[Ord. 7037, adopted 2-14-1991]
Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following words for the
purpose of this Ordinance, have the meaning herein indicated. The
present tense shall include the future, the singular number shall
include the plural, words used in the masculine gender shall include
the feminine and the neuter; the word "shall" is always mandatory;
the word "may" is always permissive.
100-YEAR FLOOD
A flood that, on the average, is likely to occur once every
100 years.
ALLEY
A minor way, whether or not legally dedicated, intended and
used primarily for vehicular service access to the rear of properties
which abut on a street, and not intended for the purpose of through
vehicular traffic.
APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT
Every application, whether preliminary, tentative or final
required to be filed and approved prior to start of construction or
development including, but not limited to, an application for a building
permit, for the approval of a development plan.
BLOCK
An area, divided into lots, and usually bounded by streets.
BUILDING
A combination of materials to form a permanent structure
having walls and a roof, including, but not limited to, all mobile
homes and trailers.
CARTWAY or ROADWAY
The portion of a street or alley improved, designed or ordinarily
used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the sidewalk, berm or shoulder.
CITY
The City of New Castle, Pennsylvania.
CLEAR SIGHT TRIANGLE
An area or unobstructed vision at street intersections defined
by lines of sight between points at a given distance from the intersection
of street center line.
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 and designed and intended
for the use or enjoyment of residents of a development, not including
streets, off-street parking areas, and areas set aside for public
facilities.
CONDOMINIUM
Ownership in common with others of a parcel of land and certain
parts of a building thereon which would normally be used by all the
occupants, together with individual ownership in fee of a particular
unit or apartment in such building or on such parcel of land and may
include dwellings, offices and other types of space in commercial
and industrial buildings or on real property.
COUNCIL
The Council of the City of New Castle, Pennsylvania.
COUNTY
The County of Lawrence, Pennsylvania.
CUL-DE-SAC
A minor street intersecting another street at one end and
terminated at the other by a vehicular turnaround.
CUT
An excavation; the difference between a point on the original
ground and designated point of lower elevation on the final grade;
also, the material removed in excavation.
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES (DER)
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, its
bureaus, divisions, departments, and/or agencies, as may from time
to time be established, or such department of departments as may in
the future succeed it.
DESIGNATED FLOODPLAIN AREAS
A relatively flat or low land area adjoining a river, stream,
or watercourse which is subject to partial or complete inundation
in a 100-year flood as designated on the flood map produced by the
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Community-Panel
Number 420568 0005 C.
DETENTION POND
An area in which surface water runoff is temporarily stored
pending its release at a controlled rate.
DEVELOPER
Any landowner, agent of such landowner, or tenant with the
permission of such landowner, who makes or causes to be made a subdivision
of land or a land development.
DEVELOPMENT
Any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate,
including, but not limited to, buildings or other structures, the
placement of mobile homes, streets and other paving, utilities, mining,
dredging, filling, grading, excavation, or drilling operations, and
the subdivision of land.
DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The provisions for development including a planned residential
development, a plat of subdivision, 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
development plan" when used in this Ordinance, shall mean the written
and graphic materials referred to in this definition.
DRAINAGE
The removal of surface water or groundwater from land by
drains, grading or other means, and includes control of runoff to
minimize erosion and sedimentation during and after construction or
development.
DRAINAGE FACILITY
Any ditch, gutter, culvert, storm sewer or other structure
designed, intended or constructed for the purpose of carrying, diverting,
or controlling surface water or groundwater.
DRAINAGE RIGHT-OF-WAY
The lands required for the installation of storm water sewers
or drainage ditches, or required along a natural stream or watercourse
for preserving the channel and providing for the flow of water therein
to safeguard the public against flood damage.
DRIVEWAY
A private vehicular passageway providing access between a
street and private parking area or private garage.
DWELLING
Any building which is designed for human living quarters,
but not including hotels, boarding houses, tourist cabins, motels
and other accommodations used for transient occupancy.
EASEMENT
A grant of limited use of private land for a public or quasi-public
purpose.
ENGINEER
A registered professional engineer in Pennsylvania designated
by the City of New Castle.
ENGINEERING SPECIFICATIONS
The engineering criteria of the City of New Castle regulating
the installation of any improvement or facility. In the absence of
such City engineering criteria, the applicable standards of the Lawrence
County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance shall apply.
EROSION
The removal of surface materials by the action of natural
elements.
EXCAVATION
Any act by which earth, sand, gravel, rock, or any other
similar material is dug into, cut, quarried, uncovered, removed, displaced,
relocated or bulldozed. It shall include the conditions resulting
therefrom.
FILL
Any act by which earth, sand, gravel, rock, or any other
material is placed, pushed, dumped, pulled, transported or moved to
a new location above the natural surface of the ground or on top of
the stripped surface. It shall include the conditions resulting therefrom.
The difference in elevation between a point on the original ground
and a designated point of higher elevation of the final grade. The
material used to make fill.
FLOOD PLAIN
The area along a natural watercourse which may from time
to time be overflowed by water therefrom.
