[Ord. 498, 9/13/2016, § 202]
When used in this Chapter, the following words, terms and phrases shall have the following meanings, unless expressly stated otherwise or unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. (For definitions related to signs, see Part
7.)
ACCESSORY STRUCTURE
A structure the use of which is customarily accessory to
and incidental to that of the principal structure and which is located
on the same lot.
ADAPTIVE REUSE
Applies to structures not initially designed for permanent
residential use and former public, semipublic and other large buildings
(including schools, churches, armories, and other civic structures)
which lie within any zoning district within the Borough with the express
purpose of encouraging the adaptive and flexible reuse of such buildings.
ADJACENT PROPERTY
Property that is contiguous with the boundaries of any side
of the subject property.
ADULT ARCADE
Any place to which the public is permitted or invited wherein
coin-operated, slug-operated, or for any form of consideration, or
electronically, electrically, or mechanically controlled still or
motion-picture machines, projectors, videos, or other image-producing
devices are maintained, not located within viewing booths, to show
images to five or fewer persons per machine at any one time, and where
the images so displayed are distinguished or characterized by the
depicting or describing of specified sexual activities or specified
anatomical areas.
ADULT BOOKSTORE, ADULT NOVELTY STORE OR ADULT VIDEO STORE
1.Â
Books, magazines, periodicals or other printed matter, or photographs,
films, motion pictures, videocassettes or video reproductions, slides,
CD-ROM or DVD discs or other computer software, or other visual representations
which are characterized by the depiction or description of specified
sexual activities or specified anatomical areas.
2.Â
Instruments, devices, or paraphernalia which are designed for
use in connection with specified sexual activities.
ADULT BUSINESS
1.Â
Any commercial establishment, including but not limited to adult
book stores, adult motion picture theaters, adult mini-motion picture
theaters, adult entertainment cabaret, adult arcade or other adult
entertainment establishments, in which is offered for sale as a substantial
or significant portion of its stock in trade videocassettes, movies,
books, magazines, or other periodicals or other media which are distinguished
or characterized by their emphasis on nudity or sexual conduct or
activities which if presented in live presentation would constitute
adult entertainment;
2.Â
Any commercial establishment that offers for a consideration
physical contact in the form of wrestling or tumbling between persons
of the opposite sex;
3.Â
Any commercial establishment that offers for a consideration
activities between male and female persons and/or persons of the same
sex when one or more persons are nude or semi-nude; and
4.Â
Any commercial establishment that offers for a consideration
nude human modeling. An establishment shall include any of the following:
A.Â
The opening or commencement of any sexually oriented business
as a new business.
B.Â
The conversion of an existing business, whether or not a sexually
oriented business, to any sexually oriented business.
C.Â
The addition of any sexually oriented business to any other
existing sexually oriented business or to a non-sexually oriented
business.
D.Â
The relocation of any sexually oriented business.
ADULT CABARET
A nightclub, bar, restaurant, or other commercial establishment
which regularly features:
1.Â
Persons who appear in a state of nudity or semi-nudity.
2.Â
Live performances which are characterized by the exposure of
specified anatomical areas or by specified sexual activities.
3.Â
Films, motion pictures, videocassettes, DVDs, slides, or other
photographic reproductions or visual presentations of any other kind
which are characterized by the depiction or description of specified
sexual activities or specified anatomical areas.
ADULT MINI MOTION-PICTURE THEATER
An enclosed building or structure offering video presentations
or other visual media distinguished or characterized by an emphasis
or matter depicting, describing, or relating to sexual activities
or nudity, as defined herein, for observation by patrons within private
viewing booths.
ADULT MOTION-PICTURE THEATER
A commercial establishment where, for any form of consideration,
films, motion pictures, videocassettes, slides, or similar photographic
reproductions or visual presentations of any kind are regularly shown
which is characterized by the depiction or description of specified
sexual activities or specified anatomical areas.
ADULT THEATER
A theater, concert hall, auditorium, or similar commercial
establishment which regularly features persons who appear in a state
of nudity or semi-nudity, or live performances which are characterized
by the exposure of specified anatomical areas or by specified sexual
activities.
AFTER-HOURS CLUB
A use that permits the consumption of alcoholic beverages
by five or more unrelated persons between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and
6:00 a.m. and that involves some form of monetary compensation paid
by such persons for the alcohol or for the use of the premises.
AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES/USES
Activities including, but not limited to, livestock and poultry
raising; field, row and tree crops; forest and tree products; sale
of products produced on the premises; and other customary farm structures.
Not included are farm-oriented commercial or industrial activities
or operations, such as food or livestock processing plants, holding
pens, slaughterhouses, or similar uses which handle products not produced
on the immediate premises.
AIRPORT
Any area of land or water, whether of public or private ownership,
designed and set aside for the landing and taking off of aircraft
including all contiguous property that is held or used for airport
purposes.
AIRPORT CONTROL TOWER
A tower at an airfield from which air traffic is controlled
by radio and observed physically and by radar.
AIRPORT MAINTENANCE FACILITY
A building where scheduled or unscheduled maintenance activities
are initiated, including landscaping, mowing, weed control, building
fences, and vehicle maintenance.
AIRPORT TERMINAL
A building at an airport where passengers transfer between
ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board
and disembark from aircraft. Within the terminal, passengers purchase
tickets, transfer their luggage, and go through security.
ALLEY
A public or private right-of-way which has a width of 15
feet or less and which is designed to provide secondary access to
a lot or lots.
ALTERATIONS
As applied to a building or structure, a change or rearrangement
in the structural parts or in the exit facilities, or an enlargement,
whether by extending on a side or by increasing in height, or the
moving from one location to another, or any change in use from that
of one zoning district classification to another.
ALTERATIONS, STRUCTURAL
Any change in the supporting members of a building, such
as bearing walls, columns, beams, girders, or foundations.
AMBULANCE STATION
An ambulance station is a structure or other area set aside
for storage of ambulance vehicles, medical equipment, personal protective
equipment, and other medical supplies. Most stations are made up of
garage bays or a parking area, normally undercover.
AMPHITHEATER
An oval or round structure having tiers of seats rising gradually
outward from a central open space or arena.
AMUSEMENT ARCADE
1.Â
If an accessory use, any establishment where two or fewer amusement
devices are located.
2.Â
If a principal use, any establishment where three or more amusement
devices are located.
AMUSEMENT DEVICE
Any mechanical, electrical or electromechanical device, machine
or apparatus whatsoever for the playing of games and amusements, which
devices or apparatus are commonly known as "pinball machines," "video
games" and "jukeboxes," or upon which games are played, or any device
on which music is played after the insertion therein of a coin or
other disc, slug or token or for which fees are paid to an attendant.
AMUSEMENT PARK
An establishment existing primarily entertainment purposes
and offering rides and exhibitions for a fee.
ANIMAL CEMETERY
Any site containing at least one burial, marked or previously
marked, dedicated to and used or intended to be used for the permanent
burial of animals.
ANIMAL DAY CARE
A facility that cares for pet animals for less than 12 consecutive
hours in the absence of the pet owner or a facility that cares for
pet animals in training with or without the facility owner receiving
compensation for such services (see also: kennel).
ANIMAL GROOMER
The provision of bathing and trimming services for small
animals on a commercial basis. This classification includes boarding
of domestic animals for a maximum period of 48 hours.
ANIMAL HOSPITAL
A place where animals or pets are given medical or surgical
treatment and the boarding of animals is limited to short-term care
incidental to the hospital use. Animal hospitals are not kennels.
ANIMAL PRODUCTION
The keeping of animals including feeding, breeding, housing,
slaughtering, processing and marketing of the animals.
ANSI
The American National Standards Institute.
ANTENNA
Any system of wires, rods, discs, panels, flat panels, dishes,
whips, or other similar devices used for the transmission or reception
of wireless signals. An antenna may include an omnidirectional antenna
(rod), directional antenna (panel), parabolic antenna (disc) or any
other wireless antenna. An antenna shall not include tower-based wireless
communications facilities as defined in this Chapter.
APPLICANT
A landowner or developer, as hereinafter defined, who has
filed an application for development including his heirs, successors
and assigns.
APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT
Every application, whether preliminary, tentative or final,
required to be filed and approved prior to start of construction or
development including, but not limited to an application for a building
permit, for the approval of a subdivision plat or plan or for the
approval of a development plan.
APPURTENANCES
The visible, functional, or ornamental objects accessory
to and part of buildings.
AQUARIUM/ZOO
An establishment that maintains a collection of wild animals,
typically in a park, garden or a transparent tank of water for display
to the public.
ARCHITECT
An architect registered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
AREA, BUILDING
The total horizontal plane area of the building from outside
wall to outside wall. This is exclusive of patios and stairways.
AREA, SITE
The total area of the lot or lots comprising a site.
ARI
The Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute.
ART GALLERY
A structure, or part thereof, devoted to the exhibition of
visual works of fine art. Art galleries generally include accessory
services, such as sale or purchase of displayed works, custom framing
or encasement of art works and services related to art appraisal,
display, preservation or restoration.
ARTS & CRAFT STUDIO
A use involving the creation, display and sale of arts and
crafts, such as paintings, sculpture and fabric crafts. The creation
of arts and crafts may also be permitted within a home occupation,
provided the requirements for such use are met.
ASPHALT/CONCRETE PLANT
A plant where asphalt or concrete is mixed for distribution,
typically for use off-site.
ASSISTED-LIVING FACILITY
Any premises in which food, shelter, assisted-living services,
assistance or supervision and supplemental health care services are
provided for a period exceeding 24 hours for four or more adults who
are not relatives of the operator, who require assistance or supervision
in matters such as dressing, bathing, diet, financial management,
evacuation from the residence in the event of an emergency or medication
prescribed for self-administration.
AUDITORIUM
A large building or hall used for public gatherings, typically
speeches or stage performances.
AUTHORITY
A body politic and corporate created pursuant to the act
of May 2, 1945 (P.L. 382, No. 164), known as the "Municipality Authorities
Act of 1945."
AUTO REPAIR AND SERVICE
Any building, premises, and land in which or upon which a
business, service, or industry performs or renders a service involving
the maintenance, servicing, repair, or painting of vehicles, not including
commercial motor vehicle repair.
