HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 502.04 Rules and DefinitionsORDINANCE 502 – ZONING ORDINANCE
502.04-1
Section 502.04: RULES AND DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this Ordinance words used in the singular number include the plural, and
the plural the singular. The present tense includes the past and future tenses and the future the
present; the word "shall" is mandatory, the word "may" is permissive; all measured distances
shall be to the nearest integral foot; whenever a word or term defined hereinafter appears in the
text of this Ordinance its meaning shall be construed as set forth in such definition thereof.
For the purpose of this Ordinance, certain words and terms are herein defined as follows:
Accessory Apartment. A separate dwelling unit contained within an existing single-
family structure, to be occupied by another individual(s) as a separate, complete housekeeping
unit with the existence of separate cooking facilities.
Accessory Building. A subordinate building or structure on the same lot or attached to
the main building, occupied by or devoted exclusively to an accessory use.
Accessory Use. A use naturally and normally incidental to, subordinate to, and auxiliary
to the principal permitted use of the premises.
Adult Entertainment Establishment. A commercial operation or establishment which
provides adult sexual entertainment, specifically including but not necessarily limited to an adult
arcade, adult bookstore, adult cabaret, adult motion picture theater, adult theater, or a sexual
encounter establishment as those terms are specifically defined in this Ordinance.
Alley. A public right-of-way usually twenty feet or less in width which normally affords
a secondary means of vehicular access to abutting property.
Apartment. A multi-family building containing dwelling units in a stacked configuration
having common walls and floors/ceilings.
Apiary: any place or location where one or more colonies of honey bees are kept.
Assisted Living. A facility that provides daily assistance and long-term residence for
disabled or elderly individuals. This includes a combination of housing, supportive services,
personalized assistance and health care designed to respond to the individual needs of those who
need help with activities of daily living, such as dressing, grooming, bathing, etc.
Automobile Repair Shop. A shop or place of business for repair and maintenance of
automobiles, trucks and other automotive equipment. Salvage and junk shall not be kept, stored
or worked on in an auto repair shop.
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Automobile Repair - Major. General repair, rebuilding or reconditioning engines, motor
vehicles or trailers; collision service, including body, frame, or fender straightening or repair;
overall painting or paint job; vehicle steam cleaning for any type of vehicle and any type of
repair of licensed dump trucks, tow trucks, semi tractors or trailers, tank trucks, tractors, buses,
construction vehicles or equipment or earth moving vehicles or equipment.
Automobile Repair – Minor. A business that performs mechanical and electrical repairs
to autos, light trucks, and equipment of 14,000 pounds gross weight and less. Allowed activities
include minor repairs, incidental body and fender work, minor painting and upholstering, tune
ups and adjustments, replacement of parts (excluding body and frame), rebuilding of parts or
components when installation is available, wheel alignment and balancing, tire repair, radiator
repair, washing, cleaning, and polishing, but specifically excluding any operation specified or
implied under the definition of "Automobile Repair - Major."
Automobile Wrecking or Junkyard. A place maintained for keeping, storing or piling in
commercial quantities, whether temporarily, irregularly, or continually; buying or selling at retail
or wholesale any old, used or second-hand material of any kind, including used motor vehicles,
machinery, and/or parts thereof, cloth, rugs, clothing, paper, rubbish, bottles, rubber, iron or
other metals or articles which from its worn condition render it practically useless for the
purpose for which it was made and which is commonly classed as junk. This shall include a lot
or yard for the keeping of unlicensed motor vehicles or the remains thereof for the purpose of
dismantling, sale of parts, sale as scrap, storage or abandonment. This shall not prohibit the
keeping of one unlicensed motor vehicle within a garage or other structure in residential districts
or two unlicensed motor vehicles not including farm implements within a farm in the agricultural
district.
Basement/Cellar. A story having part but not more than one-half its height above the
average level of the adjoining finished grade.
Billboard. A poster panel board, painted bulletin board or other communication device
[A sign] which is used to advertise products, goods and /or services which are not exclusively
related to the premises on which the sign is located.
Bed and Breakfast. An owner or non-owner occupied single family residence that
provides overnight accommodations to a limited number of visitors for a charge, not to exceed a
stay of seven consecutive nights. A Bed and Breakfast in any residential zoning district must be
owner occupied.
Beekeeper: a person who owns or has charge of one or more colonies of bees.
Boarding House or Rooming House. See Lodging House.
