Source: https://www.ecode360.com/27152666
Timestamp: 2020-03-28 15:39:14
Document Index: 790296828

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 301', '§ 302', '§ 301', '§ 302', '§ 1', '§ 2', 'art 6', '§ 601']

Borough of Burnham, PA DEFINITIONS
§ 301 Application and Interpretation.
§ 302 Definition of Terms.
[Ord. 1973-8, 5/25/1973, § 301]
It is not intended that this glossary include only words used or referred to in this Chapter. The words are included in order to facilitate the interpretation of this Chapter for administrative purposes and in the carrying out of duties by appropriate officers and by the Zoning Hearing Board. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following shall, for the purpose of this Chapter, have the meaning herein indicated:
[Ord. 1973-8, 5/25/1973, § 302; as amended by Ord. 1976-7, 10/__/1976, § 1; by Ord. 1978-6, __/__/1978; by Ord. 1978-9, 8/9/1978; by Ord. 1995-2, 3/14/1995; and by Ord. 1996-2, 5/9/1996, § 2]
For the purposes of this Chapter, the following words, terms, and phrases have the meaning herein indicated:
The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended. The law, passed July 31, 1968, as amended, is the enabling legislation which permits municipalities in Pennsylvania to prepare and enact comprehensive development plans, zoning ordinances and other land use controls.
Any public thoroughfare in the Borough shown on the Borough Map of the Borough and open to travel by the public and designed and intended primarily as a means of access to and from the rear of properties.
Applied to a building or structure, means a change or rearrangement in the structural parts or in the existing facilities, or an enlargement, whether by extending on a side or by increasing in height, or the moving from one location or position to another.
Any change in the supporting members of a building such as bearing walls, columns, beams, or girders.
A change in use in any district which includes revisions to the zoning text and/or the official zoning map; and the authority for any amendment lies solely with the Borough Council.
A building used for the treatment, housing, or boarding of small domestic animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits, and birds or fowl by a veterinarian.
A sign upon which advertising matter of any character is printed, posted, or lettered; whether freestanding or attached to a surface of a building or other structure. A billboard is used to advertise products, services or businesses at a location other than the premises on which the sign is located.
BOARDING (ROOMING or BOARDING)
The lodging of a person in no more than one room of a dwelling unit. Such room shall contain facilities for sleeping and living, but shall exclude cooking, dining, restroom and bath/shower facilities.
Any dwelling in which more than three persons, either individually or as families, are housed or lodged for hire with or without meals. A rooming house or a furnished room house shall be deemed a boarding house.
Any structure, having a roof supported by walls, and intended for the shelter, housing or enclosure of persons, animals or chattel.
The total of (a) the maximum horizontal cross-section areas of all of the principal and accessory buildings on a lot and (b) the horizontal surface area of any swimming pool on the lot. In calculating the building area, the following horizontal projections shall be excluded and disregarded: cornices, eaves, gutters, chimneys and flues which do not project more than two feet; bay windows which do not extend through more than one story and do not project more than five feet; unenclosed steps from doorways opening to the outdoors; fire balconies or fire escapes and the roofs thereof, if any, which do not project more than five feet.
A building surrounded by open spaces on the same lot.
The lines of the face of the building nearest the front line of the lot. This face includes sun parlors and covered porches, whether enclosed or unenclosed, but does not include steps.
The line of a structure or building existing at the effective date of this Chapter or the legally established line which determines the location of a future building or structure or portion thereof with respect to any lot line or street right-of-way line.
A sign bearing the name of the occupant of a premises and the name of products manufactured, processed, sold or displayed thereon.
That portion of streets lying between the curblines and designed and intended primarily for vehicular travel.
An open space for the storage of one or more vehicles in the same manner as a private garage, which may be covered by a roof supported by columns or posts except that one or more walls may be the walls of the main building to which the carport is an accessory building or extension.