AUTOMOBILE DETAIL
Any building, premises, or land in which or upon which a
business or individual performs or renders a service involving the
detailing and servicing of an automobile or other motor vehicle. Detailing
and servicing shall include any cleaning, buffing, striping, glass
replacement, and audio installation or repair. Automobile detail shall
not include any service defined as "automobile repair."
AUTOMOBILE GRAVEYARD
An establishment or place of business which is maintained,
used, or operated for storing, keeping, buying, or selling wrecked,
scrapped, ruined, or dismantled motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts.
Ten or more such vehicles will constitute an automobile graveyard.
BAKERY, RETAIL
A place for preparing, baking and selling baked goods and
products prepared on the premises.
BASEMENT
That portion of a building which is partly or completely,
or having a floor below grade.
BED-AND-BREAKFAST INN
An owner-occupied dwelling that contains not more than four
guests rooms/sleeping rooms in which lodging, long or short-term,
is provided for compensation and in which meals for lodgers may also
be provided. This use shall not include group homes.
BEVERAGE DISTRIBUTOR
A distributor is any person who engages in the sale of beverages
in beverage containers, including any manufacturer who engages in
these sales.
BIOTECHNOLOGY/LIFE SCIENCES
Manufacturing, research and development (R&D), laboratories,
assembly and production, charging areas, etc., related to health care
(medical), crop production and agriculture, nonfood (industrial) uses
of crops and other products (e.g., biodegradable plastics, vegetable
oil, biofuels), and environmental uses.
[Added by Ord. No. 564,
6/7/2022]
BOARD
Any body granted jurisdiction under a land use ordinance
or by the MPC to render final adjudications.
BOARDING HOUSE
A building other than a hotel or motel where lodging is provided
for compensation.
BOROUGH
The Borough of Rankin, Allegheny County, Pa.
BREWERY
A facility where the brewing, distilling, processing and
production of beer, malt, distilled and related alcoholic beverages
occurs on-site in accordance with the Pennsylvania Liquor Code and
in compliance with the requirements of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control
Board. The term may or may not include an area for the consumption
of such beverages.
[Added by Ord. No. 564,
6/7/2022]
BREWPUB
A restaurant in which beer or malt beverages, wine, and other
alcoholic beverages are manufactured, brewed, or distilled on-site
for retail purchase only and which establishment is licensed and operated
in accordance with the Pennsylvania Liquor Code and in compliance
with the requirements of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
[Added by Ord. No. 564,
6/7/2022]
BROADCAST AND RELAY TOWERS
A freestanding support structure, attached antenna, and related
equipment intended for transmitting, receiving or retransmitting commercial
television, radio, telephone, cellular or other telecommunication
services.
BUFFER AREA
A landscaped area of a certain depth specified by this Chapter
which shall be planted and maintained in trees, ground cover, shrubs,
bushes or other natural landscaping material or an existing natural
or constructed natural barrier which duplicates the effect of the
required buffer area.
BUILDING
A structure used for sheltering any use or occupancy.
BUILDING CODE
The Rankin Borough Uniform Construction Code Ordinance.
BUILDING FACADE
That portion of any exterior elevation on the building extending
from finished grade to top of the parapet, wall, or eaves and the
entire width of the building elevation.
BUILDING FRONT
The wall of the building where the principal entrance is
located, usually fronting on a public street.
BUILDING PERMIT
A permit for activities regulated by the Uniform Construction
Code as adopted by Rankin Borough, including construction, alteration,
repair, demolition or an addition to a structure.
BUILDING, PRINCIPAL
The building or buildings on a lot in which the principal
use or uses are conducted.
BUS OR TRUCK MAINTENANCE FACILITY
A building or set of buildings that are designed for the
maintenance of buses and heavy duty trucks. This excludes commercial
motor vehicle repair. All vehicles that are being worked on, or waiting
to be worked on, or have already been worked on, shall be kept inside
an entirely closed building.
CARPORT
A shelter for a car that has open sides and that is usually
attached to the side of a building.
CAR WASH, AUTOMATIC
A structure where chains, conveyors, blowers, steam cleaners,
or other mechanical devices are used for the purpose of washing motor
vehicles and where the operation is generally performed by an attendant.
CAR WASH, SELF-SERVICE
A structure where washing, drying, and polishing of vehicles
is generally on a self-service basis without the use of chain conveyors,
blowers, steam cleaning, or other mechanical devices.
CARTWAY
That portion of a street or alley intended for vehicular
use.
CATERING
A location that prepares food for delivery and consumption
at a remote site. Catering operations, when authorized, may sometimes
be located in conjunction with an events venue.
CATERING/EVENT VENUE
A facility that provides a location for a planned occasion
or activity such as a wedding, reunion, graduation, or other social
gathering. Event halls, when authorized, may sometimes include a catering
use.
CEMETERY
Any site containing at least one burial, marked or previously
marked, dedicated to and used or intended to be used for the permanent
interment of the human dead, including perpetual care and non-perpetual-care
cemeteries.
CHURCH
A building or buildings, other than a dwelling, used primarily
as a place of worship on a regular basis by a religious denomination
that may also include, as accessory uses, rooms for religious education,
social and recreational activities and administrative offices, an
emergency shelter, rectories, parsonages, convents, preschool programs
and elderly or child day-care centers.
CLEAN TECHNOLOGY
Clean technology, also referred to as "cleantech," "green
technology," and "greentech," defines a set of technologies that either
reduces or optimizes the use of natural resources, while simultaneously
reducing the negative effect that technology has on the planet and
its ecosystems. Examples of such technologies are sustainable energy
sources, such as wind and wave power, or improved conventional energy
production processes, such as smart electric grids. Clean technology
includes facilities related to energy generation, energy storage,
energy infrastructure, energy efficiencies, transportation, water
and wastewater, air and environment, manufacturing/industrial, agriculture,
and recycling and waste.
[Added by Ord. No. 564,
6/7/2022]
CLEAN WOOD
Natural wood that has been seasoned to reduce its water content
and provide more efficient combustion. The term "clean wood" does
not include wood: coated with paint, stain, oil, resin or any other
preservative, fire retardant or decorative materials; impregnated
with preservatives or fire retardants; exposed to salt water; nor
manufactured with the use of adhesives, polymers or resins, such as
strand, particle and veneer lumber and recycled lumber.
CLEAR SIGHT TRIANGLE
A triangular area of unobstructed vision as defined by PennDOT
Publication #70M: Guidelines for the Design of Local Roads and Streets.
CLOSED HORIZONTAL LOOP GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM
A mechanism for heat exchange which consists of the following
basic elements: underground loops of piping; heat transfer fluid;
a heat pump; an air distribution system. An opening is made in the
earth. A series of pipes are installed into the opening and connected
to a heat exchange system in the building. The pipes form a closed
loop and are filled with a heat transfer fluid. The fluid is circulated
through the piping from the opening into the heat exchanger and back.
The system functions in the same manner as the open loop system except
there is no pumping of groundwater. A horizontal closed loop system
shall be no more than 20 feet deep.
CLOSED VERTICAL LOOP GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM
A bore hole that extends beneath the surface. Pipes are installed
with U-bends at the bottom of the bore hole. The pipes are connected
to the heat exchanger and heat transfer fluid is circulated through
the pipes.
CLUBS/LODGES
Buildings and related facilities owned and operated by an
individual or a group of individuals established for fraternal, social,
educational, recreational or civic benefits of members, and not primarily
for profit. Access to facilities is typically restricted to members
and their guests.
CLUSTER
A development design technique used in planned residential
development that concentrates buildings on a part of the site to allow
the remaining land to be used for recreation, common open space, and
preservation of environmentally sensitive areas.
CO-LOCATION
The mounting of one or more WCFs, including antennas, on
an existing tower-based WCF, or on any structure that already supports
at least one non-tower WCF.
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY
An institute of higher learning that may offer two- or four-year
programs and/or post-graduate programs.
COMMERCIAL COMMUNICATIONS TOWER
A structure, partially or wholly exterior to a building, used for transmitting or retransmitting electronic signals through the air and that does not meet the definition of a "standard antenna." Commercial communications antennas shall include, but are not limited to, antennas used for transmitting commercial radio or television signals, or to receive such signals for a cable system, or to retransmit wireless telecommunications. A commercial communications tower shall be a structure over 30 feet in height that is primarily intended to support one or more antenna. See standards in §Â
27-509. This term shall not include a "standard antenna."
COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIR
Any building, premises, and land in which or upon which a
business, service, or industry performs or renders a service involving
the maintenance, servicing, repair, or painting of a commercial motor
vehicle. Commercial motor vehicles are those vehicles that have a
gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) in excess of 16,001 pounds.
COMMERCIAL RECREATION, INDOOR
An establishment operated by a profit-making corporation,
partnership or other business entity for the pursuit of sports, amusement
and recreational activities, available to the general public for a
fee, where the principal use is conducted entirely within a completely
enclosed building, including but not limited to such principal uses
as health or racquet and/or swim clubs, fitness centers, roller or
ice rinks, karate schools, gymnasiums, arenas, sports courts or playing
fields, bowling alleys, amusement arcades, virtual reality and simulation
gaming parlors, billiard parlors, shooting ranges, dance halls, live
or motion-picture theaters, but not including any adult business.
COMMERCIAL RECREATION, OUTDOOR
An establishment operated by a profit-making corporation,
partnership or other business entity for the pursuit of sports, amusement
and recreational activities, available to the general public for a
fee, where the principal use is outdoors, but which may include accessory
uses that are indoors, including, but not limited to such principal
uses as miniature golf courses, golf or batting practice facilities,
ice rinks, roller blade parks, swimming pools, sports playing fields,
ball parks, stadiums, amphitheaters, drive-in theaters, amusement
parks, race tracks and similar facilities.
COMMON OPEN SPACE
A parcel or parcels of land or an area of water, or a combination
of land and water within a development site and designed and intended
for the use or enjoyment of residents of a development, not including
streets, off-street parking areas, and areas set aside for public
facilities.
COMMUNICATIONS ANTENNA(S)
Any device used for the transmission or reception of radio,
television, wireless telephone, pager, commercial mobile radio service
or any other wireless communications signals, including, without limitation,
omnidirectional or whip antennas and directional or panel antennas,
owned or operated by any person or entity required to be licensed
by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate such device.
This definition shall not include private-residence-mounted satellite
dishes or television antennas or amateur radio equipment.
COMMUNITY CENTER
A building or other place in which members of a community
may gather for social, educational, or cultural activities.
