Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following terms shall have the meaning indicated below.
A. 
Words and phrases used in the singular include the plural, and words and phrases used in the plural include the singular.
B. 
Gender specific pronouns or references shall refer to all genders.
C. 
The word "person" indicates any person or any corporation, unincorporated association, partnership, estate, or other legal entity.
D. 
The word "lot" includes the word "plot" or "parcel."
E. 
The word "structure" includes "building" and the use of either word shall be construed as if followed by the phrase "or a part thereof."
F. 
The word "may" is permissive; the words "shall" and "will" are mandatory.
G. 
Periods of time stated as a number of days refer to consecutive calendar days, unless specified as "working days."
H. 
Words in the present tense include the future tense.
Other terms or words used in this chapter are defined as follows:
ACCESS DRIVE
See "street."
ACCESSORY BUILDING
See "building, accessory."
ADT
Average daily traffic volume.
ALCOSAN
The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority.
ALLEY (SERVICE STREET)
See "street."
APPLICANT
A developer and/or landowner, as hereinafter defined, including heirs, successors, and assigns, who has filed an application for subdivision and/or land development.
APPLICATION
Every application, whether preliminary or final, required to be filed and approved prior to start of construction or development for the approval of a subdivision plat or plan, or for the approval of a development plan.
ARCHITECT
An architect, registered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. See "registered professional."
ARTERIAL STREET
See "street."
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE (BMP)
Methods, measures or practices and facilities to prevent or reduce surface runoff and/or water pollution, including, but not limited to, structural and nonstructural stormwater management practices and facilities and operation and maintenance procedures.
BIKEWAY
Either of the following:
A. 
Bicycle lane. A lane at the edge of a street cartway or shoulder reserved and marked for the exclusive use of bicycles.
B. 
Bicycle path. A pathway, separated from the street cartway or shoulder, designed for the use of bicycles.
BLOCK
A unit of land containing one or more lots, bounded by existing or proposed streets, waterways, railroads, public lands, or other barriers to contiguous development.
BUFFER YARD
A portion of a site, together with any structures or plantings, intended to provide a visual barrier or other protection between adjacent parcels of land.
BUILDING
Any enclosed or open structure having a roof supported by columns, piers, or walls.
A. 
BUILDING, ACCESSORYA detached, subordinate building, the use of which is customarily incidental and subordinate to that of the principal building and located on the same lot as the principal building. Farm buildings not intended for habitation are considered to be accessory buildings.
B. 
BUILDING, PRINCIPALA building in which the primary use of the lot on which the building is located is carried on.
BUILDING SETBACK LINE
A line within a lot, parallel to the street line, designated on a plan as the minimum required distance between a building and the street center line or right-of-way line as specified by Chapter 359, Zoning.
CAPACITY
When used in reference to a street, the maximum traffic volume for which such street can provide adequate service.
CARTWAY
The portion of a street, drive, or alley that is available for vehicular traffic.
CLEAR SIGHT TRIANGLE
An area of unobstructed vision at a street intersection defined by lines of sight between specified points on the center lines of the intersecting streets.
COLLECTOR STREET
See "street."
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
A document consisting of maps, charts, and text, prepared in accordance with the MPC and adopted by a municipality and/or county as a guide for future development.
CONDOMINIUM
A form of real property ownership which combines a system of separate ownership of individual units of occupancy with a system of undivided interests in land and common facilities.
CRITICAL ROOT ZONE
A circular area measured from the trunk of a tree, in which roots critical to the survival of the tree shall be protected. The critical root zone shall be equal to the tree's dripline plus one foot.
CROWN
The part of the tree that consists of branches, stems, and leaves.
CUL-DE-SAC
See "street."
DBH
The diameter of a tree trunk at breast height, measured at 4.5 feet above natural grade.
DEDICATION
The deliberate appropriation of land by its owner for general public use.
DEED
A written instrument whereby an estate in real property is conveyed.
DEED RESTRICTION
A restriction upon property placed in a deed.
DEP
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
DETENTION FACILITY
A man-made or natural facility designed to collect surface water in order to impede its flow and to release it gradually in conformance with an adopted watershed or stormwater management plan.
DEVELOPER
Any landowner, agent of such landowner, or tenant with the permission of the landowner, who makes or causes to be made a subdivision of land or a land development.
DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The provisions for development of a planned residential development, a plat of subdivision or land development including all covenants relating to use, location and bulk of buildings and other structures, intensity of use or density of development, streets, ways and parking facilities, common open space and public facilities. The phrase "provisions of the development plan" when used in this chapter shall mean the written and graphic materials referred to in this definition.
DRAINAGE EASEMENT
The land required for the installation of storm sewers or other drainage facilities, or along the floodway of a natural stream or watercourse, or to safeguard the public against flood damage.