A comprehensive plan (or community development plan) consists of maps, charts, and textual matter, and indicates the recommendations of the Planning Commission for the continuing development of the Borough. The comprehensive plan includes, but is not limited to, the following related basic elements: a statement of objectives; a plan for land use; a plan for the movement of people and goods; a plan for community facilities and utilities; and a map or statement indicating the relationship of the Borough and its proposed development to the adjacent municipalities and areas.
A form of property ownership providing for individual ownership of a specific apartment or other space not necessarily on ground level together with an undivided interest in the land or other parts of the structure in common with other owners. A condominium is considered permissible under the same standards as a townhouse or garden apartment.
The construction, reconstruction, renovation, repair, extension, expansion, alteration, or relocation of a building or structure including the placement of mobile homes.
An unoccupied open space, other than a yard, on the lot with a building, which is bounded on two or more sides by the walls of such building.
A court enclosed on all sides by exterior walls of a building or by exterior walls and lot lines on which walls are allowable.
A court enclosed on not more than three sides by exterior walls and lot lines on which walls are allowable, with one side or end open to a street, driveway, alley or yard.
That portion or percentage of the plot or lot area covered by the building area.
The provision of daytime, adult supervision of persons requiring such supervision because of their age, handicap or other special needs or circumstances, but does not include the care of persons residing on the premises.
Numerical values applied to residential dwelling unit types for the purpose of computing permitted densities.
Those floodplain districts specifically designated in this Chapter as being inundated primarily by the one-hundred-year flood. Included would be areas identified as Floodway District (FW), Flood Fringe District (FF), General Floodplain District (FA).
Any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate including, but not limited to, buildings or other structures, the placement of mobile homes, streets, and other paving, utilities, filling, grading, excavation, mining, dredging, or drilling operations and the subdivision of land.
The keeping of four or more dogs that are more than six months old.
A lot of land or part thereof used primarily for the disposal by abandonment, dumping, burial, burning, or other means and for whatever purpose, of garbage, sewage, trash, refuse, junk, discarded machinery, vehicles or parts thereof, or waste material of any kind, except that this does not include the storage by an industry in an industrial zone of wastes which may later be reclaimed.
A building or structure, except temporary housing, which is wholly or partly used or intended to be used for living or sleeping by human occupants. The term "dwelling" is used herein as well as single-family dwellings unless otherwise indicated.
A structure consisting of a series of single-story dwelling units (two-story units may conceivably be used in certain instances) clustered on a floor about a central elevator shaft or central corridor, each series, consisting of one story, being stacked one upon the other to a specified maximum height. For the purpose of this Chapter: 1) a low-rise apartment structure shall not be greater than three stories in height; 2) a mid-rise apartment structure shall not be greater than five stories in height.
Three or more dwelling units accommodating three or more families which are located one over the other and which, when more than three units are utilized, are attached side-by-side through the use of common party walls, and which shall have side yards adjacent to each first story end unit. Garden apartments are generally built to a height of three stories, but may conceivably be built to a height of only two stories. Each dwelling unit is accessible by a common stairwell.
RESIDENTIAL CONVERSION UNIT
To be considered a conversion, any proposed alteration must be confined to the interior of an already existing structural shell. Any proposal to extend the sides or increase the height of an existing structure shall not be considered a conversion and shall be required to meet the appropriate provisions established in that district for that particular use.
A dwelling unit accommodating a single family and having two side yards.
SINGLE-FAMILY, SEMIDETACHED
TWO-FAMILY SEMIIDETACHED
Four dwelling units accommodating four families, two units of which are located directly over the other two units. A combination of both the single-family and semidetached and the two-family detached structures.
No more than eight dwelling units which are attached side by side through the use of common party walls and which shall have side yards adjacent to each end unit. Each dwelling unit shall be at least 20 feet in width, of one or two story construction and may have basements under the first story and shall have a maximum height above ground level of 35 feet.
Any room or group of rooms located within a dwelling and forming a single habitable unit with facilities which are used or intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking, and eating.
An assemblage of equipment for purposes other than generation or utilization, through which electric energy in bulk is passed for the purposes of switching or modifying its characteristics to meet the needs of the general public.