COMMUNITY FOOD BANK
A charitable organization that solicits and warehouses donated
food and other products. This food is then distributed to a variety
of community agencies which serve people in need.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
The Comprehensive Plan of the Borough of Rankin adopted in
accordance with the provisions of the Pennsylvania MPC.
CONDITIONAL USE
An authorized use which may be granted only by the Borough
Council pursuant to express standards and criteria prescribed in this
Chapter, after review and recommendation by the Borough Planning Commission
and hearing by the Borough Council.
CONFERENCE CENTER
Specialized hotel (usually in a less busy but easily accessible
location) designed and built almost exclusively to host conferences,
exhibitions, large meetings, seminars, training sessions, etc. A conference
center often also provides office facilities, and a range of leisure
activities.
CONVENIENCE STORE
A small market that carries a limited selection of goods
and is open long hours. Convenience stores may sometimes located in
conjunction with a gas station use but only when the gas station use
is also allowable in the zoning district.
CORRECTIONAL/REHABILITATION FACILITY
A public building used for the confinement of people convicted
of serious crimes. These people may or may not receive support to
restore their character or name.
COUNCIL
The Council members of Rankin Borough, Allegheny County,
Pa.
CUSTOM PRINTING
The production of a text, picture, etc. by applying specialized
inked types, plates, blocks, or the like, to paper or other material
either by direct pressure or indirectly by offsetting an image onto
an intermediate roller.
DAY-CARE CENTER
A facility, licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
located within a building which is not used as a dwelling unit, for
the care during part of a twenty-four-hour day of children under the
age of 16 or handicapped or elderly persons.
DAY-CARE CENTER, CHILD
The premises in which care is provided, pursuant to approval
of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, for children under
the age of 16 and which comply with all applicable provisions and
requirements of the most recent editions of the Building Code, Residential
Code and Fire Code as adopted by the Borough of Rankin, and the Rules
and Regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare relating
to child day-care centers, and any other applicable law, ordinance
or regulation."
DECIBEL
A unit of measurement of the intensity (loudness) of sound.
Sound level meters which are employed to measure the intensity of
sound are calibrated in decibels.
DECK
A freestanding or attached accessory structure to a dwelling
which is constructed of natural or synthetic wood, either on or above
the ground, without a roof or awning, and with flooring that is not
completely impervious and which may include steps or railings.
DENSITY
The number of dwelling units per acre.
DETERMINATION
The final action by an officer, body or agency charged with
the administration of any land use ordinance or applications thereunder
except the governing body; the zoning hearing board; the planning
agency, only if and to the extent the planning agency is charged with
final decision on preliminary or final plans under the subdivision
and land development ordinance or planned residential development
provisions.
DEVELOPER
Any landowner, agent of such landowner, or tenant with the
permission of such landowner, who makes or causes to be made a subdivision
of land or a land development.
DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The provisions for development, including a planned residential
development, a plat of subdivision, all covenants relating to use,
location and bulk of buildings and other structures, intensity of
use or density of development, streets, ways and parking facilities,
common open space and public facilities. The phrase "provisions of
the development plan," when used in this Chapter, shall mean the written
and graphic materials referred to in this definition.
DIGITAL/INTERNET GAMING FACILITIES
A facility engaged in the business of accepting, placing,
receiving, or otherwise knowingly transmitting a bet or wager by any
means which involves the use, at least in part, of the internet, or
other digital means, and would include online businesses offering
sports betting, online poker or other games of chance. Digital/internet
gaming may include forms of mobile phone gambling, gaming, and betting
services including, without limitation, remote gambling, mobile phone
gambling, online sports betting, and online fixed odds gaming. All
facilities must be in compliance with all regulations at the federal,
state, and local levels in the United States.
[Added by Ord. No. 564,
6/7/2022]
DISTILLERY
A facility designed for the distillation of grains, fruits,
or other agricultural products produced into alcoholic beverages and
which establishment is licensed and operated in accordance with the
Pennsylvania Liquor Code and in compliance with the requirements of
the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
[Amended by Ord. No. 564, 6/7/2022]
DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEMS (DAS)
Network of spatially separated antenna sites connected to
a common source that provides wireless service within a geographic
area or structure.
DISTRIBUTION CENTER
A center for a set of products is a warehouse or other specialized
building, often with refrigeration or air conditioning, which is stocked
with products (goods) to be redistributed to retailers, to wholesalers,
or directly to consumers. A distribution center is a principal part,
the order processing element, of the entire order fulfillment process.
DORMITORIES
Buildings at a school or institution, containing a number
of private or semiprivate rooms for residents, along with common bathroom
facilities and recreation areas.
DRILLING PAD
The area of surface operations surrounding the surface location
of a well or wells.
DRIVE-IN RESTAURANT
A restaurant with or without a drive-through, where the food
is primarily brought to and consumed within a patron's vehicle. An
outdoor seating area may be provided.
DRIVE-IN THEATER
A structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection
booth and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed
area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their
cars.
DRIVE-THROUGH FACILITY
Drive-through facilities shall be considered principal uses
which are attached to another authorized principal use which involves
a window, service lane, bay, or other facility where customers are
provided services either inside or outside their vehicles and where
cars may or may not wait in line to access these services, including,
but not limited to: drive-in or drive-through windows at fast-food
restaurants, banks, drug stores or other businesses, exterior automated
teller machines (ATMs), quick oil-change facilities, car washes and
similar automotive services and other such facilities.
DRIVEWAY
A private area which provides vehicular access to a parking
space, garage, dwelling or other structure.
DRUG STORE
A retail store where prescription medicines and miscellaneous
articles are sold.
DWELLING
A building that contains dwelling units, intended or designed
to be used, rented, leased, let or hired out to be occupied for living
purposes.
DWELLING TYPES
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ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT — A dwelling unit that is either
attached to the principal permitted building or to a permitted accessory
building on a lot and that serves as a mother-in-law suite and primarily
intended to be occupied by a relative of the occupant of the principal
structure or use on the lot or site.
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APARTMENT — A multifamily residential building comprised
of dwelling units. Individual apartments may also appear on the second
floor (above retail) and above in the Central Business District.
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CONVERSION DWELLING — A dwelling unit or units created
from a larger existing residential dwelling, whether entirely from
the existing structure or by building additions or combinations thereof.
Conversion dwellings involve the creation of additional dwelling units
in a structure from existing dwellings, not initially intended or
designed when the dwelling was initially constructed. Conversion dwellings
are primarily intended to serve as rental units and are defined separately
from accessory dwellings units or mother-in-law suites which are primarily
intended to house family members.
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DUPLEX — A detached house designed for and occupied exclusively
as not more than two units, each living as an independent housekeeping
unit and with no internal connectivity between units.
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MULTIFAMILY — A residential building designed exclusively
for occupancy by three or more families living independently of each
other and containing three or more separate dwelling units but not
including single-family, duplex, townhouse or quadruplex dwellings.
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QUADRUPLEX — A residential building, other than a townhouse
or garden apartment, containing only four dwelling units in one structure,
each of which has two walls exposed to the outside and each unit shares
two common walls with adjoining units which are placed at right angles
to one another, rather than in a row, and which units have no other
units above or below which share common floors/ceilings.
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ROW HOUSE — See "townhouse."
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SINGLE FAMILY — A detached residential building that is
the only principal structure on the lot, designed exclusively for
occupancy by one family, as defined herein, and containing one dwelling
unit.
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TOWNHOUSE — A single-family dwelling unit constructed
in a group of not less than three but not more than six attached units
in which each unit share no more than one common wall that extends
from the foundation to the roof.
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DWELLING UNIT
A single unit providing complete, independent living facilities
for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living,
sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
A structure, part of a structure, or structures designed
and used for training and teaching of children, youths or adults,
including laboratories appurtenant thereto.
ELECTRONIC NOTICE
Notice given by a municipality through the Internet of time
and place of a public hearing and the particular nature of the matter
to be considered at the hearing.
EMERGENCY
A condition that:
1.Â
Constitutes a clear and immediate danger to the health, welfare,
or safety of the public; or
2.Â
Has caused or is likely to cause facilities in the rights-of-way
to be unusable and result in loss of the services provided.
EMERGENCY SHELTER
A facility, including rescue missions, for persons seeking
temporary voluntary shelter for a duration not to exceed 60 days.
ENFORCEMENT NOTICE
A notice as provided in § 616.1 of the MPC, 53
P.S. § 10616.1, sent by the Borough to the owner or occupant
of record of a parcel on which a violation of this Chapter has occurred,
to any person who has filed a written request to receive enforcement
notices regarding that parcel, and to any other person requested in
writing by the owner or occupant of record, the purpose of which is
to initiate enforcement proceedings.
EPA
The United States Environmental Protection Agency or any
agency successor thereto.
ESCORT
A person who, for consideration, agrees, or offers to act
as a companion, guide, or date for another person, or who agrees or
offers to privately model lingerie or to privately perform a striptease
for another person.
ESCORT AGENCY
A person or business association who furnishes, offers to
furnish, or advertises to furnish escorts as one of its primary businesses
for a fee, tip, or other consideration.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES
The erection, construction, alteration or maintenance of
underground or overhead gas, electrical, steam or water transmission
or distribution systems, including poles, wires, mains, drains, sewers,
pipes, conduit cables, fire alarm boxes, police call boxes, traffic
signals, hydrants, street signs, cable television or other transmission
lines provided by public or private entities, and other similar equipment
and accessories in connection therewith, reasonably necessary for
the furnishing of adequate service by such public utilities or municipal
or other governmental agencies or for the public health or safety
or general welfare. The definition of "essential services" does not
include wireless communication facilities.
EXTENDED STAY HOTEL/MOTEL
A hotel or motel with accommodations for sleeping along with
in-unit full kitchen and bathroom facilities. Occupancy of any extended
stay unit shall be allowed for more than 30 days as long as the units
comply with all residential building and fire codes.
FAMILY
An individual; two or more persons related by blood, marriage
or adoption; or not more than three unrelated persons living as a
single housekeeping unit. A family may also include domestic servants
and gratuitous guests. The foregoing restrictions do not apply to
persons with disabilities as defined in the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3601
et seq.
FARMERS' MARKET
A retail establishment at which fruits, vegetables, breads,
eggs, milk, cheese, meat, flowers, and the like are sold by persons
who typically grow, harvest, or process such items from their farm
or agricultural operation.
