As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
ABUT
To touch, to lie immediately next to, to share a common wall
or lot line, or to be separated by only a street, alley, or right-of-way.
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT
An accessory habitable living unit added to, created within,
or detached from a single-family dwelling that provides basic requirements
for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation.
ACCESSORY SUPPLEMENTAL BUILDING OR STRUCTURE
An accessory building used by the occupants of the principal
building for recreation, such as a gazebo, swimming pool cabana, building
housing a spa, or hobby greenhouse. An accessory supplemental building
shall not be used for storage, except that a cabana used in conjunction
with a swimming pool may house filter equipment and pool accessories.
ACCESSORY USE, BUILDING, OR STRUCTURE
A use, building, or structure on the same lot with, and of
a nature customarily incidental and subordinate to, the principal
use, building, or structure.
ADJOINING
Touching or contiguous, as distinguished from lying near
or adjacent.
ADULT DAY-CARE CENTER
A center other than a private residence in which more than
six adults are supervised and receive group care for periods of time
not to exceed 16 hours in a twenty-four-hour period.
ADULT DAY-CARE HOME
A private residence in which six adults or fewer are given
care and supervision for periods of time not to exceed 16 hours in
a twenty-four-hour period.
ADULT FOSTER-CARE FACILITY
A governmental or nongovernmental establishment that provides
foster care to adults. It include facilities and foster-care family
homes for adults who are aged, mentally ill, developmentally disabled,
or physically handicapped who require supervision on an ongoing basis
but who do not require continuous nursing care. An adult foster-care
facility does not include nursing homes, homes for the aged, hospitals,
alcohol or substance abuse rehabilitation centers, residential centers
for persons released from or assigned to a correctional facility,
or any other facilities which have been exempted from the definition
of adult foster-care facility by the Adult Foster Care Facility Licensing
Act, 218 of 1979, MCL 400.701, as amended. The types of licensed adult
foster-care facilities include the following:
A.
FOSTER CARE SMALL GROUP HOMEA facility with the approved capacity to receive 12 or fewer adults who are provided supervision, personal care, and protection in addition to room and board, for 24 hours a day, five or more days a week, and for two or more consecutive weeks for compensation.
B.
FOSTER CARE LARGE GROUP HOMEA facility with approved capacity to receive at least 13 but not more than 20 adults to be provided supervision, personal care, and protection in addition to room and board, for 24 hours a day, five or more days a week, and for two or more consecutive weeks for compensation.
C.
FOSTER CARE FAMILY HOMEA private residence with the approved capacity to receive six or fewer adults to be provided with foster care for five or more days a week and for two or more consecutive weeks. The adult foster care family home licensee must be a member of the household and an occupant of the residence.
AGRICULTURAL COMMERCIAL AND TOURISM
A business venture on a working farm, ranch or agricultural
enterprise that offers educational and recreational experiences for
visitors while generating supplemental income for the owner. Examples
include but are not limited to u-pick operations, corn mazes, farm
stands, or cider mills.
ALLEY
Any right-of-way, with a width of not less than 16 feet nor
more than 24 feet, which affords a secondary means of vehicular access
to abutting properties. A street shall not be considered an alley.
AMBIENT NOISE
Regularly occurring background noise not produced by the
object or device in question.
ANIMATION
A rapid display of a sequence of images or blinking lights
in order to create an illusion of movement.
ANTENNA
Any device or array that transmits and/or receives electromagnetic
signals for voice, data or video communications purposes, including,
but not limited to, television, AM/FM radio, microwave, cellular telephone,
and similar forms of communications.
ARCADE
Any place, premises, establishment, or room within a structure
within which are located three or more amusement devices. For purposes
of this section, "amusement devices" shall mean any device, machine,
or apparatus operated by a patron which plays, exhibits, emits, produces,
or displays entertainment or amusement in the form of a game, motion
picture, music, performance, or similar entertainment. The term does
not include vending machines used to dispense foodstuffs, toys, or
other products for use and consumption, kiddy rides, jukeboxes, bowling
alleys, or pool tables.
ARTISAN FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRODUCTION
A facility typically operated by a single business entity
for the production of small-scale, hand-crafted, specialty food and
beverage products for on- and/or off-site sales and consumption. The
facility may include wholesale and/or retail sales.
AWNING
A roof-like mechanism, which projects from the wall of a
building for the purpose of affording weather protection to doorways
and windows. Often, awnings provide identity for a business and provide
shade for display areas.
BASEMENT
That portion of a building which is partly or wholly below
grade but so located that the vertical distance from the average grade
to the floor is greater than the vertical distance from the average
grade to the ceiling. A basement shall not be counted as a story.
BED-AND-BREAKFAST FACILITY
A private, owner-occupied business in a single-family residence
where overnight accommodations and morning meal are provided to transients
for compensation.
BERM
A mound of soil, either natural or man-made, used to screen
and visually separate, in part or entirely, one area, site, or property
from the view of another area.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Structural and nonstructural practices and techniques that
mitigate the adverse impacts caused by land development on water quality
and quantity.
BLOCK
Is comprised of a parcel of land bounded by streets or by
a combination of streets and public parks, cemeteries, railroad rights-of-way,
bulkhead lines or shorelines, or the corporate boundary lines of any
village, city, or township.
BOARDINGHOUSE
A private house that provides accommodations and meals for
paying guests.
BUFFER
Landscaping (other than mere grass on flat terrain), or the
use of landscaping along with berms, walls or decorative fences, that
at least partially and periodically obstructs the view from the street,
in a continuous manner, of: vehicular use areas; parking lots and
their parked cars; detention and retention ponds; different land uses;
cellular tower facilities; and other similar uses.
BUILDING
An enclosed structure having a roof supported by columns,
walls, arches, or other devices and used for the housing, shelter,
or enclosure of persons, animals, or chattels.
BUILDING FOOTPRINT AREA
The area enclosed by the perimeter of a structure as viewed
from above, including any overhang or attached structure.
BUILDING HEIGHT
The vertical distance measured from grade to the highest
point of the roof for flat roofs, to the deckline of mansard roofs,
and to the average height between eaves and ridge for gable, hip,
and gambrel roofs.
BUILDING LINE
The minimum distance which any building must be located from
a street right-of-way or high waterline.
BUILDING MATERIAL SALES
Establishments or places of business primarily engaged in
retail or wholesale, from the premises, of materials used in the construction
of buildings or other structures, but specifically excluding automobile
or equipment supplies otherwise classified herein. Typical uses include
building material stores and home supply establishments.
BUILDING, PRINCIPAL
A building or structure in which the primary use of the lot
on which the building is located is conducted.
BUILDING, TEMPORARY
Any building not designed to be permanently located at the
place where it is, or where it is intended to be, temporarily placed
or affixed.
BULK
The term used to indicate the size and setback of a building
or structure and the location of same with respect to another building
or structure, or to a lot line, and includes the following:
A.
The size and height of a building or structure.
B.
The location of the exterior wall of a building in relation
to a lot line, street, or other building or any structure, i.e., roof,
awning or chimney that overhangs more than one foot from the wall
of a building.
C.
The floor area of a building in relation to the area of the
lot on which it is located.