DRIVEWAY
A private drive providing access between a public or private street or access drive and the parking area for a single residential dwelling unit. A shared driveway is a private drive serving two residential dwelling units.
EARTH DISTURBANCE ACTIVITY
A construction or other human activity which disturbs the surface of the land, including, but not limited to, clearing and grubbing; grading; excavations; embankments; road maintenance; building construction; the moving, depositing, stockpiling, or storing of soil, rock or earth materials.
EASEMENT
Authorization by a property owner for the use by another, and for a specific purpose, of any designated part of his property.
ENGINEER
A professional engineer registered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. See "registered professional."
EROSION
The detachment and movement of soil or rock fragments, or the wearing away of the surface of the land by wind, water, ice, or gravity.
FINAL PLAN
The plan of a proposed subdivision or land development including all supplemental information required by this chapter to obtain final approval and in a form acceptable for recording in the Allegheny County Department of Real Estate.
FINANCIAL SECURITY
Any financial security which may be accepted in lieu of certain improvements being made prior to approval and recording of a final plan, pursuant to the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.[1]
FLOODPLAIN
A relatively flat or low land area which is subject to inundation from the rapid accumulation of surface waters; including Floodway Districts, Flood-Fringe Districts, and General Floodplain Districts.
FLOODPROOFING
Any combination of structural and nonstructural additions, changes, or adjustments to structures which reduce or eliminate flood damage to real estate or improved real property, water and sanitary facilities, structures and their contents.
FLOODWAY
The channel of a watercourse and portions of the adjoining floodplain which are reasonably required to carry and discharge the one-hundred-year-frequency flood. The boundary of the floodway shall be as delineated on maps and studies prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In areas where no FEMA maps and studies have defined the floodway, the assumed floodway boundary shall be 50 feet, as measured from the top of the bank of the stream.
GRADE, LAND
The average level of the finished surface of the ground adjacent to the exterior walls of a building.
GRADING PLAN
A plan, showing excavation or fill, or any combination thereof, including the conditions resulting from any excavation or fill, to be prepared and submitted with an application for development whenever any land disturbance is proposed.
HISTORIC FEATURE
Any building, site, structure, object, district or area that:
A. 
Is listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places (a listing maintained by the Department of the Interior) or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as meeting the requirements for individual listing on the National Register;
B. 
Is certified or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as contributing to the historical significance of a registered historic district or a district preliminarily determined by the Secretary to qualify as a registered historic district;
C. 
Is individually listed on a state inventory of historic places in states with historic preservation programs which have been approved by the Secretary of the Interior; or
D. 
Individually listed on a local inventory of historic places in communities with historic preservation programs that have been certified either:
(1) 
By an approved state program as determined by the Secretary of the Interior; or
(2) 
Directly by the Secretary of the Interior in states without approved programs.
IMPROVEMENTS
Physical changes to land, including but not limited to grading, removal of vegetation, buildings, landscaping, pavement, curbs, gutters, storm sewers and drains, changes to existing watercourses, sidewalks, street signs, monuments, water supply facilities, and sewage disposal facilities.
LAND DEVELOPMENT
A. 
Any of the following:
(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 prospective occupants by means of, or for the purpose of, streets, common areas, leaseholds, condominiums, building groups, or other features;
(2) 
A subdivision of land. (See "subdivision.")
B. 
"Land development" shall not include:
(1) 
The conversion of an existing single-family detached dwelling or single-family semidetached dwelling into not more than three residential units, unless such units are intended to be a condominium;
(2) 
The addition of an accessory building, including farm buildings, on a lot or lots subordinate to an existing principal building; or
(3) 
The addition or conversion of buildings or rides within the confines of an enterprise which would be considered an amusement park. For purposes of this subsection, an "amusement park" is defined as a tract or area used principally as a location for permanent amusement structures or rides. This exclusion shall not apply to newly acquired acreage by an amusement park until initial plans for the expanded area have been approved.
LAND DEVELOPMENT, MINOR
Any of the following:
A. 
An addition to an existing building, where such addition will occupy less than 5,000 square feet of land area.
B. 
An expansion of an existing parking lot that will add 25 or fewer parking spaces.
LAND DISTURBANCE
An ongoing or completed operation and related activities involving or primarily connected with reshaping of land, including grading, removal of trees, vegetation or other ground cover, transporting fill or other material for disposal purposes and resurfacing of land.
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 conditions), a lessee (if he is authorized under the lease to exercise the right of the landowner), or other person having a proprietary interest in land.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
A landscape architect registered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. See "registered professional."
