§ 11. General definitions.

11-100 Certain words in this ordinance not heretofore defined are defined as follows:

(1)

Accessory building (nonresidential): A subordinate building to the main building, the use of which is incidental and related to the main use, and which is located on the same lot.

(2)

Alley: A public space or thoroughfare, which affords a secondary means of access to property abutting thereon.

(3)

Apartment: A dwelling unit in a multiple-family dwelling or apartment house arranged, designed, or occupied as a place of residence by a single family.

(4)

Area of lot: The square-foot area of a lot within the bounding property lines and exclusive of dedicated streets or alleys.

(5)

Area regulations: The regulations controlling minimum lot area, lot width, lot depth, front yard, side yard, rear yard, coverage, and floor-area ratio.

(6)

Basement: That portion of a building between floor and ceiling, so located that the vertical distance from grade to the floor below is greater than the vertical distance from grade to ceiling. A basement shall not be counted in computing the number of stories.

(7)

Bedroom: A room in an apartment, other than a kitchen, dining room, living room, bathroom, or closet. This item shall include extra kitchens, dining rooms, living rooms, and all dens, game rooms, sun rooms, or similar extra rooms.

(8)

Block: An area enclosed by streets or, if said word is used as a term of measurement, it shall mean the distance along a side of a street between two intersecting streets, or if the street is of a dead-end type, a block shall be considered to be measured between the nearest intersecting street and the end of such dead-end street.

(9)

Board: The zoning board of adjustment as provided for in section 13.

(10)

Building: Any structure designed, built, or intended for the shelter or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels, movable property of any kind, or for an accessory use. When separated by an absolute fire separation, each portion of such structure so separated shall be deemed a separate building. This definition shall include structures wholly or partly enclosed with an exterior wall.

(11)

Building bulk: The relationship between the total mass of a building and the site on which it is located. As herein specified, building bulk refers to floor-area ratio.

(12)

Building line: A line parallel or approximately parallel to the street center line or street right-of-way line at a specified distance therefrom, marking the minimum distance from the street right-of-way line that a building may be erected. For existing buildings, the building line shall be the exterior wall or omitted wall line which is closest to the street.

(13)

Building, ends: Those sides of a building having the least dimension as compared with the front or rear of a building. As used herein for building spacing regulations for multiple-family dwellings, a building end shall be interpreted as being the narrowest side of the building regardless of whether it fronts upon a street, faces the rear of the lot, or is adjacent to the side lot line of another building.

(14)

Building, front: The side of a building having a greater length than the end. As used herein for building spacing regulations for multiple-family dwellings, a building front shall be interpreted as being the side of a greater length whether it fronts upon a street, facing the rear of the lot, or is adjacent to the side lot line or another building.

(15)

Building, rear: The opposite side from the building front.

(16)

Centerline, street or alley: A line designated midway between the bounding right-of-way lines of a street or alley. Where the bounding right-of-way lines are irregular, the centerline shall be determined by the city engineer.

(17)

City council: The official governing body of the city.

(18)

Court: An open space bounded on more than two sides by the walls of a building.

(19)

Court, inner: A court entirely surrounded by the exterior walls of a building. Such walls may have openings for access, light and air.

(20)

Court, outer: A court having one side open to a street, alley, yard, or other permanent open space.

(21)

Coverage: The percent of lot area which is covered by a roof, floor, or other structure and is not open to the sky. Roof eaves to the extent of two feet and ordinary projections from the building not exceeding 12 inches shall not be counted in computing coverage.

(22)

Density: The relationship of dwelling units or rooms to the area of the lot or tract, upon which a residential structure is located or erected.

(23)

Development schedule: A chronological estimate of the rate and order of development.

(24)

Dwelling unit: A building or portion of a building which is arranged, occupied, or intended to be occupied as single living quarters and includes facilities for food preparation and sleeping.

(25)

Family: A family is any number of individuals living together as a single housekeeping unit, in which not more than four individuals are unrelated by blood, marriage, or adoption.

(26)

Floor area: The total square-foot area of all floors in the building measured to the outside faces of exterior walls or to the line of an omitted wall, whichever includes the largest area.

(27)

Frontage, lot: The length of street frontage between property lines or lease lines.

(28)

Frontage, street: The length of all property on one side of a street, between two intersecting streets, measured along the line of the street, or if the street is dead-ended, then the length of all property abutting on one side between an intersecting street and the end of the dead-ended street.

(29)

Grade: The average elevation of the highest and lowest elevations, measured at the finished surface of the ground at any of the exterior corners of the building or structure.

(30)

Height: The vertical distance measured from grade to (1) the highest point of any flat roof surface, (2) to the top deck line of mansard roofs, or (3) to the mean height level between eaves and ridge or hip and gable roofs, (4) the top of any elevator, penthouse or bulkhead, mechanical equipment room, cooling tower, tank, and ornamental cupola and dome, or other structure erected on the roof of a building.

(31)

Institutional use: Schools, churches, colleges, lodges, hospitals, convents, welfare homes, and similar establishments.

(32)

Legal height: The maximum height of a building imposed by this ordinance or any other ordinance which is effective.

(33)

Lot: Land which is occupied or intended to be occupied by a building and its accessory building, including such open spaces as are required under this ordinance and having frontage on a dedicated street.

(34)

Lot, corner: A lot situated at the intersection of two dedicated streets and having frontage along both streets extending from the intersection.

(35)

Lot, double frontage: A lot having frontage on two or more dedicated streets, other than a corner lot.

