§ 22-1. Definitions.

Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following words shall, for the purpose of this chapter, have the meaning herein indicated. Any pertinent word or term not a part of this listing, but vital to the interpretation of this chapter, shall be construed to have its usual legal definition.

Access. The way over which traffic moves to and/or from the property abutting such street or alley and the way over which traffic moves to and/or from a major street to a minor street or from a street to an alley.

Alley. A permanent service right-of-way which affords only a secondary means of access from such right-of-way to abutting property and not intended for general traffic circulation.

Area, lot. The total area within the lot lines.

Block. Property abutting on one (1) side of a street and lying between the two (2) nearest intersecting streets or between the nearest intersecting street and railroad right-of-way, waterway, unsubdivided area, or other definite boundary.

Building line. A line on a plat between which line and street, alley or lot line no buildings or structures may be erected.

City manager. The official responsible for the administration of the city, or a duly authorized representative.

Codes and planning director. For the purposes of this section, the job title of codes and planning director shall refer to the same person as may be referred to as codes administrator or code administrator or zoning administrator or building official or floodplain manager or plat official.

Comprehensive plan. The city's major plan of land use and community services planned for the development of a city and adopted as the official plan by the city planning commission and the city council.

Construction. Installation of streets, curb and gutter, sidewalks and all utilities. Construction shall mean grading and compaction over the entire length of the street, including the concrete curb area, with completion of all street surfaces and sidewalks.

Cul-de-sac. A turning circle at the end of a dead-end street.

Easement. A grant by the property owner of the use of land to the public, a corporation, or persons for specific purposes.

Gradient. The ascending or descending inclination of a street or other slope.

Lot. An area of land within a subdivision marked by the subdivider on the plat as a numbered, lettered, or other identified area to be offered for sale, dedication, or development.

Lot, corner. A lot abutting upon two (2) or more streets at their intersection and which shall be deemed to front on that street on which it has its least dimension.

Lot, interior. A lot other than a corner lot.

Lot, key. Interior lot on the end of a block.

Lot, large. A lot which is a minimum of two (2) acres in size.

Lot lines. The lines bounding a lot.

Major thoroughfare plan. A part of the comprehensive plan which sets forth the general location, alignment, dimensions, and identification and classification of existing and proposed streets.

Plan commission. The city planning and zoning commission of Kirksville.

Planned development. A tract of land which is developed as a unit under single ownership or control which may include two (2) or more main or principal structures.

Plat. A plan, or layout showing the subdivision of land into lots and/or streets.

Plat officer. The person designated by the city as administrator of this chapter.

Right-of-way. The entire dedicated tract or strip of land that is to be used by the public for circulation or service.

Sanitary sewer. A constructed conduit for the collection and carrying of liquid and solid wastes, other than storm water, to a sewage treatment plant.

Sidewalk. That paved portion of the right-of-way designated and intended for the movement and use of pedestrian traffic.

Slope. The inclination of an earth bank expressed by stating the vertical distance in proportion to horizontal distance.

Storm sewer. A constructed conduit for the collection and carrying of surface water to a drainage course.

Street. A thoroughfare which affords the principal means of access to abutting property. A street may be designated as an avenue, boulevard, highway, parkway, road, thoroughfare, court, or other appropriate name. Streets are identified according to type of use as follows:

(a)

Principal arterial:

(1)

The principal arterial system serves the major centers of activity in the city, the highest traffic volume corridors, the longest trips, which carries a high proportion of the total vehicle traffic on a minimum of street mileage. The principal arterial system is integrated with major rural to urban connections. Service to abutting land is subordinate to travel service, and should not normally include direct access to land.

(2)

Minor arterial. The minor arterial street system interconnects with and augments the principal arterial system. It includes all arterial streets, not classified as principal.

(b)

Collector:

(1)

A collector connects local streets to arterial streets while providing service to local areas. Operating speeds are slower than those of arterial streets since collectors serve both traffic movement and access to abutting property about equally.

(c)

Local:

(1)

Local streets are subcategorized as residential, commercial, or industrial, based on the predominant type of abutting property.

(2)

A local street's primary function is to provide access to the abutting properties and serve local traffic movement.

Subdivision:

(a)

Major subdivisions:

(1)

The division of land into more than four (4) lots; or

(2)

Any division of land into two (2) or more lots if such division involves the construction and dedication of a public street.

(b)

Large lot subdivision:

A permitted subdivision in the city that must have a minimum of twenty (20) acres for platting with lot size being no less than two (2) acres. Large lot subdivision shall meet all platting requirements for major subdivision as required by this chapter, but may be permitted to exercise lesser standards of development than is required for major subdivisions.

(c)

Minor subdivisions:

(1)

The division of land into not more than four (4) lots, and not involving the dedication and construction of a public street.

(2)

Minor subdivision processes shall not be repeated whereby land within the original plat, or lands contiguous to the original plat, which by repeating the minor subdivision process would allow the subdivider to gain relief from the major subdivision regulation contained herein.

(d)

Subdivision lot split:

(1)

The division of land previously platted as a part of a major subdivision, or as a pre-existing out lot, if such division does not involve the dedication and construction of any new public utilities (sewer and water), or the construction of any new public streets; and provided further, that such division does not change the street or block patterns as previously platted.

(e)

Combination lot:

(1)

Process whereby two (2) or more previously platted lots are put together to form one larger lot. This process shall not change the block pattern as platted. A combination lot is not considered to be a subdivision in regard to city approval.

(Ord. No. 11367, 2-1-99; Ord. No. 11813, 11-6-2007)