FCC
Federal Communications Commission.
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Banks, savings and loan associations and similar institutions
that lend money or are engaged in a finance related business.
FIRE STATION
A building in which firefighting apparatus and usually fire
department personnel are housed.
FLEA MARKET
A business that sells used merchandise, other than automobiles,
logging equipment, or other agricultural equipment, and stores or
displays the merchandise outdoors.
FLOOR AREA, GROSS (GFA)
The sum of all the horizontal floor areas of a building,
measured between exterior faces of walls.
FLOOR AREA, NET
The total floor area of a building designed for tenant occupancy,
or areas accessible to the customers, clients or general public, but
excluding storage areas, equipment rooms, food preparation areas in
a restaurant and common areas such as halls, corridors, stairwells,
elevator shafts, rest rooms, interior vehicular parking and loading
areas and similar common areas, expressed in square feet and measured
from the center line of joint partitions and exteriors of outside
walls.
FORESTRY/LOGGING
The process of establishing, managing forests, including
the process, work or business of cutting down trees, and transporting
logs to sawmills.
FUNERAL HOME
A building used for the embalming of deceased human beings
for burial and for the display of the deceased and ceremonies connected
therewith before burial or cremation and which may include a crematorium
as an accessory use.
GARAGE, PRIVATE
An accessory building or a portion of the principal building,
not accessible to the general public and designed or used for shelter
or storage of private vehicles and personal property of the occupants
of the principal building and that may include the shelter or storage
of no more than one private vehicle owned and used by others.
GARAGE, PUBLIC
A building or structure available to the general public in
which motor vehicles are temporarily stored but which is not used
for the repair or maintenance thereof.
GARDEN CENTER
A building, site or structure used for the sale of flowers,
plants, shrubs, trees and other natural flora and associated products.
GAS STATION
A building(s), premises or portions thereof which are used,
arranged, designed, or intended to be used for the retail sale of
gasoline or other fuel for motor vehicles. Gas stations may include
the operation of a convenience food store in conjunction with the
retail sale of petroleum products. Gas stations may sometimes also
be located with an automobile repair and service use, but only when
the automobile repair and service use is also allowable in the zoning
district.
GAZEBO
A freestanding roofed structure usually open on the sides.
GEOTHERMAL BORE HOLES
A hole drilled or bored into the earth into which piping
is inserted for use in a closed vertical loop geothermal system.
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY SYSTEM
An energy-generating system that uses the earth's thermal
properties in conjunction with electricity to provide greater efficiency
in the heating and cooling of buildings.
GOLF COURSE
Any golf course, publicly or privately owned, on which the
game of golf is played, including accessory uses and buildings customary
thereto, but excluding golf driving ranges as defined herein.
GOLF DRIVING RANGE
A limited area on which golf players do not walk, but onto
which they drive golf balls from a central driving tee.
GRAIN SILO
A structure for storing bulk materials such as grain or fermented
feed known as "silage." Other items often used for bulk storage include
coal, green feeds and wood chips.
GREENHOUSE
A retail business that sells flowers, plants, shrubs, trees
and other natural flora and products that aid their growth and care
and that may include a greenhouse and/or the growing of plant material
outside on the lot.
GROUP CARE FACILITY
1.Â
A facility which provides room and board and specialized services
for:
A.Â
More than eight residents who are mentally or physically handicapped;
B.Â
Any number of permanent residents who are dependent and/or delinquent
children under the age of 18 adjudicated by the court system;
C.Â
Mentally disturbed persons of any age; or
D.Â
Persons assigned by a court of law or public or semipublic agency
on a short-term basis for supervision, care and counseling for a specified
period of time, including alcoholic recovery, shelters for battered
persons and their children, community reentry services following incarceration
and other such transitional and/or supervised short-term assignments.
2.Â
Staff shall be qualified by the sponsoring agency, who may or
may not reside at the facility, and who provide health, social and/or
rehabilitative services to the residents. The services shall be provided
only by a governmental agency, its licensed or certified agents or
any other responsible nonprofit social services corporation, and the
facility shall meet all minimum requirements of the sponsoring agency.
GROUP HOME
A dwelling unit where room and board is provided to not more
than eight permanent residents who are mentally or physically handicapped
persons of any age, who are in need of supervision and specialized
services, and no more than two caretakers on any shift, who may or
may not reside in the dwelling and who provide health, social and/or
rehabilitative services to the residents. The service shall be provided
only by a governmental agency, its licensed or certified agents or
any other responsible nonprofit social services corporation, and the
facility shall meet all minimum requirements of the sponsoring agency.
A group home does not include persons assigned by a court of law or
public or semipublic agency on a short-term basis for supervision,
care and counseling for a specified period of time, including alcoholic
recovery, shelters for battered persons and their children, community
reentry services following incarceration and other such transitional
and/or supervised short-term assignments.
HEARING
An administrative proceeding conducted by a board pursuant
to Section 909.1 of the MPC.
HEIGHT OF A TOWER-BASED WCF
The vertical distance measured from the ground level, including
any base pad, to the highest point on a tower-based WCF, including
antennas mounted on the tower and any other appurtenances.
HEIGHT OF STRUCTURE
For structures other than buildings or signs, the vertical
distance measured from the average elevation of the finished grade
around the structure to the highest point on the structure.
HEIGHT OF BUILDING
The vertical distance measured from the average elevation
of the proposed finished grade of the building to the eaves. For the
purpose of determining maximum permitted height for principal buildings,
such measurement shall be made from the average finished grade at
the front setback. For the purpose of side or rear yard determination,
such measurement shall be made from the average finished grade of
the wall extending along such side yard or rear yard.
HELIPORT
Any area of land, water or structure which is used or intended
to be used for the landing and takeoff of helicopters and any appurtenant
areas which are used for heliport buildings or helicopter facilities
or rights-of-way, together with all heliport buildings and facilities
thereon.
HISTORIC STRUCTURE
Any structure that is:
1.Â
Listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places
or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as meeting
the requirements for individual listing on the National Registry;
2.Â
Certified or preliminary determined by the Secretary of the
Interior as contributing to the historical significance of a registered
Historic District or a district preliminarily determined by the Secretary
to quality as a registered Historic District;
3.Â
Individually listed on a state inventory of historic places
in states with historic preservation programs that have been approved
by the Secretary of the Interior; or
4.Â
Individually listed on a local inventory of historic places
in communities with historic preservation programs that have been
certified either: by approved state program as determined by the Secretary
of the Interior; or, directly by the Secretary of the Interior in
states without approved programs.
HOLIDAY
The entire twenty-four-hour period of the days of New Year's
Day (January 1), Good Friday, Election Day (both primary and general
elections), Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and
Christmas Day.
HOME-BASED DAY CARE
The premises in which care is provided pursuant to approval
of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, for children under
the age of 16 who are unrelated by blood or marriage to all owners
of the premises and to all owners and operators of the family child
day-care home operation being conducted on the premises. Provided,
further, that the premises wherein the family child day-care home
operation or business is located must be the full-time bona fide residence
of the owner of said operation or business and said premises must
be in compliance with all applicable provisions and requirements of
the most recent editions of the Building Code, Residential Code and
Fire Code, as adopted by the Borough of Rankin, and the Rules and
Regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare relating
to family child day-care homes, and any other applicable law, ordinance
or regulation.
HOME OCCUPATION BUSINESS
Any use customarily carried on entirely within a dwelling,
by the occupant thereof, which use is clearly incidental and subordinate
to the use of the dwelling. Examples include, but are not limited
to, professional services such as legal, financial, accounting or
engineering, barber and beauty shops, music and tutoring instruction.
Home occupations are limited to one student, customer or client at
a time. Home occupation businesses are different than no-impact home-based
businesses (see definition of "no-impact home-based business").
HOSPITAL
An institution providing acute medical or surgical care and
treatment for sick or injured humans, as defined in current state
licensure requirements.
HOTEL
A building containing rooms intended or designed to be used
or that are used, rented, or hired out to be occupied or that are
occupied for sleeping purposes by guests. Hotels have a common reception
area on premises which is staffed 24 hours a day where clients check
in to obtain access to a room.
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING (FRACKING)
The process of injecting water, customized fluids, sand,
steam, or gas into a gas well under pressure to improve gas recovery.
IGSHPA
The International Ground Source Heat Pump Association.
IMPERVIOUS SURFACE
Any material which prevents the absorption of stormwater
into the ground.
INCINERATOR
A device used to burn waste substances and in which all the
combustion factors, temperature, retention time, turbulence, and combustion
air can be controlled.
JUNKYARD
Any premises devoted wholly or in part to the storage, buying
or selling, sorting, exchanging, salvaging, recycling or otherwise
handling or dealing in junk, including automotive wreckage.
KENNEL
A use of land and structures in combination wherein four
or more domestic animals or pets six months or older are bred, trained,
and/or boarded for compensation for more than 12 consecutive hours.
Animal day cares and animal groomers where pets are not on site for
more than 12 consecutive hours shall not be considered a kennel.
LABORATORY
A building or part of a building devoted to the testing and
analysis of any product or animal. No manufacturing is conducted on
the premises except for experimental or testing purposes.
LAND DEVELOPMENT
Includes any of the following activities:
1.Â
The improvement of one lot or two or more contiguous lots, tracts
or parcels of land for any purpose involving:
A.Â
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
B.Â
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.
LANDFILL
A disposed site in which refuse and earth, or other suitable
cover material are deposited and compacted in alternative layers as
required by the federal and/or state agency having jurisdiction.
LANDOWNER
The legal or beneficial owner or owners of land, including
the holder of an option or contract to purchase (whether or not such
option or contract is subject to any condition), a lessee if he is
authorized under the lease to exercise the rights of the landowner,
or other person having a proprietary interest in land.
LANDSCAPE PLAN
A plan prepared by a design professional identifying each
tree and shrub by size, type and scientific name; the location of
each, including a planting diagram; and such other diagrams or reports
as are necessary to show the method of planting, staking and mulching,
grass seeding specification and mixtures and existing trees to be
preserved, if any.
LAUNDROMAT
An establishment with coin-operated washing machines and
dryers for public use.
LEGAL NONCONFORMING
Refers to uses and structures which were begun or constructed
when the law allowed for them but have since become noncompliant due
to a change in legislation.
LIBRARY
A building or room containing collections of books, periodicals,
and sometimes films and recorded music for people to read, borrow,
or refer to.
