[Ord. 687, 8/12/2015; as amended by Ord. 693, 9/28/2016;
by Ord. 697, 2/8/2017; by Ord. 699, 8/9/2017; by Ord.
No. 723, 7/25/2022; by Ord. No. 725, 6/27/2022; by Ord. No. 728, 9/25/2023]
The following words and phrases shall have the particular meanings
specified for the purpose of interpreting this chapter:
ABANDONMENT
To cease or discontinue a use or activity without intent
to resume, but excluding temporary or short-term interruptions to
a use or activity during periods of remodeling, maintaining or otherwise
improving or rearranging a facility or during normal periods of vacation
or seasonal closure.
ACCESS
A means of providing vehicular or pedestrian entrance to
a property.
ACCESSORY USE OR STRUCTURE
A use or structure, located on the same lot with the principal
use or structure, that is subordinate and incidental to the principal
use or structure of the property.
ADULT ARCADE
Any place to which the public is permitted or invited wherein
coin-operated, slug-operated, or for any form of consideration, or
electronically, electrically, or mechanically controlled still or
motion-picture machines, projectors, video or laser disc players or
other image-producing devices are maintained, not located within viewing
booths, to show images to five or fewer persons per machine at any
one time, and where the images so displayed are distinguished or characterized
by the depicting or describing of "specified sexual activities" or
"specified anatomical areas."
ADULT BOOKSTORE OR ADULT NOVELTY STORE
An establishment having a substantial or significant portion
of its stock and trade in, or an establishment which as one of its
principal business purposes offers for sale or rental, any of the
following:
A.
Books, magazines, periodicals or other printed matter, or photographs,
films, motion pictures, videocassettes or video reproductions, slides,
CD-ROM discs or other computer software, and other visual representations
which are distinguished or characterized by their emphasis on matter
depicting, describing or relating to specified sexual activities or
specified anatomical areas, and in conjunction therewith may have
viewing booths or other facilities for the presentation of adult entertainment
for observation by patrons; or
B.
Instruments, devices, or paraphernalia which are designed for
use in connection with "specified sexual activities."
ADULT BUSINESS
Any of the following described uses: adult arcade, adult
bookstore, adult novelty store, adult theater, escort agency, nude
model studio or sexual encounter or meditation center, as described
herein, and any other use of a premises, which includes or has added
to it the provision of adult entertainment. Each of the above-referenced
uses is considered to be a separate and distinct use.
ADULT ENTERTAINMENT
One or more of the following:
A.
An exhibition of any adult-oriented motion pictures, meaning
those distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on matter depicting,
describing or relating to specified sexual activities or specified
anatomical areas; or
B.
An activity, live performance, display or dance of any type,
which has as a significant or substantial portion of the performance
any actual or simulated performance of specified sexual activities
or exhibition and viewing of specified anatomical areas or persons
in a state of nudity; or
C.
Films, motion pictures, videocassettes, slides or other photographic
reproductions or visual presentations of any other kind which are
characterized by the depiction or description of "specified sexual
activities" or "specified anatomical areas."
ADULT MOTEL
A hotel or motel presenting adult motion pictures by means
of closed-circuit television, the material being presented having
as a dominant theme or presenting material distinguished or characterized
by an emphasis on matter depicting, describing or relating to sexual
conduct or nudity, as defined herein.
ADULT THEATER
A theater (live, motion-picture or mini-motion-picture),
tavern, banquet hall, party room, conference center, restaurant, nightclub,
hall, auditorium, club, recreation center, indoor entertainment center
or other commercial establishment which, as one of its principal business
purposes, offers adult entertainment.
AGRICULTURE
An enterprise that is actively and continuously engaged in
the commercial production and preparation for market of crops, livestock
and livestock products and in the production, harvesting and preparation
for market or use of agricultural, agronomic, horticultural, apicultural,
silvicultural and aquacultural crops and commodities. The term includes
an enterprise that implements changes in production practices and
procedures or types of crops, livestock, livestock products or commodities
produced consistent with practices and procedures that are normally
engaged in by farmers or are consistent with technological development
within the agricultural industry.
AISLE
A paved area of a minimum width specified by this chapter
that provides direct access to one or two rows of parking spaces and
connects those parking spaces with the driveways that provide circulation
through a parking area.
ANIMAL HOSPITAL
An establishment for the medical or surgical treatment of
animals, including the boarding of hospitalized animals.
ARTERIAL STREET
A public street which serves large volumes of high-speed
and long-distance traffic. Streets classified as arterial in the Township
for the purposes of interpreting this chapter are: Interstate 79,
Penn-Lincoln Parkway (U.S. 22-30) and PA Route 50.
ASSEMBLY HALL
An establishment, room, hall, building, or other structure
whether permanent or temporary, rented by individuals and/or groups
to be used for, or as part of, private functions, lectures, meetings,
gatherings, banquets, weddings and similar celebrations or events.
AUTO AUCTION
A business that deals primarily in wholesale sales of automobiles
and light-duty trucks to dealers, but that may include sales to the
general public secondary to the wholesale sales and that may include
occasional sales featuring heavy equipment.
BAR OR TAVERN
A business which sells alcoholic beverages for consumption
on the premises as the principal use and which may offer food for
consumption on the premises as an accessory use.
BASEMENT
That portion of the foundation of a building between the
floor of the foundation and the floor of the first story of the building,
having a portion of its height below grade but at least 1/2 of its
height above the average grade of the adjoining ground.
BED-AND-BREAKFAST
A dwelling which is the principal residence of the operator,
where no more than four sleeping rooms are offered to transient overnight
guests for compensation and where the only meal served and included
with the overnight accommodations is breakfast.
BILLBOARD
Any off-premises sign with a changeable or permanent advertising
face which advertises an establishment, person, activity, product
or service which is unrelated to or not available on the premises
on which the sign is located.
BOARDING STABLE
The keeping of horses and ponies owned by persons other than
the owner of the stable, or the rental of horses owned by the owner
of the stable for a fee or other form of compensation, which may include
training of horses, riding lessons and riding facilities.
BREWPUB
A restaurant or tavern, as defined herein, that includes
as an accessory use the brewing of malt beverages of alcoholic and/or
nonalcoholic content which produces less than 2,000 barrels of malt
beverages per year.
BUFFER AREA
A landscaped area of a certain depth specified by this chapter,
which shall be planted and maintained in trees, grass, ground cover,
shrubs, bushes or other natural landscaping material and shall consist
of a mix of types and sizes of plant material which, within three
years of planting, meets the standard of providing a compact year-round
visual screen at least six feet in height or an existing natural barrier,
such as vegetation and/or topography, which duplicates the effect
of the required buffer area, provided the natural barrier is maintained
with vegetation or landscaping at all times.
BUILDING
A roofed structure, whether or not enclosed by walls, to
be used for shelter, enclosure or protection of persons, goods, materials,
animals, things or an area of land. (See also "completely enclosed
building.")
BUILDING HEIGHT
The vertical distance measured from the average elevation
of the finished grade at the front of the building to the highest
point of the roof for flat roofs, to the decklines of mansard roofs,
and to the mean height between eaves and ridge for pitched (gable,
hip or gambrel) roofs.
BUILDING LINE, FRONT
A line parallel to or concentric with the front lot line,
the minimum measurement of which is the front yard depth required
by this chapter.
BUILDING SPACING
The minimum distance between two buildings on the same lot,
measured from the outermost wall or projection, excluding bay windows,
chimneys, flues, columns, ornamental features, cornices and gutters
that project beyond the wall of the building no more than two feet.
BUSINESS OR PROFESSIONAL OFFICE
Any office of recognized professions, other than medical,
such as lawyers, architects, engineers, real estate brokers, insurance
agents and others who, through training, are qualified to perform
services of a professional nature and other offices used primarily
for accounting, corresponding, research, editing or other administrative
functions, but not including banks or other financial institutions.
For purposes of this chapter, a "minor business or professional office"
shall be one that has a gross floor area of less than 10,000 square
feet, and a "major business or professional office" shall be one that
has a gross floor area of 10,000 square feet or more.
BUSINESS SERVICES
Establishments engaged in providing services to business
offices on a fee or contract basis, including, but not limited to,
advertising and public relations; management and consulting services;
employment services; building security and maintenance services; equipment
servicing, rental/leasing and sales; computer and data processing
services; mailing, photocopying, quick printing and fax services;
sale of office supplies; and similar business services; but not including
the rental, sale or repair of vehicles or heavy equipment.
