Words used in the present tense include the
future, the singular number includes the plural number, and the plural
number includes the singular number. The word "shall" is mandatory
and not directory.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following
definitions shall be used:
ALLEY
A special public way affording only secondary access to abutting
properties.
ARTERIAL STREET
A street used or intended to be used primarily for fast or
heavy through traffic. "Arterial street" shall include freeways and
expressways as well as standard arterial streets, highways and parkways.
BLOCK
A tract of land bounded by streets or a combination of streets,
public parks, cemeteries, railroad rights-of-way, shorelines of navigable
waters, and municipal boundaries.
BUILDING LINE
A line parallel to a lot line and at a distance from the
lot line to comply with the terms of this chapter.
COLLECTOR STREET
A street used or intended to be used to carry traffic from
minor streets to the major system of arterial streets, including the
principal entrance streets to residential developments.
COMMUNITY
A town, municipality, or a group of adjacent towns and/or
municipalities having common social, economic or physical interests.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
The extensively developed plan, also called a "Master Plan,"
adopted by the City Plan Commission and certified to the Common Council
pursuant to § 62.23, Wis. Stats., including detailed neighborhood
plans, proposals for future land use, transportation, urban redevelopment
and public facilities. Devices for the implementation of these plans,
such as zoning, official map, land division, and building line ordinances
and capital improvement programs, shall also be considered a part
of the Comprehensive Plan.
CUL-DE-SAC
A local street with only one outlet and having an appropriate
turnaround for the safe and convenient reversal of traffic movement.
DEVELOPMENT (RURAL)
Agricultural, residential, recreational and other open space
development at such concentrations and densities not requiring traditional
urban services and facilities. Historically, in southeastern Wisconsin,
when residential development densities are less than 0.2 dwelling
unit per gross acre (or one dwelling unit per five acres), such traditional
urban services are not required. Such rural development may be expected
to result in minimum disturbance of the land and land cover and therefore
less impact on the natural environment.
DEVELOPMENT (URBAN)
Residential, commercial, industrial, governmental and institutional
development in sufficient concentrations or densities to require a
variety and high level of traditional urban services and facilities,
including but not limited to full- or part-time municipal police and
fire protection and community administration; additional public streets
and highways; neighborhood parks and playgrounds; neighborhood schools;
local libraries; public sanitary sewer facilities, public water supply
facilities, and public solid waste removal; storm sewers; mass transit
facilities; continual street maintenance; curbs, gutters, and sidewalks;
streetlighting; and neighborhood convenience shopping. Such development
may be expected to alter or require the altering of land and land
cover and have detrimental impact on the ground and surface waters.
Historically, in southeastern Wisconsin, urban development occurs
when residential development is concentrated in densities in excess
of 0.2 dwelling unit per gross acre (or one dwelling unit per five
acres).
FLOODLANDS
Those lands, including the channels, floodways, and floodplain
fringe of any given reach, which are subject to inundation by a flood
with a given recurrence frequency. The one-hundred-year recurrence
interval flood (or that flood having a one-percent probability of
occurring in any given year) is generally used for zoning regulation.
Other flood events used in this chapter are the fifty-year recurrence
interval flood (or that flood having a two-percent probability of
occurring in any given year) and the ten-year recurrence interval
flood (or that flood having a ten-percent probability of occurring
in any given year). Where detailed flood data is not available, the
maximum flood of record is used.
FLOOD PROTECTION ELEVATION
An elevation two feet above the elevation of the one-hundred-year
recurrence interval flood or, where such data is not available, five
feet above the maximum flood of record.
FRONTAGE STREET
A minor street auxiliary to and located on the side of an
arterial street for control of access and for service to the abutting
development.
HIGH GROUNDWATER ELEVATION
The highest elevation to which subsurface water rises. This
may be evidenced by the actual presence of water during wet periods
of the year or by soil mottling during dryer periods. "Mottling" is
a mixture or variation of soil colors. In soils with restricted internal
drainage, gray, yellow, red, and brown colors are intermingled, giving
a multicolored effect.
HIGH-WATER ELEVATION (SURFACE WATER)
The average annual high-water level of a pond, stream, lake,
flowage, or wetland referred to an established datum plane or, where
such elevation is not available, the elevation of the line up to which
the presence of the water is so frequent as to leave a distinct mark
by erosion, change in or destruction of vegetation or other easily
recognized topographic, geologic, or vegetative characteristic.