Building. Any structure, either temporary or permanent having a roof, and used or built
for the shelter or enclosure of any person, animal or chattel or property of any kind. When
separated by bearing walls without openings, each portion so separated shall be considered a
separate building.
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Buildable Area. That part of the lot remaining after required yards have been provided.
Building Principal. A building or structure in which is conducted the main or principal
use of the lot on which said building or structure is situated.
Building Height. The vertical distance measured from the average ground level adjoining
the building to the highest point on the roof surface if a flat roof, to the deck line of mansard
roofs, and to the mean height level between eaves and ridge of gable, hip and gambrel roofs.
Building Setback Line. The front line of the building or the legally established line
which determines the location of the building with respect to the right-of-way line.
Bonus Room. A single room in a house that is created due to open space from
constructing a garage, which can be used as a multi-purpose area, such as a family room, sewing
or hobby room, game room, theater room, office, or den. A bonus room is not a separate
dwelling unit or accessory apartment and cannot include kitchen facilities.
Carport. A structure having a roof supported by columns but not otherwise enclosed and
which is permanently attached to a dwelling.
Church. A building, together with its accessory buildings and uses, where persons
regularly assemble for religious worship and which buildings and uses are maintained and
controlled by a religious body organized to sustain regular public worship.
Clear-cutting. The removal of an entire stand of vegetation.
Colony: an aggregate of honey bees consisting principally of workers, one queen, and at
times drones, brood, combs, and honey.
Comprehensive Plan. When referred to in this Code shall mean, The Comprehensive Plan
of the City of St. Joseph.
Conditional Use Permit. A permit specially and individually issued by the City Council in
accordance with procedures specified in this Code and following review and recommendation by
the Planning Commission, as a flexibility device to enable the City Council to assign dimensions
to a proposed use or conditions surrounding it after consideration of adjacent uses and their
functions and the special problems which the proposed use presents.
Conditional Use. A use, which because of unique characteristics, cannot be classified as
a permitted use in a particular district. After due consideration, in each case, of the impact of
such upon neighboring land and of the public desirability for the particular use at the particular
locations, a conditional use permit may be granted.
Convenience Store. A retail store that generally carries a reduced inventory of a variety
of items such as dairy products, minor automobile related items, groceries, novelties, magazines,
etc. A convenience store may be combined with vehicle fuel sales where permitted.
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Day Care Home, Group: Any residence or portion of a residence licensed by the
Department of Human Services under chapter 9502 for no more than 14 children at any one time,
and must meet Group R, Division 3 occupancy requirements.
Day Care Group Facility: A public or private facility, which for gain or otherwise
regularly provides persons with care, training, supervision, habilitation, rehabilitation or
developmental guidance on a regular basis, for periods of less than 24 hours per day, in a place
other than the person’s own home for persons of school age or older.
Day Care- Home. A residence or portion of a residence licensed by the Department of
Human Services under chapter 9502 for no more than ten children at one time of which no more
than six are under school age, and must meet Group R, Division 3 occupancy requirements.
District. A section of the City of St. Joseph for which the regulations governing the use
of buildings and premises, the height of buildings, the size of yards, the intensity of use are
uniform.
Drive-Through Facility. An establishment (principal or accessory use) at which patrons
may purchase products or receive service without having to leave the motor vehicle. A motor
fuel station is not considered to be a Drive-Through Facility.
Duplex, triplex and quad. A dwelling structure on a single lot having two, three and four
units, respectively, being attached by common walls and each unit equipped with separate
sleeping, cooking, eating, living and sanitation facilities.
Dwelling. A building or portion thereof, designed exclusively for a residential
occupancy, including one family, two family and multiple family dwellings but not including
hotels, motels and boarding house.
Dwelling, Attached. A dwelling unit which is joined to another unit or building at one or
more sides by a party wall or walls.
Dwelling, Detached. A dwelling unit which is entirely surrounded by open space on the
same lot.
Dwelling – Multiple Family. A building designed with three (3) or more dwelling units
exclusively for occupancy by three (3) or more families living independently of each other, but
sharing hallways, stairs, building entrances and exit and/or other common elements.
Dwelling - Single Family. A dwelling occupied by only one family and so designed and
arranged as to provide cooking and kitchen accommodations and sanitary facilities for one
family only.
Dwelling - Two Family. A dwelling so designed and arranged to provide cooking and
kitchen accommodations and sanitary facilities for occupancy by two families.
