§ 8-1. Definitions.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Berm shall mean a landscaped and grassed mound that is used to screen certain land uses from other land uses. A berm is not steeper than a one foot rise for every three feet of horizontal distance.
Buffer shall mean a screening device used to moderate the adverse impacts of one land use upon another. Buffers may include walls, privacy fences, hedges, landscaped areas, berms, mounds, or combinations of the above. See subsection 8-46(21).
Building shall mean any structure enclosed and isolated by exterior walls constructed or used for a residence, business, industry or other public or private purposes, or accessory thereto, and including tents, trailers or mobile homes, freestanding signs, and similar structures whether stationary or movable.
Building height shall mean the vertical distance from the mean elevation of the finished grade along the front of the building to the highest point of a flat roof, or to the deck line of a mansard roof, or to the mean height level between eave and ridge for gable, hip and gambrel roofs.
Building setback line shall mean a line establishing the minimum allowable distance between the nearest portion of any building and the street or highway right-of-way line when measured perpendicularly thereto.
Certificate of compliance shall mean a certificate issued by the enforcement officer upon completion of the construction to indicate that the terms of this chapter have been complied with and met.
Club or lodge shall mean an association of persons, who are bona fide members paying dues, which owns, hires, or leases a building, or portion thereof; the use of such premises being restricted to members and their guests. The affairs and management of such "club" or "lodge" are conducted by a board of directors, executive committee or similar body chosen by the members.
Compactor, trash. See trash receptacle.
Condominium shall mean ownership of single units in a multiunit structure with common areas and facilities in accordance with state law.
Developer shall mean any person engaged in the development or proposed development of a group housing project herein.
Dumpster shall mean any container, structure, or building (including trash receptacles and compactors) designed to hold, crush or otherwise compact, and/or receive the trash of one or more businesses, one or more public or semi-public institutions, and/or two or more residences.
Dwelling shall mean any building or structure or portion thereof, that is designed, arranged, or used for residential occupancy and has separate housekeeping and cooking facilities. The term "dwelling" shall not include a motel, hotel, or tourist home.
Dwelling, multi-family, shall mean a building arranged or designed for residential occupancy by three or more families, with separate housekeeping and cooking facilities for each.
Dwelling unit shall mean any structure, or portion thereof, that is designed, arranged, or used for residential occupancy. The term "dwelling" shall not include a motel, hotel, or tourist home.
Enforcement officer shall mean the planning director or designee.
Family shall mean any number of individuals living together as a single housekeeping unit, whether or not related by blood, marriage, and/or adoption. Also known as a household.
Fence shall mean a structure, other than a building, that is a barrier and is used as a boundary, screening, or means of protection or confinement. This definition includes chain-link, split rail, and other types of open fences, unless otherwise specified. A fence functions like a wall but is usually six inches or thinner.
Fence, privacy shall mean a fence with no gaps in the structure that are wider than one-quarter inch, except at the edges of the gate. A privacy fence is usually made from solid materials including, but not limited to, brick, masonry products, and wood.
Group housing shall mean a series of one or more buildings designed for multi-family use in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
Group housing project shall mean a project with three or more dwelling units on one parcel of land. Also known as a multi-family use.
Group housing project permit shall mean a permit secured from the enforcement officer to allow construction of a group housing project after approval has been granted for such project according to the procedures and terms set forth herein.
Household shall mean any number of individuals living together as a single housekeeping unit, whether or not related by blood, marriage, and/or adoption. Also known as a family.
Junkyard or salvage yard shall mean an establishment operated or maintained for the purpose of storing, dismantling, salvaging, recycling, buying or selling scrap or used materials such as paper, metals, rubber, rags, glass, wrecked, used or dismantled products and articles such as machinery, vehicles, appliances and the like.
