Township of Middletown

ACCESSORY

A. ACCESSORY BUILDING
See "building, accessory."

B. ACCESSORY USE
See "use, accessory."

ADULT ARCADE

Any place to which the public is permitted or invited wherein coin-operated or club-operated or electronically, electrically or mechanically controlled still- or motion-picture or video machines, projectors or other image-producing devices are maintained to show images to five or fewer persons per machine at any one time and where the images so displayed are distinguished or characterized by the depicting or describing of specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas, as defined herein.

ADULT BOOKSTORE

An establishment having as a substantial significant or preponderant portion of its stock in matter which is distinguished or characterized by its emphasis on content depicting, describing or relating to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas, as defined herein.

ADULT BUSINESS

Any adult or sexually oriented business, including any business establishment that regularly features live performances which are distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on the exposure of the genitals or buttocks of any person or the breasts of any female person or specified sexual activities that involve the exposure of the genitals or buttocks of any person or the breasts of any female person, or any business whose primary purpose is the sale or display of matter that, because of its sexually explicit nature, may, pursuant to state law or other regulatory authority, be offered only to persons over the age of 18 years. "Adult business" may include an adult arcade, adult bookstore, adult cabaret, adult hotel/motel, adult motion-picture theater, adult visual materials or video store, adult modeling studio or adult entertainment enterprise, as defined herein.

ADULT BUSINESS OPERATOR

A person who supervises, manages, inspects, directs, organizes, controls or in any other way is responsible for or in charge of the premises of an adult business or the conduct or activities occurring on the premises thereof.

ADULT BUSINESS OWNER

A person or persons who hold a financial or other business interest, in whole or in part, either singly or jointly, in an adult business. For purposes of this section, indicia of ownership may be established by evidence, including, but not limited to, business license information, fictitious business name registration, utility billing information or by other competent evidence. For purposes of this section, the person whose name appears on the business license or permit application as the business owner shall be deemed to be the adult business owner.

ADULT CABARET

A building or portion thereof or area regularly featuring the presentation or exhibition of live performers whose performances are distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on matter depicting, describing or relating to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas, as hereinafter defined, or whose performances are rendered in a state of dress so as to expose the female breast below a point immediately above the top of the areola, male or female genitals, pubic areas, buttocks or the female breast with only the nipple and areola covered, or any combination thereof, for observation by patrons or customers.

ADULT ENTERTAINMENT ENTERPRISE

Any business activity wherein is furnished for a fee or charge or other like consideration the opportunity to paint, feel, handle, touch, be in the presence of, be entertained by, be painted by, felt by or touched by the unclothed body or the unclothed portion of the body of another person, or to observe, view or photograph such activity; or a fee or charge or like consideration is paid or received for goods sold or services rendered by or in the presence of one or more persons with an unclothed body or an unclothed portion of the body. "Adult entertainment enterprise" shall include, but not be limited to, the following business activities: adult or nude encounter studios, adult or nude dance studios, nude exhibitions, peep shows, wrestling centers, adult or nude art or photography studios, and business activities similar thereto. "Unclothed portion of the body" shall mean state of dress so as to expose the female breast below a point immediately above the top of the areola, male or female genitals, pubic areas, buttocks or female breast with the nipple and areola covered.

ADULT ENTERTAINMENT ROOM

Any room of an adult entertainment establishment which constitutes an adult cabaret, adult motion-picture theater, adult entertainment enterprise or adult theater or adult visual materials store pursuant to this section.

ADULT HOTEL/MOTEL

A hotel or motel or similar business establishment offering public accommodations for any form of consideration, which provides patrons with closed-circuit television transmissions, films, computer-generated images, motion pictures, videocassettes, slides or other photographic reproductions, 30% or more of the number of which are distinguished or characterized by an emphasis upon the depiction or description of specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas, as hereinafter defined, and rents, leases or lets any room for less than a six-hour period or rents, leases or lets any single room more than twice in a twenty-four-hour period.

ADULT MODELING STUDIO

A business which provides, for any form of compensation, monetary or other consideration, hire or reward, figure models who, for the purposes of sexual stimulation of patrons, display specified anatomical areas, as hereinafter defined, to be observed, sketched, photographed, painted, sculpted or otherwise depicted by persons paying such consideration. "Modeling studio" does not include schools maintained pursuant to standards set by the State Board of Education. "Modeling studio" further does not include a studio or similar facility owned, operated or maintained by an individual artist or group of artists and which does not provide, permit or make available specified sexual activities, as hereinafter defined.

ADULT MOTION-PICTURE THEATER

A building or portion thereof or area, open or closed, used for the presentation on more than 1/3 of the days in a calendar year, during which motion-picture films, videocassettes, cable television or any other such visual media are displayed or exhibited of films, videocassettes, cable television or other visual media which are distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on matter depicting, describing or relating to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas, as hereinafter defined, for observation by patrons or customers. "Adult motion-picture theater" does not include any room or suite of rooms rented for human occupancy in a hotel or motel which is equipped or furnished with a videocassette-playing machine or cable television, unless such hotel or motel is determined to be an adult hotel/motel as defined herein.

ADULT VISUAL MATERIALS OR VIDEO STORE

A building or portion thereof used by an establishment having not less than 30% of its actual display area devoted to or its stock-in-trade for sale or rental to the public any segment thereof consisting of books, magazines, other publications, films, videocassettes or any combination thereof which are distinguished or characterized by their emphasis on matter depicting, describing or relating to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas, as defined hereinafter.

AIRPORT

Northeast Philadelphia Airport in the City of Philadelphia, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

AIRPORT ELEVATION

The highest point of the airport's usable landing area measured in feet above sea level, which is 121 feet above mean sea level for Northeast Philadelphia Airport.

AIRPORT HAZARD

Any structure or object, natural or man-made, or use of land which obstructs the airspace required for flight of aircraft in landing or taking off at an airport or is otherwise hazardous to the landing or taking off of aircraft.

ALTERATIONS

As applied to a building or structure, a change or rearrangement in the structural parts, or an enlargement or diminution, whether by extending on a side or by increasing in height, or the moving from one location or position to another.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

A renewable source of energy generated from solar, water, wind, geothermal, or similar sources, which is capable of providing energy and utility provisions to a permitted use.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SYSTEM

A private system capable of converting solar, water and/or wind into a viable energy source and utility provisions for a permitted use. Such systems may include solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal systems and/or other similar alternative energy systems.

ANIMATED SIGN

A type of freestanding, wall, projecting or roof sign with motion, flashing light, or color changes requiring electrical energy or electronic or manufactured sources of supply. For the purposes of this chapter, this definition shall not be meant to include public service signs, such as time-and-temperature signs, revolving or changeable copy signs, or wind-activated elements, such as flags, banners or similar items.

APPLICANT

A person or entity filing an application under this chapter.

APPLICANT

A person who is required to file an application for permit under this section, including an individual owner, managing partner, officer of a corporation or any other operator, manager, employee or agent of an adult business.