LIFE CARE COMMUNITY
A corporation or association or other business entity that,
in exchange for the payment of entrance and monthly fees, provides:
1.Â
Residential accommodations meeting the minimum standards for
residents set forth by law and ordinances and providing a design to
meet the physical, social and psychological needs of older people;
2.Â
Medical and nursing care covering, under ordinary circumstances,
the balance of a resident's life;
3.Â
Prepaid medical consultation opportunities through independent
professionals selected by the organization or through some equivalent
arrangement; or
4.Â
Financial self-sufficiency, not dependent on outside support
to any significant degree, with entrance and monthly fees adjusting
to meet changing costs.
LIGHT INDUSTRIAL
A facility primarily for production, processing, and assembly
plants that are operated so that noise, odor, dust, and glare of such
operations are completely confined within an enclosed building. Light
industrial is also intended for the development of flexible office/warehouse
uses.
[Added by Ord. No. 564,
6/7/2022]
LIVE-WORK UNITS
A commercial use, such as a shop, studio, office, cafe, deli,
personal service establishment or other place of business, in combination
with a dwelling unit located above such place of business. A person
or persons other than the proprietor of the business may occupy a
live-work unit.
LOADING SPACE
A space within the main building or on the same lot therewith
providing for the standing, loading, or unloading of vehicles.
LOT
A designated parcel, tract or area of land established by
a plat or otherwise as permitted by law and to be used, developed
or built upon as a unit.
LOT AREA
The total area within the boundary of the lot, excluding
any areas contained in a public street right-of-way.
LOT COVERAGE
That percentage of the lot area covered by all principal
structures, accessory structures and impervious surfaces.
LOT LINE
A line that denotes the boundary of a lot or parcel of land,
as defined herein.
LOT LINE, FRONT
A lot line or lines which separates a lot from a public street
or streets.
LOT LINE, REAR
That lot line that is generally opposite the front lot line.
LOT LINE, SIDE
Any lot line that is not a front lot line or rear lot line.
LOT, CORNER
A lot at an intersection of two or more streets.
LOT, THROUGH
A lot having frontage on two parallel or approximately parallel
streets and which is not a corner lot.
LOT, WIDTH
The linear distance between the point of intersection of
the minimum required building setback line with the side lot lines
as measured along the front setback line.
LUMBERYARD
A place that sells lumber and other building materials, usually
outdoors.
MAGISTRATE OFFICE AND COURT
A court having limited jurisdiction over civil and criminal
matters, and matters of contracts not exceeding a particular threshold.
MAILED NOTICE
Notice given by a municipality by first class mail of the
time and place of a public hearing and the particular nature of the
matter to be considered at the hearing.
MAJOR HIGHWAY
A public street which serves large volumes of high-speed
and long-distance traffic.
MANUFACTURED HOME SALES
The sale of a structure, transportable in one or more sections,
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
therein. For mobile homes built prior to June 15, 1976, a label certifying
compliance to the Standard for Mobile Homes, NFPA 501, in effect at
the time of manufacture is required. For the purpose of these provisions,
a mobile home shall be considered a manufactured home.
MANUFACTURING FACILITY
A building where materials are processed and where the process
of making wares by hand, by machinery or by other agency, often with
the provision of labor and the use of machinery takes place.
MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENT
Any establishment or business which provides the services
of massage and body manipulation, including exercises, heat and light
treatments of the body, and all forms of physiotherapy, unless operated
by a medical practitioner, chiropractor, or professional physical
therapist licensed by the State of Pennsylvania. This definition does
not include an athletic club, school, gymnasium, reducing salon, spa,
or similar establishment where massage or similar manipulation of
the human body is offered as an identical or accessory service. A
massage establishment may not include any aspects of adult entertainment
or an adult-oriented establishment, as either are elsewhere defined
and regulated in this Chapter.
MEDIA PRODUCTION FACILITY
A facility used for the specific purpose of creating a moving
image project, including but not limited to soundstages and scoring
stages, production offices, editing facilities, animation production
facilities, video game production facilities, storage and construction
spaces and facilities, pattern shops, machine shops, trailer storage/hookups,
outdoor displays, performance spaces, sound recording studios and
motion capture studios.
[Added by Ord. No. 564,
6/7/2022]
MEDIATION
A voluntary negotiating process in which parties in a dispute
mutually select a neutral mediator to assist them in jointly exploring
and settling their differences, culminating in a written agreement
which the parties themselves create and consider acceptable.
MEDICAL OFFICES
A place where medical or dental diagnosis, evaluation, and
treatment is prescribed or provided.
METALLIC MINING
The extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials
from the earth from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, or reef, which
forms the mineralized package of economic interest to the miner.
METHADONE TREATMENT FACILITY
A facility licensed by the Department of Health to use the
drug methadone in the treatment, maintenance, or detoxification of
persons.
MICRO BREWERY
A small, usually independent brewery that produces limited
quantities of specialized beers. A micro brewery provides for the
retail sales of the beer at the location where it is produced. A micro
brewery may also include tasting a room and restaurant in conjunction
with the use.
MICRO DISTILLERY
A small, often boutique-style distillery established to produce
beverage-grade spirit alcohol in relatively small quantities, usually
done in single or small batches. A micro distillery provides for the
retail sales of the distilled beverage at the location where beverages
are distilled. A micro distillery may also include a tasting room
and restaurant in conjunction with the use.
MINERALS
Any aggregate or mass of mineral matter, whether or not coherent.
The term includes, but is not limited to, limestone and dolomite,
sand and gravel, rock and stone, earth, fill, slag, iron ore, zinc
ore, vermiculite and clay, anthracite and bituminous coal, coal refuse,
peat and crude oil and natural gas.
MINI-WAREHOUSE
A storage enterprise dealing with the reception of goods
of residential or commercial orientation that lie dormant over extended
periods of time. Separate storage units are rented to individual customers
who are entitled to exclusive and independent access to their respective
units.
MIXED USE
The conduct of two or more principal uses within one principal
building, or one lot or site.
MOBILE HOME
A transportable, single-family dwelling intended for permanent
occupancy, contained in one unit, or in two or more units designed
to be joined into one integral unit capable of again being separated
for repeated towing, which arrives at a site complete and ready for
occupancy except for minor and incidental unpacking and assembly operations,
and constructed so that it may be used without a permanent foundation.
MOBILE HOME LOT
A parcel of land in a mobile home park, improved with the
necessary utility connections and other appurtenances necessary for
the erections thereon of a single mobile home.
MOBILE HOME PARK
A parcel or contiguous parcels of land which has been so
designated and improved that it contains two or more mobile home lots
for the placement thereon of mobile homes.
MONOPOLE
A WCF or site which consists of a single pole structure,
designed and erected on the ground or on top of a structure, to support
communications antennas and connecting appurtenances.
MOTEL
A building or group of detached, semidetached, or attached
buildings on a lot containing guest dwellings, each of which has a
separate outside entrance leading directly to rooms, with a garage
or parking space conveniently located with each unit, and which is
designed, used, or intended to be used primarily for the accommodation
of automobile transients. Boarding houses shall not be considered
a motel.
MOVIE
A venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures
("movies" or "films").
MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY
A body politic and corporate created pursuant to the act
of May 2, 1945 (P.L. 382, No. 164), known as the "Municipality Authorities
Act of 1945."
MUNICIPAL BUILDING
A building occupied by the principal offices and departments
of Rankin Borough.
NATURAL GAS COMPRESSOR STATION
A compressor engine facility designed and constructed to
compress natural gas that originates from an oil and gas well or collection
of such wells for continued delivery of oil and gas to a transmission
pipeline, distribution pipeline, processing facility, or storage facility
or field.
NATURAL GAS PROCESSING PLANT
A facility designed and constructed to remove materials such
as ethane, propane, butane, and other constituents or similar substances
from natural gas to allow such natural gas to be of such quality as
is required or appropriate for transmission or distribution to commercial
markets but not including facilities or equipment that is designed
and constructed primarily to remove water, water vapor, oil or naturally
occurring liquids from the natural gas.
NIGHTCLUB
An establishment primarily for evening, late-night to early
morning entertainment, that typically serves food and/or alcoholic
beverages, and may provide either live or prerecorded music or video,
comedy acts, floor shows, with or without the opportunity for dancing.
A nightclub may not include any aspects of adult entertainment or
an adult-oriented establishment, as either are elsewhere defined and
regulated in this Chapter.
NO-IMPACT HOME-BASED BUSINESSES
A business or commercial activity administered or conducted
as an accessory use which is clearly secondary to the use as a residential
dwelling and which involves no customer, client or patient traffic,
whether vehicular or pedestrian, pickup, delivery or removal functions
to or from the premises, in excess of those normally associated with
residential use. The business or commercial activity must satisfy
the following requirements:
1.Â
The business activity shall be compatible with the residential
use of the property and surrounding residential uses.
2.Â
The business shall employ no employees other than family members
residing in the dwelling.
3.Â
There shall be no display or sale of retail goods and no stockpiling
or inventory of a substantial nature.
4.Â
There shall be no outside appearance of a business use, including,
but not limited to, parking, signs or lights.
5.Â
The business activity may not use any equipment or process which
creates noise, vibration, glare, fumes, odors or electrical or electronic
interference, including interference with radio or television reception,
which is detectable in the neighborhood.
6.Â
The business activity may not generate any solid waste or sewage
discharge, in volume or type, which is not normally associated with
residential use in the neighborhood.
7.Â
The business activity shall be conducted only within the dwelling
and may not occupy more than 25% of the habitable floor area.
8.Â
The business may not involve any illegal activity.
|
No-impact home-based businesses are different than home occupation
businesses (see definition of "home occupation business").
|
NONCONFORMING LOT
Any lot which does not comply with the applicable area and
bulk provisions of this Chapter or an amendment thereafter enacted,
which lawfully existed prior to the enactment of this Chapter or any
subsequent amendment.
NONCONFORMING STRUCTURE
A structure or part of a structure that does not comply with
the applicable area and bulk provisions of this Chapter or amendment
heretofore or hereafter enacted, where such structure lawfully existed
prior to the enactment of this Chapter or an amendment thereto, or
prior to the application of this Chapter or amendment to its location
by reason of annexation. Nonconforming signs are included in this
definition.
