Unless a contrary intention clearly appears, the following words and phrases shall have the meaning given in this section. All words and terms not defined herein shall be used with a meaning of standard usage.
AMENDMENTAny change or revision of this chapter.
APPLICANTA subdivider, owner or developer, as hereinafter defined, who has filed an application for subdivision or land development, including his heirs, successors and assigns.
APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENTEvery 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 subdivision plat or plan or for the approval of a development plan.
BLOCKAn area bounded by streets and usually divided into lots.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORSThe governing body of the Township of Richland, County of Cambria, Pennsylvania.
BUILDING SETBACK LINEThe line nearest the front of and across a lot establishing the minimum open space to be provided between the front line of buildings and structures and the front lot line.
COMMON OPEN SPACEA 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.
DEVELOPERAny 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.
EASEMENTA grant by the property owner to the use of a strip of land by the public, a corporation or persons for specified purposes.
ENGINEER, TOWNSHIPA professional engineer licensed as such in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, duly appointed as the Engineer for the township.
ESCROWA deposit of cash in lieu of an amount required and still in force on a performance or maintenance bond.
IMPROVEMENTThose physical additions and installations required to render land suitable for the use intended, and including streets, curbs and gutters, street signs and lights, walkways, sewer and water facilities, monuments and markers, grading, and stormwater drainage facilities.
LAND DEVELOPMENTAny 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
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.
A subdivision of land; excluding, however, the addition of an accessory building, including farm buildings, on a lot or lots subordinate to an existing principal building.
LANDOWNERThe 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.
LOTA 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. In determining the size of a lot, no part of a right-of-way, street, crosswalk or easement may be included.
OWNERThe 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 purposes of this chapter; landowner.
PLATThe map or plan of a subdivision or land development, whether preliminary or final.
PUBLIC GROUNDSIncludes:
A. Parks, playgrounds, trails, paths and other recreational areas and other public areas;
Sites for schools, sewage treatment, refuse disposal and other publicly owned or operated facilities; and
Publicly owned or operated scenic and historic sites.
PUBLIC HEARINGA 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 the Municipalities Planning Code.
PUBLIC MEETINGA forum held pursuant to notice under the Act of July 3, 1986 (P.L. 388, No. 84), known as the "Sunshine Act."
PUBLIC NOTICENotice 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.
RIGHT-OF-WAYLand dedicated and publicly owned for use as a street, alley or crosswalk.
STREETAny road, highway, lane or other way designed for vehicular traffic, whether or not the same is a private street or a dedicated street, classified as follows:
A. Major streets or highways are those designed for heavy or fast intercommunity traffic, including all four-lane highways within the township.
Collector streets are those which serve to collect and distribute volumes of traffic from local residential streets to major streets. They are designed to carry the intermediate volumes of community traffic.
Minor streets are those which are used for access to the abutting properties and which will carry limited volumes of traffic. These streets are designed to discourage through traffic.
SUBDIVISIONThe division or redivision of a lot, tract or parcel of land by any means into two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other divisions of land, including changes in existing lot lines for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of lease, partition by the court for distribution to heirs or devisees, transfer of ownership or building or lot development; provided, however, that the division 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 COMPLETEDWhere, in the judgment of the township representative, at least 90% (based on the cost of the required improvements for which financial security was posted pursuant to Section 509) 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.
TOWNSHIPThe Township of Richland, County of Cambria, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
TOWNSHIP REPRESENTATIVEThe person or persons designated by the Board of Supervisors to receive, review and/or inspect subdivision and/or land development plans and improvements.