LANDSLIDE-PRONE AREA
Land that is susceptible to movement or sliding, as identified in the Soil Survey of Allegheny County, prepared by the Soil Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture; or as identified on the Landslide Susceptibility Map of Allegheny County; or as identified in the Mining and Physiographic Study, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, prepared by A.C. Ackenheil & Associates; or as established by geotechnical investigation.
LANDSLIDE SUSCEPTIBILITY MAP OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY
A map delineating areas judged to be susceptible to landsliding or movement, prepared by the United States Geological Survey on 7.5 minute quadrangle maps of the county in 1974.
LAND USE
The purpose for which land is arranged, designed, or intended, or for which land is or may be occupied or maintained.
LEVEL OF SERVICE (LOS)
A qualitative measure describing operational conditions within a traffic stream; generally described in terms of such factors as speed, freedom to maneuver, traffic interruptions, comfort, convenience, and safety. Levels of service are designated A through F, with LOS A indicating the best service and LOS F indicating the worst.
LOCAL ACCESS STREET
See "street."
LOT
A designated parcel, tract, or area of land established by a plat or otherwise permitted by law and to be used, developed, or built upon as a unit.
LOT AREA
The area contained within the lot lines of the individual parcels of land as shown on a subdivision plan, excluding the area within the street right-of-way or easement for overhead utility lines but including any easements, expressed in terms of acres or square feet.
LOT DEPTH
The average distance between the street right-of-way and the rear lot line, measured perpendicular or radial to the right-of-way.
LOT FRONTAGE
The width of a lot measured along the street line.
LOT WIDTH
The distance between the side lines of the zoning lot measured at the shortest distance at or between the front and rear building lines as determined by the prescribed front and rear yard requirements.
LOT, YARD
An area within a lot between the building setback lines and the lot lines.
MINOR LAND DEVELOPMENT
See "land development, minor."
MINOR SUBDIVISION
See "subdivision, minor."
MONUMENT
A concrete, stone, or other permanent object, placed to designate boundary lines, corners of property, and rights-of-way of streets and utilities, for the purpose of reference in land and property surveys.
MPC
The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.[2]
MUNICIPAL ENGINEER
A professional engineer or engineering firm, licensed as such in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, duly appointed as the engineer for the Municipality.
MUNICIPAL GOVERNING BODY
The Council of the Municipality of Monroeville.
MUNICIPALITY
Municipality of Monroeville, a Home Rule Charter Municipality, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
OFFICIAL MAP
A map adopted pursuant to Article IV of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.[3]
ORDINANCE
The Municipality of Monroeville Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance ("this chapter").
PARCEL
See "lot."
PEAK TRAFFIC HOUR
The hour during which the heaviest volume of traffic occurs.
PLAT
The map or plan of a subdivision or land development, whether preliminary or final.
PLAT ADJUSTMENT
See "subdivision, plat adjustment."
PRELIMINARY PLAN
The plan of a proposed subdivision or land development, including all supplementary information required by this chapter to obtain preliminary approval.
PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS
Persons who provide expert or professional advice, including, but not limited to, architects, attorneys, certified public accountants, engineers, geologists, land surveyors, landscape architects. Or planners.
PUBLIC HEARING
A formal meeting held pursuant to public notice, intended to inform and obtain public comment, prior to taking action in accordance with this chapter.
PUBLIC MEETING
A forum held pursuant to notice under the Act of July 3, 1986 (P.L. 388, No. 84), known as the "Sunshine Act."[4]
PUBLIC NOTICE
A notice published once each week for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the Municipality. The notice shall state the time and place of a hearing and the particular nature of the matter to be considered at the hearing. The first publication shall not be more than 30 days and the second publication shall not be less than seven days from the date of the hearing.
PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM
A water system within the Municipal boundaries that is owned and operated by a public utility company.
RECORD PLAN
A final plan which contains the original endorsement of the Municipality and the Allegheny County Department of Economic Development, which is intended to be recorded with the Allegheny County Real Estate Department.
REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL
An individual, licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to perform services or activities required by provisions of this chapter and qualified by training and experience to perform the specific services and/or activities with technical competence.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
Land reserved or dedicated for use as a street, pedestrian way, or other means of public or private transportation; or for an electric transmission line, oil or gas pipeline, water main, sanitary or storm sewer, or other special use. A right-of-way includes the entire area reserved or dedicated for the use.
RUNOFF
The surface water after a rain or snow that does not enter the soil but runs off the surface of the land.
SEDIMENT
Fragmented material that originated from weathering rocks and decomposing organic material that is transported by, suspended in, and eventually deposited in the streambed.
SEDIMENTATION
Occurs when sediment particles that have been suspended within flowing water are deposited on the stream bottom of floodplain.
SETBACK LINE
See "building setback line."