APPROACH SURFACE

A surface longitudinally centered on the extended runway center line, extending outward and upward from the end of the primary surface and at the same slope as the approach zone height limitation slope set forth in this section. In plan, the perimeter of the approach surface coincides with the perimeter of the approach zone.

APPROACH, TRANSITIONAL, HORIZONTAL AND CONICAL ZONES

These zones are set forth in § 500-2201C.

ARCHITECTURAL PROJECTION

Any projection, except signs, which is not intended for occupancy and which extends beyond the face of an exterior wall of a building.

AREA

A. LOT AREA
See "lot area."

B. FLOOR AREA
See "floor area."

C. SITE AREA
See "site area."

ASSEMBLY

Fitting together and/or attaching by any means, including, but not limited to, brazing, welding, bonding, riveting, bolting and screwing.

ATTACHED ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SYSTEM

A system that is physically mounted, attached and/or connected (except utility and energy transfer connections) to a permitted principal or accessory building or structure in accordance with all pertinent zoning, utility and building code requirements.

AUTHORITY

A body politic and corporate created pursuant to the Act of May 2, 1945 (P.L. 382, No. 164), known as the "Municipality Authorities Act of 1945."

BACKGROUND AREA OF SIGN

The entire area of a sign on which copy can be placed, including framing and border, but not including structural supports and decorative trim which is incidental to the copy content of the display itself.

BAR

Any commercial establishment licensed by the State Liquor Control Board to serve any alcoholic beverages on the premises.

BASEMENT

A space having 1/2 or more of its floor-to-ceiling height above the average level of the adjoining ground and with a floor-to-ceiling height of not less than 6 1/2 feet. A basement shall be counted as a story for the purposes of height measurement or the determination of square footage or floor area.

BENCH SIGNS

A sign located on any part of the surface of a bench or seat placed on or adjacent to a public right-of-way.

BILLBOARD

See "off-premises signs" and "commercial outdoor advertising signs."

BIOMASS FUELS

Organic materials produced in a renewable manner. This includes woody fuels such as forestry residue, yard waste, or dedicated biomass crops such as switchgrass.

BOARD

Any body granted jurisdiction under this chapter or under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code[2] (Act 247, as amended by Act 170) to render final adjudications.

BODY PIERCING

The process of breaching the skin or mucous membrane for the purpose of insertion of any object, including, but not limited to, jewelry for cosmetic purposes.

BORING/BOREHOLE

A penetration of soil and/or rock that is augured, drilled, cored, bored, washed, driven, dug, jetted, or otherwise constructed, which is generally cylindrical in shape, and whose diameter is generally smaller than its depth of penetration.

BUILDING

A structure having a roof which is used or intended to be used for the shelter or enclosure of persons, animals or property. The word "building" shall include any part thereof.

A. BUILDING, ACCESSORY
A subordinate building located on the same lot as a principal building and clearly incidental and subordinate to the principal building. Any portion of a principal building devoted or intended to be devoted to an accessory use is not an accessory building.

B. BUILDING, PRINCIPAL
A building in which is conducted, or is intended to be conducted, the principal use of the lot on which it is located.

BUILDING CODE

The current Building Code as officially adopted by the Township which governs construction standards, approved materials, and projection standards, unless otherwise specified herein.

BUILDING COVERAGE

That percentage of the lot area covered by buildings.

BUILDING FACADE

That portion of any exterior elevation of a building extending vertically from grade to the top of the parapet, wall or eaves and horizontally across the entire width of the building elevation.

BUILDING HEIGHT

The vertical distance of a building or structure measured from the mean level of the ground abutting the building or structure to the highest point of the roof or the structure.

BUILDING SETBACK LINE

The line parallel to the street line at a distance therefrom equal to the depth of the minimum front yard required for the district in which the lot is located.

BUILDING SPACING

The minimum distance between buildings. The minimum building spacing shall be measured from the outermost wall or projection, excluding bay windows, chimneys, flues, columns, ornamental features, cornices and gutters. These exceptions may encroach no more than two feet.

BUILDING-INTEGRATED PHOTOVOLTAIC (BIPV) SYSTEMS

A solar energy system that consists of integrating solar PV modules into the building envelope, where the solar panels themselves act as a building material (roof shingles) or structural element (i.e., facade).

BUSINESS SIGN

An on-premises sign which directs attention to a business, commodity, service, industry or other activity which is sold, offered or conducted on the premises on which such sign is located or to which it is affixed.

CELLAR

A cellar is a space with less than 1/2 of its floor-to-ceiling height above the average finished grade of the adjoining ground or with a floor-to-ceiling height of less than 6 1/2 feet. A cellar is not counted as a story for the purposes of height measurement or the determination of square footage or floor area unless the cellar is used for dwelling, office or business purposes.

CELLULAR TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITY

A. TOWER
A structure intended to support equipment used to transmit and/or receive telecommunications signals. Examples of such structures include monopoles and lattice construction steel structures.

B. ANTENNA
A device used to collect or transmit telecommunications or radio signals. Examples are panels and single poles known as whip antennas.

C. TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT BUILDING
The structure in which the electronic receiving and relay equipment for a cellular telecommunications facility is housed.

CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN

A sign on which the message copy can be changed through the use of attachable letters, numerals or graphics or through the use of electronic switching of lamps or other illuminated devices. This includes public service information, such as time-and-temperature displays, or any sign which features automatic or manual switching or changing of its message content.

CLOSED-LOOP GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM

A type of geothermal heating and/or cooling system that utilizes a pressurized heat exchanger consisting of pipe, a circulating pump, and a water-source heat pump in which the heat transfer fluid is not exposed to the atmosphere. The heat transfer fluid is potable or beneficial reuse water and may have approved antifreeze added.

CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

The person responsible for ordinance enforcement functions within the jurisdiction of the Township, including, but not limited to, responsibility for administration and enforcement of the provisions of this subsection.

COMBINATIONS

Two or more vehicles physically interconnected in tandem.

COMMERCIAL OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGN

A permanent off-premises sign erected, maintained or used for the purpose of providing copy area for advertising messages for rent or lease.

COMMUNITY SPECIAL EVENT SIGN

A type of temporary sign which is intended to advertise a nonprofit community or civic event.

CONDITIONAL USE

A use permitted in a particular zoning district pursuant to the provisions of § 500-3109: Board of Supervisors; conditional uses.

CONDOMINIUM

Real estate, portions of which are designated for separate ownership and the remainder of which is designated for common ownership solely by the owners of those portions. Real estate is not a condominium unless the undivided interests in the common elements are vested in the unit owners. A condominium is a unit with all of the following characteristics:
A. The unit may be any permitted land use. A condominium is an ownership arrangement, not a land use.
B. All or a portion of the exterior open space and any community interior spaces are owned and maintained in accordance with the Pennsylvania Uniform Condominium Act, 68 Pa.C.S.A. § 3101 et seq., and in accordance with the provisions for open space, roads or other development features in this chapter and Chapter 440: Subdivision and Land Development.