D.
The open spaces allocated to, and surrounding a building.
E.
The amount of lot area per dwelling unit.
BUSINESS CENTER
Two or more single-occupancy or multitenant buildings devoted
to retail, office, research, industrial, warehousing, or business
park uses, whether or not on separate lots, which share a common drive
system and/or off-street parking facilities, and/or identified by
a name for the center. A business center may be located in an industrial
park.
BUSINESS SERVICE AND REPAIR
An establishment providing other businesses with various
services, including maintenance, repair and service, testing, and
rental.
CALIPER
The method by which nursery tree stock is measured. "Caliper"
is the diameter of the trunk of a tree measured in inches at a point
six inches above the ground line if the caliper measurement is four
inches or less; if the caliper measurement is larger, then the measurement
is taken 12 inches above the ground.
CANDELA
A unit of luminance or brightness for electronic message
signs. A common candle emits light with a luminous intensity of roughly
one candela.
CARGO CONTAINERS
A container fabricated for the purpose of transporting freight
or goods on a truck, railroad, or ship, including shipping containers,
storage units or other portable structures that are placed on private
property and used for storage of items.
[Added 11-18-2020 by Ord. No. ZOA 20-211]
CEMETERY
Grounds and facilities including any one or a combination
of more than one of the following: a burial ground for earth interment;
a mausoleum for crypt entombment; a crematory for the cremation of
human remains; and a columbarium for the deposit of cremated remains.
CHILD-CARE FACILITY
The following definitions shall apply in the application
of this chapter:
A.
CHILD DAY-CARE CENTERA facility, other than a private residence, receiving one or more children for care and supervision for periods less than 24 hours, and where the parents or guardians are not immediately available to the child.
B.
CHILD FAMILY DAY-CARE HOMEA private home in which one but fewer than seven minor children are received for care and supervision for periods of less than 24 hours a day, unattended by a parent or legal guardian, except children related to an adult member of the family by blood, marriage, or adoption. The term "family day-care home" includes a home in which care is given to an unrelated minor child for more than four weeks during a calendar year.
C.
CHILD GROUP DAY-CARE HOMEA private home in which more than six but not more than 12 minor children are given care and supervision for periods of less than 24 hours a day unattended by a parent or legal guardian, except children related to an adult member of the family by blood, marriage, or adoption. The term "group day-care home" includes a home in which care is given to an unrelated minor child for more than four weeks during a calendar year.
D.
PRIVATE HOMEA private residence in which the licensee or registrant permanently resides as a member of the household, which residency is not contingent upon caring for children or employment by a licensed or approved child-placing agency.
CIGAR BAR
An establishment or area within an establishment that is
open to the public and is designated for the smoking of cigars, purchased
on the premises or elsewhere.
CLUB
An organization and its premises catering to members and
their guests for social, intellectual, recreational, cultural, or
athletic purposes not operated for profit.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE
Commercial vehicles shall include, but not be limited to:
tractors (excluding lawn tractors), bulldozers, earth carriers, drag
lines, cranes, back hoes, dump trucks, stake trucks, flatbed trucks,
panel trucks, cube vans, wreckers, septic tank pumpers, seal coating
trucks, semitractors, commercial trailers, tanker trucks, well-drilling
rigs, welding trucks, repair vehicles, semitrailers, and any other
type of commercial or construction equipment as well as any other
motor vehicles not customarily used for passenger transport. Specifically
excluded from this definition are any and all tractors or equipment
used or customarily used in farming operation.
[Added 11-18-2020 by Ord. No. ZOA 20-211]
COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA)
An area of land managed by an individual or group of individuals
to grow and harvest food and/or farm products for shareholder consumption
or for sale or donation.
CONDITIONAL USE
A use which is subject to approval by the Planning Commission
with conditions. A conditional use may be granted only when there
is a specific provision in this chapter. A conditional use is not
a nonconforming use. "Conditional use" includes the term "special
use."
CONDOMINIUM
A place or project consisting of not less than two condominium
units established in conformance with the Condominium Act, Public
Act 59 of 1978 (MCL 559.101 et seq.), as amended, and this chapter.
The following additional definitions shall apply in the application
of the regulations of this chapter:
A.
CONDOMINIUM DOCUMENTSThe master deed recorded pursuant to the Condominium Act, and any other instrument referred to in the master deed or bylaws that affects the rights and obligations of a co-owner in the condominium.
B.
CONDOMINIUM UNITThe portion of a condominium project designed and intended for separate ownership and use, as described in the master deed.
D.
LIMITED COMMON ELEMENTSA portion of the common elements reserved in the master deed for the exclusive use of fewer than all of the co-owners.
E.
MASTER DEEDThe condominium document recording the condominium project to which are attached as exhibits and incorporated by reference the bylaws for the project and the condominium subdivision plan for the project and all other information required by Section 8 of the Condominium Act, Public Act No. 59 of 1978 (MCL 559.108).
CONSERVATION EASEMENT
An interest in land that provides limitation on the use of
land or a body of water or requires or prohibits certain acts on or
with respect to the land or body of water, whether or not the interest
is stated in the form of a restriction, easement, covenant, or condition
in a deed, will, or other instrument executed by or on behalf of the
owner of the land or body of water or in an order of taking, which
interest is appropriate to retaining or maintaining the land or body
of water, including improvements on the land or body of water, predominantly
in its natural, scenic, or open condition, or in an agricultural,
farming, open space, or forest use, or similar use or condition.
CONTRACTOR ESTABLISHMENT
A facility, building, structure, grounds, or portion thereof
used to store tools, trucks, equipment, supplies, resources, and materials
used by building construction professionals, contractors, and subcontractors.
CONVALESCENT CENTER
A state-licensed medical-care institution providing twenty-four-hour
medical services for patients recovering from acute or postoperative
conditions.
COURT (OPEN SPACE)
An open space on the same lot with a building or group of
buildings and which is bounded on two or more sides by such building
or buildings. A court shall be unoccupied by buildings or vehicles.
CRITICAL ROOT ZONE (CRZ)
The circular area surrounding a tree which contains tree
roots within 18 inches of the ground surface. The radius of the critical
root zone is, in feet, the same numerical value as the tree's diameter
at breast height (DBH) in inches and is measured outward from the
center of the tree. For example, the critical root zone of a twelve-inch
DBH tree has a radius of 12 feet.
DBH (DIAMETER AT BREAST HEIGHT)
A measurement of the diameter of a tree trunk taken on the
outside bark at breast height. "Breast height" is defined as 4.5 feet
from the uphill side of the tree.
dB(A)
A-weighted decibels. This is the standard used to measure
environmental noise.
DEDICATED OPEN SPACE
Open land that is permanently set aside by the owner for
retention in a generally undeveloped state which preserves natural
features, scenic or wooded conditions, agricultural uses, open space,
or similar conditions.
DISTRICT
Zoning district as established by the Pittsfield Township
Zoning Ordinance.
DRIPLINE
The area directly located under the outer circumference of
the tree branches.
DRIVE-IN
A business establishment so developed that its retail or
service character is primarily dependent on providing a driveway approach
or parking spaces for motor vehicles so as to serve patrons while
in the motor vehicles as well as within the building or structure.