CARPORT
A structure to house or protect motor vehicles, which is
open to the weather for at least 40% of the total area of its sides.
CARTWAY
That portion of the street right-of-way that is surfaced
for vehicular use, excluding curbs and shoulders.
CAR WASH
A facility, whether automatic, semiautomatic or manual, for
washing and polishing vehicles.
CELLAR
That portion of the foundation of a building between the
floor of the foundation and the floor of the first story of the building,
having 1/2 or more of its height below the average grade of the adjoining
ground.
CEMETERY
Property used for interring of dead persons or domestic pets,
including mausoleums and columbariums, but not including crematoriums
or family plots.
CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY
A document issued by the Zoning Officer indicating that a
premises for which a building permit and/or a zoning certificate has
been issued is ready for occupancy and is in compliance with the provisions
of this chapter and the Township Building Code, if applicable.
CHURCH
A building or buildings, other than a dwelling, used primarily
as a place of worship on a regular basis by a religious denomination,
which may also include, as accessory uses, rooms for religious education,
social and recreational activities and administrative offices, rectories,
parsonages, convents, preschool programs and elderly or child day-care
centers.
CLEAR SIGHT TRIANGLE
A triangular area of unobstructed vision at the intersection
of two streets or of a driveway and a street, defined by line of sight
a given distance from the intersection of the center lines of two
streets or the center lines of the driveway and the street. (See illustration
in Appendix A.)
CLINIC
Any establishment, including mobile diagnostic units, where
human patients receive medical, dental, chiropractic, psychological
and surgical diagnosis, treatment and counseling under the care of
a group of licensed medical doctors and dentists and their supporting
staff, where said patients are not provided with board or room or
kept overnight on the premises.
COLLECTOR STREET
A public street which, in addition to giving access to abutting
lots, intercepts local streets and provides a route for carrying considerable
volumes of local traffic to community facilities and arterial roads.
Streets classified as collector roads in the Township for the purposes
of interpreting this chapter are: Baldwin Road, Boyd's Run Road, Ewing
Road, Fort Pitt Road, Forsythe Road, Hilltop Road, McMichael Road,
Nike Site Road, Noblestown Road, Prestley Road, Ridge Road, Steen
Road, Thoms Run Road, Walkers Mill, Vanadium Road and Campbells Run
Road.
COMMON OPEN SPACE
A parcel or parcels of land or an area of water, or a combination
of land and water, within a development site designed and intended
for the use or enjoyment of the occupants or residents of a development,
not including streets, parking areas or areas set aside for public
facilities.
COMMUNICATIONS ANTENNA
Any structure designed for transmitting or receiving wireless
communications of video, voice, data and similar transmissions, including,
but not limited to, omnidirectional or whip antennas, directional
or panel antennas and satellite or microwave dish antennas, which
may be mounted on an existing building, an existing public utility
storage or transmission structure or an existing communications tower,
excluding transmission and receiving devices licensed by the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) exclusively for private use by citizens.
COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT BUILDING
A manned or unmanned structure which contains the equipment
necessary to maintain and operate communications antennas and which
covers an area on the ground in excess of 200 square feet.
COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT CABINET
An unmanned structure which contains the equipment necessary
to maintain and operate communications antennas and which covers an
area on the ground of no more than 200 square feet.
COMMUNICATIONS TOWER
Any structure, whether freestanding or attached to a building,
designed to support multiple communications antennas, including monopole,
self-supporting and guyed towers and one or more of the following
mounts for antennas: rotatable platform, fixed platform, multipoint
or side-arm mounts and pipe mounts for microwave dish antennas.
COMPLETELY ENCLOSED BUILDING
A building designed and constructed so that all exterior
walls shall be solid from the ground to the roofline, containing no
openings except for windows and doors which are designed so that they
may be closed and any other small openings required for the ventilation
system.
CONDITIONAL USE
A use authorized by this chapter which may be granted only
by the Board of Commissioners following review by the Planning Commission
and a public hearing subject to express standards and criteria contained
in this chapter.
CONSERVATION SUBDIVISION
A subdivision approved pursuant to Part 6A of the Collier
Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance pertaining to
conservation subdivisions.
CONSTRUCTION TRAILER, TEMPORARY
A structure designed, used or constructed to provide temporary
offices for construction supervision on the site of an approved subdivision
or land development during the time that a valid building permit or
grading permit is in effect.
CONTRACTING BUSINESS
The administrative offices of a business that provides landscaping,
construction, remodeling, home improvement, land development and related
services on a contractual basis and which may include the storage
of materials, equipment and vehicles, provided all materials, equipment
and vehicles are stored within a completely enclosed building.
CONTRACTOR'S YARD
An establishment which may or may not include administrative
offices for a business that provides landscaping, construction, remodeling,
home improvement, land development and related services on a contractual
basis but which involves the outdoor storage of all or part of the
materials, equipment or vehicles used in the business.
CONVENIENCE STORE
A retail store with a gross floor area of 7,500 square feet
or less, offering a limited selection of grocery, household and personal
items for quick purchase.
CONVENTIONAL GAS WELL
An oil or gas well that consists of a single well on a well
site where drilling does not exceed seven consecutive days in any
twelve-month period.
CORNER LOT
A lot at the intersection of, and fronting on, two or more
street rights-of-way.
COVERAGE
See "impervious surface coverage."
CREMATORIUM
A furnace or establishment for the incineration of human
or animal corpses.
CUTOFF ANGLE
The angle formed by a line drawn from the direction of light
rays at the light source and a line perpendicular to the ground from
the light source, above which no light is emitted.
DAY-CARE CENTER
A facility, licensed by the commonwealth, located within
a building which is not used as a dwelling unit, for the care, on
a regular basis, during part of a twenty-four-hour day, of children
under the age of 16 or disabled or elderly persons.
DAY-CARE HOME
See "family day-care home" and "group day-care home."
DECISION
Final adjudication of any board or other body granted jurisdiction
under any land use ordinance or this act to do so, either by reason
of the grant of exclusive jurisdiction or by reason of appeals from
determinations. All decisions shall be appealable to the court of
common pleas of the county and judicial district wherein the municipality
lies.
DECK OR PATIO
Any uncovered outdoor living area, without a roof, in excess
of 24 square feet, constructed on or above the surface of the ground.
DENSITY, NET RESIDENTIAL
The number of dwelling units in relation to the land area
actually in use or proposed to be used for residential purposes, exclusive
of public rights-of-way, streets, infrastructure areas (e.g., common
parking areas, streets, sidewalks, detention ponds, required common
open space, playgrounds, parks, etc.) and environmentally sensitive
areas (e.g., wetlands, floodplains, areas of steep slopes, etc.).
DETERMINATION
A.
The final action by an officer, body or agency charged with
the administration of any land use ordinance or applications thereunder,
except the following:
(2)
The Zoning Hearing Board.
(3)
The planning agency, only if and to the extent the planning
agency is charged with final decision on preliminary or final plans
under the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance or planned residential
development provisions.
B.
Determinations shall be appealable only to the boards designated
as having jurisdiction for such appeal.
DEVELOPMENT
Any man-made change to an improved or unimproved land or
water area, including, but not limited to, construction of buildings
or structures or additions thereto, mining, dredging, filling, grading,
paving, excavation or drilling operations.
DIRECT VEHICULAR ACCESS
A curb cut on or a private driveway leading directly to a
public street right-of-way. In the case of the requirement for direct
vehicular access to an arterial or collector street, the point of
access shall be onto the arterial or collector street without traversing
any other public street right-of-way.
DRIVE-THROUGH FACILITY
Any principal use or accessory use which involves a window,
service lane, bay or other facility where customers are provided services
either inside or outside their vehicles and where cars may or may
not wait in line to access these services, including, but not limited
to, "drive-in" or "drive-through" windows at fast-food restaurants,
banks or other businesses, exterior automated teller machines (ATMs),
quick oil change facilities, car washes and similar automotive services,
and other such facilities.
DRIVEWAY
A private vehicular way providing access between a street
and a parking area or garage located on a lot.
DWELLING
A building designed exclusively as living quarters for one
or more families, including single-family, two-family, triplex, fourplex,
modular and multifamily dwellings, group care facilities, personal
care boarding homes and transitional dwellings, but not including
hotels, motels or boardinghouses.