CONICAL SURFACE

A surface extending outward and upward from the periphery of the horizontal surface at a slope of 20 to one for a horizontal distance of 4,000 feet.

CONSTRUCTION/DEVELOPMENT SIGN

A type of temporary sign which is intended to advertise the name of a project or development and/or the contractor, architect, engineer, financier, etc.

CONSUMER FIREWORKS

Shall have the same meaning as in Act 43 of 2017.

COOL ROOF

One that has been designed to reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat than a standard roof. Cool roofs can be made of a highly reflective type of paint, a sheet covering, or highly reflective tiles or shingles.

COPY AREA OF SIGN

The actual area of the sign copy applied to any background. Compute copy area by straight lines drawn tangent to copy extremities encompassing individual letters, words and graphic elements.

DECISION

Final adjudication of any board or other body granted jurisdiction under this chapter or the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Act 247, as amended by Act 170) to do so, either by reason of the grant of exclusive jurisdiction or by reason of appeals from determinations. All decisions shall be appealable to the Court of Common Pleas of the county and judicial district wherein the municipality lies.

DENSITY

Density is a measure of the number of dwelling units per unit of area. It shall be expressed in dwelling units per acre. The measure is arrived at by dividing the number of dwelling units by the base site area.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

The Department of Health of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

DETERMINATION

A. Final action by an officer, body or agency charged with the administration of this chapter or applications hereunder, except the following:

(1) The Board of Supervisors.
(2) The Zoning Hearing Board.

B. Determinations shall be appealable only to the Board designated as having jurisdiction for such appeal.

DEVELOPMENT

Any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including, but not limited to, buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations.

DIRECTIONAL SIGN

Any sign which is designed and erected solely for the purpose of traffic or pedestrian direction and which is placed on the property to which the public is directed.

DIRECTLY ILLUMINATED SIGN

A sign designed to give forth artificial light directly (or through transparent or translucent material) from a source of light within such sign, including, but not limited to, neon and exposed lamp signs.

DISTINGUISHED OR CHARACTERIZED BY AN EMPHASIS UPON

The dominant or essential theme of the object described by such phrase.

DWELLING UNIT

Any room or group of rooms located within a building and forming a single, habitable unit with facilities used or intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking and eating by one family. See "family."

DWELLING UNIT

A room or group of rooms located within a building and forming a single, habitable unit with facilities used or intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking and eating, but shall not include tourist homes, cabins, lodging houses, hotels, motels or other similar places offering overnight accommodations for transients.

EASEMENT

A grant of one or more of the property rights by the property owner to another for the use by the public, a corporation or another person or entity.

EAVES

The lowest horizontal line of a sloping roof.

ELECTRIC SUBSTATION

An assemblage of equipment for purposes other than generation or utilization, through which electric energy in bulk is passed for the purpose of switching or modifying its characteristics to meet the needs of the general public.

EMERGING ENERGY

A source of energy generated from a renewable source, other than solar, water, wind, or geothermal sources, which is capable of providing energy and utility provisions to a permitted use.

EMERGING ENERGY FACILITY

A private facility capable of converting renewable energy sources into a viable energy source and utility provisions for a permitted use.

EMPLOYEE

A person who is employed or is engaged in gainful activity. For the purposes of this chapter, the term shall refer to the maximum number of employees on duty at any time at a place of business, whether the employees are full- or part-time. If shifts are involved in which two shifts overlap, it refers to the total of both shifts.

EMPLOYEE

Every owner, partner, manager, supervisor, performer or other worker, whether paid or not, who renders services of any nature in the conduct of an adult business establishment. For purposes of this subsection, it shall be a rebuttable presumption that every person who renders services of any nature in the conduct of an adult business is an employee of the adult business.

ENTERTAINER

Any person who is an employee or independent contractor of the adult business or any person who, with or without any compensation or other form of consideration, performs live entertainment for patrons of an adult business.

ERECT

To build, construct, attach, hang, suspend, affix, alter, structurally repair, paint, relocate or renew on a wall or any other background surface.

EXPLOSIVE

Any chemical compound or other substance intended for the purpose of producing an explosion or which contains oxidizing or combustible units or other ingredients in such proportions or quantities that ignition by fire, by friction, by concussion, by percussion, by induction or by detonation may produce an explosion capable of causing injury to persons or damage to property.

EXTENSION, MAJOR REPAIRS OR SUBSTANTIAL ALTERATIONS

Reconstruction activities which increase the intensity of use of a structure by an addition or additions of employees, dwelling units, floor area, seating capacity or any other unit of measurement.

FACILITY OWNER

The entity or entities having an interest in the alternative and/or emerging energy facility, including their successors and assigns.

FAMILY

One person or two or more persons related by blood, foster relationship, marriage or adoption, and in addition, any domestic servants or gratuitous guests thereof, or a group of not more than five persons who need not be so related, and in addition, domestic servants or gratuitous guests thereof, who are living together in a single, nonprofit and nontransient dwelling unit and maintaining a common household with single cooking facilities. A roomer, boarder, lodger, or other transient person shall not be considered a member of the family.

FARM BUILDING

Any building used for storing agricultural equipment or farm produce, housing livestock or poultry, or processing dairy products. The term "farm building" shall not include dwellings.

FASCIA SIGN

See "wall sign."

FELLING

The act of cutting a standing tree so that it falls to the ground.

FENCE

A barrier or partition having any combination of posts, wire, lumber, stone, brick or similar materials in which the principal dimensions are height and length and which does not support and is not attached to a ceiling or roof.

FESTOON LIGHTING

A directly illuminated sign comprised of a group of incandescent bulbs hung or strung overhead.

FISCAL IMPACT ANALYSIS

A projection of the direct, current, public costs and revenues associated with residential or nonresidential growth to the local jurisdictions in which the development is proposed.

FLOODPLAIN

Areas adjoining streams, ponds or lakes subject to the one-hundred-year recurrence-interval flood. The areas considered floodplain within Middletown Township shall include those areas identified as being subject to the one-hundred-year flood in the Flood Insurance Study for Middletown Township prepared by the Federal Insurance Administration, dated June 1979, and the accompanying Flood Boundary and Floodway Map, dated December 4, 1979.

A. FLOODWAY
That portion of the floodplain including the watercourse channel and adjacent land areas which must be reserved to carry the one-hundred-year recurrence-interval flood without cumulatively increasing that flood elevation more than one foot.

B. FLOOD-FRINGE
That portion of the floodplain which is outside the floodway.

C. APPROXIMATE ONE-HUNDRED-YEAR FLOODPLAIN
That portion of the floodplain for which no detailed flood profiles or one-hundred-year flood elevations have been provided.

