Borough of Edgewood, PA Word Usage and Definitions

Any definitions not herein set forth which are definitions in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code shall be defined as set forth therein.

Unless otherwise specified, all terms defined in Chapter 200, Zoning, shall apply to this chapter. The following definitions shall also apply to this chapter.

ALLEY

A public right-of-way, other than a street, ordained and accepted by the Borough Council for pedestrian and vehicular access.

ALTERATION

As applied to a building or structure means a change or rearrangement in the structural parts or in the existing facilities, or enlargement whether by extension of a side or by increasing in height or moving from one location or position to another.

APPLICANT

A landowner or developer who has filed an application for subdivision or development, including his or her heirs, successors and assigns.

APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT

Any application, whether preliminary or final, required to be filed and approved prior to the start of construction or development, including, but not limited to, an application for the approval of a subdivision plat or plan or for the approval of a development plan.

BLOCK

A unit of land, usually containing lots, bounded by existing or proposed streets and public land, railroad rights-of-way, waterways or any other barrier to the continuity of development.

BUILDING LINE

A line parallel to the front lot line at a distance therefrom which is equal to the depth of the front yard required by the Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 200] for the zoning district in which the lot is located.

CARPORT

A shelter for one or more vehicles that is not enclosed fully by walls and one or more doors.

CHANNEL

A natural stream that conveys water; a ditch or open channel excavated for the flow of water.

CLEAR SIGHT TRIANGLE

A triangular shaped area of undisrupted vision at street intersections in which nothing is erected, placed, planted or allowed to grow in such a manner as to limit or obstruct the sight distance of motorists entering or leaving the intersection.

COMPATIBLE

When used to describe a relationship among buildings, compatible means having characteristics that are similar to the majority of existing historic buildings on the block. These characteristics include but are not limited to:

(1)

Constructed of the same original materials such as wood, brick, or stucco as existing buildings on the block, or constructed of materials that are very similar in appearance to the original materials, such as dark gray asphalt shingles to replace slate shingles, cut to the same size and shape.

(2)

Contain structural details that are similar to other buildings on the block, such as: decorative shingles, cornices and fascia, lintels over windows and doors, shape, size and placement of windows, thickness and placement of mullion in the sash of windows and shape and placement of porches and columns.

CONSERVATION DISTRICT (ACCD)

The Allegheny County Conservation District.

CONSOLIDATION

The combination of two or more lots, tracts or parcels of land for the purpose of sale or lease or a building or lot.

CUL-DE-SAC

A dead-end street having a suitable turnaround for the safe and convenient reversal of traffic movement.

CULVERT

A pipe, conduit or similar structure, including appurtenant works, which carries a stream under or through an embankment or fill.

DESIGN PROFESSIONAL

Professional with current license in the State of Pennsylvania. Typically the design professional refers to engineer, architect or landscape architect.

DEVELOPER

Any landowner, agent of such landowner or tenant with the permission of such landowner, who proposes, makes or causes to be made, a subdivision of land or a land development.

DEVELOPMENT

Any activity, construction, alteration, change in land use or similar action that affects stormwater runoff characteristics.

DRIVEWAY (PRIVATE)

A vehicular access route serving only one parcel or lot which provides access to a public street, but which does not provide access to any other lot or parcel under separate ownership.

DRIVE-THROUGH SERVICE WINDOW

A customer service window located in a principal structure as an accessory to an office or retail establishment that is intended to enable customers to transact business with an employee inside the building without leaving their motor vehicles. It is presumed the motor vehicle will exit the premises immediately after the transaction of business.

EASEMENT

A grant of one or more of the property rights by the property owner to and for the use by the public, a corporation or another person or identity.

EROSION

The detachment and movement of soil or rock fragments by water, wind, ice or gravity, including such processes as gravitational creep.

EXCAVATION

Any act by which earth, sand, gravel, rock or any other similar material is cut into, dug, quarried, uncovered, removed, displaced, relocated or bulldozed, and shall include the conditions resulting therefrom.

FENCE OR WALL

A structure that permanently or temporarily prohibits or inhibits unrestricted travel between properties or portions of properties or between the street or public right-of-way and a property.