LOT
A parcel of land of at least sufficient size to meet minimum zoning requirements for use, width, and area as set forth in Chapter
315, Zoning, of this Code.
LOT, CORNER
A lot abutting two or more streets at their intersection,
provided that the corner of such intersection shall have an angle
of 135º or less, measured on the lot side.
LOT, DOUBLE FRONTAGE
A lot, other than a corner lot, with frontage on more than
one street. Double frontage lots shall normally be deemed to have
two front yards and two side yards and no rear yard. Double frontage
lots shall not generally be permitted unless the lot abuts an arterial
highway. Double frontage lots abutting arterial highways should restrict
direct access to the arterial highway by means of a planting buffer
or some other acceptable access buffering measure.
MINOR LAND DIVISION
Any division of land not defined as a subdivision. Minor
land divisions include the division of land by the owner or subdivider
resulting in the creation of two, but not more than four, parcels
or building sites, any one of which is less than 35 acres in size,
or the division of a block, lot or outlot within a recorded subdivision
plat into not more than four parcels or building sites without changing
the exterior boundaries of said block, lot or outlot. Such minor land
divisions shall be made by a certified survey map.
MINOR STREET
A street used or intended to be used primarily for access
to abutting properties.
NATIONAL MAP ACCURACY STANDARDS
Standards governing the horizontal and vertical accuracy
of topographic maps and specifying the means for testing and determining
such accuracy, endorsed by all federal agencies having surveying and
mapping functions and responsibilities. These standards have been
fully reproduced in Appendix D of SEWRPC Technical Report No. 7, Horizontal
and Vertical Survey Control in Southeastern Wisconsin.
NAVIGABLE STREAM
Any stream capable of floating any boat, skiff, or canoe
of the shallowest draft used for recreational purposes.
OUTLOT
A parcel of land, other than a lot or block, so designated
on the plat, but not of standard lot size, which can be either redivided
into lots or combined with one or more other adjacent outlots or lots
in adjacent subdivisions or minor subdivisions in the future for the
purpose of creating buildable lots.
PRELIMINARY PLAT
A map showing the salient features of a proposed subdivision
submitted to an approving authority for purposes of preliminary consideration.
PUBLIC WAY
Any public road, street, highway, walkway, drainageway, or
part thereof.
REPLAT
The process of changing, or the map or plat which changes,
the boundaries of a recorded subdivision plat, certified survey map,
or part thereof. The division of a large block, lot or outlot within
a recorded subdivision plat or certified survey map without changing
the exterior boundaries of said block, lot, or outlot is not a replat.
SHORELANDS
Those lands, in the unincorporated areas of Racine or Walworth
County, lying within the following distances: 1,000 feet from the
high-water elevation of navigable lakes, ponds, and flowages or 300
feet from the high-water elevation of navigable streams or to the
landward side of the floodplain, whichever is greater.
SOIL MAPPING UNIT
Soil type, slope, and erosion factor boundaries as shown
on the operational soil survey maps prepared by the United States
Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
SUBDIVIDER
Any person, firm or corporation, or any agent thereof, dividing
or proposing to divide land resulting in a subdivision, minor land
division (certified survey map) or replat.
SUBDIVISION
The division of a lot, parcel or tract of land by the owners
thereof, or their agents, for the purpose of transfer of ownership
or building development where the act of division creates five or
more parcels or building sites of 1 1/2 acres each or less in
area or where the act of division creates five or more parcels or
building sites of 1 1/2 acres each or less in area by successive
division within a period of five years.
SURETY BOND
A bond guaranteeing performance of a contract or obligation
through forfeiture of the bond if said contract or obligation is unfulfilled
by the subdivider.
WETLANDS
Those lands which are partially or wholly covered by marshland
flora and generally covered with shallow standing water or lands which
are wet and spongy due to a high water table.
WISCONSIN ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
The rules of administrative agencies having rulemaking authority in Wisconsin, published in a loose-leaf, continual revision system as directed by § 35.93 and Ch.
227, Wis. Stats., including subsequent amendments to those rules.