DWELLING TYPES
The following dwelling types are included in this chapter:
A.
SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLINGA detached residential building which is the only principal structure on the lot, designed exclusively for occupancy by one family, as defined herein, and containing one dwelling unit.
B.
TWO-FAMILY DWELLINGA residential building which is the only principal structure on the lot, designed exclusively for occupancy by two families living independently of each other, and containing two dwelling units, each with a separate entrance directly to the outside, including double houses and duplexes.
C.
TRIPLEXA residential building designed exclusively for occupancy by three families living independently of each other, containing three dwelling units, each having independent access directly to the outside and having no other units above or below, which units are attached at right angles to one another with the entrance to each unit facing a different direction.
D.
FOURPLEXA residential building designed exclusively for occupancy by four families living independently of each other, containing four dwelling units, each having independent access directly to the outside and having no other units above or below, which units are attached at right angles to one another with the entrance to each unit facing a different direction.
E.
MULTIFAMILY DWELLINGA residential building designed exclusively for occupancy by three or more families living independently of each other and containing three or more dwelling units, including triplexes, fourplexes, townhouses, garden apartments, mid-rise apartments and high-rise apartments.
F.
GARDEN APARTMENTA multifamily residential building no more than three stories in height, containing three or more dwelling units which share a common entrance to the outside, usually through a common corridor, and which dwelling units may have other dwelling units either above or below them.
G.
MID-RISE APARTMENTA multifamily residential building containing at least four, but no more than six, stories.
I.
GROUP CARE FACILITYA group living arrangement licensed by the commonwealth that provides room and board and specialized services to permanent residents that exceed the number authorized in the definition of "family" or that fail to meet the criteria for the group living arrangement established in the definition of "family," but not including any short-term or transient residents as regulated by the definition of "transitional dwelling."
J.
MODULAR DWELLINGA single-family dwelling which is delivered to its site in at least two sections that are set upon a permanent foundation and the sections joined together. Such dwellings shall be certified as meeting the minimum standards for manufactured housing in Pennsylvania. Modular dwellings shall be permitted wherever single-family dwellings are allowed, provided they are installed on a permanent foundation and connected to all available utilities.
K.
PERSONAL CARE BOARDING HOMEA dwelling, licensed by the commonwealth, where room and board is provided to more than three permanent residents, who are not relatives of the operator, and who are mobile or semimobile and require specialized services for a period exceeding 24 consecutive hours in such matters as bathing, dressing, diet and medication prescribed for self-administration, but who are not in need of hospitalization or skilled nursing or intermediate nursing care.
L.
TOWNHOUSEA multifamily residential building, other than a triplex or fourplex, no more than 2 1/2 stories in height, which contains at least three, but no more than five, dwelling units, each of which is separated from the adjoining unit or units by a continuous, unpierced vertical wall extending from the basement to the roof, each unit having independent access directly to the outside and having no other units above or below.
M.
TRANSITIONAL DWELLINGA dwelling unit occupied on a short term basis by persons assigned by a court of law, or referred by a public, semipublic or nonprofit agency, and managed by a public, semipublic or nonprofit agency responsible for the occupants' care, safety, conduct, counseling and supervision for a specified period of time, including alcoholic recovery, shelters for battered persons and their children, maternity homes, community re-entry services following incarceration, prison assignment, house arrest or other court-ordered treatment, and other such short-term supervised assignments.
DWELLING UNIT
Two or more rooms designed for or occupied by one family
only and containing sleeping facilities, cooking and food storage
facilities, and, in a separate room, a toilet and tub or shower, with
hot and cold water supply, all for the exclusive use of the family
occupying the dwelling unit.
EASEMENT
A right-of-way or other right to use property granted by
the property owner to another, such as for access, drainage, utility
lines, slope or other purposes.
EDUCATIONAL STUDIO
An establishment that provides training to individuals or
groups in specialized recreational activities or avocations, including,
but not limited to, dance, gymnastics, martial arts, photography,
arts and crafts and similar pursuits.
ELECTRONIC NOTICE
A notice given by a municipality through the internet of
the time and place of a public hearing and the particular nature of
the matter to be considered at the hearing.
EQUIPMENT STORAGE YARD
An area of land devoted to the storage, whether temporary
or permanent, of construction equipment, farm equipment or other heavy
equipment or vehicles in excess of 26,000 pounds' GVW.
ESCORT
A person who, for consideration, agrees or offers to act
as a companion, guide or date for another person, or who agrees or
offers to privately model lingerie or to privately perform a striptease
for another person.
ESCORT AGENCY
A person or business association who furnishes, offers to
furnish or advertises to furnish escorts as one of its primary business
purposes for a fee, tip or other consideration.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES
The provision of distribution and collection systems by public
utilities, regulated by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) or any
agency, franchisee or authority of Collier Township, of underground
or overhead gas, electrical, telephone, steam, or water lines, sewers,
fire alarm boxes, traffic signals, hydrants, cable TV (not including
towers) and accessories in connection therewith, reasonably necessary
to furnish adequate services within Collier Township to the general
public.
ESTABLISH AN ADULT BUSINESS
Includes any of the following:
A.
The opening or commencement of any adult business as a new business;
B.
The conversion of an existing business, whether or not an adult
business, to any adult business;
C.
The addition or change of any adult business to any other existing
adult business or to a nonadult business; or
D.
The relocation of any adult business.
FAMILY
A.
An individual, or two or more persons related by blood, marriage,
adoption or foster child care, including domestic servants or gratuitous
guests thereof; or a group of not more than three unrelated persons
living together without supervision in a dwelling unit; or not more
than five persons living together in a group living arrangement with
supervision, provided that the group living arrangement meets all
of the following criteria:
(1)
It provides nonroutine support services, including supervision,
personal care, social or counseling services, and transportation,
to persons who need such assistance in order to use and enjoy a dwelling
or to avoid being placed within an institution, because of physical
disability, old age, mental retardation, or other "handicap" or "disability"
as defined by the Fair Housing Amendments Act or the Americans with
Disabilities Act;
(2)
It provides for the joint occupancy of a dwelling unit where
the residents maintain a common household and practice, on a permanent
or long-term basis, a joint economic, social and cultural life;
(3)
It does not involve the housing of persons on a transient basis;
(4)
It does not involve the housing or treatment of persons accepted
for residence in the group living arrangement on the basis of their
status as criminal offenders, juvenile offenders or delinquents, or
who would otherwise qualify for residence by virtue of having been
found by any governmental tribunal, court or agency to be a danger
to society or are on release or under the jurisdiction of the criminal
justice system, a government bureau of corrections or similar institution.
B.
"Family" shall not include persons living together in a group
care facility, personal care boarding home or transitional dwelling,
as defined herein, or any other supervised group living arrangement
for persons not protected by the Fair Housing Act or for any persons
who constitute a direct threat to others or their physical property.
FAMILY DAY-CARE HOME
A facility, licensed or approved by the commonwealth, as
required by the laws of the commonwealth, located within a dwelling
in which the operator resides, for the care on a regular basis during
part of a twenty-four-hour day of not more than six children under
16 years of age, who are not relatives of the provider, where such
use shall be secondary to the use of the dwelling for living purposes
and shall meet all applicable requirements for a home occupation.
FENCE OR WALL
A structure designed for the purpose of enclosing space or separating parcels of land. The term "fence or wall" shall not include retaining walls which are designed and approved in accordance with the Township Grading Ordinance [Chapter
9].
FINANCIAL INSTITUTION
A bank, savings and loan association or similar institution
that lends money or is engaged in a finance-related business. For
purposes of this chapter, a "minor financial institution" shall be
one that has a gross floor area of less than 10,000 square feet, and
a "major financial institution" shall be one that has a gross floor
area of 10,000 square feet or more.
FLEA MARKET
A building or open area in which stalls or sales areas are
set aside and rented or otherwise provided to be used by sellers for
the sale of goods to the public at retail, which stalls or sales areas
are not owned by the sellers who occupy them and are not subject to
long-term leases.
FLOODPLAIN
A relatively flat or low land area adjoining a river, stream
or watercourse that is subject to partial or complete inundation;
an area subject to the unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of
surface waters from any source.
FLOOR AREA, GROSS
The sum of all the horizontal floor areas of a building,
measured between exterior faces of walls.