FILL

Any act by which earth, sand, gravel, rock or any other material is deposited, placed, pushed, dumped, pulled, transported or moved to a new location, and shall include the condition resulting.

FINAL APPLICATION

The written and graphic materials specified by this chapter to be submitted to the Borough in order to obtain final approval of a proposed subdivision or land development.

FRONTAGE

That side of a lot abutting on a street and ordinarily regarded as the front of the lot.

GARAGE, PRIVATE

An accessory building or part of a principle building used for the storage of motor vehicles or equipment or as an artist's studio or a workshop, all materials to be owned and used exclusively by the owner or tenant of the premises. No business connected directly or indirectly with motor vehicles is permitted.

GRADING

Excavation or fill or any combination thereof, and shall include the conditions resulting from any excavation or fill.

GRADING PERMIT

Any permit required under these regulations for excavation, filling and other related construction activities.

HAZARD

A danger or potential danger to the life, limb or health of the general public or an adverse effect or potential adverse effect on the safety, use or stability of property, waterways, public ways, structures, utilities and storm sewers used by the general public. "Hazard" shall also include stream pollution.

IMPERVIOUS SURFACE

Impervious surfaces are those surfaces with a coefficient of runoff greater than 0.85. All buildings, parking areas, driveways, roads, sidewalks and any areas in concrete or asphalt shall be considered "impervious surfaces" within this definition. In addition, other areas determined by a professional engineer selected by the municipality to be impervious within the meaning of this definition will also be classified as "impervious surfaces."

IMPROVEMENT

Construction of any building or structure, or an addition or enlargement thereof, any street, driveway, paved area or stormwater management facility.

INFILTRATION

The passage, movement or percolation of water into and through soil surfaces, including soil surfaces on roofs and in landscaped areas.

LAND DEVELOPMENT

The improvement, as defined herein, of one lot or two or more contiguous lots, tracts or parcels of land for any purpose involving:

(1)

The improvement of one lot or two or more contiguous lots, tracts, or parcels of land for any purpose involving:

(a)

A subdivision of land (provided that, for the purpose of this chapter, the regulations governing subdivisions are separate from those governing other types of land development.

(b)

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 tenants.

(c)

The division or allocation of land or space, whether initially or cumulatively, between or among two or more existing or prospective occupants by means of, or for the purpose of streets, common areas, leaseholds, condominiums, building groups, or other features.

(2)

Development in accordance with § 503(1.1) of the MPC.

LAND DEVELOPMENT PLAN

A plan prepared in accordance with the application requirements of this chapter for approval of a land development, as defined herein.

LAND DISTURBANCE

Any activity involving grading, tilling, digging or filling or the stripping of vegetation, or any other activity which causes land to be exposed to the danger of erosion.

LANDSLIDE SUSCEPTIBILITY

Areas of moderate to high susceptibility to land sliding produced by the influence of natural and/or man-related activity. Plans for development within these areas must be submitted by a professional engineer or landscape architect licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, approved by the governing body.

LOADING SPACE

An off-street space available for the loading or unloading of goods and having a direct access to a street or alley.

MONUMENT

A concrete form or metal rod used to mark a designated survey point.

MULTIFAMILY DWELLING

A residential building or portion of a building which contains three or more dwelling units, including, but not limited to, apartments and townhouses.

NATURAL STORMWATER RUNOFF REGIME

A watershed where surface configurations, runoff characteristics and defined drainage conveyances have attained the conditions of equilibrium.

NET ACRE

All ground remaining after deducting roads and community service facilities.

OUTFALL

Points or areas at which stormwater runoff leaves a site, which may include streams, storm sewers, swales or other well-defined natural or artificial drainage features, as well as areas of dispersed overland flows.

PERMEABLE PAVEMENT

Types of alternative pavement systems that allow stormwater to percolate through them and into subsurface drainage systems or the ground (e.g., permeable pavers, pervious asphalt, and pervious concrete).

PERMIT

A building permit to construct, alter or extend any development.