DRIVE-THROUGH
A business establishment or portion thereof where the design,
method of operation, or any portion of whose business use eliminates
the requirement that the customer leave the motor vehicle in which
the customer is riding in order to obtain the delivery of the goods
or services being offered.
DRY-CLEANING PLANT
A facility used or intended to be used for cleaning fabrics,
textiles, clothing, laundry or other similar articles by immersion
and/or agitation in solvents or other processes.
DWELLING AREA
The dwelling area of a dwelling unit is composed of sleeping
rooms, kitchen, dining room, den, studio, bathrooms, and family and
living rooms.
DWELLING UNIT
One or more rooms with principal kitchen facilities designed
as a unit for residence by only one family for living and sleeping
purposes.
DWELLING, LIVE/WORK
A multistory dwelling unit where the first floor is designed
as a storefront for retail, service, office, or artisan studio with
a dwelling unit on the upper floors.
DWELLING, MULTIPLE-FAMILY
A building or structure designed for, or occupied by, three
or more families, with separate housekeeping and cooking facilities
for each.
DWELLING, ONE-FAMILY ATTACHED
A building containing not less than three nor more than six
one-family dwelling units erected side by side as a single building,
each being separated from the adjoining unit or units by an uninterrupted
wall extending from the basement floor to the roof. No more than one
dwelling unit may be served by a single stairway or by a single exterior
door.
DWELLING, TWO-FAMILY
A detached building or structure designed for, or occupied
by, two families only, with separate housekeeping and cooking facilities
for each.
ENGINEERING STANDARDS
The Engineering Standards of Pittsfield Charter Township,
as they may be amended from time to time, adopted by resolution of
the Township Board, upon recommendation of the Planning Commission,
to serve as the minimum standard for evaluating development plans
and developing property.
ENTRANCE RAMP
A roadway connecting a feeder road with a limited access
highway and used for access onto such limited access highway.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES
The erection, construction, alteration, operation, or maintenance
by public utilities or municipal departments, commissions, or boards,
or by other government agencies, of underground, surface, or overhead
gas, electric, steam, or water transmission or distribution systems,
collection, communication, supply or disposal system, dams, weirs,
culverts, bridges, canals, locks, including poles, wires, mains, drains,
sewers, towers, pipes, conduits, cables, fire alarm boxes, police
call boxes, traffic signals, or signs and fire hydrants, and other
similar equipment and accessories in connection therewith, reasonably
necessary for the furnishing of adequate service by such public utilities
or municipal departments or commissions, or other government agencies,
or for the public health, safety, or general welfare, but not including
buildings other than those buildings which are primarily enclosures
or shelters for the installed central services equipment.
EXCAVATION OF GRAVEL, SAND, TOPSOIL, OR EARTH
Premises from which any rock, gravel, sand, topsoil, or earth
in excess of 50 cubic yards in any calendar year is excavated or removed
for the purpose of disposition away from the premises except excavation
in connection with the construction of a building or within public
highway rights-of-way.
EXTRACTION
The process of removing stone, rock, aggregate, sand, gravel,
earth, clay or similar materials from an open excavation but not including
extraction by underground methods.
EXTRACTIVE OPERATIONS
Any pit, excavation, or mining operation for the purpose
of searching for, or removing for commercial use, any earth, sand,
gravel, clay, stone, slate, marble, or other nonmetallic mineral in
excess of 50 cubic yards in any calendar year, but shall not include
an oil well or excavation preparatory to the construction of a building
or structure.
FAMILY
Either of the following:
A.
A domestic family, that is, one or more persons living together
and related by the bonds of consanguinity, marriage, or adoption,
together with servants of the principal occupants and not more than
one additional unrelated person, with all of such individuals being
domiciled together as a single, domestic housekeeping unit in a dwelling.
B.
The functional equivalent of the domestic family, that is, persons
living together in a dwelling unit whose relationship is of a permanent
and distinct character and is the functional equivalent of a domestic
family, with a demonstrable and recognizable bond which constitutes
the functional equivalent of the bonds which render the domestic family
a cohesive unit. This definition shall not include any society, club,
fraternity, sorority, association, lodge, coterie organization or
group whose association is temporary or seasonal in character or nature.
For the purposes of enforcement, it is presumed that a functional
equivalent of a domestic family is limited to six or fewer persons.
FARM
Land, plants, animals, buildings, structures, including ponds
used for agricultural or aquacultural activities, machinery, equipment,
and other appurtenances used in the commercial production of farm
products.
FARM OPERATION
Operation and management of a farm or a condition or activity
that occurs at any time as necessary on a farm in connection with
the commercial production, harvesting, and storage of farm products,
and includes, but is not limited to:
A.
Marketing produce at roadside stands or farmers' markets.
B.
The generation of noise, odors, dust, fumes, and other associated
conditions.
C.
The operation of machinery and equipment necessary for a farm,
including, but not limited to, irrigation and drainage systems and
pumps and on-farm grain dryers, and the movement of vehicles, machinery,
equipment, and farm products and associated inputs necessary for farm
operations on the roadway as authorized by the Michigan Vehicle Code.
D.
Field preparation and ground and aerial seeding and spraying.
E.
The application of chemical fertilizers or organic materials,
conditioners, liming materials, or pesticides.
F.
Use of alternative pest management techniques.
G.
The fencing, feeding, watering, sheltering, transportation,
treatment, use, handling and care of farm animals.
H.
The management, storage, transport, utilization, and application
of farm by-products, including manure or agricultural wastes.
I.
The conversion from a farm operation activity to other farm
operation activities.
J.
The employment and use of labor.
FARM PRODUCT
Those plants and animals useful to human beings, produced
by agriculture and includes, but is not limited to, forages and sod
crops, grains and feed crops, field crops, dairy and dairy products,
poultry (example: chicken) and poultry products, cervidae, livestock,
including breeding and grazing, equine, fish, and other aquacultural
products, bees and bee products, berries, herbs, fruits, vegetables,
flowers, seeds, grasses, nursery stock, trees and tree products, mushrooms,
and other similar products, or any other product which incorporates
the use of food, feed, fiber, or fur, as determined by the Michigan
Commission of Agriculture.
FARMERS' MARKET
A public market at which farmers, ranchers, artisans, or
agricultural businesses sell local and regional foods, farm products,
or similar added-value products they have grown, raised, produced,
or created. Farmers' markets may be seasonal or occur year-round.
FILL
A deposit of soil or rock placed or replaced by people or
machine which raises an existing elevation.
[Added 11-18-2020 by Ord. No. ZOA 20-211]
FILL MATERIAL
Soil, sand, gravel, clay, peat, debris and refuse, waste
of any kind, or any other material which displaces soil or water or
reduces water retention potential.
[Added 11-18-2020 by Ord. No. ZOA 20-211]
FINANCIAL INSTITUTION
A bank, savings and loan, credit union, mortgage office,
or similar institution, including branch offices and automated teller
machines.
FINISHED GROUND FLOOR
The finished surface of the floor level above the basement
or cellar of a structure or building, or the upper surface of the
floor of the ground story of a structure or building.