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Dwelling Unit. A residential accommodation including complete kitchen and bathroom
facilities, which is arranged, designed, used or intended for use exclusively as living quarters for
one family.
Easement. A temporary or permanent grant by a property owner for the use of a strip or
area of land for purposes including but not limited to the constructing and maintaining of
utilities, sanitary sewer, water mains, electric lines, telephone lines, storm sewer or storm water
drainageway, and gas lines.
Family. An individual or two (2) or more persons each related to the other by blood,
marriage, domestic partnership, adoption, legal guardianship (including foster care), or a group
of not more than three (3) persons not so related maintaining a common household and using
common cooking and kitchen facilities.
Farm. An area which is used for the growing of the usual farm products, such as
vegetables, fruit, trees, and grain and their storage.
Farmers Market. An area where primarily agriculture products such as meat, raw
vegetables, fruits, syrups, herbs, flowers, plants, nuts or handcrafted items are sold by local and
regional producers. Non-agriculture products may be sold but the area dedicated to such products
shall not occupy more than twenty-five (25) percent of the total sales area.
Fence: Any partition, structure, wall or gate (including the use of living material such as
trees or shrubs) erected as a dividing mark, barrier or enclosure.
Flood. A temporary rise in stream flow or stage that results in inundation of the area
adjacent to the channel.
Floodplain. The channel or beds proper and areas adjoining a watercourse which have
been or hereafter may be covered by a regional flood. Floodplain areas within the City shall
encompass all areas designated as such on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s
Special Flood Hazard Boundary Map.
Floodway. The channel of a watercourse, bed of a wetland or lake, and those portions of
the adjoining floodplains reasonably required to carry and discharge a regional flood.
Floor Area Ratio. The numerical value obtained through dividing the gross floor area of a
building or buildings by the total area of the lot or parcel of land on which such building or
buildings are located.
Flyway barrier: a barrier that raises the flight path of bees as they come and go from a
hive.
Frontage. All the property on one side of a street between two intersecting streets
(crossing or terminating) measured along the line of the street, or if the street is dead ended, then
all the property abutting on one side between an intersecting street and the dead end of the street.
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Garage, Private. An accessory building designed or used for the storage of not more than
three power-driven vehicles owned and used by the occupants of the building to which it is
accessory.
Garage, Public. Any premises, except those described as a private garage, used for the
storage or care of power driven vehicles or where any such vehicles are equipped for operation,
repaired or kept for remuneration, hire or sale.
Gasoline Service Station. A building or structure designed or used for the retail sale or
supply of fuels, lubricants, air, water and other operating commodities for motor vehicles, and
including the customary space and facilities for the installation of such commodities on or in
such vehicles, but not including special facilities for the painting, major repair or similar
servicing thereof.
Grade, Street. The elevation of the established street in front of the building measured at
the center of such front. Where no such street grade has been established, the City Engineer
shall establish such street grade or its equivalent for the purpose of this Ordinance.
Hive: the receptacle inhabited by a colony that is manufactured for that purpose.
Home Occupation. Any occupation or profession engaged in by the occupant of a
residential dwelling unit, which is clearly incidental and secondary to the residential use of the
premises and does not change the character of said premises, in accordance with regulations
specified within this Ordinance.
Honey bee: all life stages of the common domestic honey bee, apris mellifera species.
Hotel. Any building or portion thereof containing six or more guest rooms intended or
designed to be used, or which are used, rented, hired out to be occupied, or which are occupied
for sleeping purposes by guests for a period of less than 30 continuous days.
Hydric Soils. Soils that are saturated, flooded or ponded long enough during the growing
season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part.
Hydrophytic Vegetation. Macrophytic plant life growing in water, soil or on substrata
that is at least periodically deficient in oxygen as a result of excessive water content.
Impervious Surface. An artificial or natural surface through which water, air or roots
cannot penetrate, including but not limited to buildings, parking spaces, driveways, sidewalks,
patios, decks, porches, pools and sports courts.
Independent Living Facility. A residential complex containing dwellings where the
occupancy is limited to persons who are fifty-five (55) years of age or older; or, if two (2)
persons occupy a unit, at least one (1) must be fifty-five (55) years or older. Such facilities may
include common areas for meals and socializing, offer minimal convenience services, but
exclude institutional care such as medical or nursing care.
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Intensive vegetation clearing. The complete removal of trees or shrubs in a contiguous
patch, strip, row or block.
Interim Use. A use which requires an interim use permit. Interim Use Permits are
granted by the City Council for a specific period of time in accordance with procedures specified
in this Ordinance.