NONCONFORMING USE
A use, whether of land or of a structure, that does not comply
with the applicable use provisions in this Chapter or amendment heretofore
or hereafter enacted, where such use was lawfully in existence prior
to the enactment of this Chapter or an amendment thereto, or prior
to the application of this Chapter or amendment to its location by
reason of annexation.
NONMETALLIC MINING
The extraction of stone, sand, rock or similar materials
from natural deposits.
NON-PRECISION-INSTRUMENT RUNWAY
A runway having an existing instrument approach procedure
utilizing air navigation facilities with only horizontal guidance,
or area-type navigation equipment, for which a straight-in non-precision
instrument approach procedure has been approved or planned.
NON-TOWER WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY (NON-TOWER WCF)
All non-tower wireless communications facilities, including
but not limited to, antennas and related equipment. Non-tower WCF
shall not include support structures for antennas or any related equipment
that is mounted to the ground or at ground level.
NUDE MODEL STUDIO
Any place where a person who appears seminude, in a state
of nudity, or who displays specified anatomical areas and is provided
to be observed, sketched, drawn, painted, sculptured, photographed,
or similarly depicted by other persons who pay money or any form of
consideration. "Nude model studio" shall not include a proprietary
school licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or a college,
junior college, or university supported entirely or in part by public
taxation; a private college or university which maintains and operates
educational programs in which credits are transferable to a college,
junior college, or university supported entirely or partly by taxation;
or in a structure:
1.Â
That has no sign visible from the exterior of the structure
and no other advertising that indicated a nude or seminude person
is available for viewing.
2.Â
Where in order to participate in a class a student must enroll
at least three days in advance of the class.
3.Â
Where no more than one nude or seminude model is on the premises
at any one time.
NUDITY or A STATE OF NUDITY
Completely without clothing; or the showing of the human
male or female genitals, pubic areas, or buttocks with less than a
fully opaque covering, or the showing of the female breasts with less
than a fully opaque covering of any portion of the nipple, or the
depiction of covered male genitals in a discernibly turgid state.
NURSERY SCHOOL
A school designed to provide daytime care or instruction
for two or more children of preschool age.
NURSING HOME
An institution licensed by the commonwealth for the care
of human patients requiring either skilled nursing or intermediate
nursing care or both levels of care for a period exceeding 24 hours.
OCCUPANCY
The physical possession upon, on or within any lot or structure
for a use.
OCCUPANCY PERMIT
A permit for the occupancy of a building, structure or lot
indicating compliance with all provisions of this Chapter.
OFFICES, BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL
Any office of recognized professions, other than medical,
such as lawyers, architects, engineers, real estate brokers, insurance
agents and others who, through training, are qualified to perform
services of a professional nature and other offices used primarily
for accounting, corresponding, research, editing or other administrative
functions, but not including banks or other financial institutions.
OIL AND GAS
Crude oil, natural gas, methane gas, coal bed methane gas,
propane, butane and/or any other constituents or similar substances
that are produced by drilling an oil or gas well.
OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT
The well site preparation, construction, drilling, redrilling,
hydraulic fracturing, and/or site restoration associated with an oil
or gas well of any depth; water and other fluid storage, impoundment
and transportation used for such activities; and the installation
and use of all associated equipment, including tanks, meters, and
other equipment and structures whether permanent or temporary; and
the site preparation, construction, installation, maintenance and
repair of oil and gas pipelines and associated equipment and other
equipment and activities associated with the exploration for, production
and transportation of oil and gas. The definition does not include
natural gas compressor stations and natural gas processing plants
or facilities performing the equivalent functions.
OIL OR GAS WELL
A pierced or bored hole drilled or being drilled in the ground
for the purpose of, or to be used for, producing, extracting or injecting
gas, oil, petroleum or another liquid related to oil or gas production
or storage, including brine disposal.
OIL OR GAS WELL SITE
The location where facilities, structures, materials and
equipment, whether temporary or permanent, necessary for or incidental
to the preparation, construction, drilling, production or operation
of an oil or gas well.
OIL, GAS, OR WATER INTAKE WELLS
The drilling site authorized by a permit from the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for the extraction of
oil or gas resources or the drilling site for the production of potable
water supply.
OPEN BURNING
Any fire or combustion from which air contaminants pass directly
into the open air without passing through a flue. The term includes
any fire or combustion which occurs in a chimney, fire pit, outdoor
fireplace or grill.
OPEN LOOP GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM
Water is pumped from a water well or other water source into
a heat exchanger located in a surface building. The water drawn from
the earth is then pumped back into the ground through a different
well or, in some cases, the same well, also known as "re-injection."
Alternatively, the groundwater could be discharged to a surface water
body, also known as a "pump and dump." In the heating mode, cooler
water is returned to the earth, and in the cooling mode, warmer water
is returned to the surface water body or well.
OUTDOOR DINING
A dining area with seats and/or table located outdoors of
a restaurant, cafe, or other food service establishment, and which
is either:
1.Â
Located entirely outside the walls of the subject building;
or
2.Â
Enclosed on two sides or less by the walls of the building with
or without a solid roof.
OUTDOOR HYDRONIC HEATER
A fuel-burning device, also known as an "outdoor wood-fired
boiler," "outdoor wood-fired furnace," and "outdoor wood-burning appliance,"
designed:
1.Â
To burn clean wood or other fuels specifically tested and listed
for use by the manufacturer;
2.Â
By the manufacturer specifically for outdoor installation or
installation in structures not normally intended for habitation by
humans or domestic animals (e.g., garages); and
3.Â
To heat building space and/or water via distribution, typically
through pipes, of a fluid heated in the device, typically water or
a water/antifreeze mixture.
PAD DRILLING
The drilling of multiple wells from a single location.
PARK-AND-RIDE FACILITY
A facility designed for patrons to park their private vehicle
and transfer to other private or public transportation.
PARKING AREA
An area used for the parking of motor vehicles.
PARKING LOT
Any lot, parcel, or yard used in whole or in part for the
storage or parking of two or more vehicles where such usage is not
incidental to or in conjunction with a single-family or two-family
dwelling.
PATIO
A structure accessory to a dwelling constructed on the ground
from impervious material such as concrete, stones, bricks, blocks
or other paving material and which may or may not have a roof or awning.
PAWN SHOP
A pawnbroker's shop, especially one where unredeemed items
are sold to the public.
PERSONAL CARE BOARDING HOME
A dwelling or institution licensed by the commonwealth where
room and board is provided to more than three permanent residents
who are not relatives of the operator, and who are mobile or semi-mobile
and require specialized services for a period exceeding 24 consecutive
hours in such matters as bathing, dressing, diet and medication prescribed
for self-administration, but who are not in need of hospitalization
or skilled nursing or intermediate nursing care.
PERSONAL SERVICES
Any enterprise providing services pertaining to the person,
their apparel or personal effects commonly carried on or about the
person, including but not limited to shoe repair, tailoring, clothes
cleaning, watch repairing, barbershops, beauty parlors and related
activities.
PERSONS
Individuals, corporations, companies, associations, joint
stock companies, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies,
corporations and other entities established pursuant to statutes of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; provided that person does not include,
or apply to, the Borough or to any department or agency of the Borough.
PHARMACY
A retail store which primarily sells prescription drugs,
patent medicines, and surgical and sickroom supplies.
PHASE 2 OUTDOOR HYDRONIC HEATER
An outdoor hydronic heater that has been certified or qualified
by the EPA as meeting a particulate matter emission limit of 0.32
pounds per million British thermal units (BTU) output and is labeled
accordingly, with a white "hang" tag.
PLACES OF WORSHIP
A semipublic use, including any of the following: church,
manse, rectory, convent, synagogue, parish, school or similar building
incidental to the particular use; but this term does not include business
offices, except administrative offices incidental to the operation
of the particular use, rescue missions or the occasional use for religious
purposes of properties not regularly so used.
PLANNED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
An area of land, controlled by a landowner, to be developed
as a single entity for a number of dwelling units, or combination
of residential and nonresidential uses, the development plan for which
does not correspond in lot size, bulk, type of dwelling, or use, density,
or intensity, lot coverage and required open space to the regulations
established in any one district created, from one time to time, under
the provisions of a municipal zoning ordinance.
PLAT
The map or plan of a subdivision or land development, whether
preliminary or final.
POLE-MOUNTED/SHARED-USE COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY
Any antenna used for the transmission or reception of any
radio wave or radio signal, which is to be mounted upon a preexisting
steel or metal electrical transmission tower owned or operated by
a public utility.
PORCH
A roofed or uncovered accessory structure without enclosing
walls that is attached to or part of the principal building and which
has direct access to and from the principal building.
POST OFFICE
A building or room where postage stamps are sold and other
postal business is conducted.
POWER-GENERATION FACILITY, ELECTRIC
A facility that generates electricity by means of geothermal
power, burning of coal, oil, or gas, or by hydropower. Accessory generators
for hospitals, schools, and other similar uses shall not be considered
a power-generation facility.
PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT
Persons who provided expert or professional advice, including,
but not limited to, architects, attorneys, certified public accountants,
engineers, geologists, land surveyors, landscape architects or planners.
PUBLIC AND SEMIPUBLIC USES
Uses operated by the public or semipublic body such as schools,
public libraries, public safety buildings, museums, public meeting
halls and community centers. This definition shall not include hospitals
and continuing care facilities.
PUBLIC CLINIC, MEDICAL
Any establishment where human patients are examined and are
treated by or under the care and supervision of doctors, dentists
or other medical practitioners, but where patients are not hospitalized
overnight.
PUBLIC HEARING
A 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 this Chapter.
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS
All roads, streets, walkways, sidewalks, gutters, curbs,
sewers, waterlines, storm water management facilities, landscaping,
street lighting, traffic control devices and other facilities to be
dedicated to or maintained by the Borough.
PUBLIC MEETING
A forum held pursuant to notice under 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating
to open meetings).
PUBLIC NOTICE
A notice published once each week for two successive weeks
in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality. 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.
RAILROAD FACILITY
A series of buildings, with or without an open yard, with
a permanent road laid with rails, commonly in one or more pairs of
continuous lines forming a track or tracks, on which locomotives and
cars are kept for maintenance and/or storage.
RECORDING STUDIO
An environment to allow for the capture, manipulation and
mastering of an auditory product.
