall not include any previously dedicated public right-of-way.
SITE PLAN
A plan meeting the requirements of this chapter for land developments or as required by the City of Pittston Zoning Ordinance.[8]
SLOPE
The face of an embankment, fill or cut section or any ground whose surface makes an angle with the plane of the horizon. "Slope" is expressed as a percentage, based upon the vertical difference in feet per 100 feet of horizontal distance.
STEEP SLOPES
Areas where the average slope exceeds 15% and which, because of this slope, are subject to high rates of stormwater runoff and, therefore, erosion.
STORM DRAINAGE FACILITY
Any ditch, gutter, pipe, culvert, swale, storm sewer or other structure designed, intended or constructed for the purpose of diverting surface waters from or carrying surface waters off streets, public rights-of-way, parks, recreational areas or any part of any subdivision, land area or contiguous land areas.
STORMWATER
Water that surfaces, flows, or collects during and subsequent to rain or snowfall.
STREET
A right-of-way intended for general public use to provide means of approach for vehicles and pedestrians. The word "street" includes avenue, boulevard, road, highway, freeway, parkway, lane, alley, viaduct and any other ways used or intended to be used by vehicular traffic or pedestrians, whether public or private.
(1) 
ARTERIALA street serving a large volume of comparatively high-speed and long-distance traffic, including all roads classified as main and secondary highways by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
(a) 
PRINCIPALAn arterial serving the heaviest volumes of traffic in the City, providing the highest degree of vehicular mobility, and involving controls on access.
(b) 
MINORAn arterial serving high volumes of traffic, providing a high degree of mobility, and involving some controls on access.
(2) 
COLLECTORA street designed and located to provide means to drain traffic off local streets and to provide access for through traffic between residential neighborhoods and districts within the City to major streets and/or a street used for access to nonresidential properties, i.e., commercial, industrial, professional, etc.
(a) 
MAJORA collector serving moderate levels of traffic within the City, providing a mix of access and mobility, and linking neighborhoods.
(b) 
MINORA collector serving lower amounts of traffic, providing relatively more access than mobility, and serving as a major road through identifiable neighborhoods.
(3) 
CUL-DE-SAC STREETA local street intersecting another street at one end and terminating at the other end by a permanent vehicular turnaround.
(4) 
LOCAL STREETA street intended to serve and provide access to the properties abutting thereon and not connecting with other streets in such a manner as to encourage through traffic.
(5) 
PRIVATE STREETA local street, serving only abutting lots, that is not offered or required to be offered for dedication.
(6) 
SERVICE STREET (ALLEY)A minor right-of-way providing secondary vehicular access to the side or rear of two or more properties.
(7) 
SINGLE-ACCESS STREETA local street, including but not limited to a cul-de-sac or loop design, which has only one point of intersection with an existing City or state road or with a proposed road having more than one access point.
STRUCTURE
Any man-made object having an ascertainable stationary location on land or water, whether or not affixed to the land.
SUBDIVIDER
Any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, estate, trust, or any other group or combination acting as a unit (or agent authorized thereby) which undertakes the subdivision or development of land.
SUBDIVISION
(1) 
MAJOR SUBDIVISIONA division or redivision of a lot, tract or parcel of land by any means into two or more lots, tracts or parcels, or other division 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 subdivision by lease of land for agricultural purposes into parcels of more than 10 acres not involving any new street or easement of access or residential dwellings shall be exempted.
(2) 
MINOR SUBDIVISIONA subdivision or land development where the following conditions apply:
(a) 
There are no new streets in the development;
(b) 
The development does not require additional placement of any utilities, including but not limited to electric, gas, water, fire hydrants or other utilities; and
(c) 
No other public improvements are necessary for the subdivision.
SUBDIVISION OFFICER
That official of the City designated to administer the provisions of this chapter.
SURVEYOR
A registered surveyor licensed in Pennsylvania.
WATERCOURSE
A permanent stream, intermittent stream, river, brook, creek or channel or a channel or ditch for water, whether natural or man-made.
WATER SUPPLY
(1) 
INDIVIDUAL SYSTEMA safe, healthful, and adequate supply of water to a single user from a private well located on the land of the user.
(2) 
CENTRAL WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMA system for supplying water from a common source or sources to all dwellings and other buildings within a development. The water supply source may be to all dwellings and other buildings within a development. The water supply source may be located on site and/or off site. A central system can be further described as either of the following:
(a) 
PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMA system which is owned by a municipality, a public company, or a private company which serves more than a single community or subdivision and may be interconnected with other water supply systems.
(b) 
COMMUNITY WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMA system which is owned by a municipality, a public company, or a private company and which serves a single community or subdivision and is not interconnected with any other water supply system.
WAY or LANE
A deeded or dedicated public or private right-of-way sometimes used as a secondary vehicular access to land or a lot.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 480, Zoning.
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 191, Construction Codes, Uniform.
[3]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 480, Zoning.
[4]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
[5]
Editor's Note: See 68 Pa.C.S.A. § 3101 et seq.
[6]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 480, Zoning.
[7]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10503(1.1).
[8]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 480, Zoning.