Average daily traffic (ADT).
The average number of vehicles per day which pass over a given point on a roadway.
Best management practice (BMP).
A practice, or combination of practices, that is determined by a state
agency or the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission to be the most
effective, practicable means of preventing or reducing the amount of
pollution generated by nonpoint sources to a level compatible with water
quality goals.
Block. Land containing lots which are bounded by streets
or a combination of streets and public lands, railroads, rights-of-way, shorelines, or
boundaries of the county.
Board. The Board of Supervisors of York County,
Virginia.
Buffer.
An area, fencing, landscaping, or a combination thereof used to shield
or block noise, lights, glare, pollutants, or other potential or actual
nuisances. When located within a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area or
Watershed Protection Area, buffer shall mean an area of natural or
established vegetation to protect other components of a resource
protection area, reservoirs and state waters from significant
degradation due to land or other disturbances.
Caliper. The diameter of a tree trunk measured six
inches (6") above ground level for nursery stock and four and one-half feet (4½')
above ground level for naturally occurring trees.
Central water system. A water system in which all
connections in the subdivision are served by one (1) or more water sources through a
common distribution system owned and operated by the county or other governmental entity,
including all structures, hydrants, property, equipment and appurtenances used in the
collection, storage, and distribution of water.
Certificate of occupancy. A document issued by the
county permitting the occupancy or use of a building.
Channel.
The bed and banks of a watercourse which conveys the perennial or
intermittent flow of that watercourse.
Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area.
Any land designated by the county pursuant to the Chesapeake Bay
Preservation Area Designation and Management Regulations (9 VAC 10-20-70
et seq.) and sections 10.1-2107, et seq., Code of Virginia of the
Chesapeake Preservation Act, as they may be amended from time to time.
The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area consists of a Resource Management
Area (RMA) and a Resource Protection Area (RPA).
Commission. The York County Planning Commission.
Condominium. A building, or group of buildings, in which
units are owned individually and the structure, common areas and common facilities are
owned by all the owners on a proportional, undivided basis and which has been created by
the recordation of condominium instruments pursuant to the provisions of chapter 4.2 of
title 55, Code of Virginia.
Condominium association. The community association which
administers and maintains the common property and common elements of a condominium. Title
to the common property is held on a proportional, undivided basis by the condominium
owners.
County administrator. The County Administrator of York
County, Virginia as appointed by the board.
County attorney. The County Attorney of York County,
Virginia as appointed by the board.
Cul-de-sac. A minor street with only one outlet and
having a circular turnaround at the opposite end for the safe and convenient reversal of
traffic movement.
Declaration. Any instrument, however denominated,
recorded with the clerk of the circuit court of the county that imposes on a property
owner's association maintenance or operational responsibilities for common areas and
creates the authority in the property owner's association to impose on lots, or on the
owners or occupants of such lots, or any other entity, any mandatory payment of money in
connection with the provision of maintenance or services, or both, for the benefit of some
or all of the lots, the owners or occupants of the lots, or the common area. The term
shall include any amendment or supplement to the instruments described herein. It shall
not, however, include a declaration of a condominium, real estate cooperative, timeshare
project or campground.
Design hour. The worst-case traffic situation on a given
street or within a roadway network or system expected to occur within a one-hour period
during a weekday in the design year.
Design year. The year in which the project is
anticipated to be completely constructed and occupied, or twenty (20) years from initial
development, whichever shall be later.
Detention basin. A manmade or natural water impoundment
designed to collect surface and sub-surface water in order to impede its flow and to
release it gradually at a rate not greater than that existing prior to the development of
the property, into adequate natural and/or manmade outlets or channels. Also referred to as a
"dry pond."
Development.
Any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate including but
not limited to buildings or other structures, excavating, mining,
filling, grading or paving.
Drainage. The removal of surface water or groundwater
from land by drains, ditches, piping, grading, or other means.
Drainage facility. Any component of the drainage system.
Drainage structure. Any manmade component of the
drainage system.
Drainage system. The system through which water flows
from the land including all drainage structures, drainage facilities, watercourses,
waterbodies and wetlands.
Duplex. A dwelling unit for single-family occupancy
attached to one other single-family dwelling unit by a common vertical fire-resistant wall
with each dwelling unit located on a separate lot.
Easement. A grant by one property owner to another,
recorded with the clerk of the circuit court, of the right to use the described land for
specific purposes.
Engineer. An individual licensed by the Commonwealth of
Virginia to engage in the practice of engineering.
Environmental constraints. Features, natural resources,
or land characteristics that are sensitive to development activities and/or installation
of improvements and may require conservation measures and/or the application of creative
development techniques to prevent degradation of the environment. In some instances,
environmental constraints may limit or preclude development.