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE
A single-axle or multiple-axle structure mounted on wheels
or otherwise capable of being made mobile, either with its own motive
power or designed to be mounted on or drawn by an automotive vehicle,
for the purpose of travel, camping, vacation and recreational use,
including but not limited to: travel trailers, mobile homes, motor
homes, tent trailers, boats, boat trailers, pickup campers, horse
trailers, snowmobiles, jet skis, wave runners, motorcycles and all-terrain
vehicles.
RECYCLING BUSINESS
A business that is:
1.Â
Primarily engaged in converting ferrous or nonferrous metals
or other materials into raw material products having prepared grades
and having an existing or potential economic value; or
2.Â
Using raw material products of that kind in the production of
new products; or obtaining or storing ferrous or nonferrous metals.
REGIONAL PLANNING AGENCY
A planning agency that is comprised of representatives of
more than one county. Regional planning responsibilities shall include
providing technical assistance to counties and municipalities, mediating
conflicts across county lines and reviewing county comprehensive plans
for consistency with one another.
RELATED EQUIPMENT
Any piece of equipment related to, incident to, or necessary
for, the operation of a tower-based WCF or non-tower WCF. By way of
illustration, not limitation, "related equipment" includes generators
and base stations.
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE
Any method, process or substance whose supply is rejuvenated
through natural processes and, subject to those natural processes,
remains relatively constant, including, but not limited to, biomass
conversion, geothermal energy, solar and wind energy and hydroelectric
energy and excluding those sources of energy used in the fission and
fusion processes.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Any establishment which carries on investigation in the natural,
physical or social sciences or engineering and development as an extension
of such investigation with the objective of creating end products
and which may include pilot manufacturing as an accessory use where
concepts are tested prior to full-scale production.
RESTAURANT
An establishment designed and operated for the express purpose
of providing food and beverage service within the confines of a structure
and generally excluding any encouragement, orientation or accommodation
of services or products to the patrons' automobiles, on or within
the premises.
RESTAURANT, NEIGHBORHOOD
A restaurant containing less than 1,500 square feet of gross
floor area and which does not contain more than 20 seats.
RETAIL STORE
Any establishment not otherwise specifically defined in this
Chapter that sells commodities and/or services on the premises directly
to consumers, but not including the on-site manufacturing or processing
of any product or any wholesale sales.
RETIREMENT HOUSING FACILITY
A multi-residence housing facility intended for senior citizens.
Typically, each person or couple in the home has an apartment-style
room or suite of rooms.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
As defined in the Borough of Rankin Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter
22].
ROBOTICS
A facility that deals with technology of the design, construction,
operation, and application of robots and may include but not be limited
to manufacturing, machine shops, design studios, indoor and outdoor
testing, security, research and development, assembly, drone vertiports,
autonomous vehicles, and automated vehicles.
[Added by Ord. No. 564,
6/7/2022]
SCHOOL
Any public, private or parochial place of instruction, not
including institutions of higher learning, having regular sessions,
with regularly employed instructors, which teaches those academic
subjects that are fundamental and essential in general education and
which provide pre-primary and/or kindergarten through 12th grade,
or a vocational school, all meeting the requirements of the Department
of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, but excluding any
privately operated school of trades, vocations, avocations or business.
SELF-STORAGE FACILITY
An enclosed area or structure used for the storage of items
not belonging to the owner of the land on which such enclosed area
or structure is located, in exchange for rent paid for the use of
said enclosed area or structure.
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT
A facility designed to receive the wastewater from domestic
sources and to remove materials that damage water quality and threaten
public health and safety when discharged into receiving streams or
bodies of water.
SEXUAL ACTIVITIES
1.Â
Acts of masturbation, homosexuality, sexual intercourse, or
physical contact with a person's clothed or unclothed genitals, pubic
area, buttocks, or if such person is female, breast;
2.Â
The condition of human or female genitals when in a state of
sexual stimulation or arousal; and/or
3.Â
Flagellation or torture by or upon a person in undergarments,
a mask or bizarre costume, or the condition of being fettered, bound,
or otherwise physically restrained on the part of one so clothed.
SEXUAL ENCOUNTER CENTER
A business or commercial enterprise that, as one of its principal
business purposes, offers for any form of consideration:
1.Â
Physical contact in the form of wrestling or tumbling between
persons of the opposite sex.
2.Â
Activities between male and female persons and/or persons of
the same sex when one or more of the persons is in a state of nudity
or semi-nudity.
SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS
An adult arcade, adult bookstore, adult novelty store, adult
video store, adult cabaret, adult motion-picture theater, adult theater,
escort agency, nude model studio, or sexual encounter center.
SHED
A simple roofed structure, typically made of wood or metal,
used as a storage space.
SHOPPING CENTER
One or more retail store(s) and other authorized uses in
the zoning district in which it is an authorized use, developed as
a single entity on a site, whether developed at one time or in phases
or by different owners.
SHORT-TERM RENTAL
A location other than a hotel or motel where lodging is provided
for compensation generally for less than 30 days. Rentals are generally
facilitated by an online tool that allows for peer-to-peer lodging
options where the lodging facilities are generally owned by private
individuals. This use include rentals commonly called by industry
names, including but not limited to Airbnb, HomeAway, Flip Key, WorldEscape,
Uproost, etc.
SITE
As defined in the Rankin Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter
22].
SKILLED NURSING FACILITY
An inpatient health-care facility with the staff and equipment
to provide skilled care, rehabilitation and other related health services
to patients who need nursing care, but do not require hospitalization,
and when stays are not more than 90 days.
SOLAR COLLECTION SYSTEM
A solar photovoltaic cell, panel, or array, or solar hot
air or water collector device, which relies upon solar radiation as
an energy source for collection, inversion, storage, and distribution
of solar energy for electricity generation or transfer of stored heat.
SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCTION FACILITY, LARGE
An area of land or other area used for a solar collection
system principally used to capture solar energy and convert it to
electrical energy. Large solar energy production facilities consist
of one or more freestanding ground or roof-mounted solar collector
devices, solar-related equipment and other accessory structures and
buildings, including light reflectors, concentrators, and heat exchangers,
substations, electrical infrastructure, transmission lines and other
appurtenant structures and facilities. A facility is considered a
large solar energy production facility if it supplies electrical or
thermal power solely for off-site use.
SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM, SMALL
A solar collection system consisting of one or more roof
and/or ground-mounted solar collector devices and solar-related equipment,
and is intended to primarily reduce on-site consumption of utility
power. A system is considered a small solar energy system only if
it supplies electrical or thermal power solely for on-site use, except
that when a property upon which the facility is installed also receives
electrical power supplied by a utility company, excess electrical
power generated and not presently needed for on-site use may be used
by the utility company.
SOLAR-RELATED EQUIPMENT
Items including a solar photovoltaic cell, panel, or array,
or solar hot air or water collector device panels, lines, pumps, batteries,
mounting brackets, framing and possibly foundations used for or intended
to be used for collection of solar energy.
SOLID WASTE COMBUSTOR OR INCINERATOR
A solid waste facility for the controlled burning of large
quantities of solid waste at high temperatures under carefully regulated
conditions.
SOLID WASTE FACILITY
All continuous land and structures, other appurtenances,
and improvements on the land, used for processing, storing, or disposing
of solid waste, or used for the purpose of processing, extracting,
converting, or recovering energy or materials from solid waste. A
facility may be publicly or privately owned and may consist of several
processing, storage, or disposal operational units.
SOLID WASTE LANDFILL FACILITY
A disposed site in which refuse and earth, or other suitable
cover material are deposited and compacted in alternative layers as
required by the federal and/or state agency having jurisdiction.
SOLID WASTE TRANSFER STATION
Land or structures where solid waste is received and temporarily
stored at a location other than the site where it was generated and
which facilitates the bulk transfer of accumulated solid waste to
a facility for further processing or disposal. Such facility may or
may not involve the separation of recyclables from solid waste. Such
facility shall not include a junkyard, leaf composting, clean fill,
sewage, or sludge application.
SOUND LEVEL
The intensity of sound, measured in decibels, produced by
the operation of a permitted use.
SOUND LEVEL METER
An instrument standardized by the American Standards Association
for measurement of intensity of sound.
SPECIFIED ANATOMICAL AREAS
Human genitals, pubic region, anus, buttocks, female breast(s)
below a point immediately above the top of the areola, or human male
genitals in a discernibly turgid state, even if completely covered.
SPECIFIED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
Any of the following offenses:
1.Â
Prostitution or promotion of prostitution; dissemination of
obscenity; sale, distribution or display of harmful material to a
minor; sexual performance by a child; possession or distribution of
child pornography; public lewdness; indecent exposure; indecency with
a child; engaging in organized criminal activity; sexual assault;
molestation of a child; gambling; or distribution of a controlled
substance; or any similar offenses to those described above under
the criminal or penal code of other states or countries.
2.Â
For which:
A.Â
Less than two years have elapsed since the date of conviction
or the date of release from confinement imposed for the conviction,
whichever is the later date, if the conviction is of a misdemeanor
offense.
B.Â
Less than five years have elapsed since the date of conviction
or the date of release from confinement for the conviction, whichever
is the later date, if the conviction is of a felony offense.
C.Â
Less than five years have elapsed since the date of the last
conviction or the date of release from confinement for the last conviction,
whichever is the later date, if the convictions are of two or more
misdemeanor offenses or combination of misdemeanor offenses occurring
within any twenty-four-month period.
3.Â
The fact that a conviction is being appealed shall have no effect
on the disqualification of the applicant or a person residing with
the applicant.
SPECIFIED SEXUAL ACTIVITIES
Includes any of the following:
1.Â
The fondling or other erotic touching of human genitals, pubic
region, buttocks, anus, or female breasts.
2.Â
Sex acts, normal or perverted, actual or simulated, including
intercourse, oral copulation, masturbation, or sodomy.
3.Â
Excretory functions as a part of or in connection with any of
the activities set forth in Subsections 1 and 2 above.
STABLE, PRIVATE
The keeping of horses and/or ponies for personal use and
enjoyment of the residents of the lot, not involving any profit-making
activity.
STACK
Any vertical structure enclosing a flue(s) that carry off
smoke or exhaust from a furnace or other fuel-burning device, especially
that part of a structure extending above a roof.