FLOOR AREA, NET
The total floor area of a building designed for tenant occupancy
or accessible to the customers, clients or general public, excluding
storage areas, equipment rooms and common areas such as halls, corridors,
stairwells, elevator shafts, restrooms, interior vehicular parking
and loading areas and similar common areas, expressed in square feet
and measured from the center line of joint partitions and exteriors
of outside walls.
FOURPLEX
See Subsection D under "dwelling types."
GARAGE, PRIVATE
An accessory building or a portion of the principal building,
not accessible to the general public and designed or used for shelter
or storage of private vehicles and personal property of the occupants
of the principal building.
GARAGE, PUBLIC
A building, other than a private garage, containing two or
more parking spaces accessible to the general public, used for the
storage or parking of motor vehicles, or where such vehicles are kept
for remuneration, hire or sale, but not including the repair of vehicles
or the storage of dismantled or wrecked motor vehicles.
GARDEN NURSERY
A retail establishment that sells flowers, plants, trees
and other natural flora and products which aid their growth and care
and which may include a greenhouse or the growing of plant material
outside on the lot.
GASOLINE STATION
A structure and surrounding land used for the storage and
sale of fuel and lubricants primarily to motor vehicles, and which
may or may not include a convenience store.
GOLF COURSE
A recreational facility which has a course, with a minimum
of nine regulation-size holes, for playing golf as its principal use
and which may have a clubhouse, locker rooms, restaurant, swimming
pool, pro shop, facilities for racquet sports, maintenance facilities
and similar facilities as accessory uses.
GROSS FLOOR AREA
The sum of the gross horizontal areas of the several floors
of a building, measured between exterior faces of walls.
GROUP DAY-CARE HOME
A facility, licensed or approved by the commonwealth, as
required by the laws of the commonwealth, located within a dwelling
in which the operator resides, for the care on a regular basis, during
part of a twenty-four-hour day, of between seven and 12 children at
one time who are not "relatives" of the primary caregiver, under 16
years of age, where such use shall be secondary to the use of the
dwelling for living purposes and shall meet all applicable requirements
for a home occupation.
HEALTH CLUB
A commercial recreational enterprise or private club which
has as a principal use a gymnasium, swimming pool or other sports
facility and which may offer massages, whirlpool baths, steam rooms,
saunas and/or medical facilities as accessory uses to the principal
use.
HEAVY MANUFACTURING
The mechanical or chemical transformation of raw materials
or substances into new products or other raw materials, including
refineries for oil, gas or similar products, or any manufacturing
process not included in the definition of "light manufacturing" or
"high-technology industries."
HEIGHT OF STRUCTURE
The vertical distance measured from the average elevation
of the finished grade around the structure to the highest point on
the structure.
HIGH-TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES
The assembly of component parts or the production of finished
products, excluding any process that involves toxic or highly volatile
substances, including computer components and accessories; electrical
parts, accessories and equipment; laboratory apparatus; robotics;
optical instruments; precision instruments; surgical, medical and
dental instruments and supplies; timers and timepieces; search detection
and navigational equipment; musical instruments; and photographic
equipment and accessories.
HOME OCCUPATION
An accessory use of a service character, conducted entirely
within a dwelling by the residents thereof, which use is clearly secondary
to the use of the dwelling for living purposes and does not, in any
way, change the character of the dwelling.
HOME OFFICE
A home occupation, including, but not limited to, an office
of an attorney, architect, engineer or similar recognized profession
or the office of a realtor, insurance agent, investment counselor,
manufacturer's representative, broker or similar service, where customers
or clients do not routinely visit the premises and where no one who
is not a resident of the dwelling is employed on the premises.
HORTICULTURE
The science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers
and ornamental plants.
HOSPITAL
An establishment licensed by the commonwealth for the care
of human patients suffering from physical or mental illnesses, and
which may or may not include facilities for major surgery and which
may be publicly or privately operated.
HOTEL
See "motel or hotel."
IMPERVIOUS SURFACE
Surfaces with a coefficient of runoff greater than 0.85,
including all buildings, roofed areas, parking areas, driveways, streets,
sidewalks and areas paved in concrete and asphalt and any other areas
determined by the Township Engineer to be impervious within the meaning
of this definition.
INDOOR ENTERTAINMENT
An establishment operated by a profit-making corporation,
partnership or other business entity, located within a completely
enclosed building, as defined by this chapter, for the pursuit of
cultural performances and entertainment activities, including, but
not limited to, theaters (live and motion picture), arenas, bowling
alleys, pool halls, virtual reality and simulation gaming parlors,
video arcades, dance halls and similar facilities, but excluding any
adult business, as defined herein.
INDOOR STORAGE FACILITY
One or more completely enclosed buildings or a portion thereof
that contains various sizes of individual compartmentalized and controlled-access
stalls and/or lockers leased to the general public for the dead storage
of personal property where the stalls and/or lockers can only be accessed
from inside the building or from a common loading dock by means of
an interior corridor and where there is no storage of any personal
property, including recreational vehicles, as defined herein, outside
the completely enclosed building.
INN
A limited-service hotel/motel with no more than 40 sleeping
rooms.
JUNKYARD
Any premises devoted wholly or in part to the storage, buying
or selling, salvaging, recycling or otherwise handling or dealing
in scrap metals, building materials, scrapped or used appliances or
other household goods, fixtures, vehicles and vehicle parts, machinery
and machinery parts or other forms of discarded materials.
KENNEL
A structure and/or premises where dogs and/or cats are kept,
bred, trained or boarded for profit.
LAND DEVELOPMENT
The improvement of one lot or two or more contiguous lots,
tracts or parcels for any purpose involving:
A.
A group of two or more residential or nonresidential buildings,
whether proposed initially or cumulatively; or
B.
A single nonresidential building on a lot or lots regardless
of the number of occupants or tenure; or
C.
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; or
LAND DEVELOPMENT PLAN
A plan prepared in accordance with the application requirements of the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter
22] for approval of a land development, as defined herein.
LANDFILL
Any site licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection (PA DEP) for the disposal of solid waste, other than hazardous
waste, as defined and regulated by federal statute.
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.
LANDSCAPING PLAN
A plan, prepared by a person knowledgeable in the characteristics
of plant materials and the proper techniques for installing and maintaining
them, including a registered architect or landscape architect or a
member of the American Nurserymen's Association, identifying each
tree and shrub by size, type and scientific name; the location of
each, including a planting diagram; and such other diagrams or reports
as are necessary to show the method of planting, staking and mulching,
grass seeding specifications and mixtures and existing trees to be
preserved, if any.
LANDSLIDE SUSCEPTIBILITY
Areas of moderate to high susceptibility to landsliding produced
by the influence of natural and/or man-made activity.
LIGHT MANUFACTURING
The processing and fabrication of certain materials and products
where no process involved will produce noise, vibration, water pollution,
fire hazard or noxious emissions which will disturb or endanger neighboring
properties. Light manufacturing includes, but is not limited to, the
production of the following goods: home appliances, electrical instruments,
office machines, precision instruments, electronic devices, timepieces,
jewelry, optical goods, musical instruments, novelties, wood products,
printed material, lithographic plates, type composition, machine tools,
dies and gauges, ceramics, apparel, lightweight nonferrous metal castings,
film processing, light sheet metal products, plastic goods, pharmaceutical
goods, food products, not including animal slaughtering, curing or
rendering of fats, and similar activities.
LOADING SPACE
An area within a principal building or on the same lot with
the principal building, designed in accordance with the requirements
of this chapter and used for the standing, loading or unloading of
tractor-trailer trucks.
LOCAL STREET
Any street in the Township not defined by this chapter as
an arterial street or a collector street.
LOT
A designated parcel, tract or area of land established by
a plat or otherwise as permitted by law to be used, developed or built
upon as a unit.
LOT AREA
The total area within the lot lines, excluding the area within
any street right-of-way.
LOT FRONTAGE
That portion of the lot which adjoins the street right-of-way
or through which access is provided to a public street. Lot frontage
shall be measured as the minimum straight-line distance between the
points where each side lot line intersects the front lot line. If
the front lot line is curved, frontage shall be measured as the minimum
linear distance of the arc that connects the points where the side
lot lines intersect the front lot line. In the case of multiple-family
dwellings, lot frontage shall be measured for the entire length of
the lot containing the dwelling and not for each individual dwelling
unit within the multifamily dwelling.
LOT LINE
A line of record bounding a lot which divides one lot from
another lot or from a public or private street or other public space.