FLOODPLAIN SOILS

Areas subject to periodic flooding and listed in the Soil Survey of Bucks and Philadelphia Counties, Pennsylvania, United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, July 1975, as being "on the floodplain" or subject to "flooding." The following soil types are floodplain soils:
A. Alluvial land (Ae).
B. Alton gravelly loam, flooded (A1A).
C. Bowmansville silt loam (Bo).
D. Hatboro silt loam (Ha).
E. Marsh (Mh).
F. Pope loam (PoA).
G. Rowland silt loam (Ro).

FLOOR AREA

The sum of the areas of the several floors of the building or structure, including areas used for human occupancy or required for the conduct of the business or use, and basements, attics and penthouses, as measured from the exterior faces of the walls. It does not include cellars, unenclosed porches, attics not used for human occupancy, nor any floor space in an accessory building nor in the main building intended or designed for the parking of motor vehicles in order to meet the parking requirements of this chapter, nor any such floor space intended and designed for accessory heating and ventilating equipment.

FLOOR AREA RATIO

The ratio of the floor area to the lot area, as determined by dividing the floor area by the lot area.

FORESTRY

The management of forests and timberlands when practiced in accordance with accepted silvicultural principles, through developing, cultivating, harvesting, transporting and selling trees for commercial purposes, which does not involve any land development. Clear cutting or selective cutting of forestlands for a land use change are excluded from this definition.

FREESTANDING ALTERNATIVE ENERGY FACILITY

A facility that is not physically mounted, attached and/or connected (except utility and energy transfer connections) to a permitted principal building. All such facilities shall be considered a separate or accessory structure that has the ability to convert and convey energy to the principal use in accordance with all pertinent zoning, utility and building code requirements.

FREESTANDING SIGN

A sign permanently supported by an upright(s) which is permanently anchored into the ground. Such signs must be anchored below the frost line with a footing.

GARAGE

A structure which is accessory to a dwelling unit and which is used for the parking and storage of vehicles owned and operated by the residents thereof, and which is not a separate commercial enterprise available to the general public. See § 500-2402: Residential accessory buildings for applicable regulations.

GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM

A system that uses a heat pump to extract heat from the earth in heating mode and/or reject heat into the earth in cooling mode. It is also called a geothermal heat pump system, a ground-coupled heat pump system, an earth-source heat pump system, and a GeoExchange^® system.

GREEN ROOF

A layer of vegetation planted over a waterproofing system that is installed on top of a flat or slightly sloped roof. Green roofs are also known as "vegetative or eco-roofs."

GREEN WALL

A vertical greening typology, where a vertical built structure is intentionally covered by vegetation. Green walls include a vertically applied growth medium such as soil, substitute substrate, or hydroculture felt, as well as an integrated hydration and fertigation delivery system. Green walls generally fall into one of two categories: soil-less or modular

A. SOIL-LESS
Vegetation growing on a vertical structure, mimicking growing conditions found in nature.

B. MODULAR
Pockets of plants and climbing plants and soil media in prefabricated modules to produce a green wall.

GROUND-SOURCE HEAT PUMP

A geothermal heat pump that uses the earth itself as a heat source and heat sink. It is coupled to the ground by means of a closed-loop heat exchanger installed horizontally or vertically underground.

HAZARD TO AIR NAVIGATION

An obstruction determined to have a substantial adverse effect on the safe and efficient utilization of the navigable airspace.

HEARING

An administrative proceeding conducted by a board pursuant to § 500-3111: Zoning Hearing Board; hearings.

HEIGHT

For the purpose of determining the height limits in all zones set forth in this section and shown on the Zoning Map, the datum shall be the mean sea level elevation unless otherwise specified.

HOME OCCUPATION

An activity for gain customarily carried on in a dwelling, or in a building or structure accessory to a dwelling, clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the dwelling for residential purposes.

HORIZONTAL SURFACE

A horizontal plane 150 feet above the established airport elevation, the perimeter of which in plan coincides with the perimeter of the horizontal zone.

HYDRIC SOILS

A soil that is saturated, flooded or ponded long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions that favor the growth and regeneration of wetlands vegetation. Wetlands vegetation are those plant species that have adapted to the saturated soils and periodic inundations occurring in wetlands. The following soils, classified in the Soil Survey of Bucks and Philadelphia Counties, Pennsylvania, United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, July 1975, are hydric soils:
A. Bowmansville silt loam (Bo)
B. Fallsington silt loam (Fa)
C. Towhee silt loam (ToA, ToB)
D. Towhee extremely stony silt loam (TwA, TwB)
E. Doylestown silt loam (DoA)
F. Hatboro silt loam (Ha)

ILLUMINATED SIGN

A sign in which an internal or external source of light is used.

IMPERVIOUS SURFACE

Impervious surfaces are those surfaces which do not absorb rain. All buildings, paving areas, driveways, roads, sidewalks, swimming pools, and any areas in concrete and asphalt, including porous asphalt paving, shall be considered impervious surfaces within this definition. In addition, paved areas and other areas determined by the Township Engineer to be impervious within the meaning of this definition will also be classed as impervious surfaces.

IMPERVIOUS SURFACE RATIO

The impervious surface ratio is a measure of the intensity of use of a piece of land. It is measured by dividing the total area of all impervious surfaces within the site by the base site area.

INDIRECTLY ILLUMINATED SIGN

A sign illuminated with a light so shielded that no direct rays therefrom are visible elsewhere on the lot where said illumination occurs. If such shielding device is defective, such sign shall be deemed to be a directly illuminated sign.

INTERIOR SIGN

Any sign, except a window sign, placed within a building, regardless of whether its message is visible to the exterior of the building. Interior signs are not regulated by the provisions of this chapter.

KIOSK

A permanent structure designed for the posting of temporary signs or messages.

LAKES AND PONDS

Natural or artificial bodies of water which retain water year round. Artificial ponds may be created by dams or result from excavation. Lakes are bodies of water two or more acres in extent. Ponds are bodies of water less than two acres in extent.

LAND AND POND SHORELINES

The landside edges of lakes and ponds from established shoreline to an upland boundary. Lake and pond shorelines shall be measured 100 feet from the spillway crest elevation.

LANDING

A place where logs, pulpwood or firewood are assembled for transportation to processing facilities.

LANDOWNER

An individual, partnership, company, firm, association or corporation that is in actual control of forestland, whether such control is based on legal or equitable title or on any other interest entitling the holder to sell or otherwise dispose of any or all of the timber on such land in any manner, and any agents thereof acting on their behalf, such as forestry consultants, who set up and administer timber harvesting.

LARGER THAN UTILITY RUNWAY

Any runway that is constructed for and intended to be used by propeller-driven aircraft of greater than 12,500 pounds maximum gross weight and by jet-powered aircraft.

LITTER

Discarded items not naturally occurring on the site, such as tires, oil cans, equipment parts and other rubbish.

LOP

To cut tops and slash into smaller pieces to allow the material to settle close to the ground.