FIREARM RETAIL SALES
An establishment, or part thereof, devoted to the sale, lease,
or purchase of firearms or ammunition.
FLOOD HAZARD AREA
Land which, on the basis of available floodplain information,
is subject to a one-percent or greater chance of flooding in any given
year.
FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP (FIRM)
The official map of Pittsfield Township prepared by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, delineating both the areas of special
flood hazard and the risk premium zones applicable to Pittsfield Township.
FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY
The official report provided by the Federal Emergency Management
Agency. The report contains flood profiles, the water surface elevation
of the base flood, and may include a Flood Boundary-Floodway Map.
FLOOD or FLOODING
A general and temporary condition of partial or complete
inundation of normally dry land areas from:
A.
The overflow of inland or tidal waters.
B.
The unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters
from any source.
C.
The collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake
or other body of water as a result of undermining caused by waves
or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels or suddenly
caused by an unusually high water level in a natural body of water,
accompanied by a severe storm or by an unanticipated force of nature,
such as a flash flood or an abnormal tidal surge, or by some similarly
unusual and unforeseeable event which results in flooding.
FLOOD, BASE
The flood having a one-percent chance of being equaled or
exceeded in any given year.
FLOODPLAIN
Any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from
any source. (See definition of "flood, base.")
FLOODWAY
The channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent
land areas which must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood.
FLOOR AREA
The sum of the gross horizontal floor areas of the several
stories of a building, as measured to the exterior face of the exterior
walls, plus that area, similarly measured, of all other stories that
are accessible by a fixed stairway, ramp, escalator, or elevator;
including all enclosed porches and balconies, and all stairways, breezeways,
storage areas, recreational rooms, boiler rooms, and other areas within
or contiguous to the structure; and the measurement shall include
the floor space of all accessory buildings measured similarly.
FLOOR AREA RATIO
The ratio of the floor area of a building to the area of
the lot on which it is located calculated by dividing the floor area
by the lot area and expressing it as a percentage. (Example: A floor
area ratio of 80% is specified and the lot area is 10,000 square feet,
the maximum permitted floor area on the lot is 8,000 square feet.
The number of stories being optional, the building area may be 4,000
square feet for each of two stories, 2,000 square feet for each of
four stories, or 1,000 square feet for each of eight stories.)
FOOD PROCESSING
A commercial establishment operated under license or permit
of an appropriate regulatory authority where food is manufactured
or packaged for human consumption at another establishment or place.
FREEWAY
A divided highway of not less than two lanes in each direction
to which owners or occupants of abutting property or the public have
no right of ingress or egress to, from or across the highway, except
at points determined by or as otherwise provided by the authorities
responsible therefor.
GARAGE, COMMERCIAL
Any building available to the public, operated for gain,
and which is used for storage, rental, greasing, washing, servicing,
repairing, or adjusting of automobiles or other motor vehicles.
GARAGE, PRIVATE
An accessory building or structure used principally for storage
of automobiles and for other incidental storage purpose only.
GOLF COURSE
A tract of land laid out for at least nine holes for playing
the game of golf and improved with tees, greens, fairways, and hazards
and that may include a clubhouse, driving range, pro shop, shelter,
and related accessory uses.
GRADE
The ground elevation established for the purpose of regulating
the number of stories and the height of the building. The building
grade shall be the level of the ground adjacent to the walls of the
building if the finished grade is level. If the ground is not level,
the grade shall be the average of the elevation of the ground for
each face of the building.
GREENHOUSE, COMMERCIAL
A building that is used for wholesale commercial purposes,
constructed of permanent or temporary framing that is set directly
on the ground and is covered with glass panels or plastic or other
transparent material, and is used to grow plants.
GROUND STORY ACTIVATION
The incorporation of specific design characteristics intended
to allow the ground story interior of a building to interact with
the public realm immediately outdoors.
HEALTH CLUB/ATHLETIC CLUBS
A building or portion of a building designed and equipped
for the conduct of sports, exercise, leisure time activities, or other
customary or usual recreational activities, operated for profit or
not for profit and which can be open only to members and guests of
the organization or open to the public for a fee.
HOME OCCUPATION/HOME OFFICE
Any home occupation or profession conducted entirely within
a dwelling by a member of the family residing in the dwelling and
when such home occupation is incidental and secondary to the use of
the dwelling for dwelling purposes.
HOSPITAL, GENERAL
A state-licensed medical establishment whose facilities provide
in-patient accommodation; a wide range of medical and surgical care;
and other in-patient health services for sick, ailing or injured persons,
rather than a limited scope of services provided for through special
purpose hospitals; and including such related facilities as laboratories,
outpatient departments, training facilities, central services, and
staff offices and residences which are integral with and accessory
to the principal use of the establishment.
IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL
Any material that substantially reduces or prevents the infiltration
of water.
IMPERVIOUS SURFACE
A surface which does not allow water to be absorbed so it
may percolate into deeper ground. Such surfaces are those constructed
of portland cement, bituminous asphalt, paving brick, composed stone
or gravel, or any other surface that allows no water penetration.
IMPERVIOUS SURFACE RATIO
The percentage of lot area covered by all buildings, pavement,
driveways, parking lots, and all other structures (area of all structures,
pavement, and parking lots divided by the gross lot area).
INDOOR COMMERCIAL RECREATION FACILITY
An enterprise conducted entirely within a building, which
receives a fee in return for the provision of some recreational activity
or facility. Such activities and facilities include, but are not limited
to: racquetball, tennis courts, gymnasiums, swimming pools, skating
rinks, performance studios, indoor skateboard parks, climbing facilities,
indoor driving ranges, batting cages, firing ranges, basketball courts,
indoor soccer fields and similar activities or facilities. Such facilities
may provide ancillary accessory uses, such as pro shops or snack bars.
INDUSTRIAL PARK
A group of two or more lots or parcels devoted to industrial,
research, warehousing, or business park uses, developed according
to an overall plan for the park, sharing a common public or private
street system, and usually identified by a name for the park.
INTERSTATE HIGHWAY
A highway officially designated as a part of the national
system of interstate and defense highways by the Department of Transportation
and approved by the appropriate authority of the federal government.
JUNKYARD
A place, structure, parcel or use of land where junk, waste,
discard, salvage, or similar materials, such as old iron or other
metal, wood, lumber, glass, paper, rags, cloth, leather, rubber, bagging,
cordage, barrels, containers, etc., are bought, sold, exchanged, stored,
baled, packed, disassembled, or handled, including auto wrecking yards,
inoperative machines, used lumberyards, house wrecking, and structural
steel materials and equipment and including establishments for the
sale, purchase, or storage of salvaged machinery and the processing
of used, discarded, or salvaged materials, for any 30 consecutive
days.
KENNEL
Any lot or premises on which three or more dogs, cats, and/or
similar household pets six months of age or older are kept, either
permanently or temporarily for the purpose of remuneration or sale.
LIGHT TRESPASS
Unwanted light which causes annoyance, discomfort, distraction,
or a reduction in visibility.
LIVESTOCK
Horses, cattle, poultry, sheep, swine, or similar animals
that are kept, raised, or used typically for farming purposes.