Lot shall mean a parcel of land occupied or to be occupied by a main building or group of main buildings and accessory buildings, together with such yards, open spaces, lot width and lot area as are required by this chapter, and having not less than the minimum required frontage upon a street, either shown on a plat of record, or considered as a unit of property and described by metes and bounds. The word "lot" shall include the words "plot" or "parcel."
Lot depth shall mean the mean horizontal distance between front and rear lot lines.
Lot line shall mean any boundary line of a lot.
Lot of record shall mean a lot which is part of a subdivision recorded in the office of the county register of deeds, or a lot or parcel described by metes and bounds, the description of which has been so recorded.
Lot width shall mean the distance between side lot lines measured at the building line.
Mound shall mean a rounded hill, natural formation, or man-made bank or hill of earth and/or stones.
Multi-family use shall mean three or more dwelling units on one parcel of land. Also known as a group housing project.
Open space shall mean a part or portion of the project area unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground upward except as otherwise provided herein.
Parking space shall mean the storage space for one automobile, of not less than eight feet by 20 feet, plus the necessary access space.
Planning board shall mean the county planning commission.
Project area shall mean that area of land which comprises the total perimeter area of the contemplated group housing project. For projects built before 2007, the project area shall mean that area of land which comprised the total perimeter area of the group housing project when it was approved originally.
Project owner shall mean any person which has an ownership interest in any group housing project.
Property line shall mean any boundary line of a lot or parcel of real property.
Residence shall mean any building, structure or portion thereof which is designed, arranged, or used for a residential occupancy, but shall not include a motel, hotel or tourist home.
Row house shall mean one of a series of houses (often of similar or identical design) that are situated side by side and joined by common walls.
Setback line shall mean the minimum horizontal distance between the front line of a building or a structure and the front property line.
Sewer, public, shall mean a public, community, institutional or private sewerage system for the collection and treatment of sewage or other liquid wastes approved, constructed and operated in compliance with the rules and regulations of the county health department and/or the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission, the commission for health services, and other state or federal agencies having regulatory authority over such system.
Street shall mean a right-of-way for vehicular traffic which affords means of access to abutting properties. As used herein, "street" includes both private and publicly dedicated rights-of-way.
Structure shall mean anything constructed or erected, the use of which requires permanent location on the ground or attachment to something having a permanent location on the ground, including buildings, fences and signs.
Thoroughfare or major thoroughfare for the purposes of this chapter, shall mean the rights-of-way of Highways 70, 24, 58, 101 and 12.
Trash receptacle. Any container, structure, or building (including dumpsters and compactors) designed to hold, crush or otherwise compact, and/or receive the trash of one or more businesses, one or more public or semi-public institutions, and/or two or more residences.
Used or occupied shall include the words intended, designed or arranged to be used or occupied.
Variance shall mean a modification of the terms and conditions of this chapter by the county board of adjustment where the strict enforcement of this chapter would cause undue hardship owing to circumstances unique to the individual property on which the variance is requested.
Wall shall mean a structure, other than a building, that is a barrier and is used as a boundary, screening, or means of protection or confinement. A wall functions like a fence but is usually thicker than six inches.
Water system, public, shall mean a public, community, institutional or private water system designed, constructed and operated to provide water to dwellings, buildings, and other structures and which is approved by the county health department, the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission, the commission for health services, and other state and federal agencies regulating the same.
Yard shall mean an open space on the same lot with a principal building, unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground upward except as otherwise provided herein.
Yard, front, shall mean the yard between the front setback line and the front property or street right-of-way line extending across the full width of the lot.
Yard, rear, shall mean the yard between the rear line of the principal building and the rear line of the lot extending across the full width of the lot.
Yard, side, shall mean the yard between the side line of the building and the side line of the lot extending from the building setback line to the rear yard line.
(Ord. of 4-24-73, §§ 2.2—2.4; Ord. of 1-5-81(2), §§ 3-1, 3-2; Ord. of 7-19-10(1))
Cross reference
Definitions and rules of construction generally, § 1-2.