Erosion.
The detachment and movement of soil or rock
fragments, or the wearing away of the land surface by water, wind, ice, or gravity.
Fire department. The York County Fire and Rescue
service.
Floodplain.
A land area likely to be inundated by a flood.
Geodetic control network. A system of survey monuments
whose precise positions have been established and from which additional surveys can be
derived. The geodetic control network in the York County has two (2) components:
(a) Primary network. A system of one hundred thirty
(130) survey monuments located throughout the county the precise positions and elevations
of which have been established by rigorous ground and global positioning surveys, and
which are fully referenced to the Virginia Coordinate System of 1983 (South Zone)
and the 1983 North American Datum.
(b) Secondary network. A system of survey monuments
located in and on subdivision boundaries and rights-of-way the positions of which have
been established by ground surveys.
Health department. The Commonwealth of Virginia
Department of Health or an authorized official thereof.
Highway/roadway capacity. The maximum number of vehicles
that can be expected to travel over a given section of roadway or a specific lane during a
given time period under prevailing roadway conditions and prevailing traffic patterns and
conditions.
Impervious surface.
A surface composed of any material that significantly impedes or
prevents natural infiltration of water into the soil. Impervious
surfaces include, but are not limited to: roofs, buildings, decks,
streets, parking areas, and any concrete, asphalt, or compacted
aggregate surface.
Improvements. All public and quasi-public utilities and
facilities including streets, sanitary sewers, waterlines, stormwater management and
erosion control facilities, monuments, signs, sidewalks, streetlights, and all other
similar features required by this chapter or by the zoning ordinance.
Landscaping. The improvement of a lot or parcel with
grass, ground covers, shrubs, trees, other vegetation and/or ornamental objects.
Landscaping may include earthforms, pedestrian walks, flower beds, ornamental objects such
as trellises, fountains or statues, and other natural features.
Land surveyor or surveyor. An individual certified and
licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to engage in the practice of land surveying.
Level of service (LOS). A set of criteria which
describes the degree to which an intersection, roadway, lane configuration, weaving
section or ramp serves peak period and/or daily traffic.
Lot. A unit, division, or piece of land; generally
created as a result of subdivision of property. The term is synonymous with plot, parcel,
premises, and site.
Lot, corner. A lot abutting two (2) or more streets at
their intersection.
Lot, flag. A lot which does not abut a public street
other than by its driveway or other strip of land not meeting the required minimum
frontage standards.
Lot, infill. A vacant lot for new development which is
located within a built-up area.
Lot, interior. A lot other than a corner lot.
Lot, through. An interior lot abutting two (2) or more
streets which do not intersect at the boundaries of the lot.
Lot frontage. The distance along a street between one
side lot line to another.
Lot of record. Any lot created by the recordation of a
plat in the office of the clerk of the circuit court, provided that:
(a) Such lot and plat complied fully with all regulations in
the subdivision ordinance and zoning ordinance in effect at the time of such recordation;
or
(b) Such lot and/or plat was not in conformance with the
regulations contained in the subdivision ordinance or zoning ordinance at the time of said
recordation, but has become conforming by subsequent amendment of said regulations.
Monument or survey monument. A permanent structure or
edifice used or installed to mark the position of a survey station.
Multiplex. A dwelling unit for single-family occupancy
consisting of a combination (back-to-back, side-to-side, or back-to-side) of at least
three (3) and not more than six (6) such units with each unit having at least two (2)
exterior exposures, each unit separated from any other by common fire-resistant walls, and
each unit located on a separate lot.
Open space. An area intended to provide light and air,
and designed, depending on the situation, for environmental, scenic, and/or recreational
purposes. The computation of open space shall not include driveways, parking lots, or
other surfaces designed or intended for motorized vehicular traffic.
Open space, common.
Open space within or related to a development, not a part of
individually owned lots or dedicated for general public use, but
designed and intended for the common ownership, enjoyment and use of all
the residents or property owners of the development.
Parcel identification number. A number or series of
numbers assigned by the county which uniquely identifies each parcel of land in the
county.
Peak period. (also peak hour) The period or hour in
which the heaviest traffic volume occurs on a roadway or within a network.
Planting area. The area within which vegetation is
installed which provides a sufficient bed to maintain and ensure the survival of trees and
other vegetation.
Plat. A plan or map of a tract or parcel of land,
meeting the requirements of this chapter, which is to be or has been subdivided. As a
verb, the term is synonymous with subdivide.