FLOODWAY
The channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent
land areas required to carry and discharge a flood of the 100-year
magnitude.
GRADING AND DRAINAGE PLAN
A plan showing all existing ground features and proposed
grading, including existing and proposed surface and subsurface drainage
facilities, described by grades, contours, and topography.
IMPROVEMENTS
Those physical additions, installations, and changes required
to render land suitable for the use intended, including, but not limited
to, grading, paving, curbing, street lights and signs, fire hydrants,
water mains, electric service, gas service, sanitary sewers, storm
drains, sidewalks, crosswalks, driveways, culverts, and street shade
trees.
INTERIOR WALK
A right-of-way or easement for pedestrian use, extending
from a street into a block or across a block to another street.
LAND DEVELOPMENT
Any of the following activities:
(a)
The improvement of one lot or two or more contiguous lots, tracts
or parcels of land for any purpose involving:
(1)
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
(2)
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;
(c)
"Land development" does not include development which involves:
(1)
The conversion of an existing single family detached dwelling
or single family semi-detached 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 building,
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 the 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 by the proper authorities.
LOT
A designated parcel, tract or area of land established by
a plat or otherwise as permitted by law and to be used, developed
or built upon as a unit.
LOT - CORNER
A lot abutting upon two or more streets at their intersection,
the front of which shall be considered to be the frontage of least
dimension on a street, except that where any two frontages shall each
exceed 150 feet in length, either frontage may be designated as the
"front" of the lot.
LOT - INTERIOR
A lot having side lot lines which do not abut on a street.
LOT - MINIMUM WIDTH
The distance between the side lot lines measured at the building
set-back line.
LOT - NON-CONFORMING
A lot of record at the time of the adoption of this Ordinance,
which by reason of area or dimension, does not conform to the requirements
of this Ordinance.
LOT - REVERSE FRONTAGE
A lot extending between and having frontage on an arterial
street and a local access street, and with vehicular access solely
from the latter.
LOT OF RECORD
A lot described in a deed or shown on a plan of lots which
has been recorded in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Lawrence
County, Pennsylvania.
MAINTENANCE GUARANTEE
Any security, other than cash, which may be accepted by the
City of New Castle for the maintenance of any improvements required
by this Ordinance.
MARKER
A wood or metal stake placed to designate the boundary and
corners of lots in the subdivision of land for the purpose of reference
in land and property survey and to facilitate the sale of lots.
MINOR SUBDIVISION
The subdivision of land into not more than two parcels located
on an existing improved street that does not involve:
(a)
Installation of improvements as required by this Ordinance;
(b)
Extension of utilities; frontage on an arterial or collector
street;
(c)
Adverse effect to the development of the remaining parcel;
(d)
Adverse effect to adjoining properties; and
(e)
Conflict with the City of New Castle's Comprehensive Plan,
Zoning Ordinance, any portion of this Ordinance or other State, County
or City ordinances, laws or regulations.
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 thereon of mobile homes.
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 survey.
MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY
A body politic and corporate created pursuant to the Act
of May 2, 1945 (P.L. 382, No. 164), known as the "Municipalities Authority
Act of 1945."
MUNICIPALITY
The City of New Castle, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania.
OFFICIAL MAP
The map established by Council showing the streets, highways
and parks heretofore laid out, adopted and established by law and
any amendments thereto adopted by Council or additions thereto resulting
from the approval of subdivision plats by the Planning Commission
and the subsequent filing of such approved plats.
OWNER
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 owner, or
other persons having a proprietary interest in the land, shall be
deemed to be an owner for the purpose of this Ordinance.
PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE
Any security which may be in lieu of a requirement that certain
improvements be made before the City Council approves a final subdivision
or land development plan, including performance bond, escrow agreements,
and other similar collateral or surety agreements.
PERSON
An individual, partnership, corporation, or other legally
recognized entity.
PLAN, FINAL
A complete and exact subdivision plan or land development
plan, prepared for official recording as required by statute, to define
property rights and proposed streets and other improvements.
PLAN, PRELIMINARY
A tentative subdivision plan or land development plan, in
lesser detail than a final plan, showing approximate proposed street
and lot layout as a basis for consideration prior to preparation of
a final plan.
PLAN, SKETCH
An informal plan, subdivision or land development plan, not
necessarily to scale, indicating salient existing features of a tract
and its surroundings and the general layout of the proposed subdivision.
PLAN, SOIL EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL
A plan for controlling erosion and sediment during construction
which shall provide all steps, including scheduling, to assure erosion
and sediment control during all phases of construction, including
final subdivision.
PLAT
A map or plan of a subdivision or use indicating the location
and boundaries of individual properties.
PUBLIC GROUNDS
(a)
Parks, playgrounds, trails, paths, and other recreational areas
and other public areas;
(b)
Sites for schools, sewage treatment, refuse disposal and other
publicly owned or operated facilities; and
(c)
Publicly owned or operated scenic and historic sites.
PUBLIC HEARING
A formal meeting held pursuant to public notice by the City
Council or City Planning Commission, intended to inform and obtain
public comments, prior to taking action in accordance with this Ordinance.
