Definitions. Unless otherwise stated, the following terms shall, for the purposes of §
100-24, have the meanings herein indicated:
ALLEYA vehicular way located to the rear of lots providing access to service areas and parking for commercial uses and which may contain underground utility easements.
BACK BUILDINGA single-story accessory building, located towards the rear of the same lot as a principal building. It is sometimes connected to the principal building by a connecting building. Back buildings shall not exceed 600 square feet of habitable space, excluding parking areas. See Figure 24-11.
BUILD-TO LINEA line extending through a lot which is generally parallel to the street curb and marks the location from which the principal vertical plane of the front building facade, exclusive of porches, bay windows, and similar appurtenances, must be erected. Intended to create an even building facade line on a street, which enhances the street as a public space. Lots that front on more than one street shall have a build-to line along each of the streets on which the lot fronts. The build-to line is established on the final site plan and subdivision plat, if any.
CONNECTING BUILDINGA single-story accessory building connecting a principal building to a back building. See Figure 24-11.
FACADEThe exterior wall of a building that is set along a frontage line.
FRONTAGE LINEThose lot lines that coincide with a roadside. Facades along frontage lines define the public realm.
GARAGEA type of back building.
GREENAn open space available for unstructured recreation. A green may be spatially defined by landscaping rather than building frontages. Its landscaping shall consist of lawn and trees, naturally disposed. The minimum size shall be 1/4 acre and the maximum shall be six acres. See Figure 24-3.
LANEA vehicular driveway located to the rear of lots providing access to parking and back buildings on residential lots and which may contain underground utility easements. See Figure 24-9.
LAYERA portion of a lot within which certain elements are permitted. See Figure 24-14.
LODGINGPremises available for daily and weekly renting of bedrooms, but excluding boardinghouses or rooming houses. The area allocated for food service shall be calculated and provided with parking according to retail use.
LOT WIDTHThe length of the principal frontage line of a lot.
PARKA natural preserve available for unstructured recreation. A park may be independent of surrounding building frontages. Its landscaping shall consist of paths and trails, meadows, woodland and open shelters, all naturalistically disposed. Parks may be linear, following the trajectories of natural corridors. The minimum lot size shall be 15 acres.
PEDESTRIAN PASSAGEA pedestrian connector passing between buildings, providing shortcuts through long blocks and connecting rear parking areas to building frontages. Passages should connect directly with the sidewalk network. Passages may be roofed over.
PLAYGROUNDAn open space designed and equipped for the recreation of children. A playground shall be fenced and may include an open shelter. Playgrounds shall be interspersed within residential areas and may be placed within a block. Playgrounds may be included with greens and squares. There shall be no minimum size, and the maximum shall be one acre. See Figure 24-5.
PRINCIPAL BUILDINGThe main building on a lot, usually located toward the frontage. See Figure 24-11.
PRIVATE FRONTAGEThe privately held layer between the frontage line and the principal building facade. The structures and landscaping within the private frontage may be held to specific standards. The variables of private frontage are the depth of the setback and the combination of architectural elements such as fences, stoops and porches. See Figure 24-6.
REAR-YARD BUILDINGA building that occupies the full frontage line, leaving the rear of the lot as the sole yard. The continuous facade spatially defines the public realm of the street. For its residential function, this type yields a townhouse. For its commercial function, the rear yard can accommodate substantial parking. See Figure 24-10.
ROADSIDEThe public or commonly owned right-of-way adjacent to a street from the edge of the curb or pavement to the front property line of adjoining parcels, where sidewalks, tree lawns, street trees, streetlights, and curbing are located. Also known as the "public frontage."
SETBACKThe area of a lot measured from the lot line to a building facade or elevation. This area must be maintained clear of permanent structures with the exception of galleries, fences, garden walls, arcades, porches and stoops no more than six feet deep, balconies, bay windows, patios and decks (that align with the first-story level), which are permitted to encroach into the setback.
SIDE-YARD BUILDINGA building that occupies one side of the lot with a setback to the other side. See Figure 24-10.
SQUAREAn open space area available for unstructured recreation and civic purposes. A square is spatially defined by building frontages and serves as a central focus for surrounding properties. Its landscape shall consist of paths, lawns and trees, formally disposed. Squares should be located at the intersection of important thoroughfares. The minimum size shall be 1/4 acre and the maximum shall be two acres. See Figure 24-4.
STORYA habitable level within a building. Basements that emerge less than two feet from finished grade, or attics not exceeding four feet at the knee wall, are not considered stories for the purposes of determining permitted stories.
STREETSCAPEThe urban element that establishes the major part of the public realm. The streetscape is defined by elements such as neighboring buildings, pavement width, sidewalks, trees, lighting, signs, benches and other "furniture."
STREETSCREENAn opaque, freestanding wall built along the frontage line, or coplanar with the facade, often for the purpose of masking a parking lot from the street. Streetscreens should be between 3 1/2 feet and six feet in height and constructed of a material matching the adjacent building facade. The streetscreen may be a hedge or fence by waiver. Streetscreens shall have openings no larger than is necessary to allow automobile and pedestrian access. In addition, all streetscreens over four feet high should be thirty-percent permeable or articulated to avoid blank walls.
TREE LAWNThe area between the sidewalk and the street curb that accommodates street trees and streetlights and which, in conjunction with cars parked along the road, serves to protect pedestrians on the sidewalk from vehicular traffic. Tree lawns should be a minimum of four feet in width.