LOT

A parcel of land, used or set aside and available for use as the site of one or more buildings and any buildings accessory thereto or for any other purpose, in one ownership and not divided by a street, nor including any land within the limits of a public or private street right-of-way upon which said lot abuts, even if fee to such right-of-way is in the owner of the lot. A "lot" for the purpose of this chapter may or may not coincide with a lot of record.

A. LOT AREA
The area contained within the property lines of the individual parcels of land shown on a subdivision plan, excluding any area within an existing or designated future street right-of-way or any area required as open space under this chapter and including the area of any easements.

B. CORNER LOT
A lot which has an interior angle of less than 135° at the intersection of two street lines. A lot abutting upon a curved street or streets shall be considered a corner lot if the tangent to the curve at the points beginning within the lot or at the points of intersection of the side lot lines with the street lines intersect at an angle of less than 135°.

C. THROUGH LOT
An interior lot having frontage on two parallel or approximately parallel streets.

D. LOT DEPTH
The mean distance from the street line of the lot to its opposite rear line, measured in the general direction of the side lines of the lot.

E. LOT WIDTH
The distance measured between the side lot lines at the minimum building setback line, as defined in the definition of "building setback line." In a case where there is only one side lot line, lot width shall be measured between such side lot line and the opposite rear lot line or street line.

F. VACANT LOT
A lot on which no permanent building is erected.

LOT LINE

Any boundary line of a lot.

A. LOT LINE, REAR (b)
Any lot line which is parallel to or within 45° of being parallel to a street line, except for a lot line that is itself a street line. In the case of a corner lot, the lot line opposite the street line which the front of the principal building faces shall be considered the rear lot line. In the case of a lot having no street frontage or a lot of an odd shape, only the one lot line furthest from any street shall be considered a rear lot line. In the case of a triangular lot, a line 10 feet in length entirely within the lot, parallel to and at a maximum distance from the street line, shall be considered a rear lot line.

B. LOT LINE, SIDE (c)
Any lot line which is not a street line or a rear lot line.

C. STREET LINE (d)
See "street line."

D. SAMPLE LOT CONFIGURATIONS
Letters (in illustration below) correspond to lot line definitions above.

MANUFACTURED HOME

A transportable, single-family dwelling intended for permanent occupancy, contained in one unit or in two units designed to be joined into one integral unit, capable of again being separated for repeated towing, which arrives at a site complete and ready for occupancy except for minor and incidental unpacking and assembly operations, and constructed so that it may be used without a permanent foundation. The term includes park trailers, travel trailers, recreational and other similar vehicles which are placed on a site for more than 180 consecutive days.

MANUFACTURED HOME PARK

A parcel of land under single ownership which has been planned and improved for the placement of two or more manufactured homes for nontransient use.

MARQUEE

A permanent, roofed structure attached to a building and projecting over public or private property.

MARQUEE SIGN

Any sign attached to a marquee (see "wall sign").

MEDIATION

A voluntary negotiating process in which parties in a dispute mutually select a neutral mediator to assist them in jointly exploring and settling their differences, culminating in a written agreement which the parties themselves create and consider acceptable.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACT

Act 16 of 2016 of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 35 P.S. § 10231.101 et seq.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

A person, including a natural person, individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, trust, governmental entity or any other entity, or any combination thereof, and including a trustee, receiver, assignee and/or other similar representative of the same, that is registered by the Department of Health under the Medical Marijuana Act to dispense medical marijuana. The term does not include a "health care medical marijuana organization" as defined in Chapter 19 of the Medical Marijuana Act

MEDICAL MARIJUANA GROWER/PROCESSOR

A person, including a natural person, individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, trust, governmental entity or any other entity, or any combination thereof, and including a trustee, receiver, assignee and/or other similar representative of the same, that is registered by the Department of Health under the Medical Marijuana Act to grow and/or process medical marijuana. The term does not include a "health care medical marijuana organization" as defined in Chapter 19 of the Medical Marijuana Act.

METEOROLOGICAL TOWER

A structure designed to support the gathering of wind energy resource data, and includes the tower, base plate, anchors, guy cables and hardware, anemometers (wind speed indicators), wind direction vanes, booms to hold equipment anemometers and vanes, data logger, instrument wiring, and any telemetry devices that are used to monitor or transmit wind speed and wind flow characteristics over a period of time for either instantaneous wind information or to characterize the wind resource at a given location.

MOBILE HOME

A transportable, single-family dwelling intended for permanent occupancy, contained in one unit, or in two units designed to be joined into one integral unit capable of again being separated for repeated towing, which arrives at a site complete and ready for occupancy except for minor and incidental unpacking and assembly operations, and constructed so that it may be used without a permanent foundation.

MOBILE HOME LOT

A parcel of land in a mobile home park, improved with the necessary utility connections and other appurtenances (accessory attachments) necessary for the erection thereon of a single mobile home.

MOBILE HOME PAD

That part of a mobile home lot which has been reserved for the placement of the mobile home, appurtenant structures or additions.

MOBILE HOME PARK

A parcel or contiguous parcels of land which has been so designated and improved that it contains two or more mobile home lots for the placement thereon of mobile homes.

MONUMENT DISPLAY

An internally illuminated structure with display or copy faces that use a visual communication technology (VCT), such as light-emitting diodes (LED) or other internal light sources, to communicate municipal, civic or emergency messaging, on-premises advertising, and/or commercial off-premises advertising. A monument display shall be capable of remotely or automatically changing displays. The portion of the monument display structure where the messaging or advertising is displayed is called the "active area."

MUNICIPAL ENGINEER

A professional engineer licensed as such in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, duly appointed as the Engineer for Middletown Township.

MUNICIPAL WASTE

Any garbage, refuse, industrial lunchroom or office waste and other material, including solid, liquid, semisolid or contained gaseous material, resulting from operation of residential, municipal, commercial or institutional establishments and from community activities, and any sludge not meeting the definition of residual or hazardous waste in the Solid Waste Management Act from a municipal, commercial or institutional water supply treatment plant, wastewater treatment plant or air pollution control facility. The term does not include source-separated recyclable materials.

NONCONFORMING LOT

A lot, the area or dimensions of which was lawful prior to the adoption or amendment of this chapter but which fails to conform to the requirements of the zoning district in which it is located by reason of such adoption or amendment.

NONCONFORMING STRUCTURE

A structure or part of a structure which does not comply with the applicable area, dimensional, parking, buffer, environmental or other provisions of this chapter or amendment heretofore or hereafter enacted, where such structure lawfully existed prior to the enactment of such ordinance or amendment or prior to the application of such ordinance or amendment to its location by reason of annexation. Such nonconforming structures include, but are not limited to, nonconforming signs.

NONCONFORMING STRUCTURE

A structure or part of a structure which does not comply with the applicable area, dimensional, parking, buffer, environmental or other provisions of this chapter or amendment heretofore or hereafter enacted, where such structure lawfully existed prior to enactment of such ordinance or amendment. Such nonconforming structures include, but are not limited to, nonconforming signs.