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," 53 P.S. §§ 271
et seq.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice published once each week for two successive weeks
in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of New Castle. 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.
RE-SUBDIVISION
Any subdivision or transfer of land, laid out on a plan which
has been approved by the City Council which changes or proposes to
change property lines and/or public right-of-way not in strict accordance
with approved plan.
RESERVE STRIP
A narrow parcel of ground having inadequate area for building
purposes separating a street or a proposed street from other adjacent
properties.
RESIDENT PROPERTY OWNER
Any individual maintaining a voting address in the City of
New Castle, within 1,000 feet of the proposed subdivision, owning
real estate in his own or joint names.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
Land legally dedicated for public purposes, including, but
not limited to, a street, alley, or interior walk.
RUNOFF
The surface water discharge or rate of discharge of a given
watershed after a fall of rain or snow that does not enter the soil
but runs off the surface of the land.
SEDIMENTATION
The process by which mineral or organic matter is accumulated
or deposited by moving wind, water or gravity. Once this matter is
deposited, or remains suspended in water, it is usually referred to
as "Sediment."
SEPTIC TANK
A watertight tank in which raw sewage is broken down into
solid, liquid, and gaseous phases to facilitate further treatment
and final disposal.
SETBACK (BUILDING SETBACK LINE)
The line within a property defining the required minimum
distance between any structure and the ultimate adjacent right-of-way,
and the line defining side and rear yards where required.
SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM, ON SITE
A system of piping tanks or other facilities serving a lot
and collecting and disposing of sewage in whole or in part into the
soil.
SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM, PUBLIC
A sanitary sewer collection method in which sewage is carried
from the site by a system of pipes to a central treatment and disposal
plant.
SHOULDER
The portion of a roadway (cartway) between the curb or gutter
and the travelway intended for emergency and parking use.
SIGHT DISTANCE
The extent of unobstructed vision, in a horizontal or vertical
plane, along a street.
SLOPE
The face of an embankment of cut section; any ground whose
surface makes an angle with the plane of the horizon. Slopes are usually
expressed in a percentage based upon vertical difference in feet per
100 feet of horizontal distance.
SOIL PERCOLATION TEST
A field test conducted to determine the absorption capacity
of soil to a specified depth in a given location for the purpose of
determining suitability of soil for on-site sewage disposal.
STREET
Includes street, avenue, boulevard, road, highway, freeway,
parkway, lane, alley, viaduct or any other ways used or intended to
be used by vehicular traffic or pedestrians whether public or private.
(b)
COLLECTOR STREETSThose which, in addition to giving access to abutting properties, intercept local access streets and provide routes to community facilities and to arterial streets.
(c)
ARTERIAL STREETSThose serving large volumes of comparatively high-speed and long-distance traffic, and include facilities classified as main and secondary highways by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
(d)
MARGINAL ACCESS STREETSMinor streets, parallel and adjacent to arterial streets, providing access to abutting properties and control of intersections with the arterial street.
(e)
HALF OR PARTIAL STREETA street generally parallel and adjacent to a property line having a lesser right-of-way width than normally required for satisfactory improvements and use of the street.
STRUCTURE
Any man-made object having an ascertainable stationary location
on or in land or water, whether or not affixed to the land.
SUBDIVIDER
Any individual, firm, association, syndicate, copartnership,
corporation, trust, or any other legal entity commencing proceedings
under this Subdivision Ordinance to effect a subdivision of land hereunder
for himself or for another.
SUBDIVISION
The division or re-division of a lot, tract or parcel of
land by any means in 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 easement of access or any residential dwelling, shall be
exempted.
SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED
Where, in the judgment of the City Engineer, at least 90%
(based on the cost of the required improvements for which financial
security was posted pursuant to the requirements of this Ordinance)
of those improvements required as a condition for final approval have
been completed in accordance with the approved plan, so that the project
will be able to be used, occupied or operated for its intended use.
SURVEYOR
A licensed surveyor registered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
SWALE
A low-lying stretch of land characterized as a depression
used to carry surface water runoff.
TOP SOIL
Surface soils and subsurface soils which normally are fertile
soils and soil material, ordinarily rich in organic matter of humus
debris. Top soil is usually found in the uppermost soil layer called
the A Horizon.
UNDEVELOPED LAND
Any lot, tract or parcel of land which has not been graded
or in any other manner prepared for the construction of a building
or other improvement.
UNIT
A part of the property, structure or building designed or
intended for any type of independent use, which has direct exit to
a public street or way, or to an easement or right-of-way leading
to a public street or way, and includes a proportionate undivided
interest in the common elements, which is assigned to the property,
structure or building.
WATER FACILITY
Any water works, water supply works, water distribution system
or part thereof, designed, intended or constructed to provide or distribute
potable water.
WATER SURVEY
An inventory of the source, quantity, yield and use of groundwater
and surface-water resources within the City of New Castle.
WATERCOURSE
A stream of water, river, brook, creek, or a channel or ditch
for water, whether natural or man made.