(36)

Lot lines: The property or lease lines bounding a lot as defined herein.

(37)

Lot line, interior: A lot line delineating the division between two contiguous lots on the interior of a block and not adjacent to a street.

(38)

Lot, percentage of: Determination of any percentage of a lot such as the rear 50 percent, shall be done by finding the point on each side lot line which corresponds to that percentage of the length of such line and connecting the two points. The area so delineated shall be interpreted as representing that portion of the lot specified.

(39)

Lot record: A lot which is part of a subdivision plat which has been recorded in the office of the county clerk of Tarrant County [or Dallas County if land is in Dallas County.]

(40)

Lot width: The width of a lot at the required front yard line or at the building line, if such is established at a greater distance from the street than the required front yard line.

(41)

Main building: The building or buildings on a lot, which are occupied by the primary use.

(42)

Occupancy: Occupancy as used herein pertains to and is the purpose for which a building is used or intended to be used. A change of occupancy is not intended to include a change of tenants or proprietors.

(43)

Omitted wall line: A line enclosing the exterior vertical elements of a structure or the outer edge of any floor, deck, balcony, walkway, bridge, stairway, or other such structures as may cover the land contrary to the definition of open space. In the case of structures, composed of a roof and open sides, the omitted wall line is the exterior line of such roof. For ordinary roof eaves, the omitted wall line shall be two feet inside of the eave line.

(44)

Open space: An area on a lot that is open and unobstructed to the sky except for the ordinary projections of cornices and eaves.

(45)

Openings for light and air: Any windows, window walls, or glass panels located in the building, but not including doors which are used only for ingress or egress.

(46)

Permanent community open space: Parks, school playgrounds, community centers, golf courses, parkways, water areas or similar areas, which are dedicated to the city, or which are created as private open space under a permanent agreement for maintenance and responsibility, which agreement is accepted by the city council and approved by the city attorney.

(47)

Story: That portion of a building included between the surface of any floor and the surface of the floor next above it, or if there is no floor above it, then the space between such floor and the ceiling next above it.

(48)

Street: Any thoroughfare other than an alley and not less than 30 feet in width, which has been dedicated to the public for public use, and which affords primary access to abutting property.

(49)

Street line: A dividing line between a lot, tract, or parcel of land and a contiguous street.

(50)

Structure: A structure shall be interpreted the same as a building, but shall, in addition, include such items as a free-standing ground sign and pylon, when erected on a base and not made integral with a building.

(51)

Trailer stand, transient: A parking place for a house trailer or mobile home unit, together with the necessary yards and parking space required.

(52)

Use, nonresidential: Any use, other than a single-family, two-family, multiple-family residence, or rooming house and bona fide accessory uses as listed in section 7.

(53)

Use, residential: A single-family, two-family, or multiple-family residence, together with bona fide accessory uses as listed in section 7.

(54)

Use, retail or commercial: Any use listed or similar to a use listed in section 7.

(55)

Wall, exterior: The exposed or outermost wall of the structure.

(56)

Yard: An open space on the lot on which a building is situated, and which is open and unobstructed to the sky.

(57)

Yard, front required: A yard facing and abutting a street and extending across the front of the lot between the side lot lines, and having a minimum horizontal depth measured from the street equal to the depth of the minimum front yard specified for the district in which the lot is located. The required front yard line represents the line in front of which no building or structure may be erected.

(58)

Yard, rear required: A yard, except for accessory buildings as herein permitted, extending across the rear of the lot between side lot lines and having a minimum depth measured from the rear lot line as specified for the district in which the lot is located.

(59)

Yard, side required: A yard located in a lot, extending from the required rear yard and having a minimum width measured from the side lot line, as specified for the district in which the lot is located. Any lot line which is not a rear or front lot line shall be deemed a side lot line. Where a lot has only three lot lines those lot lines which do not front upon a street shall be deemed side lot lines.

(60)

Zoning district: A classification within which the regulations specified herein are uniform and which is assigned to a particular area of the city by delineation upon the zoning district map which is a part of this ordinance.

(61)

Zoning district map: The official, certified map, or maps, upon which the boundaries of the various zoning districts are shown and which are an integral part of this zoning ordinance and together with this zoning text make up the zoning ordinance for the City of Grapevine.

(62)

Zoning district, nonresidential: The nonresidential zoning district shall be considered to be the districts designated as "C-1, C-2, PD, LI, I-1 and I-2".

(63)

Zoning district, residential: The residential zoning district shall be considered to be the districts designated as R-1, R-2, R-3 and MH.

(64)

Trailer or mobile home: A living unit designed to be moved from location to location by truck or a similar prime mover and designed to be moved on wheels which are an integral part of the unit's structure, and which has approved sewer and water connections to accommodate a flush water closet, tub or shower, and a sink within the unit.

(65)

Cottage unit: A cottage unit is any fixed building, structure, or part thereof, located in a tourist court and used as sleeping quarters or a temporary dwelling place by one or more persons living together as one family.

(66)

Sign: Any structure or object which is placed, arranged, colored, designed, or constructed for the purpose of advertising or attracting attention to a building, business, product, activity, or service.

(67)

Accessory sign: A sign which is an accessory use of land and which directs attention to a business, product, activity, or service, which is conducted, sold, or offered on the premises where the sign is located.

(68)

Flashing sign: A sign or part thereof operated so as to create flashing, changes in light intensity, color or copy; or intermittent light impulses more frequently than once in every four seconds.

(69)

Moving sign: A sign or any part thereof which moves, rotates, or gives the perception of motion.