LOT LINE, FRONT
That lot line which is contiguous with the street center
line or the street right-of-way line. In the case of a lot which has
no frontage on a street, the front lot line shall be the lot line
through which vehicular access is provided, regardless of which way
the dwelling faces.
LOT LINE, REAR
That lot line which is generally opposite the front lot line.
LOT LINE, SIDE
Any lot line which is not a front lot line or rear lot line.
LOT OF RECORD
Any lot which, individually, or as part of a subdivision,
has been recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds of Allegheny
County.
LOT WIDTH
The straight-line distance between the point of intersection
of the front building line with the side lot lines.
MAILED NOTICE
A notice, given by a municipality by first-class mail, of
the time and place of a public hearing and the particular nature of
the matter to be considered at the hearing.
MANUFACTURING
The mechanical or chemical transformation of raw materials
or substances into new products or other raw materials, including
the assembling of component parts, the manufacturing of products and
the blending of materials into finished or semifinished products.
MEDIATION
A voluntary negotiating process in which parties to a dispute
mutually select a neutral mediator to assist them in jointly exploring
and settling their differences, culminating in a written agreement
which the parties themselves create and consider acceptable.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Marijuana for certified medical use as set forth in Act 16
of 2016.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY
Use of the premises by a natural person, corporation, partnership,
association, trust or other entity, or any combination thereof, holding
a permit, issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of
Health, to dispense medical marijuana.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA GROWER/PROCESSOR
The use of the premises by a person, including a natural
person, corporation, partnership, association, trust or other entity,
or any combination thereof, holding a permit from the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania Department of Health, to grow and/or process medical
marijuana, with all growing and processing activity to be conducted
indoors.
MEDICAL OFFICES
One or more administrative offices of individual doctors,
dentists, chiropractors or other medical practitioners and their supporting
staffs, where human patients receive diagnosis, treatment and counseling.
MEMORIAL/HISTORICAL PLAQUE
A commemorative plaque recognized by an agency of the Township,
county, commonwealth or federal government or a nonprofit historical
or veteran's organization.
MICROBREWERY
An establishment primarily engaged in the production, distribution
and/or sale of less than 30,000 barrels per year of specialized craft
beer, ale, or other specialized malt beverages for consumption on
or off premises and which may offer food or beverages for consumption
on the premises.
MINERAL REMOVAL
All or part of the process involved in the extraction and
processing of minerals, including mining, drilling, digging, quarrying,
batching or mixing. The term "mineral" includes, but is not limited
to, anthracite and bituminous coal, lignite, limestone and dolomite,
sand, gravel, rock, stone, earth, slag, ore, vermiculite, clay and
other mineral resources, excluding mining activities carried out beneath
the surface of the earth by means of shafts, tunnels or other underground
mine openings. The term "mineral removal" shall include the drilling
and operation of oil or gas wells and conventional oil and gas wells,
as defined herein. The underground activities and processes used and
the migration of gas or oil from a subsurface area to a gas or oil
well site at the surface shall not in and of themselves constitute
mineral removal and are allowed to occur in all zoning districts.
MINI-WAREHOUSE OR SELF-STORAGE FACILITY
A building or group of buildings in a controlled-access and
fenced compound that contains various sizes of individual, compartmentalized
and controlled-access stalls and/or lockers leased to the general
public for a specified period of time for the dead storage of personal
property where the stalls and/or lockers are accessed directly from
outside the building or any facility where outside storage areas are
proposed for the storage of recreational vehicles, as defined herein.
MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT
A building or buildings where townhouse dwellings are located
on the floor or floors above the street or ground floor of a building
where one or more nonresidential uses are located.
MOBILE HOME
A transportable, single-family dwelling intended for permanent
occupancy, contained in one unit, or in two or more units designed
to be joined into one integral unit capable of again being separated
for repeated towing, which arrives at a site complete and ready for
occupancy except for minor and incidental unpacking and assembly operations,
and constructed so that it may be used without a permanent foundation.
MOBILE HOME LOT
A parcel of land in a mobile home park improved with the
necessary utility connections and other appurtenances necessary for
the erection thereon of a single mobile home.
MOBILE HOME PARK
A parcel, or contiguous parcels, of land which has been so
designated and improved that it contains two or more mobile home lots
for the placement of mobile homes.
MODEL HOME
The temporary use of a dwelling unit in an approved plan
that is under construction for the purpose of marketing dwelling units
to be constructed.
MOTEL OR HOTEL
An establishment which offers transient overnight lodging
accommodations, including extended stays, to the general public and
which also may provide additional supporting services, such as restaurants,
meeting rooms, recreation facilities, and living quarters for a resident
manager or proprietor.
MULTI-TENANT LAND USE
Any combination of several multifamily dwellings and/or business
establishments in one or more buildings under single ownership or
management with common parking facilities, including, but not limited
to, a shopping mall, an office building, an apartment complex or a
townhouse development with more than one tenant.
NATURAL GAS COMPRESSOR STATION
A facility designed and constructed to compress natural gas
that originates from an oil or gas well or collection of such wells
operating as a midstream facility for delivery of oil and gas to a
transmission pipeline, distribution pipeline, natural gas processing
plant, or underground storage field, including one or more natural
gas compressors, associated buildings, pipes, valves, tanks and other
equipment.
NATURAL GAS PROCESSING PLANT
A facility used to remove materials such as ethane, butane,
and other constituents or similar substances from natural gas to allow
such natural gas to be of such quality as is required or appropriate
for transmission or distribution to commercial markets, but not including
facilities or equipment used primarily to remove water, water vapor,
oil or naturally occurring liquids from natural gas.
NATURE PRESERVE
An area of land, protected either by governmental ownership
or by conservation easements, where human activities are limited and
the existing natural habitats and environment are protected from man-made
changes.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL USES
A retail store, financial institution, professional or business
office or personal service establishment with a gross floor are of
5,000 square feet or less located on an arterial or collector street,
providing convenience goods and services for residents of the immediately
surrounding area.
NO-IMPACT HOME-BASED BUSINESS
A business or commercial activity administered or conducted
as an accessory use which is clearly secondary to the use as a residential
dwelling and which involves no customer, client or patient traffic,
whether vehicular or pedestrian, pickup, delivery or removal functions
to or from the premises in excess of those normally associated with
residential use. The business or commercial activity must satisfy
the following requirements:
A.
The business activity shall be compatible with the residential
use of the property and surrounding residential uses.
B.
The business shall employ no employees other than family members
residing in the dwelling.
C.
There shall be no display or sale of retail goods and no stockpiling
or inventory of a substantial nature.
D.
There shall be no outside appearance of a business use, including,
but not limited to, parking, signs or lights.
E.
The business activity may not use any equipment or process which
creates noise, vibration, glare, fumes, odors or electrical or electronic
interference, including interference with radio or television reception,
which is detectable in the neighborhood.
F.
The business activity may not generate any solid waste or sewage
discharge, in volume or type, which is not normally associated with
residential use in the neighborhood.
G.
The business activity shall be conducted only within the dwelling
and may not occupy more than 25% of the habitable floor area.
H.
The business may not involve any illegal activity.
NONCONFORMING LOT
Any lot, the area or dimension of which was lawful prior
to the adoption or amendment of this chapter, but which fails to conform
to the requirements of the zoning district in which it is located
by reason of such adoption or amendment.
NONCONFORMING SIGN
Any sign which was lawfully erected and maintained prior
to the adoption or amendment of this chapter, but which fails to conform
to all applicable regulations and restrictions of this chapter.
NONCONFORMING STRUCTURE
A structure or part of a structure which does not comply
with the applicable area and bulk provisions of this chapter or amendment
heretofore or hereafter enacted, where such structure lawfully existed
prior to the enactment of this chapter or an amendment thereto, or
prior to the application of this chapter or amendment to its location
by reason of annexation. Nonconforming signs are included in this
definition.
NONCONFORMING USE
A use, whether of land or of a structure, which does not
comply with the applicable use provisions in this chapter or amendment
heretofore or hereafter enacted, where such use was lawfully in existence
prior to the enactment of this chapter or an amendment thereto, or
prior to the application of this chapter or amendment to its location
by reason of annexation.