PRELIMINARY APPLICATION

The written and graphic materials specified by this chapter to be submitted to the Borough in order to obtain preliminary approval of a proposed subdivision or land development.

PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS

Any improvement, facility or service, together with its associated public site or right-of-way necessary to provide transportation, drainage, public or private utilities, energy or similar essential services. Any or all of the following shall be considered public improvements:

Grading.

Street pavement.

Curbs and gutters.

Sidewalks.

Crosswalks.

Waterlines.

Sanitary sewer lines and appurtenances.

(8)

Storm sewer lines and drainage structures.

(9)

Curb returns.

(10)

Driveway entrances in the right-of-way.

(11)

Guide rails.

(12)

Street signs.

RETAINING WALL

A structure composed of concrete, steel or other approved building material constructed for the purpose of supporting a cut or filled embankment which would otherwise not comply with the requirements of the standards set forth in this chapter.

RIGHT-OF-WAY

Land set aside for public use or ownership as a street, crosswalk, drainage way, utility course or other similar facility.

RUNOFF

That part of precipitation which flows over the land.

SCS

The Soil Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture.

SCREENING

Materials used to form a visual or partially-acoustical barrier.

SERVICE BUILDING

A structure housing sanitary, operations, office, recreational, maintenance and other facilities.

SEWER CONNECTION

Pipes, fittings and appurtenances from the drain outlet to the inlet of the corresponding sewer riser pipe of the sewer system.

SEWER RISER PIPE

That portion of the sewer lateral which extends vertically to the ground elevation and terminates at a designed point.

SITE

A lot, tract or parcel of land, or a series of lots, tracts or parcels of land which are adjoining, where grading work is continuous and performed at the same time.

SITE DISTANCE

The length of Street, measured along the center line that is visible continuously from a point six inches above the pavement and along the center line of the street.

SOILS ENGINEER

A person registered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a professional engineer and who has training and experiences in the branch of soils engineering.

SOIL SURVEY

The unpublished and operational soil survey for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and the accompanying text, Soil Survey Interpretations of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, as prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service et al. When applicable, "soil survey" shall mean the Soil Survey, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, when this publication is completed.

STORAGE SHED

An accessory building with four sides and a roof, not exceeding 100 square feet or eight feet in height, for storage of lawn, garden and swimming pool equipment or similar domestic items.

STORM SEWER

A system of pipes or other conducts which carries intercepted surface runoff, street water and other wash waters or drainage, but excludes domestic sewage and industrial wastes.

SUBDIVISION

The division or re-division of a lot, tract or parcel of land by any means into two or more lots, tracts or parcels or other divisions of land, including immediate or future, of lease, transfer of ownership, or building or lot development.

TRACT

An area, parcel, site, piece of land or property which is the subject of a development application.

VEGETATED SWALE

A swale with vegetation designed to retain and partially treat stormwater, attenuate flooding potential and convey stormwater away from critical infrastructure.

WATER CONNECTION

All pipes, fittings and appurtenances from the water riser pipe to the sewer inlet pipe of the distribution system.

WATERCOURSE

A stream, intermittent stream, river, creek, channel, or ditch which carries water, whether natural or man-made.

WATER RISER PIPE

That portion of the water service pipe which extends vertically to the ground elevation and terminates at a designated point.

WATER SERVICE PIPE

All pipes, fittings, valves and appurtenances from the water main of the distribution system to the water outlet of the distribution system.

WATERSHED

The entire region or area drained by a river or other body of water, whether natural or artificial. A "designated watershed" is an area delineated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and approved by the Environmental Quality Board for which counties are required to develop watershed stormwater management plans.

WETLANDS

Any area which meets the criteria established in the 1989 Federal Manual for Identifying and Delineating Jurisdictional Wetlands as required by the PA Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP), as may be amended or replaced.

WOODLANDS

Areas, groves or stands of mature or largely mature trees [i.e., greater than six inches caliper (diameter) at a height of 14 inches above the ground] covering an area greater than 1/4 of an acre; or groves of mature trees [greater than 12 inches caliper (diameter) at a height of 14 inches above the ground] consisting of more than 10 individual trees.