Plat, record. A plat prepared and approved in accordance
with this chapter which meets the Standards for Recorded Instruments of the Virginia State
Library Board and which has been or is intended to be submitted to the clerk of the
circuit court for recordation.
Preliminary plan. A map or plan indicating the proposed
layout of a development together with related information that is submitted to the county
for preliminary approval.
Property, subdividable. A unit or units of land of such
size and dimensions that it may be subdivided into two (2) or more lots.
Property owners association. As defined in section
55-508, Code of Virginia, a property owners association means an incorporated or
unincorporated entity that is referred to in a declaration. The term includes homeowners
associations, however, it shall not include condominium, cooperative, timeshare, or
membership owners associations.
Public sewer and/or water. A sewer or water system owned
and operated by a municipality, county, service authority, or sanitary district.
Reserve strip. A narrow piece of land adjacent to a
public right-of-way, the purpose of which is to prevent access to said public
right-of-way. This term does not include the reservation of property solely for future
widening of the road right-of-way.
Resource Management
Area (RMA). The
component of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area that is not classified
as a Resource Protection Area. The RMA is contiguous to and 500-feet
landward of the Resource Protection Area or the extent of the 100-year
floodplain, whichever is greater.
Resource Protection Area. The component of the Chesapeake Bay
Preservation Area comprised of tidal wetlands; nontidal wetlands
connected by surface flow and contiguous to tidal wetlands or water
bodies with perennial flow; tidal shores; and a vegetated buffer not
less than 100-feet in width located adjacent to and landward of the
components listed above and along both sides of any water body with
perennial flow. These lands have an intrinsic water quality value due to
the ecological and biological processes that they perform or are
sensitive to impacts, which may result in significant degradation to the
quality of state waters.
Retention basin. A pond, pool, or basin used for the
permanent storage of water runoff. Also referred to as a "wet pond."
Right-of-way. The total width of land dedicated or
reserved for public or restricted travel, including pavement, ditches, curbing, gutters,
sidewalks, shoulders, and sufficient land for the maintenance thereof.
Roadway geometrics. The alignment, curvature, horizontal
and vertical grade, shoulder and drainage structure configuration, and other similar
details relating to a roadway or segment thereof.
Sanitary sewer. Pipe conduits used to collect and carry
away domestic or commercial/industrial sewage from the generating source to treatment
plants. Storm, surface and ground waters are not intentionally admitted into sanitary
sewers.
Sedimentation. A deposit of soil that has been
transported from its site of origin by water, ice, wind, gravity, or other natural means
as a product of erosion.
Septic system. An underground system with a septic tank
and one (1) or more drainlines depending on volume and soil conditions which is used for
the decomposition of domestic wastes. This
type of system may also be referred to as a soil absorption system.
Setback. The required minimum distance from any street
right-of-way, lot line, or other designated line which establishes the area within which
buildings or structures may be erected.
Setback line. A line or lines showing the required
minimum front, rear, and side setback distances as established in the zoning ordinance.
Shrub. A relatively low-growing woody plant typified by
having several permanent stems instead of a single trunk. For purposes of this chapter,
shrubs shall be further defined as follows:
(a) Deciduous shrub. Any shrub which sheds its foliage
during a particular season.
(b) Evergreen shrub. Any shrub which retains its foliage
throughout the entire year.
Sight triangle. A triangular-shaped portion of land
established at street intersections and entrances onto streets in which nothing is
permitted to be erected, placed, planted or allowed to grow in a manner that limits or
obstructs the sight distance of motorists, bicyclists or pedestrians traversing or using
the intersection or entrance. (See
Figure VI-A in Appendix A).
Street. An existing or platted right-of-way dedicated
for the use of the general public, or portions thereof, either accepted by the Department
of Transportation, or approved under the terms of the zoning ordinance as a private
transportation system. A street shall provide vehicular and pedestrian access to property
for all purposes of travel, transportation and/or parking to which it is adopted, devoted,
or dedicated. The term is synonymous with road, lane, drive, avenue, highway, roadway,
thoroughfare, or any other term of like or common meaning. For the purposes of this
chapter, streets shall be further defined and classified as follows:
(a) Access street. The lowest order of street, designed
to serve low volumes of traffic at low operating speeds. As its primary function is to
provide access to individual lots, access streets should carry only the volume of traffic
generated on the street itself. Cul-de-sacs and other terminal streets are typical of this
order of street.
(b) Subcollector street. The second order of street,
designed to carry moderate volumes of traffic, at the same low operating speeds as access
streets. Such streets collect traffic from access streets as well as provide access to
individual lots. Long cul-de-sacs and other terminal streets may be within this order of
streets where their traffic volumes exceed the standards for access streets.