Kennel. Any place where three or more dogs over six months of age are boarded, bred
and/or offered for sale, except a veterinary clinic. Dog kennels shall be permitted only in areas
specifically zoned for such use.
Land Disturbing or Development Activities. Any change of the land surface including
removing vegetative cover, excavating filling, grading and the construction of any structure.
Lodge. A building operated by a fraternal or veteran organization that is qualified as tax
exempt under the Internal Revenue Code, operated for the use of members and guests while in
the company of a member.
Lodging House Dormitories, Fraternities and Sorority Houses. A building or place where
lodging is provided (or which is equipped regularly to provide lodging) by prearrangement for
definite periods, for compensation, for three or more individuals, not open to transient guests, in
contradistinction to hotels open to transients. Lodging houses, dormitories, fraternities, sorority
houses, boarding houses and rooming houses shall only be permitted in R-3, multiple dwelling
districts, except within the boundaries of a college campus.
Lot. A parcel of land occupied or intended for occupancy by a use permitted in this
Ordinance, including one main building together with its accessory buildings, the open spaces
and parking spaces required by this Ordinance, and having its principal frontage upon a street or
upon an officially approved place.
Lot Area. The square footage contained within a particular parcel of real property.
Lot, Buildable. A buildable lot is that square footage required by this zoning Ordinance
for a particular zone.
Lot, Corner. A lot situated at the intersection of two or more streets.
Lot, Coverage. The part or percentage of the lot occupied by buildings or structures,
including accessory building structures.
Lot Depth. The mean horizontal distance between the front and rear lot lines.
Lot, Double Frontage. A lot having a frontage on two non-intersecting streets, as
distinguished from a corner lot.
Lot Frontage. The front of a lot shall be for purposes of complying with this Ordinance,
that boundary abutting a public right-of-way having the least width.
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Lot Line. A property line of any lot held in single or separate ownership; except that
where any portion of the lot extends into the abutting street or alley, the lot line shall be deemed
to be the street or alley right-of-way.
Lot of Record. A lot which was part of a subdivision, the map of which has been
recorded in the office of the Stearns County Recorder or a lot described by metes and bounds, the
deed to which has been recorded in the Office of the Stearns County Recorder prior to the
effective date of this Ordinance.
Lot Width. The horizontal distance between the side lot lines measured at right angles to
the lot and depth at the established front building line.
Manufacturing. Combining machinery, tools, power and labor to bring material closer to
a final state.
Manufacturing - Heavy. The manufacture, compounding, processing, packaging,
treatment or assembly of products and materials that may emit objectionable, hazardous and/or
offensive influences; including but not limited to: odors, material/byproduct discharges, dust,
glare, ash, smoke, vibration and noise beyond the lot on which the use is located.
Manufacturing – Light. Uses which include the manufacture, compounding, processing,
packaging, treatment or assembly of products and materials provided such use will not generate
objectionable and/or offensive influences; including but not limited to: odors, material/byproduct
discharges, dust, glare, ash, smoke, vibration and noise beyond the lot on which the use is
located.
Manufactured Home. A structure, transportable in one or more sections, which in the
traveling mode is eight (8) body feet or more in width or forty (40) body feet or more in length,
or, when erected on site, is three hundred twenty (320) or more square feet, and which is built on
a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing,
heating, air conditioning and electrical systems contained therein; except that the terms includes
any structure which meets all the requirements with respect to which the manufacturer
voluntarily files a certification required by the City Administrator/Clerk and complies with the
standards established under this Ordinance and which meets the Manufactured Home Builders
Code as defined in Minnesota Statutes ' 327.32, Subd. 3.
Manufactured Home Park. Any site, lot, field or tract of land upon which two or more
occupied manufactured homes are located, either free of charge or for compensation, and
includes any building, structure, tent, vehicle or enclosure used or intended for use as part of the
equipment of the manufactured home park.
Medical and Dental Clinic. A structure intended for providing medical and dental
examinations and service available to the public. This service is provided without overnight care
available.
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Minor recreational vehicle and automobile sales. Recreational vehicles as defined in this
Ordinance and automobile sales provided the use is contained indoors within a singular lot that is
2.5 acres or smaller in size and no more than 5 vehicles are stored or sold on the property at any
one time.
Modular Home. A non-manufactured housing unit that is basically fabricated at a central
factory and transported to a building site where final installations are made permanently affixing
the module to the site.