LOADING SPACE, OFF-STREET
A space within the principal building or on the same lot,
providing for the standing, loading or unloading of trucks and with
access to a street or alley. Required off-street loading space is
not to be included as off-street parking space in computation of required
off-street parking space.
LODGE, FRATERNAL AND CIVIC ASSEMBLY
A group of people formally organized for a common interest,
usually cultural or entertainment, with regular meetings and formal
written membership requirements.
LODGING FACILITY
A facility, such as a motel or hotel, which provides living
and sleeping accommodations for transient occupancy for a fee. The
following additional definitions shall apply:
A.
HOTELA building or structure or part thereof, occupied as a temporary abiding place of individuals, in which the facility is accessed from a common entrance to a lobby and individual rooms are accessed internally. The word "hotel" shall not include "motel."
B.
MOTELAn establishment providing sleeping accommodations for a fee with a majority of all rooms having direct access to the outside without the necessity of passing through the main lobby of the building.
LOT
A parcel of land, excluding any portion in a street or other
right-of-way, of at least sufficient size to meet minimum requirements
for lot area, and to provide such yards and other open spaces as herein
required. In no case of division or combination shall any lot or parcel
created, including residuals, be less than that required by this chapter.
Such lot shall have frontage on a public street, or on an approved
private street, and may consist of:
B.
A portion of a lot of record.
C.
Any combination of complete and/or portions of lots of record.
D.
A parcel of land described by metes and bounds.
LOT AREA (NET)
The area contained within the lot lines, less the total area
of that portion encumbered by road or street easements, rights-of-way,
required access easements, and all portions covered by wetlands, bodies
of water (including streams, ponds, and lakes), or preexisting county
drain easements multiplied by 0.90.
LOT COVERAGE
The part or percent of the lot occupied by buildings or structures,
including accessory buildings or structures.
LOT COVERAGE (GROSS)
The percentage of the lot area covered by all principal building
footprint areas (building footprint divided by the lot area).
LOT DEPTH
The mean horizontal distance from the front street line to
the rear lot line.
LOT LINE
A line dividing one lot from another, or from any other piece
or parcel of property of whatever nature, or from a street, or from
any other use of any kind whatsoever.
A.
FRONT LOT LINEIn the case of an interior lot abutting upon one public or private street, the front lot line shall mean the line separating such lot from such street right-of-way. In the case of a double frontage lot, the front lot line shall be that line separating said lot from that street which is designated as the principal frontage in the request for a building permit. In the case of a corner lot, the front lot line shall be that line separating said lot from both street frontages.
B.
REAR LOT LINEOrdinarily that lot line that is opposite and most distant from the front lot line of the lot. In the case of an irregular triangular, or gore-shaped lot, a line 10 feet in length entirely within the lot parallel to and at the maximum distance from the front lot line of the lot shall be considered to be the rear lot line for the purpose of determining depth of rear yard. In the case of a double frontage lot, the rear lot line shall be that lot line opposite the front lot line, as designated as the principal frontage in the request for a building permit.
C.
SIDE LOT LINEAny lot lines not a front lot line or a rear lot line. A lot line separating a lot from a street is a front street lot line. A side lot line separating a lot from another lot or lots is an interior side lot line.
LOT OF RECORD
A lot which is part of a subdivision and is shown on a map
thereof which has been recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds
of Washtenaw County, or a lot described by metes and bounds, the deed
to which has been recorded in said office.
LOT WIDTH
The straight-line distance between side lot lines, measured
at the two points where the minimum building line, or setback, intersects
the side lot lines.
LOT, CORNER
A lot located at the intersection of two or more streets.
LOT, INTERIOR
A lot other than a corner lot with only one lot line fronting
on a street.
LUMEN
Unit of luminous flux; the flux emitted within a unit solid
angle by a point source with a uniform luminous intensity of one candela.
One footcandle is one lumen per square foot. One lux is one lumen
per square meter. One footcandle equals 10.8 lumen per square meter.
LUMINAIRE
A complete lighting unit, including the lamp, the fixture,
and other parts.
LUMINANCE
At a point and in a given direction, the luminous intensity
in the given direction produced by an element of the surface surrounding
the point divided by the area of the projection of the element on
a plane perpendicular to the given direction. Units: candelas per
unit area. The luminance is the perceived brightness that we see,
the visual effect of the illuminance, reflected, emitted or transmitted
from a surface.
MANUFACTURING
The process of making products by hand, by machinery, or
by other agency, often with the provision of labor and the use of
machinery.
MANUFACTURING, COMPOUNDING, or PROCESSING
An enclosed establishment engaged in the mechanical or chemical
transformation of materials or substances into new products, including
the assembling of component parts, the creation of products, and the
blending of materials, usually in a continuous and regular action
or succession of actions.
MARGINAL ACCESS ROAD
A service roadway parallel to a feeder road, and which provides
access to abutting properties and protection from through traffic.
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Any person who is engaged in the business or profession of
massage therapy, and who receives compensation for his or her services.
MASSAGE THERAPY
The act of massage offered or performed by a massage therapist
in conjunction with a beauty salon, spa, health club, athletic club,
medical office, or physical therapy clinic which is operating legally
under this chapter.
MASSAGE THERAPY ESTABLISHMENT
Any establishment or business wherein massage is practiced,
including establishments commonly known as "health clubs,"" physical
culture studios," "massage studios," "massage parlors," or similar
establishments by whatever name designated.
MATERIALS RECOVERING FACILITY
A specialized plant that receives, separates, and prepares
recyclable materials for marketing to end-user manufacturers.
MEDICAL CLINIC
Facilities for medical, dental, or psychiatric diagnosis
and treatment, exclusive of major surgical procedures, for sick, ailing,
and injured persons who are not kept overnight on the premises.
MEZZANINE
An intermediate floor in any story occupying not to exceed
1/3 of the floor area of such story.
MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT
A development of a tract of land, building, or structure
with a variety of complementary and integrated uses as permitted by
the applicable zoning district, in a compact form that promotes multiple
forms of transportation and supports public gathering spaces.
MOBILE HOME
A structure, transportable in one or more sections, that
is built on a chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling, with
or without a permanent foundation, when connected to the required
utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and
electrical systems contained in the structure. "Mobile home" shall
not include a recreational vehicle.
MOBILE HOME PARK
A parcel or tract of land under the control of a person upon
which three or more mobile homes are located on a continual nonrecreational
basis and which is offered to the public for that purpose regardless
of whether a charge is made therefor, together with any building,
structure, enclosure, street, equipment, or facility used or intended
for use incident to the occupancy of a mobile home and which is not
intended for use as a temporary trailer park.
MOBILE HOME SITE
The entire area which is designated for use by a specific
mobile home.
MORTUARY/FUNERAL HOME
An establishment in which the dead are prepared for burial
or cremation and in which wakes and funerals may be held.
NATIVE PLANT SPECIES
One that has naturally evolved over thousands of years under
certain soil, hydrologic, and other site conditions. Where "native
plant species" is used in the text, this means a straight species,
not a cultivar of a species.