NUDE MODEL STUDIO
Any place where a person who appears in a state of nudity,
or who displays "specified anatomical areas," is provided to be observed,
sketched, drawn, painted, sculpted, photographed, or similarly depicted
by other persons who pay money or any form of consideration. "Nude
model studio" shall not include a proprietary school licensed by the
State of Pennsylvania or a college, junior college or university supported
entirely or in part by public taxation; a private college or university
which maintains and operates educational programs in which credits
are transferable to a college, junior college or university supported
entirely or partly by taxation; or a structure:
A.
That has no sign visible from the exterior of the structure
and no other advertising that indicates a nude person is available
for viewing; and
B.
Where, in order to participate in a class, a student must enroll
at least three days in advance of the class; and
C.
Where no more than one nude model is on the premises at any
one time.
NUDITY OR A STATE OF NUDITY
The showing of any part of the human male or female genitals,
pubic area, vulva, anus, anal cleft or cleavage with less than a fully
opaque covering, the showing of the female breast with less than a
fully opaque covering of any part of the nipple, or the showing of
the covered male genitals in a discernibly turgid state.
NURSING HOME
An institution licensed by the commonwealth for the care
of human patients requiring skilled nursing or intermediate nursing
care, but not including facilities for major surgery or care and treatment
of drug or alcohol addiction.
OIL AND GAS WELL
The drilling and operation of oil or gas wells. The oil and
gas well use shall be deemed to be located at the wellsite. For the
purposes of this chapter, a "wellsite" shall consist of the graded
pad and appurtenant area occupied by the facilities, structures and
equipment necessary for or incidental to the drilling, production
or operation of an oil or gas well at the site, including well site
preparation, well site construction, drilling, hydraulic fracturing,
site restoration, water and other fluid storage, impoundment and transportation
located at the site and used for such activities and installation
of associated equipment, the site preparation, construction and installation,
maintenance and repair of oil and gas pipelines and associated equipment
and other equipment and activities at the site associated with drilling
for, production and transportation of oil and gas, but excluding any
structure, facility or use constituting a natural gas compressor station
or a natural gas processing plant or any other facility used primarily
to refine or process gas or oil.
OPERATOR
The applicant for a conditional use approval for mineral
removal and also any "well operator" or "operator," as defined in
the Oil and Gas Act.
PARKING AREA
A portion of a lot designated for the parking of motor vehicles
in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.
PARKING SPACE
A portion of a garage or parking area designated for the
parking of one motor vehicle in accordance with the requirements of
this chapter.
PERSON
An individual, proprietorship, partnership, corporation,
association or other legal entity.
PERSONAL SERVICES
Any enterprise providing services to a person, their apparel
or personal effects commonly carried on or about their person, including,
but not limited to, shoe repair, tailoring, clothes cleaning, watch
repair, beauty shops, barbershops and the like.
PET SERVICES
A business establishment that sells pet food and other pet
care products to the general public and that may offer pet grooming
and limited veterinary services as accessory uses; or a business establishment
that offers services for the bathing and conditioning of domestic
pets or the care during part of a twenty-four-hour day of domestic
pets as a principal use and which may sell food or other pet care
products as an accessory use; provided the uses shall not include
an animal hospital or kennel, as otherwise regulated by this chapter.
PICKUP WINDOW
An accessory use providing for a window or similar facility
where customers are permitted to pickup preordered goods while still
in their vehicles. This use does not permit the placement of an order
at the window, installation of a menu at the window, or other order
point facility.
PILOT MANUFACTURING
An establishment or part thereof used to test concepts and
ideas, determine physical layouts, material flows and processes, types
of equipment required, costs and other information necessary prior
to undertaking full-scale production.
PLANNED OFFICE OR RESEARCH PARK
A site under single ownership and control which is developed
as a unit for two or more buildings containing professional or business
offices and/or research and development establishments in a campus
environment utilizing common means of access, parking and loading
facilities and uniform signage and may include other shared features.
PLANNED RECREATION COMPLEX
An area of at least 100 contiguous acres on which may be
conducted any or all of the following uses or activities:
A.
Primary Uses:
(1)
The provision of athletic fields or facilities for specified
and organized athletic or recreational activities taking place at
prescribed sites or fields, including, but not limited to, fields
for baseball, soccer, football, lacrosse, courts for tennis, basketball
and other court games, and swimming pools for training and competition.
(2)
Arenas or other forms of seating for athletic events, including
concession and retail operations accessory to the uses of the planned
recreation complex; and
(3)
Dormitories accessory to the athletic events held within the
planned recreation complex.
B.
Secondary Uses. Secondary uses may include use of the planned
recreation complex facilities for other types of entertainment events,
athletic or nonathletic. This definition shall not include racetracks,
amusement parks, gambling facilities, nightclubs and/or adult businesses.
PLANNED SHOPPING CENTER
A site under single ownership and control which is developed
as a unit for two or more retail businesses in one or more buildings
and designed with shared parking, loading and access facilities and
uniform signage.
PLANNING COMMISSION
The Planning Commission of Collier Township, Allegheny County,
Pennsylvania.
PORCH
A roofed or uncovered accessory structure without enclosing
walls with an area of more than 24 square feet that is attached to
or part of the principal building and which has direct access to and
from the principal building.
PRESCHOOL FACILITY
An establishment which offers private educational services
to children who are under the minimum age for education in public
schools.
PRINCIPAL USE
The primary or predominant use to which the property is or
may be devoted and to which all other uses on the premises are accessory.
PRINTING ESTABLISHMENT
An establishment engaged in commercial or job printing, including
offset printing, engraving, photolithographing, and publishing and
binding books, newspapers, pamphlets and other printed materials.
PRIVATE
Owned, operated or controlled by an individual, group of
individuals, association or corporation, not for profit, and restricted
to members and their guests.
PRIVATE CLUB
Any establishment operated by a private organization for
social, recreational, educational, fraternal or sororal purposes,
which is open only to members and their guests and not to the general
public.
PRIVATE STABLE
The keeping of horses and/or ponies for personal use and
enjoyment of the residents of the lot, not involving any profit-making
activity.
PRIVATE STREET
A street, including the entire private right-of-way, which
is privately owned and maintained and which is intended for private,
rather than public, use.
PRIVATE USE HELIPAD
A helicopter landing pad licensed by the Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation, Bureau of Aviation, and regulated by the Federal
Aviation Administration, which is owned by a private entity and restricted
to use by helicopters owned by such entity.
PUBLIC
Owned, operated or controlled by a government agency, federal,
state, county or local.
PUBLIC HEARING
A formal meeting held pursuant to public notice by the governing
body or planning agency, 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 65 Pa.C.S.A. Chapter
7 (relating to open meetings).
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice published once each week for two successive weeks
in a newspaper of general circulation in the Township. Such notice
shall state the time and place of the 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 PARKING GARAGE
A parking area which is located in a parking structure or
parking garage, which is the principal use on the lot and which may
be operated by either a public agency or private entity, whether for
profit or not, and which is available for use by the general public,
usually for a fee.
PUBLIC PARKING LOT
A parking area on the surface of the ground which is the
principal use on the lot, which may be operated by either a public
agency or private entity, whether for profit or not, and which is
available for use by the general public, usually for a fee.
PUBLIC TRANSIT PARK-AND-RIDE FACILITY
A paved surface area parking lot constituting a principal
use on a lot, intended for use by transit patrons to park vehicles
while using public mass transit.
PUBLIC UTILITY BUILDING OR STRUCTURE
Any administrative building, maintenance building, garage
or other structure intended for human occupancy or storage of movable
equipment or any part of the essential public utility installation,
as defined herein, other than the general transmission distribution
system provided by public utilities, regulated by the Public Utilities
Commission (PUC) or any agency, franchisee or authority of Collier
Township, which is reasonably necessary to furnish adequate services
to the general public both within Collier Township and outside the
Township, including, but not limited to, long-distance transmission
facilities such as electrical power lines or high-pressure natural
gas or petroleum lines, switching facilities, substations, treatment
plants, reservoirs, water towers, transmission towers and similar
facilities.
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE
A single-axle or multiple-axle structure mounted on wheels
or otherwise capable of being made mobile, either with its own motive
power or designed to be mounted on or drawn by an automotive vehicle,
for the purpose of travel, camping, vacation and recreational use,
including, but not limited to: travel trailers, mobile homes, motor
homes, tent trailers, boats, boat trailers, pickup campers, horse
trailers, snowmobiles, jet skis, wave runners, motorcycles and all-terrain
vehicles.
