Article 6 – Definitions

For the purposes of this ordinance, words used in the present tense include the future; words in the singular number include the plural; and the plural the singular, unless the natural construction of the word indicates otherwise; the word “shall” is mandatory and not directory; and references to this ordinance shall include all ordinances amending or supplementing the same; and the following terms or words shall have the meaning given below.

6.1 Administrator: The Zoning Administrator or other duly appointed agent of the Town.

6.2 Alley: A right-of-way which provides secondary access for vehicles to the side or rear of abutting properties.

6.3 Building Restriction Line, Building Setback Line, Building Line: A line showing the minimum distance by which any structure must be separated from the property lines of a lot and reserved public rights-of-way.

6.5 Council: The Town Council of Round Hill. Also referred to as the governing body.

6.6 Cul-de-sac: A street with only one outlet and having an appropriate turn-around for safe and convenient reversal of traffic movement.

6.7 Developer: The legal or beneficial owner or owners of a lot or of any land included in a proposed development. Also, the holder of an option or contract to purchase, or any other person having enforceable proprietary interest in such land.

6.8 Development: A planning or construction project involving substantial property improvement; the act of using land for building or extractive purposes.

6.9 Drainage System: The open channel, pipe lines, culverts, inlets and appurtenances used for the collection and conveyance of storm waters to the point of discharge.

6.10 Easement: A grant by a property owner of the use of his/her land by another party for a specific purpose.

6.11 Engineer: A professional engineer licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

6.12 Improvement: Roads, streets, parking areas, loading areas, sidewalks and pedestrian ways, curbs, gutters, water mains, sewer mains, drainage facilities, storm water management facilities, landscaping, recreational facilities, and other structures or facilities as may be required under this Ordinance or the Zoning Ordinance. The term “improvement” shall also include those physical improvements contained in proffered conditions accepted by the Town Council.

6.13 Lot: A parcel of land occupied or to be occupied by a building and its accessory buildings or by group dwellings and their accessory buildings, together with such open spaces as are required under the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance for a lot in the zone in which such lot is situated, and having its principal frontage as a separate and distinct parcel of land on a legally recorded subdivision plat filed among the land records of Loudoun County, but does not include land identified on any such plat as an outlet.

6.14 Lot, Corner: A lot abutting two (2) or more streets at their intersection, where the interior angle of the intersection does not exceed one hundred thirty-five degrees (135o).

6.15 Lot, Depth of: The average horizontal distance between the front and the rear lot lines measured along a straight line.

6.16 Lot, Double Frontage: An interior lot having frontage on two (2) streets.

6.17 Lot Frontage: That portion of a lot extending along a street line.

6.18 Lot, Interior: A lot other than a corner lot but including a through lot.

6.19 Lot of Record: A lot which has been filed for record in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court.

6.20 Lot, Through: An interior lot, fronting on two (2) parallel or approximately parallel streets.

6.21 National Map Accuracy Standards: The horizontal and vertical accuracy parameters for mapping, as originally promulgated by the Bureau of the Budget in 1947, as revised. The horizontal accuracy standard requires that the position of ninety percent (90%) of all points tested will be accurate to within 1/30th of an inch (0.085 centimeters). The vertical accuracy standard requires that elevations of ninety percent (90%) of all points tested should be correct within one-half of the contour interval.

6.22 Planning Commission: The Planning Commission of the Town of Round Hill, Virginia.

6.23 Plat: A map or maps of a subdivision or site plan.

6.24 Private Access Easement: A strip of privately owned landed primarily intended for vehicular traffic and providing the principal means of access to property not fronting on publicly maintained roads. All such easements shall be called Ways.

6.25 Public Improvement: An improvement that has been or will be dedicated for public use or that is designed to provide adequate transportation, water, sewerage, flood protection, or recreational facilities or to serve other public requirement in accordance with the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and the Zoning Ordinance.

6.26 Road Public: Roads which are part of the State maintained highway system at the time of adoption of this ordinance or roads meeting Virginia Department of Transportation specifications, and acceptable for maintenance by the State, bonded as provided in this ordinance, or accepted in the State maintained highway system after the effective date of this ordinance. Roads shall include the terms street, avenue, way, court, drive, and the like.

6.27 Sewerage System: The pipelines, conduit, pumping stations and force mains and all other construction, devices and appliances appurtenant thereof for the collection and conveyance of sewage to a treatment plant or point or ultimate disposal.

6.28 Site Plan: An accurately scaled development plan that illustrates the existing conditions on a land parcel as well as depicted details of proposed development.

6.29 Street: A public or private road or thoroughfare designed in accordance with the Standards of the Town of Round Hill or Virginia Department of Transportation, whichever is applicable.

6.30 Street, Center Line of: A line established as a center line of a street by any State, County or other official; agency or governing body having jurisdiction thereof and shown as such on an officially adopted or legally recorded map, or, if there be no official center line of a street, the center line shall be a line lying midway between the street or right-of-way lines thereof. Where street lines are indeterminate and a pavement or traveled way exists, the center line shall be established by the Planning Commission, or in the absence of a determination by the Planning Commission shall be assumed to be a line midway between the edges of such pavement or traveled way.

6.31 Street Width: The total width of the strip dedicated or reserved for public travel, including roadway, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and planting strips.

6.32 Subdivision: The division of a parcel of land into two or more lots for the purpose of transfer of ownership or building development, or, if the division or allocation of land for the opening, widening, or extension of any street is involved in such division, the term includes resubdivision and, when appropriate to the context shall relate to the process of subdividing or to the land subdivided.

6.33 Subdivider: The legal or beneficial owner or owners of a lot or of any land included in a proposed development. Also, the holder of an option or contract to purchase, or any other person having enforceable proprietary interest in such land.

6.34 Surveyor: A certified land surveyor licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

6.35 Water Line, Water Main: The pipe lines and associated appurtenances used for the distribution of potable water to all customers of the system in addition to providing water required for fire protection.