NEW CONSTRUCTION
Structures for which start of construction commenced on or
after the effective date of this chapter.
NONCONFORMING BUILDING OR STRUCTURE
Any building or structure lawfully established which does
not comply with all the regulations of this chapter or of any amendment
thereto governing bulk of the district in which such building or structure
is located.
NONCONFORMING USE
Any use thereof or the use of land that does not conform
to the regulations of this comprehensive amendment or any amendments
thereto governing use of the district in which it is located but conformed
with all of the codes, ordinances and other legal requirements applicable
at the time such building or structure was erected, enlarged or altered,
and the use thereof or the use of land was established.
NURSERY (PLANT MATERIAL)
A space, building or structure, or combination thereof, for
the storage of live trees, shrubs, or plants offered for retail sale
on the premises, including products used for gardening or landscaping.
The definition of "nursery" within the meaning of this chapter does
not include any space, building, or structure used for the sale of
fruits or vegetables.
OFF-STREET PARKING AREA
A land surface or facility providing vehicular parking spaces
along with adequate drives and aisles for maneuvering so as to provide
access for entrance and exit for the parking of more than two automobiles.
OFFICE PARK
A group of two or more buildings, on individual lots, or
one undivided parcel, with a common street or driveway system, developed
according to an overall plan for the park, and identified by a name
for the park.
OPEN AIR BUSINESSES
Sales and/or display of retail merchandise or services outside
of a permanent structure.
OUTDOOR COMMERCIAL RECREATION
An enterprise conducted primarily outdoors, which receives
a fee in return for the provision of some recreational activity or
facility. Such activities and facilities include, but are not limited
to, soccer, baseball, football, or other athletic fields, outdoor
miniature golf courses and driving ranges, tennis, basketball or other
athletic courts, and other similar facilities or activities.
OUTDOOR STORAGE
The keeping of personal or business property or motor vehicles
in a required open parking space or any other area outside of a building
for a period exceeding 72 consecutive hours.
PARCEL
A piece or tract of land in single ownership.
PARKING GARAGE
A building or portion thereof designed or used exclusively
for storage of motor vehicles, and in which motor fuels and oils are
not sold, and motor vehicles are not equipped, repaired, hired or
sold.
PARKING SPACE
One unit of a parking area provided for the parking of one
automobile.
PARKS and PLAYGROUND
An area reserved for and designed principally to offer recreation,
passive or active, to the public. This area may include, but shall
not be limited to, open fields, accessory buildings, walkways, benches,
multi-use courts, swimming and wading pools, amphitheaters, etc.
PASSENGER VEHICLE
Motor vehicles with at least four wheels, used for the transport
of passengers, and comprising no more than nine seats including the
driver's seat.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD
A criterion established to control smoke and particulate
matter, noise, odor, toxic or noxious matter, vibration, fire and
explosion hazards, glare or heat, or radiation hazards generated by
or inherent in uses of land or buildings.
PERFORMANCE STUDIO
A building or a portion of a building where the principal
use of the space is the provision of instruction in the various arts,
including but not limited to dance, theater, music, and singing. This
shall not preclude student performances.
PERFORMANCE THEATER
A building or portion of a building where the principal use
of the space is dramatic, dance, or musical performances or similar
activities, in front of an audience, including performances on film,
television, music video, or multimedia. Performance theaters shall
include theaters, assembly halls, concert halls or similar places
of assembly.
PERSONAL SERVICE
A business that provides personal services directly to customers
at the site of the business or that receives goods from or returns
goods to the customer which have been treated or processed at another
location.
PLACES OF ASSEMBLY
Unless otherwise identified and defined by this chapter,
any building, structure, and/or grounds where groups meet or assemble.
Places of assembly shall include, but are not limited to auditoriums,
lecture halls, stadiums, sports arenas, convention spaces, and other
similar facilities.
PLACES OF WORSHIP
A site used for or intended for the regular assembly of persons
for the conducting of religious services and accessory uses therewith.
POOL OR BILLIARD HALL
An establishment wherein the substantial or significant portion
of all usable area is devoted to the use of pool or billiard tables.
PRIMARY HIGHWAY
A highway, other than an interstate highway or freeway, officially
designated as a part of the federal aid primary system as defined
in Section 103 of Title 23 of the United States Code, as amended by
the Department of Transportation approved by the appropriate authority
of the federal government. (Act No. 106 of Public Acts of 1972.)
PUBLIC UTILITY or UTILITY
Any person, firm, company, corporation, municipal department
or board duly authorized to furnish and furnishing under federal,
state or municipal regulations to the public: electricity, gas, steam,
communications, telegraph, transportation, water, or sanitary or storm
sewage facilities.
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE
A vehicle or boat originally designed for living quarters,
recreation, or human habitation and not used as a commercial vehicle,
including but not limited to, the following:
A.
BOATAny vessel used for water travel. A boat mounted on a trailer shall be considered one vehicle.
B.
CAMPER TRAILERA vehicle without its own motive power, designed as temporary living quarters for travel, camping, recreation, or vacation use.
C.
MOTOR HOMEA motor vehicle designed and constructed to provide living quarters for travel, camping, recreational, or vacation uses.
D.
OFF-ROAD VEHICLEA vehicle intended primarily for recreational use off roads on which state vehicle licenses are required, including dune buggies, go-carts, or snowmobiles.
E.
RACING CAR or CYCLEA vehicle such as a race car, stock car, or racing cycle that is intended to be used in racing competition.
F.
VEHICLE TRAILERA vehicle without its own motive power that is designed to transport another vehicle, such as a boat, motorcycle, or snowmobile for recreational or vacation use and that is eligible to be licensed or registered and insured for highway use. A vehicle trailer with another vehicle mounted on it shall be considered one vehicle.
RESTAURANT
Any establishment whose principal business is the sale of
food and beverages to the customer in a ready-to-consume state, and
whose method of operation is characteristic of a fast-food, standard
restaurant, bar/lounge, or combination thereof, as defined below:
A.
RESTAURANT, DRIVE-INA restaurant whose method of operation involves delivery of prepared food so as to allow its consumption in a motor vehicle or elsewhere on the premises, but primarily outside of an enclosed building.
B.
RESTAURANT, FAST-FOODA restaurant in which the method of operation involves minimum waiting for delivery of ready-to-consume food to the customer for consumption on the premises either inside or outside of the structure, or for consumption off the premises, but not intended to be consumed in a motor vehicle at the site.
C.
(1)
The delivery of prepared food by waiters and waitresses to customers
seated at tables within a completely enclosed building; or
(2)
The preparation of food to be delivered to customers at a cafeteria
line and subsequently consumed by the customers at tables within a
completely enclosed building.
D.
BAR/LOUNGEA type of restaurant which is operated primarily for the dispensing of alcoholic beverages with the ancillary sale of prepared food or snacks. If a bar or lounge is part of a larger dining facility, it shall be defined as that part of the structure so designated or operated.
RETAIL BUSINESS or RETAIL SALES
An establishment engaged in selling goods or merchandise
to the general public for personal or household consumption and rendering
services incidental to the sale of such goods.