RECREATION, COMMERCIAL
An indoor or outdoor establishment operated by a profit-making
corporation, partnership or other business entity for the pursuit
of sports and recreational activities, available to the general public
for a fee, including, but not limited to, such establishments as miniature
golf, golf or batting practice facilities, ice or roller rinks, playing
fields, racquet clubs, fitness centers, swimming pools, amusement
parks, amphitheaters and similar facilities.
RECREATION, PRIVATE
An enterprise operated by an individual or nonprofit association
or corporation, other than a public entity, for the pursuit of sports
and recreational activities, which may be advertised to the general
public, but the use of which is limited to members and their guests,
including, but not limited to, such establishments as country clubs,
golf courses, sportsman's club, golf practice facilities, playing
fields, tennis or racquet clubs, swimming pools and similar facilities.
RECREATION, PUBLIC
An enterprise owned and operated by a public entity, available
to the general public, whether or not an admission fee is charged,
including either indoor or outdoor facilities for the pursuit of sports,
recreation or leisure activities, including, but not limited to, parks,
playgrounds, playing fields, golf courses, golf or batting practice
facilities, ice rinks, tennis courts, swimming pools and similar facilities.
RECREATION-RELATED COMMERCIAL USES
Retail stores and services that are directly related to the
needs of persons using the recreational facilities on the Panhandle
Trail, the Botanical Gardens or the Settlers Cabin Park, including,
but not limited to: concession stands, ice cream stores, delicatessens
or other food services, bicycle rental, bicycle repair, pro shops,
sporting goods rental or sales and similar uses.
REFINERY
A building and equipment for refining or processing oil or
gas or similar products.
RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEM
An energy system which makes use of recurring natural resources
or by-products to produce energy without consuming nonrenewable resources
nor causing significant disturbance to natural systems. Renewable
energy systems include, but are not limited to: solar and wind energy
systems, as well as outdoor hydronic heaters. Such systems are usually
independent of the primary utility-supplied energy system but may
be connected thereto.
REPAIR SHOP
A service establishment providing maintenance and repairs
of personal and household items that can be carried in by hand, including
personal effects (such as jewelry, watches, bicycles), small household
appliances, office equipment, small gasoline engines and similar items,
but not including repair of large appliances, motorized vehicles or
heavy equipment.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Any establishment, including laboratories, which carries
on investigation in the natural, physical or social sciences, or engineering
and development as an extension of such investigation, with the objective
of creating end products and which may include supporting storage
and transportation facilities.
RESTAURANT
An establishment which offers food and beverages for sale
and consumption either on or on and off the premises as the principal
use and may serve alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises
as an accessory use.
RETAIL BUSINESS
Any establishment not otherwise specifically defined in this
Part that sells on the premises commodities and/or services directly
to consumers, but not including the manufacturing or processing of
any products. For purposes of this chapter, a "minor retail business"
shall be one that has a gross floor area of less than 10,000 square
feet, and a "major retail business" shall be one that has a gross
floor area of 10,000 square feet or more.
RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
A residential development designed primarily or exclusively
for occupancy by elderly or retired persons and which features one
or more of the following special services associated with the needs
of elderly or retired persons, such as transportation, limited nursing
facilities, dispensaries, common dining facilities, minimum maintenance,
laundry service, recreation programs, personal services (such as beauty
and barber shops, or cleaner's valet service), florist and/or gift
shop, doctor's offices, branch bank, postal service and similar services
or facilities.
RIDING ACADEMY
An establishment where horses are boarded and cared for and
where instruction in riding, jumping and showing is offered for a
fee and where horses may be hired for riding.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
Land set aside for use as a street, alley or other means
of travel, including existing and future rights-of-way, as defined
below.
SALES OFFICE
A temporary use for the purpose of marketing the dwelling
units in a residential development or the leasable space or other
occupancy in a nonresidential development.
SCHOOL, COMMERCIAL
A privately operated, for-profit establishment providing
technical or skilled training, vocational or trade educational courses
and programs.
SCHOOL, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE
An accredited institution of learning which offers elementary
and secondary level instruction or which offers associate, bachelor
or higher degrees in the several branches of learning required by
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
SEAT
The area required for one individual to sit on as regulated
by the Township Building Code.
SEXUAL CONDUCT
Patently offensive representations or descriptions of ultimate
sexual acts, normal or perverted, actual or simulated, and patently
offensive representations, descriptions or acts of masturbation, excretory
functions, homosexuality, sodomy, sexual intercourse or physical contact
with a person's clothed or unclothed genitals, pubic area, buttocks,
or, if such person be female, breast.
SEXUAL ENCOUNTER OR MEDITATION CENTER
A business, agency or person which, for consideration, provides
for commercial purposes a place where persons, not all members of
the same family, may congregate, assemble or associate for the purpose
of engaging in sexual conduct or exposing specified anatomical areas
as defined herein.
SIGN
Any structure or device used to attract attention by word
or graphic display.
SIGN, SURFACE AREA OF
The area enclosed by one continuous line connecting the extreme
points or edges of an advertising panel containing letters; or the
sum of the areas of each letter in the case of freestanding letters
which are mounted on a building wall rather than painted on or affixed
to an advertising panel. In the case of freestanding pole or ground
signs, this area shall not include the main supporting sign structure
but shall include all other ornamental attachments and connecting
features which are not part of the main supports of the sign. In the
case of letters which are painted on or affixed to an awning or canopy
rather than mounted on a wall or affixed to an advertising panel,
the area of the sign shall be the area of the geometric shape formed
by outlining the height and width of all of the letters, including
the space between the individual letters. For two-sided signs, only
one face is counted in computing the surface area.
SIGN TYPES
See definitions for various types of signs in Part
23.
SIT-DOWN RESTAURANT
An establishment, with a maximum of 10,000 square feet of
gross floor area, which, as the principal use, offers food and beverages
for consumption on the premises where orders are placed with waitpersons
by customers seated at tables and food and beverages are served at
the table by waitpersons and where the usual length of stay is one
hour or more. A sit-down restaurant may or may not serve alcoholic
beverages for consumption on the premises as an accessory use and
may or may not offer take-out service as an accessory use but shall
not include a pick-up window or drive-through window.
SITE
A tract of land or one or more contiguous lots proposed for
development.
SITE AREA
The total area within the boundary lines of a site proposed
for development, expressed in acres or square feet.
SLOPE
The degree of rise or descent of the land surface calculated
by dividing the number of feet of vertical rise/descent in elevation
by the number of feet of horizontal distance, expressed as a percentage.
SOLAR ACCESS
The access of a solar energy system to direct sunlight.
SOLAR EASEMENT
A legal agreement that protects access to sunlight on a property.
SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM
An energy conversion system, including appurtenances, which
converts solar energy to a usable form of energy to meet all or part
of the energy or heating requirements of the on-site user, or which
is to be sold to a utility company to be used by others, or sold directly
to other users. A solar energy system may be ground-mounted (i.e.,
placed on top of the ground surface) or roof-mounted (i.e., placed
on or as an integral part of a building).
B.
LARGE SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMSolar energy systems installed on large parcels of land for the purpose of generating revenue or utility-scale systems installed to benefit the community or an entire institution.
SPECIALTY RETAIL
A retail establishment devoted exclusively to the sale of
distinctive, high-quality merchandise, including one or more of the
following: apparel and accessory boutique; art, music and photography
gallery or studio; antique or interior design shop; bookstore; card,
gift and stationery store; confectionery; florist; baked goods; historic
or museum shop; ice cream parlor; jeweler; kitchen accessory shop;
optical shop; newsstand; tobacco shop; travel agency; wine shop; and
specialty shops similar to the above, and excluding establishments
offering general merchandise in a discount setting and establishments
constituting an adult business as defined herein.
SPECIFIED ANATOMICAL AREAS
Human genitals, pubic region, anus, buttocks, female breast(s)
below a point immediately above the top of the areola, or human male
genitals in a discernibly turgid state even if completely covered.
SPECIFIED SEXUAL ACTIVITIES
Any of the following:
A.
The fondling or other erotic touching of human genitals, pubic
region, buttocks, anus or female breasts;
B.
Sex acts, normal or perverted, actual or simulated, including
intercourse, oral copulation, masturbation or sodomy; or
C.
Human genitals in a state of sexual stimulation or arousal.
SPORTS COURT
A surfaced outdoor area accessory to a dwelling or dwellings,
used for playing sports, including, but not limited to, tennis, handball,
basketball and similar sports.