SIGHT DISTANCE
The length of road visible to the driver of a vehicle at any given point in the road when viewing is unobstructed by traffic.
SKETCH PLAN
An informal plan, for use in a preapplication meeting.
SOILS ENGINEER
A professional engineer registered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who has training and experience in soils engineering. See "registered professional."
SOIL SURVEY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY
A series of aerial photographs on which soils are classified according to a variety of characteristics and accompanying explanatory text, prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, August 1981. (Note: The Soil Conservation Service is now the Natural Resources Conservation Service.)
STEEP SLOPE
Any land area with a grade that exceeds four horizontal to one vertical, or 25%.
STREET
A strip of land, including the entire right-of-way, publicly or privately owned, serving primarily as a means of vehicular travel, encompassing the following types:
A. 
ARTERIAL STREETStreets which are used primarily for through, fast traffic at high volumes.
(1) 
Minor arterials. Interconnects with and augments principal arterials; accommodates trips of moderate length; distributes travel to areas smaller than identified with higher systems; places emphasis on land access and offers lower traffic mobility; and spacing is normally not more than one mile.
(2) 
PRINCIPAL ARTERIALSServes major centers of activity and carries high proportion of area travel even though it constitutes a relatively small percentage of the total roadway network; integrates both internally and between major rural connections; carries most trips entering and leaving the area and serves intra-area travel; provides continuity for rural arterials; and spacing is related to trip-end density characteristics.
B. 
COLLECTOR STREETSProvides both land access services and traffic circulation; distributes trips from arterials through residential neighborhoods to ultimate destination; and collects traffic from local streets and channels to arterials.
C. 
INTERSTATES AND OTHER LIMITED ACCESS FREEWAYSProvides limited access facilities.
D. 
LOCAL ROADSComprises all facilities not in one of the higher systems; permits direct access to abutting lands and connects higher systems; and discourages through-traffic movement.
E. 
ALLEYA service road that provides secondary means of through access to lots.
F. 
CUL-DE-SACA street with a single means of ingress and egress and a turnaround.
G. 
ACCESS DRIVEA private drive providing access between a public or private street and a parking area within a land development, or any driveway servicing two or more buildings or uses.
STREET, PRIVATE
A street not accepted for dedication by a municipality.
STRUCTURE
Any man-made object having an ascertainable stationary location on or in land or water, whether or not affixed to the land, including, in addition to buildings, billboards, carports, porches, and other building features, but not including sidewalks and driveways.
SUBDIVISION
The division or redivision of a lot, tract, or parcel of land by any means into two or more lots, tracts, parcels, or other divisions of land, including changes in existing lot lines for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of lease, partition by the court for distribution to heirs or devisees, 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 easements of access or any residential dwelling shall be exempted.
SUBDIVISION, MINOR
A subdivision of land into not more than four lots, not requiring any new street or access easement.
SUBDIVISION, PLAT ADJUSTMENT
Any of the following:
A. 
Adjustment of lot lines between lots where no new lots are created.
B. 
Consolidation of lot lines.
C. 
Survey corrections.
D. 
Final survey of property lines for townhouses and other attached dwellings after construction when in conformance with previously recorded plan.
SURVEYOR
A surveyor registered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. See "registered professional."
TRIP
A single or one-directional vehicle movement.
USE
See "land use."
WATERCOURSE
A channel or conveyance of surface water having defined bed and banks, whether natural or artificial, with perennial or intermittent flow.
WATERSHED
All land and water within the confines of a drainage basin.
WELLHEAD PROTECTION AREA
A designated area of the land surface which, through recharge or other means, provides water to sustain the yield of a protected public water supply well.
WETLAND
Any area defined as a wetland by the Federal Manual for Identifying and Delineating Jurisdictional Wetlands.
WOODLANDS
An area of trees whose total combined canopy covers one acre or more, in which at least 70% of the canopy trees have a dbh of 2.5 inches or more. Woodlands may also include tree plantations for commercial or conservation purposes, and groves or stands of trees covering less than one acre. Categories of woodlands shall be as follows:
A. 
Mature woodland. An area of trees whose total combined canopy covers one acre or more, in which at least 50% of the canopy trees have a dbh of 10 inches or more.
B. 
Groves and stands. A contiguous grouping of eight or more individual trees having a dbh of at least 12 inches, and whose combined canopy covers at least 50% of the area encompassed by the grove, and which is not located within a woodland.
WORKING DAYS
Days that the offices of the Municipality of Monroeville are open for business.
YARD
See "lot, yard."
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
[2]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
[3]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10401 et seq.
[4]
Editor's Note: Said Act was repealed 10-15-1998 by P.L. 729, No. 93; see now Sunshine Act, 65 Pa.C.S.A. § 701 et seq.