NONCONFORMING USE

Any preexisting structure, object of natural growth, or use of land covered by this airport district which is inconsistent with the provisions of this section or an amendment thereto.

NONCONFORMING USE

A use, whether of land or of structure, which does not comply with the applicable use provisions in this chapter or amendment heretofore or hereafter enacted, where such use was lawfully in existence prior to the enactment of such ordinance or amendment or prior to the application of such ordinance or amendment to its location by reason of annexation.

NONPARTICIPATING LANDOWNER

Any landowner except those on whose property all or a portion of an alternative and/or emerging energy facility is located pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

NONPRECISION INSTRUMENT RUNWAY

A runway having an existing instrument-approach procedure utilizing air navigation facilities with only horizontal guidance or area-type navigation equipment for which a straight-in nonprecision-instrument approach procedure has been approved or planned.

OBSTRUCTION

Any structure, growth or other object, including a mobile object, which exceeds a limiting height set forth in this section.

OCCUPIED BUILDING

A building located on a parcel of land utilized as a permitted use in accordance with the provisions of Middletown Township.

OFFICE CAMPUS

A planned development designed as a complex of related structures, circulation patterns, utilities, landscaping and buffering to create an integrated and coordinated whole.

OFF-PREMISES SIGN

A sign directing attention to a business, person, commodity or service not sold or located upon the premises where the sign is located.

OFF-STREET LOADING SPACE

An on-the-property space for the standing, loading and unloading of vehicles to avoid undue interference with the public use of streets and alleys.

OFF-STREET PARKING SPACE

An area on a lot used for parking a vehicle, to which there is access from a street.

ON-PREMISES SIGN

A sign which carries only messages strictly incidental to lawful use of the premises on which it is located. Such signs may include but not be limited to messages indicating the business transacted, services rendered, goods sold or produced on the premises, name of the business, and name of the person, firm or corporation occupying the premises.

OPEN SPACE

Open space is land which shall be kept open in perpetuity and shall be restricted from future development. Open space shall be permanent and inviolate. To qualify as open space, such land shall be used only for open space uses: recreation, amenity, buffer or resource protection. Open space shall not include land occupied by nonrecreational buildings or structures, roads or road rights-of-way, easements, paving lots, land reserved for future parking lots, stormwater detention basins or retention basins, or the yards or lots of dwelling units.

OPEN SPACE RATIO

The open space ratio is a measure of the intensity of land use. It is arrived at by dividing the total amount of open space within the site by the base site area.

OPERATE AN ADULT BUSINESS

The supervising, managing, inspecting, directing, organizing, controlling or in any way being responsible for or in charge of the conduct of activities of an adult business or activities within an adult business.

OPERATOR

An individual, partnership, company, firm, association or corporation responsible for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the alternative and/or emerging energy facilities and/or engaged in timber harvesting, including the agents, subcontractors and employees thereof.

OPINION SIGN

Any sign that expresses or declares the personal belief, idea or conviction of the citizen(s) residing on the premises as protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

OUTDOOR STORAGE UNIT

A consumer fireworks building, trailer, semitrailer, metal shipping container, or magazine meeting the specifications of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, the Uniform Construction Code, and the Township's ordinances in effect at the time of the application.

PARAPET

The portion of a facade or wall that extends above the roof.

PERFORMANCE STANDARD SUBDIVISION

A development or subdivision that permits a variety of housing types subject to a series of performance standards. The performance standard subdivision requires the provision of open space and limits density and impervious surfaces.

PERMITTEE

The person to whom an adult business permit is issued.

PERSON

Any individual, firm association, partnership, coparty, corporation, limited liability corporation, joint-stock company, joint venture or combination of the above in whatever form or character.

PERSON

An individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, joint-stock association or government entity, including a trustee, receiver, assignee or similar representative of any of them.

PERSONAL SERVICE ARTIST/OPERATOR

One who engages in body piercing or tattooing.

PERSONAL SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT

Any premises where a personal service artist/operator does body piercing or tattooing.

POLE SIGN

See "freestanding sign."

POLITICAL SIGN

Any temporary sign pertaining to political views, an individual seeking election or appointment to a public office, or a forthcoming public election or referendum.

PORTABLE SIGN

A sign, with or without display or legend, which is self-supporting without being firmly embedded in the ground or is fixed on a movable stand or mounted on wheels or removable vehicles or made easily movable in some other manner.

PRECISION INSTRUMENT RUNWAY

A runway having an existing instrument-approach procedure utilizing an instrument landing system (ILS) or a precision approach radar (PAR). It also means a runway for which a precision approach system is planned and is so indicated on an approved airport layout plan or any other planning document.

PRECOMMERCIAL TIMBER STAND IMPROVEMENT

A forest practice, such as thinning or pruning, which results in better growth, structure, species composition or health for the residual stand but which does not yield a net income to the landowner, usually because any trees cut are of poor quality, too small or otherwise of limited marketability or value.

PREMISES

A separate lot or tax parcel or a single use on more than one lot or tax parcel with individual frontage abutting the street line. A premises may include more than one occupant as in an office complex or shopping center.

PRIMARY SURFACE

A surface longitudinally centered on a runway. When the runway has a specially prepared hard surface, the primary surface extends 200 feet beyond each end of that runway; for military runways or when the runway has no specially prepared hard surface, or planned hard surface, the primary surface ends at each end of that runway. The width of the primary surface is set forth in § 500-2201C. The elevation of any point on the primary surface is the same as the elevation of the nearest point on the runway center line.

PRINCIPAL

A. PRINCIPAL BUILDING
See "building, principal."

B. PRINCIPAL USE
See "use, principal."

PRIVATE ENERGY AND UTILITY PROVIDER

A principal use owned, operated and/or maintained by a private or independent utility company for the purposes of providing energy within a defined service area or grid system in accordance with the provisions established by the Public Utility Commission and the Public Utility Code.

PROJECTING SIGN

A sign, other than a wall sign, which is attached to and projects more than 18 inches from a wall of a building.

PUBLIC HEARING

A formal meeting held pursuant to public notice by the Board of Supervisors or Planning Commission, intended to inform and obtain public comment, prior to taking action in accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Act 247, as amended by Act 170).

PUBLIC MEETING

A forum held pursuant to notice under the Act of July 3, 1986 (P.L. 388, No. 84), known as the "Sunshine Act."

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice published once each week for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the Township. Such notice shall state the time and place of the hearing and the particular nature of the matter to be considered at the hearing. The first publication shall not be more than 30 days and the second publication shall not be less than seven days from the date of the hearing.

REAL ESTATE SIGN

A sign pertaining to the sale, lease or rent of a property upon which it is located.

REGISTERED GROSS WEIGHT

The maximum gross weight at which a vehicle or combination is registered in this commonwealth or any other commonwealth or state to operate upon a highway.