One or more persons who live together in one dwelling unit and maintain a common household. May consist of a single person or of two or more persons, whether or not related by blood, marriage, or adoption. May also include domestic servants and gratuitous guests.
(1) A relatively flat or low land area adjoining a river, stream, or watercourse which is subject to partial or complete inundation; (2) an area subject to the unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source.
The designated area of a floodplain required to carry and discharge floodwaters of a given magnitude. For the purposes of this Chapter the floodway shall be capable of accommodating a flood of the one-hundred-year magnitude.
FLOOR AREA RETAIL, NET
All that space relegated to use by the customer and the retail employee to consummate retail sales, and to include display area used to indicate the variety of goods available for the customer; but not to include office space, storage space, and other general administrative areas.
An enclosed or covered space for the storage of one or more motor vehicles, provided that no business, occupation or service is conducted for profit therein nor space therein for more than one car is leased to a nonresident of the premises.
Any garage not a private garage and which is used for storage, repair, rental, servicing or supplying of gasoline or oil to motor vehicles.
See "home gardening."
The elevation of the center line of the streets as officially established by the Borough authorities.
The completed surfaces of lawns, walks, and roads brought to grades as shown on official plans or designs relating thereto.
The cultivation of herbs, fruits, flowers or vegetables on a piece of ground adjoining the dwelling, excluding the keeping of livestock, and permitting the sale of produce raised thereon.
Any use customarily conducted entirely within a dwelling which is classified as single-family detached residential dwelling or building accessory thereto and carried on by the inhabitants resident therein, with no goods being publicly displayed on the premises other than a sign as noted herein and, subject to the following express standards, criteria, requirements and conditions:
The use shall be conducted only by one or more permanent residents of the dwelling and not more than one person who does not permanently reside in the dwelling shall be employed by the inhabitants of the dwelling or used by the inhabitants of the dwelling to assist in the "home occupation" use.
The use shall be clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the dwelling unit for residential purposes and shall not, in any case whatsoever, exceed 25% of the total usable floor area of the said single-family detached residential dwelling unit, or of any approved accessory structure, excluding unfinished attics and unfinished basement areas.
All "home occupations" shall be located within the residential structure or an accessory building.
The exterior appearance of the structure or premises shall be at all times constructed and maintained as a residential dwelling or an accessory building to a residential dwelling.
The only external exhibition of the presence of the "home occupation" shall be an unilluminated, nonflashing sign which shall not be larger than two square feet, which includes the name, occupation and logo-type or trade mark of the person conducting the home occupation.
The use shall not detract from the residential character of the neighborhood or exhibit activities or influences which are detrimental to the health, safety or welfare of the residents of the neighborhood.
The use shall have available off-street parking in compliance with Chapter 27, Part 6, § 601.
The use shall comply with all other legal or regulatory requirements of the local, State and/or Federal government.
Regardless of any limitation to occupations "customarily conducted" entirely within a dwelling, as aforesaid, and as the phrase "customarily conducted" has heretofore been interpreted by the Courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the term "home occupation" for purposes of this Part shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, professional offices for the practice of medicine, dentistry, architecture, law accounting, optometrist, veterinarian (excluding stables or kennels), chiropractic and engineering, the professional office of a clergyman, shops for artists or craftsmen, shops for beauticians and barbers, a photography studio, real estate office, an insurance office, the rooming or boarding of not more than one person, custom dress or clothing making, millinery or tailoring, laundering, home-cooking or pastry making.
All applicants for permits to undertake a "home occupation" shall have submitted the following information, in writing, to the Zoning Officer, in addition to any other information required by this Part:
A complete description of the nature and the manner of operation of the proposed "home occupation."
A specific written description of the product or service to be provided.
The names of the permanent residents of the premises who will be involved in the conducting or operation of the "home occupation."
A written statement that no more than one nonresident person or employee will be on premises in relation to the conducting or operation of the "home occupation."