STEALTH TECHNOLOGY
Camouflaging methods applied to wireless communications towers,
antennas and other facilities which render them more visually appealing
or blend the proposed facility into the existing structure or visual
backdrop in such a manner as to render it minimally visible to the
casual observer. Such methods include, but are not limited to, architecturally
screened roof-mounted antennas, building-mounted antennas painted
to match the existing structure and facilities constructed to resemble
trees, shrubs, and light poles.
STEEP SLOPE
Land area where the inclination of the land's surface from
the horizontal plane is 15% or greater. Man-made slopes shall not
be considered steep slopes.
STORMWATER DETENTION
As defined by the Borough of Rankin Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter
22].
STORY
That portion of a building between the surface of any finished
floor and the surface of the finished floor next above it or, if there
shall be no floor above it, then the space between any floor and the
ceiling next above it. In determining the number of stories for purposes
of height measurement, a basement shall be counted as a story if the
ceiling is more than five feet above the average adjoining ground
level at the front setback, and a mezzanine shall be counted as a
story if it covers 50% or more of the area of the story underneath
such mezzanine. An attic or a cellar shall not be counted as a story.
STREET
Any public or private recorded right-of-way used or intended
to be used by vehicular traffic and pedestrians, including avenue,
boulevard, road, highway, freeway, parkway, lane, alley, thoroughfare
or viaduct.
STREET, ARTERIAL
A public street that serves large volumes of high-speed and
long-distance traffic.
STREET, COLLECTOR
A public street that, in addition to giving access to abutting
lots, intercepts local streets and provides a route for carrying considerable
volumes of local traffic to community facilities and arterial streets.
STREET, LOCAL
Any public street not defined herein as an arterial or a
collector street.
STREET, PRIVATE
A street, including the entire private right-of-way, that
is privately owned and maintained and that is intended for private,
rather than public, use.
STREET, PUBLIC
A public right-of-way dedicated and open for public use that
has been adopted by the Borough, county, commonwealth or other governmental
body.
STRUCTURE
Any man-made object having an ascertainable stationary location
on or in land or water, whether or not affixed to the land.
SUBDIVISION
The 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 subdivision by lease of land for agricultural
purposes into parcels of more than 10 acres, not involving any new
street or easement of access or any residential dwelling, shall be
exempted.
SWIMMING POOL
A man-made enclosure, designed to impound water for the purpose
of creating depth of water suitable for swimming, or other types of
water recreation or therapy, including but not limited to water slides,
lap pools, whirlpools, soaking tubs, or hot tubs.
TANK FARM
An area used exclusively for storing petroleum or petroleum
products in large tanks.
TATTOO PARLOR
An establishment in which tattooing is carried out professionally.
TAVERN (BAR)
Any use in which the primary purpose is the sale of alcoholic
beverages for on-premises consumption, which may or may not include
dancing. Taverns may include prepared food sales, but such prepared
foods are typically accessory or incidental to the primary purpose
as a tavern.
TAXI AND LIMOUSINE SERVICE
A fee-based service regulated by the Public Utility Commission
(PUC) that provides a vehicle and a driver from one point to another.
TEMPORARY USE OR STRUCTURE
Any use or structure which may be a principal use on a lot
or accessory to an existing principal use on a lot intended to be
used for less than six consecutive months. Structures intended to
be used for more than six months shall be considered permanent and
shall meet the use and structure requirements for permanent structures.
TOWER-BASED WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY (TOWER-BASED WCF)
An structure that is used for the purpose of supporting one
or more antennas, including, but not limited to, self-supporting lattice
towers, guy towers and monopoles, utility poles and light poles. DAS
hub facilities are considered to be tower-based WCFs.
TOWING AND OTHER ROAD SERVICES
A personal service engaged in the business of offering the
services of a vehicle wrecker or towing service, whereby disabled
motor vehicles are towed or otherwise removed from the place they
are disabled by use of a wrecker so designed for that purpose by a
truck, automobile or other vehicle so adapted for that purpose.
TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP OR CONTROL OF A SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS
Includes any of the following:
1.Â
The sale, lease, or sublease of the business.
2.Â
The transfer of securities which constitute a controlling interest
in the business, whether by sale, exchange, or similar means.
3.Â
Establishment of a trust, gift, or other similar legal device
which transfers the ownership or control of the business, except for
transfer by bequest or other operation of law upon the death of the
person possessing the ownership or control.
TRANSFERABLE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS
The attaching of development rights to specified lands which
are desired by a municipality to be kept undeveloped, but permitting
those rights to be transferred from those lands so that the development
potential which they represent may occur on other lands where more
intensive development is deemed to be appropriate.
TURBINE HEIGHT
The distance measured from the highest point of the wind
turbine rotor plane to the ground level.
URBAN AGRICULTURE, LIMITED (NO ANIMALS)
Agricultural activities intended primarily for the growing
of crops and in which no livestock, poultry or other farm animals
are kept or raised. Limited agricultural uses are intended to allow
for the growing of agricultural products on vacant lots or properties
as a permissible principal use.
USE
Any purpose for which a building or other structure or a
tract of land may be designed, arranged, intended, maintained or occupied,
or any activity, occupation, business or operation carried on in a
building or other structure or on a tract of land.
USE, ACCESSORY
A use customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal
use and located on the same lot as the principal use.
USE, BY SPECIAL EXCEPTION
An authorized use in a particular zoning district pursuant
to Parts 3, 4 and 11 of this Chapter which may be granted only by
the Zoning Hearing Board in accordance with express standards and
criteria.
USE, PRINCIPAL
The primary or predominant use to which the property is or
may be devoted, and to which all other uses on the premises are accessory.
VARIANCE
A departure from the strict letter of the Zoning Ordinance
as it applies to specific properties, as authorized by the Zoning
Hearing Board in accordance with the terms of this Chapter and the
MPC.
VETERINARIAN SERVICES
An establishment where animals are examined and treated by
veterinarians and which may include kennels for temporary boarding
of animals during treatment.
VIEWING BOOTHS
Booths, stalls, partitioned portions of a room, rooms or
other enclosures which are available for viewing:
1.Â
Films, movies, videos, or visual reproductions of any kind depicting
or describing specified sexual activities or specified anatomical
areas.
2.Â
Persons who appear in a state of nudity or semi-nudity or who
offer performances or presentations characterized by the exposure
of specified anatomical areas or by specified sexual activities.
WAREHOUSE/STORAGE SERVICES
A structure primarily used for the storage of goods and materials
which also includes refrigeration and cold storage services.
WATER TANK
A large container or structure for storing large quantities
of water.
WBCA
Pennsylvania Wireless Broadband Collocation Act (53 P.S. § 11702.1
et. seq.)
WELL PAD
The area used for development and production of oil and gas,
including buildings and structures and all activities associated with
an oil and gas well after drilling activities are complete.
WIND CHARGER
A wind-driven direct-current generator used for charging
storage batteries.
WIND ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEM (WECS)
A device such as a wind charger, wind turbine or windmill
and/or other electric generation facility whose main purpose is to
convert wind power into another form of energy such as electricity
or heat, consisting of one or more wind turbine and other structures
and buildings, including substations, meteorological towers, electrical
infrastructure, transmission lines and other appurtenant structures
and facilities.
WIND ENERGY PRODUCTION FACILITY, LARGE
An area of land or other area used for a wind energy conversion
system principally used to capture wind energy and convert it to electrical
energy. Large wind energy production facilities consist of one or
more wind turbines, tower, and associated control or conversion electronics
and other accessory structures and buildings including substations,
electrical infrastructure, transmission lines and other appurtenant
structures and facilities. A facility is considered a large wind energy
production facility if it supplies electrical power solely for off-site
use.
WIND ENERGY SYSTEM, SMALL
A wind energy conversion system consisting of a wind turbine,
tower, and associated control or conversion electronics, and is intended
to primarily reduce on-site consumption of utility power. A system
is considered a small wind energy system only if it supplies electrical
power solely for on-site use, except that when a parcel on which the
system is installed also receives electrical power supplied by a utility
company, excess electrical power generated and not presently needed
for on-site use may be used by the utility company.
WIND TURBINE
A device that converts wind energy into electricity through
the use of a wind turbine generator, and includes the nacelle, rotor,
tower and pad transformer, if any.
WINDMILL
A device that runs on the energy generated by a wheel of
adjustable blades or slats rotated by the wind.
WINERIES
A facility for fermenting and bottling wine on the premises
where the owner manufactures wine and/or pomace brandy from fresh
fruits or other agricultural products and which establishment is licensed
and operated in accordance with the Pennsylvania Liquor Code and in
compliance with the requirements of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control
Board.
[Added by Ord. No. 564,
6/7/2022]
WIRELESS
Transmissions through the airwaves including, but not limited
to, infrared line of sight, cellular, PCS, microwave, satellite, or
radio signals.
WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY (WCF)
The antennas, nodes, control boxes, towers, poles, conduits,
ducts, pedestals, electronics and other equipment used for the purpose
of transmitting, receiving, distributing, providing, or accommodating
wireless communications services.
WIRELESS SUPPORT STRUCTURE
A freestanding structure, such as a tower-based wireless
communications facility or any other support structure that could
support the placement or installation of a wireless communications
facility if approved by the Borough.
YARD, FRONT
A yard extending between side lot lines across the full lot
width from the front lot line to a line parallel to the front face
of the structure of the principal use of the lot (see Figure 1).
Figure 1
Yard Type Illustration
|
YARD, REAR
A yard extending between the side lot lines across the full
lot width from the rear lot line to a line parallel to the rear face
of the structure of the principal use of the lot (see Figure 1).
YARD, SIDE
A yard extending from the front yard line to the rear yard
line parallel to the side lot line (see Figure 1).
ZONING DISTRICT
An area in the Borough in which regulations under this Chapter
uniformly apply, including overlay districts.
ZONING HEARING BOARD
The Zoning Hearing Board of Rankin Borough, Allegheny County,
Pennsylvania, as defined by and appointed in accordance with the Pennsylvania
MPC, Act 247 of 1968, as amended by Act 170 of 1998 (53 P.S. § 10101
et seq., as may be amended from time to time).
ZONING MAP
The Official Map delineating the zoning districts of Rankin
Borough, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, together with all amendments
subsequently adopted.
ZONING OFFICER
The designated official or authorized representative appointed
by the Borough Councils whose duty it shall be to administer this
Chapter and as identified in Section 614 of the Pennsylvania MPC,
Act 247 of 1968, as amended by Act 170 of 1998 (53 P.S. § 10101
et seq., as may be amended from time to time).