(c) Collector street. The highest order of street
generally permitted within a residential subdivision, designed to conduct and distribute
traffic between streets of lower order and streets of higher order linking major activity
centers. The class is further divided into "major collector" and "minor
collector" based on traffic volumes.
(d) Arterial street. Includes streets and roads which
function within a regional network conveying traffic between major activity centers. The
purpose of such streets and roadways is to carry relatively large volumes of traffic at
higher speeds. Direct residential lot access is prohibited while commercial or industrial
lot access is controlled and limited to high trip volume generators. Like collector
streets, the arterial class is further divided into "major arterial" and
"minor arterial" based on traffic volumes.
(e) Expressways and freeways. The highest order of
roadway, designed exclusively for unrestricted movement of traffic. Access is only with
selected arterials by means of interchanges.
Subdivider. An individual, corporation, partnership, or
other entity owning any property to be subdivided.
Subdivide/subdivision. The division of a lot, tract, or
parcel of land into two (2) or more lots, parcels, or other divisions of land for the
purpose, whether immediate or future, of transfer of ownership.
Townhouse. A type of multiplex for single-family
occupancy constructed in a row of at least three (3) and not more than six such units,
with each having its own front and rear or side exterior access, each unit separated from
any other by common fire-resistant walls, and each unit located on a separate lot.
Traffic, background. The number of trips existing or
projected to exist on a roadway or roadway system without the proposed land use under
study, i.e., traffic not directly or indirectly caused or attracted by the analyzed land
use.
Transportation, department of. The Virginia Department
of Transportation (VDOT).
Tree. A woody perennial plant generally with one main
stem or trunk, but including multiple stemmed plants, which develops many branches,
generally at some height above the ground. For the purposes of this chapter, trees shall
be further defined as follows:
(a) Deciduous tree. Shade or flowering/ornamental tree
which sheds its foliage during a particular season.
(b) Evergreen (or coniferous) tree. Any Tree which
retains its green foliage year round.
(c) Heritage tree: Any tree which has been designated by
ordinance of the board of supervisors as having notable historic or cultural significance
to any site or which has been so designated in accordance with an ordinance adopted
pursuant to section 15.1-503.2, Code of Virginia.
(d) Mature tree. Any deciduous or coniferous tree with a
minimum diameter (caliper) of fourteen inches (14") when measured four and one-half
feet (4½') above ground level.
(e) Memorial tree. Any tree which has been designated by
ordinance of the board of supervisors to be a special commemorating memorial.
(f) Significant tree. Any deciduous or coniferous tree
with a minimum diameter (caliper) of twenty-two inches (22") when measured four and
one-half feet (4½') above ground level.
(g) Specimen tree. Any tree which has been designated by
ordinance of the board of supervisors to be notable by virtue of its outstanding size and
quality for its particular species.
Tree cover. The area directly beneath the crown and
within the dripline of a tree.
A tree crown. The aboveground parts of a tree consisting
of the branches, stems, buds, fruits, and leaves. Also referred to as "tree
canopy."
Trip. A single or one-way vehicle movement to or from a
property, site, driveway or study area.
Trip assignment. The assignment of vehicle trip volumes
(site-generated and background) to the roadway network around a development, and the
assignment of site-generated volumes to individual and specific driveways/local streets
within the development. The process entails analyzing all trips, both entering and
exiting.
Trip ends. The total number of trips entering plus the
total number of trips exiting a site over a designated period of time.
Trip generation. The number of trip ends caused,
attracted, produced and otherwise generated by a specific land use, activity or
development.
Wetlands.
Wetlands are divided into two (2) classes:
(a) Nontidal
wetlands. Those wetlands other than tidal wetlands, that are
inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and
duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances
do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in
saturated soil conditions, as defined by the U. S. Environmental
Protection Agency pursuant to section 404 of the Federal Clean Water
Act, 33 C.F.R. 328.3b, as may be amended from time to time.
(b) Tidal wetlands. Vegetated and nonvegetated wetlands as defined
in section 28.2-1300 of the Code of Virginia.
Woodland.
A tract of land dominated by trees but usually
also containing woody shrubs, grasses, and other vegetation. For purposes of this chapter,
the term woodland shall incorporate woods, woodland areas, wooded areas, forest, forested
areas and any other terminology commonly recognized to have the same meaning.
Woodline. Line of demarcation separating woodland from
non-woodland areas. For purposes of this chapter the woodline shall be defined as the line
surrounding woodland including the leading edge of the dripline of the trees contained
therein plus fifteen feet (15').
Zoning administrator. The county administrator or his
designee.
Zoning ordinance. The Zoning Ordinance of York County,
Virginia including all amendments thereto.