At a minimum, a sketch, to scale, of the portion of the residential dwelling or accessory structure which will be devoted to the conducting or operation of the "home occupation."
At a minimum, a sketch, to scale, of any building or structural modifications, signs or other physical changes requested to the interior or exterior of the dwelling or accessory structure.
A written statement as to the expected maximum number of customers, visitors, clientele or patients expected to be served by the "home occupation" during any one hour, the number of hours per day during which it is intended that the "home occupation" will be open to the public; and the times of the day when the "home occupation" is to be open to the public.
At a minimum, a sketch, to scale, indicating the location, size and means of access paring spaces all so as to indicate how compliance with off-street parking requirements will be met.
A signed certification by the applicant that the "home occupation" will not detract from the residential character of the neighborhood, that the applicant will in good faith at all times comply with the requirements of the definition of a "home occupation," that all representations of applicant in relation to the application for the "home occupation" are true and correct, and that if any of the representations of the application and the certification are untrue and/or are not continuously complied with by applicant, it shall be good cause for the Borough of Burnham to terminate the "home occupation" and the permission therefor.
A signed certification and agreement by the applicant that if there are to be any changes or alterations to the "home occupation," as per the application filed in relation thereto, the applicant will file, in writing, a supplemental application in relation thereto to obtain approval of said changes or alterations in the previously permitted "home occupation," prior to making said changes or alterations or utilizing the premises in accord with said changes or regulations, and acknowledging, in writing, that any permit granted by the Borough for a "home occupation" may, in the sole discretion of the Borough of Burnham, be revoked, if applicant, at any time, changes or alters the use of the premises without prior approval of the Borough of Burnham.
A signed certification and agreement by the applicant that any "home occupation" for which the permit is granted shall be discontinued if it at any time ceases to comply with the requirements of this Chapter for "home occupations."
Unless otherwise specified, the term "hospital" shall be deemed to include sanitarium, sanatorium, preventorium, clinic, rest home, nursing home, convalescent home, and any other place for the diagnosis, treatment or other care of ailments, and shall be deemed to be limited to places for the diagnosis, treatment or other care of human ailments.
A building containing rooms intended or designed to be used or which are used, rented, or hired out to be occupied or which are occupied for sleeping purposes by guests and where only a general kitchen and dining room are provided within the building or in any accessory building.
A lot, land or structure, or part thereof, used primarily for the collecting, storage and sale of waste paper, rags, scrap metal or discarded material; or for the collecting, dismantling, storage and salvaging of machinery or vehicles not in running condition, and for the sale of parts thereof.
The minimum square footage of lot area that is available for the use of the residents of a dwelling unit complex in which it is located or a part of the required area of a commercial or industrial development. This area must be both unsurfaced and water absorbent, and no more than 1/3 of this total space footage requirement may be made up of the area located within the setback requirements for the front, side, or rear yards of the complex.
A business premises equipped with individual clothes washing machines for the use of retail customers, exclusive of laundry facilities provided as an accessory use in an apartment house or an apartment hotel.
That form of lighting wherein the lights passes from the source through a translucent cover or shade.
A building in which three or more, but not more than 15, rooms are rented and in which no table board is furnished.
A parcel of land at the junction of and abutting on two or more intersecting streets.
LOT, LINES
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. The term does not include recreation vehicles or travel trailers.
A partially preassembled factory built single-family detached dwelling intended for permanent location on a site.
A commercial establishment which primarily offers foods for sale, but which may also sell various other products such as convenience goods normally associated with grocery store sales. A neighborhood grocery store is designed and intended solely for the use of residents of the immediate area within the community; it is not intended to serve the community as a whole, nor a regional market beyond the community.
Any dwelling with less than 15 sleeping rooms where persons are housed or lodged and furnished with meals and nursing care for hire.
Any wall, dam, wharf, embankment, levee, dike, pile abutment, projection, excavation, channel, rectification, culvert, building, fence, stockpile, refuse, fill, structure, or matter in, along, across, or projecting into any channel, watercourse, or designated floodplain districts, which may impede, retard, or change the direction of the flow of water either in itself or by catching or collecting debris carried by such water or is placed where the flow of the water might carry the same downstream to the damage of life and property.