Motel. See Hotel.
Motor Vehicle Wrecking, Junkyard, or Recycling Centers. A place maintained for
keeping, storing or piling in commercial quantities, whether temporarily, irregularly, or
continually; buying or selling at retail or wholesale any old, used or second-hand material of any
kind, including used motor vehicles, machinery, and/or parts thereof, cloth, rugs, clothing, paper,
rubbish, bottles, rubber, iron or other metals or articles which from its worn condition render it
practically useless for the purpose for which it was made and which is commonly classed as
junk. This shall include a lot or yard for the keeping of unlicensed motor vehicles or the remains
thereof for the purpose of dismantling, sale of parts, sale as scrap, storage or abandonment. This
shall not prohibit the keeping of one unlicensed motor vehicle within a garage or other structure
in residential districts or two unlicensed motor vehicles not including farm implements within a
farm in the agricultural.
Non-Conforming Lot. A lot which does not comply with the minimum lot area or
frontage requirements of the district in which it is located.
Non-Conforming Use of Land. Any use of a lot which does not conform to the
applicable use regulations of the district in which it is located.
Non-Conforming Use of Structure. A use of a structure which does not conform to the
applicable use regulations of the district in which it is located.
Nursing Home. A licensed home to provide care for the aged or infirmed persons
requiring or receiving nursing care, which includes care or treatment requiring technical
knowledge. The term nursing home also includes convalescent home.
Office Building. A building designed or used primarily for office purposes, no part of
which is used for manufacturing or for dwelling.
Ordinary High Water Level. The elevation of the boundary of public waters,
watercourses and wetlands delineating the highest water level which has been maintained for a
sufficient period of time to leave evidence upon the landscape, commonly that point where the
natural vegetation changes from predominantly aquatic to predominately terrestrial. For
watercourses, the ordinary high water level is the elevation of the top of the bank of the channel.
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Parking Lot. Three or more parking spaces, along with the driveway connecting the
parking spaces to the street or alley and permitting satisfactory ingress and egress of an
automobile and the driving lane between or servicing the parking spaces.
Parking Space. An area enclosed in the main building, in an accessory building, or
unenclosed sufficient in size to store one (1) automobile which has adequate access to a public
street or alley and permitting satisfactory ingress and egress of an automobile.
Patio Home. A single family attached or detached unit and structure consisting of a one
level living area with the ability to have a bonus room above the garage.
Permitted Use. A use which may be lawfully established in a particular district or
districts, provided it conforms with all requirements and performance standards (if any) of such
district.
Person. Any individual, corporation, firm, partnership, association, organization or other
group acting as a unit. It also includes any executor, administrator, trustee, receiver or other
representative appointed by law. Whenever the word "person" is used in any section prescribing
a penalty or fine, it shall include partners, associates, or members of a corporation, who are
responsible for the violation.
Planned Unit Development. A type of development which may incorporate a variety of
land uses planned and developed as a unit. The planned unit development is distinguished from
the traditional subdivision process of development in that zoning standards such as density,
setbacks, height limits, and minimum lot sizes may be altered by negotiation and agreement
between the developer, the municipality, and the Commissioner of Natural Resources as may be
required.
Principal Use. The main use of land or buildings as distinguished from subordinate or
accessory uses.
Property Owner. Any person, group of persons, association, corporation, or any other
legal entity having a freehold estate interest, leasehold interest extending for a term, or having
renewal options for a term in excess of one year, a dominant easement interest, or an option to
purchase any of the same, but not including owners of interest held for security purposes only.
Public Waters. Any waters as defined in Minnesota Statutes, Section 105.37,
subdivisions 14 and 15.
Recreational Vehicle. A vehicular or portable structure used for amusement, vacation or
recreational activities, including but not limited to travel trailers, motor homes, camping trailers,
boats, jet skis, ATV’s and snowmobiles.
Rooming House. A building or structure providing a room or rooms intended for living
and sleeping to persons in the status of tenant. This term shall not include hotels, motel, or
hospitals.
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Screening. The use of plant materials, fences or earthen berms to partially conceal the
separate land use from the surrounding land use.
Semipublic use. The use of land by a private, nonprofit organization to provide a public
service that is ordinarily open to some person outside the regular constituency of the
organization.
Setback Line. The mean horizontal distance between the front street, right-of-way line
and the front line of the building or the allowable building line as defined by the front yard
regulations of this Ordinance.