REGULARLY FEATURES

With respect to an adult business, means a regular, substantial course of conduct. The presentation, in or at any building or portion thereof, of live performances which are distinguished or characterized by an emphasis upon the display of specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas, as hereinafter defined, on two or more occasions within a thirty-day period; three or more occasions within a sixty-day period; or four or more occasions within a one-hundred-eighty-day period shall, to the extent permitted by law, be deemed to be a regular and substantial course of conduct.

REPORT

Any letter, review, memorandum, compilation or similar writing made by any body, board, officer or consultant other than a solicitor to any other body, board, officer or consultant for the purpose of assisting the recipient of such report in the rendering of any decision or determination. All reports shall be deemed recommendations and advisory only and shall not be binding upon their recipient, board, officer, body or agency, nor shall any appeal be therefrom. Any report used, received or considered by the body, board, officer or agency rendering a determination or decision shall be made available for inspection to the applicant and all other parties to any proceeding upon request, and copies thereof shall be provided at cost of production.

RETAIL STORE

Any shop or store selling commodities and goods to the ultimate consumer, including, but not limited to, the following: food stores, drugstores, variety stores, clothing or dry goods stores, stationery or bookstores, and any other facility dedicated to providing commodities and goods as provided hereunder.

REVOLVING SIGN

A type of freestanding sign which revolves 360° or agitates back and forth.

RIGHT-OF-WAY

Land set aside for use as a street, alley or other means of travel.

A. EXISTING RIGHT-OF-WAY
The legal right-of-way as established by the commonwealth or other appropriate governing authority and currently in existence.

B. FUTURE RIGHT-OF-WAY
The right-of-way deemed necessary to provide adequate width for future street improvements.

ROOF SIGN

A sign erected or maintained upon the roof or parapet of a building, the entire face of which is situated above the eaves or highest architectural point of the building to which it is attached, and which is wholly or partially supported by said building.

ROOFLINE

The uppermost line of the roof of the building or, in the case of an extended facade or parapet, the uppermost height of said facade or parapet.

RUNWAY

A defined area on an airport prepared for landing and takeoff of aircraft along its length.

SEATS

The seating capacity of a particular building as determined by the specifications and plans and filed with the Zoning Officer. In the event individual seats are not provided, each 20 inches of benches or similar seating accommodations shall be considered as one seat for the purpose of this chapter.

SEMINUDE

A state of dress in which clothing covers no more than the genitals, pubic region, buttocks, areola of the female breast, as well as portions of the body covered by supporting straps or devices, such as by "G" strings, pasties, thongs, bikinis or other similar form of garments or devices.

SEWER

A. PUBLIC SEWER
A public sewer is any municipal or privately owned sewer system in which sewage is collected from buildings from more than one lot and/or dwelling unit and piped to an approved sewage disposal plant or central septic tank disposal system. It may also be referred to as "off-lot" or "off-site" sewer. This shall include capped sewers.

B. PRIVATE SEWER
An "on-lot" approved disposal system generally providing for disposal of effluent for only one building or a group of buildings on a single lot.

SIGN

See § 500-2803: General sign regulations.

SIGN

Any letter, number, symbol, figure, character, mark, plane, design, picture, stroke, stripe, trademark or combination of these, including permanent window signs erected in any manner whatsoever, which shall be used for the attraction of the public to any place, subject, person, firm, corporation, public performance, article or merchandise and which shall be displayed in any manner whatsoever.

SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED DWELLING

A single detached dwelling unit on an individual lot with private yards on all sides of the house.

SITE

The site shall be defined as a parcel or parcels of land intended to have one or more buildings or intended to be subdivided into one or more lots.

SITE AREA

All land area within the site as defined in the deed. This area shall be determined from an actual site used rather than from a deed description.

SITE AREA, BASE

The area of the site remaining after subtracting land which is not contiguous, land previously subdivided, and road and utility rights-of-way from the site area.

SITE AREA, BUILDABLE

The buildable site area is the area of the site which may be altered, disturbed or regraded for development purposes. The buildable site area could contain buildings, roads, parking areas, sewage systems and stormwater management facilities. The buildable site area would not contain required open space, recreation areas and natural resource protection areas.

SKIDDING

Dragging trees on the ground from the stump to the landing by any means.

SLASH

Woody debris left in the woods after logging, including logs, chunks, bark, branches, uprooted stumps and broken or uprooted trees or shrubs.

SNIPE SIGN

A small off-premises sign attached in any way to an object or tree.

SOLAR EASEMENTS

Legal agreements that protect access to sunlight on a property.

SOLAR ENERGY

Radiant energy (direct, diffuse or reflected) received from the sun at wavelengths suitable for conversion into thermal, chemical or electrical energy.

A. SOLAR ENERGY COLLECTOR
Any device, structure or part of a device or structure which is used primarily to transform solar energy into thermal, chemical or electrical energy. It includes any space or structural component specifically designed to retain heat derived from solar energy.

B. SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM
An energy system that consists of one or more solar collection devices, solar-energy-related "balance of system" equipment, and other associated infrastructure, with the primary intention of generating electricity, storing electricity, or otherwise converting solar energy to a different form of energy. Solar energy systems may generate energy in excess of the energy requirements of a property if it is to be sold back to a public utility in accordance with the law.

C. ACTIVE SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM
A solar system that requires external mechanical power (fans or pumps) to move a conductive medium (water, antifreeze or freon) to the interior of a building for heating or cooling.

D. PASSIVE SOLAR SYSTEM
A solar energy system that uses natural properties of materials and architectural components to collect and store solar energy. In some cases, external mechanical power (fan) may be required to move the collected heat.

E. SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM, GROUND-MOUNTED
A solar energy system where an array is mounted onto the ground.

SOLAR REFLECTIVE INDEX (SRI)

A measure of the constructed surface's ability to reflect solar heat, as shown by a small temperature rise. It is defined so that a standard black surface (reflectance 0.05, emittance 0.90) is 0, and a standard white surface (reflectance 0.80, emittance 0.90) is 100.

SPECIAL EXCEPTION

A use permitted in a particular zoning district pursuant to the provisions of § 500-3108: Zoning Hearing Board; special exceptions.

SPECIFIED ANATOMICAL AREAS

Any of the following:
[a] Less than completely and opaquely covered human genitals, pubic region, buttocks and female breast below a point immediately above the top of the areola;
[b] Human male genitals in a discernibly turgid state, even if completely opaquely covered;
[c] Any device, costume or covering that simulates any of the body parts included in subsections [a] and [b] above.

SPECIFIED SEXUAL ACTIVITIES

Any of the following, whether performed directly or indirectly through clothing or other coverings:
[a] Human genitals in a state of sexual stimulation or arousal;
[b] Sexual acts, actual or simulated, including sexual intercourse, oral copulation or sodomy;
[c] Fondling or other erotic touching of human genitals, pubic region, buttocks or female breast;
[d] Masturbation, actual or simulated; or
[e] Excretory functions as part of or in connection with any of the other activities described in subsections [a] through [d] above.