RETAIL SALES, LARGE-SCALE
A retail establishment, commonly referred to as a "big box"
store, which exceeds 50,000 square feet in gross floor area.
RIDING ACADEMY
Any establishment where horses are kept for riding, driving,
or stabling for compensation or incidental to the operation of any
club, association, ranch, or similar establishment.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
A strip of land occupied or intended to be occupied by a
street or related facilities, public path or trail, railroad, electric
line, oil or gas pipeline, water main, sanitary or storm sewer, communication
line, or for other special uses.
ROOMING HOUSE
A dwelling in which more than three persons, either individually
or as families, are housed or lodged for hire without meals.
SCHOOL
A building operated and maintained for educational purposes
and such other community uses as deemed necessary and desirable. The
term "school" shall include all educational functions, the building
or structure required to house them, and all accessory uses normally
incidental to a school, including but not restricted to athletic fields,
field houses, gymnasiums, parking lots, greenhouses, playgrounds,
stadiums, and open space.
SCREEN
A structure providing enclosure, such as a fence, and a visual
barrier between the area enclosed and the adjacent property. A screen
may also be a nonstructure consisting of shrubs or other growing materials.
SELF-STORAGE FACILITY
A building or group of buildings containing fully enclosed,
compartmentalized stalls or lockers which are rented or leased as
individual units for the storage of personal property customarily
related to residential, office, and/or local commercial activities.
SENIOR HOUSING
A building or group of buildings containing dwellings intended
to be occupied by older persons as defined by the Fair Housing Act.
Senior housing may include independent and/or assisted living arrangements
but shall not include convalescent homes or homes for the aged regulated
by the state. The following additional definitions shall apply in
the application of this chapter:
A.
ASSISTED LIVING FOR THE ELDERLYHousing that provides twenty-four-hour supervision and is designed and operated for elderly people who require some level of support for daily living. Residents may receive support services for daily living based on individual needs. Such support shall include daily personal care, meals, transportation, security and housekeeping. Individual dwellings may contain kitchen facilities.
B.
INDEPENDENT LIVING FOR THE ELDERLYHousing that is designed and operated for elderly people in good health who desire and are capable of maintaining independent households, and do not require assistance to meet daily needs. Such housing may provide certain services such as meals, linkage to health care, transportation, security, housekeeping, and recreational and social activities. Project sites shall be designed to accommodate an active and mobile resident population. Individual dwellings are designed to promote independent living and shall contain kitchen facilities.
SETBACK
The minimum horizontal distance between a specified lot line,
measured along a straight line and at a right angle to such lot line,
and the nearest point of a building or structure.
SHOPPING CENTER
A group of commercial establishments, primarily retail uses,
that are compatible with each other and are mutually supportive, in
one or more buildings, on a site that is planned, developed, and managed
as one operating unit, with common driveways, parking areas, identification
signs and other common facilities and services.
SIGN
A structure, wall, or other object which is affixed to, or
painted, or otherwise located or set upon or in a building, structure
or piece of land which displays a message and which is visible from
any public street, sidewalk, alley, park, or public property. The
term includes interior and exterior signs but not signs primarily
directed at persons within the premises of the sign owners. The term
does not include goods displayed in a business window.
[Amended 5-12-2021 by Ord. No. ZOA 21-214]
C.
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE SIGN (EMS)A sign or portion of a sign that displays an electronic image or video, which may or may not include text, including any sign or portion of a sign that uses changing lights or similar forms of electronic display such as LED to form a sign message with text and or images wherein the sequence of messages and the rate of change is electronically programmed and can be modified by electronic processes. This definition includes without limitation television screens, plasma screens, digital screens, flat screens, LED displays, video boards, and holographic displays. The following additional definitions shall apply to an EMS:
(1)
DISPLAY TIMEThe amount of time a message and/or graphic is displayed on an electronic message sign.
(2)
DISSOLVEA mode of messaging transition on an EMS accomplished by varying the light intensity or pattern, in which the first message gradually appears to dissipate and lose legibility with the gradual appearance and legibility of the second message.
(4)
FADEA mode of message transition on an EMS accomplished by varying the light intensity, where the first message gradually reduces intensity to the point of not being legible and the subsequent message gradually increases intensity to the point of legibility.
(5)
FRAMEA complete, static display screen on an EMS.
(6)
FRAME EFFECTA visual effect on an EMS applied to a single frame. See also "dynamic frame effect."
(8)
SCROLLA mode of message transition on an EMS in which the message appears to move vertically across the display surface.
(9)
TRANSITIONA visual effect used on an EMS to change from one message to another.
(10)
TRAVELA mode of message transition on an EMS in which the message appears to move horizontally across the display surface.
D.
FREESTANDING SIGNA sign supported by a structure, such as a pole or pylon, independent of any other structure. The definition shall not include a ground sign.
E.
GROUND SIGNA sign mounted directly on the ground or by a structure on a foundation.
F.
HEIGHT OF SIGNThe vertical distance to the top edge of the copy area or structure, whichever is higher, as measured from the adjacent street grade.
J.
PORTABLE SIGNAny sign not permanently attached to the ground or a building.
K.
TEMPORARY SIGNA sign that is intended to be displayed for a limited period of time.
L.
WALL SIGNA sign attached to, or erected against, the wall of a building with the face in a plane parallel to the plane of the building wall.
M.
WINDOW SIGNA sign installed on or in a window for the purpose of viewing from outside the premises. The term does not include merchandise located in a window.
SMOKING LOUNGE
A business establishment that is dedicated, in whole or in
part, to the smoking of tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, and/or
other substances, including but not limited to establishments also
known as "cigar bars," "hookah lounges," "tobacco clubs," "tobacco
bars," etc.
[Amended 5-12-2021 by Ord. No. ZOA 21-214]
SOLAR ENERGY COLLECTOR
A panel or panels and/or other devices or equipment, or any
combination thereof, that collects, stores, distributes, and/or transforms
solar, radiant energy into electrical, thermal or chemical energy
for the purpose of generating electric power or other form of generated
energy for use in or associated with a principal land use on the parcel
of land on which the solar energy collector is located and, if permitted,
for the sale and distribution of excess available electricity to an
authorized public utility for distribution to other lands.
[Amended 5-12-2021 by Ord. No. ZOA 21-214]
A.
BUILDING-MOUNTED SOLAR ENERGY COLLECTORA solar energy collector attached to the roof or wall of a building, or which serves as the roof, wall, or window or other element, in whole or in part, of a building.
C.
COMMERCIAL SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMA utility-scale facility of solar energy collectors with the primary purpose of wholesale or retail sales of generated electricity; commonly referred to as "solar farms."
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
be no floor above it, then the space between any floor and the ceiling
next above it.
STORY, ONE-HALF
A story under the gable, hip, or gambrel roof, the wall plates
of which on a least two opposite exterior walls are not more than
two feet above the floor of such story and the floor area shall not
exceed 2/3 of the area of the floor below.
STREET
That portion of a public or private right-of-way that affords
a primary means of vehicular access to abutting properties, whether
designated as a street, avenue, highway, road, boulevard, lane, or
throughway or however otherwise designated, but not including driveways
to buildings. An alley shall not be considered a street.