STEEP SLOPE
A land area wherein the inclination of the land surface from
the horizontal is 15% or greater.
STOOP
A covered or uncovered porch located at a front, side or
rear door to a dwelling unit, not exceeding 24 square feet in area.
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
is no floor above it, then the space between any floor and the ceiling
next above it, excluding cellars.
STREET
A public or private recorded right-of-way which affords primary
means of vehicular access to abutting property, but not including
alleys.
STREET LINE
The legal right-of-way line which forms the dividing line
between the street and the lot.
STREET, PUBLIC
A public right-of-way dedicated and open for public use which
has been adopted by the Township, county, commonwealth or governmental
body.
STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS
A change or rearrangement of the structural parts or in the
exit facilities, or an enlargement or diminution of the structure,
whether by extending on the side or increasing the height or depth,
or the moving from one location or position to another.
STRUCTURE
Any man-made object having an ascertainable stationary location
on or in land or water, whether or not affixed to the land.
SUBDIVISION
The division of a lot, tract or parcel of land by any means
into two or more lots, tracts or parcels or other divisions of land,
including any 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 easement of access or any residential dwelling, shall be
exempted.
SUPPLY YARD
A commercial establishment engaged in storing and selling
building supplies, industrial supplies or feed and grain primarily
to businesses, rather than the general public.
SWIMMING POOL
Any body of water or receptacle for water having a depth
at any point greater than two feet and a surface area greater than
100 square feet, used or intended to be used for swimming or bathing
and constructed, installed or maintained outside any building.
TEMPORARY USE OR STRUCTURE
Any use or structure that is intended to be used either on
a seasonal basis, during the time of construction and completion of
an approved development, or for any other period of time that is six
months or less.
TOWNHOUSE
See Subsection L under "dwelling types."
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Collier, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS
A study prepared by a qualified traffic engineer, in accordance with the technical requirements specified in the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter
22], analyzing the expected trip generation from a proposed development using the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) current standards and the impact of the traffic generated by the proposed development on the capacities and levels of service of all streets and intersections in the vicinity of the site.
TRIPLEX
See Subsection C under "dwelling types."
TRUCK AND HEAVY EQUIPMENT RENTAL, SALES AND SERVICE
An establishment engaged in the rental, sale and/or service
of vehicles in excess of 26,000 pounds GVW and/or any other heavy
equipment, including, but not limited to, construction or farm equipment,
whether or not the equipment is classified as a motor vehicle.
TRUCK TERMINAL
A facility to accommodate the fueling, routine maintenance
and storage of trucks and other motorized equipment and trailers and
which may provide warehousing and transfer facilities, as accessory
uses.
UNCONVENTIONAL GAS WELL
An oil or gas well that is drilled into a geologic shale
formation below the base of the Elk Sandstone or its geologic equivalent,
where natural gas generally cannot be produced except by horizontal
or vertical well bores stimulated by hydraulic fracturing.
USE
The purpose, business or activity for which any land or structure
is utilized.
USE BY SPECIAL EXCEPTION
A use authorized by this chapter which may be granted only
by the Zoning Hearing Board following a public hearing, subject to
express standards and criteria contained in this chapter.
VARIANCE
A departure from the specific regulations of this chapter
which may be granted by the Zoning Hearing Board in accordance with
the criteria established by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning
Code (Act 247, as amended) for a particular piece of property which,
because of special circumstances applicable to it, cannot be developed
in compliance with the literal terms of this chapter without undue
physical hardship.
VEHICLE ACCESSORIES SALES AND INSTALLATION
An establishment engaged in the retail sales and installation
of accessories for trucks, automobiles and motorcycles, including,
but not limited to, such items as tires, hubcaps, mirrors, seat covers,
floor mats, tonneau covers, truck caps, windshield wipers, trim packages,
running boards and the like, but not including any mechanical parts.
VEHICLE RENTAL, SALES AND SERVICE
The rental, sales and service of automobiles, motorcycles
and trucks under 26,000 pounds GVW, but not including any heavy equipment
or any other vehicle or equipment which is not classified as a "motor
vehicle" under the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code.
VEHICLE REPAIR GARAGE
A structure and surrounding land used for the servicing and
repair of motor vehicles, including engine overhaul, body work and
recapping/retreading of tires, and where all storage of parts and
dismantled vehicles and all repair work are conducted entirely inside
a "completely enclosed building," as defined by this chapter.
VEHICLE SERVICE STATION
A structure and surrounding land used for the sale of automotive
lubricants, accessories or supplies, the incidental washing of motor
vehicles and the performing of minor repairs such as tire, battery,
oil servicing, and detailing, and may or may not include a convenience
store and/or a gasoline station as an accessory use.
VIEWING BOOTHS
Booths, stalls, partitioned portions of a room, cubicles,
compartments, rooms or other enclosures which are available to members
of the public, patrons or members for viewing:
A.
Films, moves, videos or visual reproductions of any kind depicting
or describing "specified sexual activities" or "specified anatomical
areas"; or
B.
Persons who appear in a state of nudity or who offer performances
or presentations characterized by the exposure of "specified anatomical
areas" or by "specified sexual activities."
WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION
A building used for the storage and handling of freight or
merchandise, but not including the maintenance or fueling of commercial
vehicles. Warehousing which is incidental to retail sales and which
does not constitute in excess of 30% of the total floor area of the
retail establishment shall be excluded from this definition.
WHOLESALE BUSINESS
An establishment engaged in selling merchandise to retailers,
institutional, commercial or professional business customers or other
wholesalers, rather than to the general public, or acting as a broker
for such merchandise sales.
WIND ENERGY SYSTEM
Any electric generation facility whose main purpose is to
convert and store wind energy into usable forms of energy and that
includes the wind turbine(s), structural supports, electrical infrastructure,
and other appurtenant structures and facilities.
A.
SMALL WIND ENERGY SYSTEMA small wind energy system consists of a maximum of one wind turbine, installed for personal use in residences, commercial properties and institutions.
B.
LARGE WIND ENERGY SYSTEMWind energy systems installed on large parcels of land for the purpose of generating revenue or utility-scale systems installed to benefit the community or an entire institution.
WOODLANDS
Areas, groves or stands of mature or largely mature trees
which are greater than six inches' caliper (diameter) at a height
of 14 inches above the ground which cover a land area greater than
0.25 of an acre; or any grove of more than 10 individual trees which
are mature having a caliper (diameter) greater than 12 inches at a
height of 14 inches above the ground.
YARD
A required open space located on a lot, which is unobstructed
by any portion of a principal structure, other than certain projections
expressly permitted by this chapter.
YARD, FRONT
A yard extending between side lot lines across the full lot
width from the street right-of-way line to a line parallel to the
front lot line known as the "front building line," the minimum horizontal
distance required by this chapter.
YARD, REAR
A yard extending across the rear of the lot between the required
side yard lines parallel to the rear lot line, the minimum horizontal
distance required by this chapter.
YARD, SIDE
A yard extending from the required front building line to
the rear lot line parallel to the side lot line, the minimum horizontal
distance required by this chapter.
ZONING AMENDMENT
A change to the text of this chapter or to the Zoning District
Map proposed for adoption by the Board of Commissioners pursuant to
the procedures specified in this chapter.
ZONING CERTIFICATE
A document issued by the Zoning Officer indicating that approval
of a conditional use has been granted by the Board of Commissioners,
or approval of a use by special exception has been granted by the
Zoning Hearing Board, or approval has been granted by the Zoning Officer
for a permitted use by right, pursuant to the procedures of this chapter,
indicating compliance with all applicable requirements of this chapter,
which approval is prerequisite to the issuance of a building permit
and/or certificate of occupancy.
ZONING DISTRICT
An area accurately defined as to boundaries and location
on the Zoning District Map and within which area only certain types
of land uses are permitted and within which other types of land uses
are excluded, as set forth in this chapter.
ZONING DISTRICT MAP
The official map delineating the zoning districts of Collier
Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, together with all amendments
subsequently adopted, which is incorporated in and made a part of
this chapter by reference thereto.
ZONING HEARING BOARD
The Zoning Hearing Board of the Township of Collier, Allegheny
County, Pennsylvania.
ZONING OFFICER
That person appointed by the Collier Township Board of Commissioners
and charged with the responsibility of administering and enforcing
this chapter.