Shore impact zone. Land located between the ordinary high water level of a public water
and a line parallel to it at a setback of 50 percent of the structure setback.
Shoreland. Land located within the following distances from public waters: 1,000 feet
from the ordinary high water level of a lake, pond or flowage; and 300 feet from a river or
stream, or the landward extent of a floodplain designated by ordinance on a river or stream
whichever is greater. The shoreland limits may be reduced whenever the waters involved are
bounded by topographic divides which extend landward from the waters for lesser distances and
when approved by the Commissioner.
Sign. A name, identification, description, display, illustration or device which is affixed
to or represented directly or indirectly upon a building, structure or land in view of the general
public and which directs attention to a product, place, activity, person, institution or business.
Special Event Facility. A facility designed to house a celebration, ceremony, wedding,
reception, corporate function, or similar activity for the benefit of someone other than the
property owner that takes place on a periodic basis and involves the gathering of individuals for
the common purpose of attending a special event. Special event facilities are subject to a use
agreement between a private group or individual and the facility/property owner.
Stable. A building accommodating one or more horses.
Story. That portion of a building other than a basement/cellar, including between the
surface of any floor and the surface of the floor next above it or if there be no floor above it, then
the space between the floor and a ceiling next above it.
Story - Half. A space under a sloping roof which has the line of intersection of roof
decking and wall face not more than three feet above the top floor level and in which space not
more than 60% of the floor area is finished off for use. A half-story may be used for occupancy
only in conjunction with and by occupancy of the floor immediately below.
Street. All property dedicated or intended for public street, highway, freeway or
road-way purposes and subject to public easements therefore.
Street – Frontage. The proximity of a parcel of land to one or more streets. An interior
lot has one street frontage and a corner lot has two street frontages. For purposes of addressing a
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building, the front shall be the street side in which the structure’s front door faces. For setback
regulations, both streets shall be considered frontages.
Structure. Anything constructed or erected, the use of which requires permanent location
on the ground or attached to something having a permanent location on the ground, including but
without limiting the generality of the foregoing advertising signs, billboards, backstops for tennis
courts and pergolas.
Structural Alterations. Any change in the supporting members of a building such as
bearing walls or partitions, columns, beams or girders or any substantial change in the roof or
exterior walls.
Townhouse and Condominium. Single family attached units and structures housing three
or more dwelling units contiguous to each other only by the share of one common wall between
each unit.
Use. The purpose for which land or buildings thereon are designed, arranged or intended
to be occupied or used, or for which they are occupied or maintained.
Use – Accessory. The use incidental or accessory to the principal use of the lot or a
building located on the same lot with a building but detached therefrom.
Vacation. The act of relinquishing a recorded dedication or easement as in a street right-
of-way, utility easement, etc.
Variance. The waiving of specific literal provisions of the zoning ordinance in instances
where their strict enforcement would cause practical difficulties because of circumstances unique
to the individual property under consideration. A change in the allowable use within a district
shall not be considered a variance.
Waterbody. A body of water (lake, pond) in a depression of land or expanded part of a
river or an enclosed basin that holds water and is surrounded by land.
Watercourse. A channel or depression through which water flows, such as rivers, streams
or creeks and may flow year around or intermittently.
Watershed. The area drained by the natural and artificial drainage system, bounded
peripherally by a bridge or stretch of high land dividing drainage areas.
Wetlands. The City adopts the definition of a Wetlands as contained in Minn. Stat. '
103G.005, Subd. 19. Designations of the Stearns County Environmental Services office of
wetlands shall be presumed as accurate when determining the location of wetlands.
Yard. An open space on the same lot with a building, unoccupied and unobstructed by
any portion of a structure from the ground upward, except as otherwise provided herein. In
measuring a yard for the purpose of determining the width of a side yard, the depth of a front
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yard or the depth of a rear yard, the mean and horizontal distance between the lot line and the
main building shall be used.
Yard, Front. A yard extending across the front of the lot between the side lot lines and
lying between the front line of a lot and the nearest line of the building.
Yard, Rear. A yard extending across the full width of a lot and lying between the rear
line of a lot and the nearest line of the building.
Yard, Side. A yard between the side line of the lot and the nearest line of the building
and extending from the front line of a lot to the rear yard.
Zoning District. An area or areas within the limits of the City for which the regulations
and requirements governing use, lot and bulk of buildings and premises are uniform.
Amended 7/2025 – added definition for Minor recreational vehicle and automobile sales