STREET FRONTAGE
All of the property fronting on one side of a street, measured
along such street between an intersecting or intercepting street and
another intersecting or intercepting street, a right-of-way in excess
of 30 feet, an end of a dead-end street, or a municipal boundary.
STREET LINE
The dividing line between the street right-of-way and the
lot. When such right-of-way is not definable, a line shall be defined
as 33 feet on either side of the center of the street.
STREETSCAPE
The visual elements of a street, including the road, adjoining
buildings, street furniture, trees and open spaces, etc., that combine
to form the street's character.
STRUCTURE
Anything constructed, erected, or placed with a fixed location
on the surface of the ground or affixed to something having a fixed
location on the surface of the ground.
SUBSTANTIAL CONSTRUCTION
Work of a substantial character done by way of preparing
the site for actual use, which includes obtaining all necessary approvals
and building permits, and actual physical placement of building materials
in their permanent position. Clearing trees, ground, and other preparatory
work does not constitute substantial construction.
SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT
Any repair, reconstruction, or improvement of a structure,
the cost of which equals or exceed 50% of the market value of the
structure either 1) before the improvement or repair is started, or
2) if the structure has been damaged and is being restored, before
the damage occurred. For the purposes of this definition, "substantial
improvement" is considered to occur when the first alteration of any
wall, ceiling, floor, or other structural part of the building commences,
whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of
the structures. The term does not, however, include either: 1) any
project for improvement of a structure to comply with existing state
or local health, sanitary or safety code specifications which are
solely necessary to assure safe living conditions; or 2) any alteration
of a structure located in a Pittsfield Township Historic District.
TECHNOLOGY CENTER/OFFICE RESEARCH
Employment center consisting of technology research, analysis,
product development, light assembly or components and related office.
TRADE CONTRACTOR
A building or portion thereof where building and construction
trade services are provided to the public. "Trade contractor" shall
include, but will not be limited to, contractor offices, including
landscapers' showrooms, construction supplies and storage, including
plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and building equipment and materials,
and other uses similar in nature and impact.
USGS
United States Geological Survey.
VARIANCE
A relaxation of the terms of this chapter where such variance
will not be contrary to the public interest and where, owing to conditions
peculiar to the property and not the result of the action of the applicant,
a literal enforcement of the chapter would result in unnecessary and
undue hardship.
VEHICLE FILLING/MULTI-USE STATION
A building or premises used primarily for the dispensing,
sale, or offering for sale of fuels directly to users of motor vehicles,
together with the sale of minor accessories and services for motor
vehicles, such as filling tires with air, checking fluid levels, adding
water to batteries or radiators, and similar activities, as well as
selling convenience foods and other such items through a convenience
store.
VEHICLE REPAIR FACILITY
A facility which offers and provides for repair of mechanical,
electrical, cooling, exhaust, brake, and power system repairs, including
collision shops, transmission repair shops, shops used for the internal
repair of engine components and drive train repair, and radiator repair
shops.
VEHICLE REPAIR, MAJOR
A facility which offers engine overhauling or rebuilding,
valve and piston repair, transmission repair, axle and universal joint
repair, body repair, painting, refinishing, and exterior detailing.
VEHICLE REPAIR, MINOR
A facility which offers oil change; engine tune-ups; electrical
systems, suspension systems, brakes, exhaust systems, cooling systems
and heating and air conditioning systems repair; rust proofing; tire
replacement; wheel balancing and alignment and diagnostic services.
VEHICLE WASH
A building, or portion thereof, the primary purpose of which
is that of washing vehicles, either by automatic or self-service means,
or detailing of interior.
WAREHOUSE
A building or structure used principally for the storage
of goods and merchandise.
WHOLESALE ESTABLISHMENT
A commercial activity, building, or land primarily engaged
in or used for the display, storage, and sale of goods to other firms
for resale, or an off-price and/or a retail/warehouse establishment
offering a range of general merchandise to the public.
WIND ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEM (WECS)
Any device, such as a turbine, windmill or charger, that
converts wind energy to a usable form of energy.
A.
ON-SITE WIND ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEMA WECS which is used only by the primary residence or residences in a cooperative effort, business or agricultural operation and not sold or transferred to the electrical grid for commercial profit.
WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES
All structures and accessory facilities relating to the use
of the radio frequency spectrum for the purpose of transmitting or
receiving radio signals. This may include, but shall not be limited
to, radio towers, television towers, telephone exchanges, microwave
relay facilities, telephone transmission equipment buildings and commercial
mobile radio service facilities. Not included within this definition
are: citizen band radio facilities; short wave receiving facilities;
amateur (ham) radio facilities; satellite dishes; and governmental
facilities for which state or federal law or regulations preempt municipal
regulatory authority. For purposes of this chapter, the following
additional terms are defined:
A.
WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS ANTENNA (WCA)Any antenna used for the transmission or reception of wireless communication signals, excluding those used for dispatch communications by public emergency stations, ham radio antennas, and satellite antennas, those who receive video programming services via multipoint distribution services which are 40 inches or less in diameter and those which receive television broadcast signals. Antenna may be affixed to existing structures, such as existing buildings, towers, water tanks, utility poles, and the like. A wireless communication support structure proposed to be newly established shall not be included within this definition.
B.
WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SUPPORT STRUCTURESStructures erected or modified to support wireless communication antennas. Support structures within this definition include, but shall not be limited to, monopoles, lattice towers, light poles, wood poles and guyed towers, or other structures which appear to be something other than a mere support structure.
C.
COLLOCATIONThe location by two or more wireless communication providers of wireless communication facilities on a common structure, tower, or building, with the view toward reducing the overall number of structures required to support wireless communications antennas within the community.
WOOD-FIRED BOILER
A boiler, stove, or furnace that is fueled by natural wood
and other approved fuels and that is not located inside a building
or structure intended for habitation or occupancy by humans and domestic
animals, and that is installed and operated to provide heat or hot
water for a building or structure occupied by humans and domestic
animals. Wood boilers are also referred to as "outdoor wood furnaces"
and "outdoor wood-fired hydronic heaters."
YARD
An open area on a lot as required in this chapter, which
is unobstructed from its lowest level to the sky, except as otherwise
provided herein.
YARD, FRONT
An open, unoccupied space extending the full width of the
lot and situated between the street line and the front line of the
building.
YARD, REAR
An open, unoccupied space extending the full width of the
lot and situated between the rear line of the lot and the rear line
of the building.
YARD, SIDE
An open, unoccupied space on the same lot with the main building,
situated between the side line of the building and the adjacent side
line of the lot and extending from the rear line of the front yard
to the front line of the rear yard, and if no front yard is required,
the front boundary of the side yard shall be the front line of the
lot and if no rear year is required, the rear boundary of the side
yard shall be the rear line of the lot.
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
The official of the Township of Pittsfield charged with the
administration of this chapter.
ZONING DISTRICT
An area or areas of Pittsfield Charter Township within which
regulations and requirements governing use, lot area, lot size, and
other provisions are uniform.
ZONING ENABLING ACT
The Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, as amended, MCL 125.3101
et seq., as adopted by Public Act 110 of 2006.