A sanitary sewage collection system in which sewage is carried from individual lots or dwelling units by a system of pipes to a central treatment and disposal plant which may be publicly or privately owned and operated.
A single system of piping, tanks or other facilities serving only a single lot and disposing of sewage in whole or in part into the soil.
Includes all activity which removes from the surface or beneath the surface of the land some material mineral resource, natural resource, or other element of economic value, by means of mechanical excavation necessary to separate the desired material from an undesirable one, or to remove the strata or material which overlies or is above the desired material in its natural condition and position. Open pit mining includes, but is not limited to, the excavation necessary to the extraction of sand, gravel, topsoil, limestone, sandstone, coal, clay, shale, and iron ore. This definition shall not preclude or prohibit in an I-1 Industrial District the recovery of metallic scrap materials, materials suitable for use as cinders on public or private roads, or materials suitable for general agricultural uses.
A space unoccupied by buildings or paved surface and open to the sky on the same lot with the building.
A covered area in excess of four feet by five feet or 20 square feet in area at a front, side, or rear door.
PROFESSIONAL OFFICE, PROFESSIONAL STUDIO
The office or studio of a professional person if such office or studio is located in the dwelling in which the professional person resides or is located in an accessory building thereto. The term "professional person" means one who has advanced education and special knowledge in a given field of study in the arts or sciences and who engages in a vocation or occupation using that education and knowledge in a predominantly mental or intellectual way, rather than in a physical or manual way. By way of example, a professional office would include the office of a dentist, physician, surgeon, chiropractor, veterinarian, architect, engineer, attorney or clergyman.
A recorded boundary of a lot. However, any property line which abuts a street or other public or quasi-public way shall be measured from the full right-of-way.
Public and semipublic uses of a welfare and educational nature, such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, parks, churches, cemeteries, civic centers, historical restorations, fire stations, municipal buildings, essential public utilities that require enclosure within a building; airports; fraternal clubs and homes; nonprofit recreational facilities; easements for alleys, streets, and public utility rights-of-way; and radio and television transmission facilities.
Any establishment where horses are kept for riding, driving, or stabling for compensation or incidental to the operation of any club, association, ranch or similar establishment.
Setback distances in this Chapter in accordance with the type of roadway abutting the properties. For the purpose of this Chapter the following definitions are employed.
A limited access highway on which access is provided only from another street and not from abutting properties.
A road or street which provides for the movement of large volumes of traffic between arterials and local roads and direct access to abutting property.
A road whose function is to provide for the movement of high volumes of through traffic and direct access to abutting properties; subject to necessary control of entrances, exits, and curb use.
An institution for the care of invalids or convalescents consisting of 16 or more sleeping rooms.
A lot or land or part thereof used primarily for the disposal of garbage, refuse, and other discarded materials including, but not limited to, solid and liquid waste materials resulting from industrial, commercial, agricultural, and residential activities. The operation of a sanitary landfill normally consists of: 1) depositing the discarded material in a planned controlled manner, 2) compacting the discarded material in thin layers to reduce its volume, 3) covering the discarded material with a layer of earth, and 4) compacting the earth cover.
A dwelling, cabin, lodge or summer house which is intended for occupancy less than 182 days of the year.
Uses, not enclosed within a building, necessary for the preservation of the public health and safety including, but not limited to, the erection, construction, alteration or maintenance of, public utilities or governmental agencies, underground or overhead transmission systems, poles, wires, pipes, cables, fire alarm boxes, hydrants, or other similar equipment.
Any area of land, including structures thereon, that is used or designed to be used for the supply of gasoline or oil or other fuel for the propulsion of motor vehicles and which may include facilities used, or designated to be used, for polishing, greasing, washing, spraying, dry cleaning or otherwise cleaning or servicing such motor vehicles.
The line within a property defining the required minimum distance between any building to be erected and the adjacent right-of-way. Such line shall be measured at right angles from the front street right-of-way line which abuts the property upon which said building is located and shall be parallel to said right-of-way line.
Any device for visual communication that is used for the purpose of bringing the subject thereof to the attention of the public, but not including any flag, badge, or insignia of any government or government agency, or of any civic, charitable, religious, patriotic, or similar organization.
A covered or uncovered area at a front, side or rear door not exceeding four feet by five feet or 20 square feet in area.
The center of the surveyed street right-of-way, or where not surveyed, the center of the traveled cartway.
The officially established grade of the street upon which a lot fronts or in its absence the established grade of other streets upon which the lot abuts, at the midpoint of the frontage of the lot thereon. If there is no officially established grade, the existing grade of the street at such mid-point shall be taken as the street grade.
The line dividing a lot from the full street right-of-way, not just the cartway. The word "street" shall include, but not be limited to, the words "road," "highway," "alley," and "thoroughfare."
Where at least 90% (based on the cost of the required improvements for which financial security was posted, if any, pursuant to the requirements of this Chapter) of those improvements required as a condition for final approval have been completed in accordance with the approved plan, so that the project will be able to be used, occupied or operated for its intended use.
Any repair, reconstruction, or improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure either (a) before the improvement or repair is started, or (b) if the structure has been damaged, and is being restored, before the damage occurred.
Any reasonably permanent pool or open tank, not located within a completely enclosed building, and containing, or normally capable of containing, water to a depth at any point greater than 1 1/2 feet. Ponds and/or lakes are not included provided that swimming was not the primary purpose for their construction.
A public bathing place shall mean any open or enclosed place, open to the public for amateur and professional swimming or recreative bathing, whether or not a fee is charged for admission or for the use thereof.
A building and its equipment erected and used for the purpose of facilitating transmission and exchange of telephone or radio telephone messages between subscribers and other business of the telephone company; but in a residential district not to include public business facilities, storage of materials, trucks or repair facilities, or housing or repair crews.
An open lot or part thereof, with its appurtenant facilities, devoted primarily to the showing of moving pictures or theatrical productions, on a paid admission basis to patrons seated in automobiles, or on outdoor seats.
A group of buildings, including either separate cabins or a row of cabins, which:
Contain living and sleeping accommodations for transient occupancy; and,
Have individual entrances.
Any portable or mobile vehicle used or designed to be used for living purposes.
A tract of land:
Where two or more trailers are parked; or,
Which is used or held out for the purpose of supplying to the public a parking space for two or more trailers.
A vehicular, portable structure built on a chassis, designed to be used as a temporary dwelling for travel, recreational, and vacation uses, permanently identified "travel trailer" by the manufacturer on the trailer. Unoccupied travel trailers do not constitute mobile homes, as used in this Chapter.
An opening to the outside other than a door which provides all or part of the required natural light, natural ventilation or both to an interior space. The glazed portion of a door in an exterior wall may be construed to be a window in regard to provision of natural light.
An open unoccupied space on the same lot with a main building, extending the full width of the building projected to the side lines of the lot. The depth of the front yard shall be measured between the front line of the building and the street right-of-way line. Covered porches, enclosed or unenclosed, shall be considered a part of the main building and shall not project into a required front yard.
An open unoccupied space on the same lot with a main building, extending the full-width of the lot and situated between the rear line of the lot and the rear line of the building projected to the side lines of the lot. The depth of the rear yard shall be measured between the rear line of the lot and the rear line of the building. A building shall not extend into the required rear yard.
An open unoccupied space on the same lot with the building situated between the building and the side line of the lot and extending from the front yard to the rear yard. Any lot line not a rear line or a front line shall be deemed a side line. A building shall not extend into the required side yards.
The designation of specified districts within a community or township, reserving them for certain uses together with limitations on lot size, heights of structures and other stipulated requirements.
The official Zoning Map of Burnham Borough.
The "Burnham Borough Zoning Ordinance," as amended.