STAND

Any area of forest vegetation whose site conditions, past history and current species composition are sufficiently uniform to be managed as a unit.

STEEP SLOPES

Areas where the average slope exceeds 8% which, because of this slope, are subject to high rates of stormwater runoff and, therefore, erosion and flooding.

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 the floor and the ceiling next above it and including those basements used for the principal use. A half story is a space under a sloping roof which has the line of intersection of the roof and wall face not more than three feet above the floor level, and in which space the possible floor area with headroom of five feet or less occupies at least 40% of the total floor area of the story directly beneath.

Source: Moskowi & Lindbloom. The Illustrated Book of Development Definitions (1981, Rutgers University).

STORY, GROUND

That story with its floor level immediately above the average finished grade level of the adjoining ground at any particular point or side of the building.

STREAM

Any natural or artificial channel of conveyance for surface water with an annual or intermittent flow within a defined bed and banks.

STREET

A public or private way used or intended to be used for passage or travel by automotive vehicles and pedestrians and/or to provide access to abutting properties.

STREET LINE

The dividing line between the street and the lot. The street line shall be the same as the future right-of-way.

STRUCTURE

Any man-made object having an ascertainable stationary location on or in land or water, whether or not affixed to the land.

STRUCTURE

An object, including a mobile object, constructed or installed by man, including, but without limitations, buildings, towers, cranes, smokestacks, earth formations and overhead transmission lines.

SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT

Any repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition or improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure either before the improvement or repair is started or, if the structure has been damaged and is being restored, before the damage occurred.

TATTOO or TATTOOING

To mark or color the skin by pricking in, by subcutaneous introduction, nontoxic dyes or pigments so as to form indelible marks or figures by production of scars.

TELEPHONE CENTRAL OFFICE

A building or part of a building used for the transmission and exchange of telephone or radio telephone messages.

TEMPORARY STRUCTURE

A structure, other than a permanent facility with fixed utility connections, which is in use or in place for a period of 20 consecutive calendar days or less and is dedicated to the storage and sale of consumer fireworks and related items. The term includes temporary retail stands, tents, canopies, and membrane structures meeting the specifications of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act,[5] the Uniform Construction Code, and the Township's Ordinances in effect at the time of the application. The term excludes a facility that is not licensed to sell consumer fireworks under federal and/or state law and that is required to be licensed.

TENANT HOUSE

An accessory building on a lot used in whole or in part as dwelling quarters for one or more tenant farmers.

THERMAL MASS WALL

Above-grade, exterior building walls that are made of concrete block, concrete, insulated concrete form, masonry cavity, brick, earth, adobe, compressed earth block, rammed earth, and solid timber or logs. The insulation must be at least 50% on the exterior or integral to the wall, and the wall must exhibit a weight greater than 15 pounds per square foot.

TIMBER HARVESTING, TREE HARVESTING or LOGGING

The process of cutting down trees and removing logs from the forest for the primary purpose of sale or commercial processing into wood products. Clear cutting or selective cutting of forestlands for a land use change are excluded from this definition.

TIME-AND-TEMPERATURE SIGN

A display containing illuminated or reflective numerals switching alternately to show the time and temperature.

TOP

The upper portion of a felled tree that is unmerchantable because of small size, taper or defect.

TOURIST HOUSE

A dwelling in which rooms for overnight sleeping accommodations are provided for or offered to transient guests for compensation.

TOWNSHIP SPECIFICATIONS

Specifications duly adopted by the Board of Supervisors by formal resolution for a specific purpose, copies of which are available to the general public at the office of the Township Manager.

TRAILER

A vehicle designed to be towed by a motor vehicle, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.

TRANSIENT DWELLING

A dwelling unit in which between six and 16 persons who are not considered a family live together and maintain a common household with single cooking facilities.

TRANSITIONAL SURFACE

These surfaces extend outward at 90° angles to the runway center line and the runway center line extended at a slope of seven feet horizontally for each foot vertically from the sides of the primary and approach surfaces to where they intersect the horizontal and conical surfaces. Transitional surfaces for those portions of the precision approach surfaces which project through and beyond the limits of the conical surface extend a distance of 5,000 feet measured horizontally from the edge of the approach surface and at 90° angles to the extended runway center line.

TREE

Any object of natural growth.

TREE PROTECTION ZONE (TPZ)

An area that is radial to the trunk of a tree, in which no construction activity shall occur. The tree protection zone shall be 15 feet from the trunk of the tree to be retained or the distance from the trunk to the dripline, whichever is greater. Where there is a group of trees or woodlands, the tree protection zone shall be the aggregate of the protection zones for the individual trees.

TRUCK

A motor vehicle designed, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.

TRUCK TRACTOR

A motor vehicle designed and used primarily for drawing other vehicles and not constructed to carry a load other than a part of the weight of the vehicle and load so drawn.

USE

A. USE, ACCESSORY
A use located on the same lot with a principal use, and clearly incidental or subordinate to, and in connection with the principal use.

B. USE, PRINCIPAL
The main use on a lot.

UTILITIES

Those services customarily rendered by public utility corporations, municipalities or municipal authorities in the nature of electricity, gas, telephone, water and sewerage, including the appurtenances used in connection with the supplying of such services (buildings, wires, pipes, poles and the like).

UTILITY RUNWAY

A runway that is constructed for and intended to be used by propeller-driven aircraft of up to 12,500 pounds maximum gross weight.

VARIANCE

Relief granted pursuant to the provisions of § 500-3107: Zoning Hearing Board; variances.

VEHICULAR SIGN

A portable sign which is affixed and/or painted to a vehicle in such a manner that the carrying of such sign or signs is no longer incidental to the vehicle's primary purpose. Such signs shall be subject to the regulations for portable signs as defined in this article.

VISUAL COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (VCT)

Any type of lighting element that, when operational, is able to communicate a visual message. A visual communication technology may include, but is not limited to, the following: dual in-line packaged light-emitting diodes (LED); surface-mounted diode LED; chip on board LED; fiber optic LED; internally illuminate Lexan; intense pulsed light technology; outdoor projection technology; outdoor projection video-mapping technology; holographic technology; and 3D holographic technology.

VISUAL RUNWAY

A runway intended solely for the operation of aircraft using visual approach procedures.

WALL AND FASCIA SIGN

A sign which is parallel to any exterior wall of a building or structure. Also includes signs affixed to architectural projections, canopies or marquees which project from a building facade, provided the copy area of such sign remains parallel to the building facade.

WALLS, FACING

Walls opposite to and parallel with one another or wall lines extended off opposite walls intersecting at angles of less than 65°.

WATERCOURSE

Any natural or artificial stream, river, creek, ditch, channel, canal, waterway, gully or ravine in which water flows in a definite direction or course, either continuously or intermittently, and has a defined bed and banks.

WETLAND

Areas that are inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater 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, including swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas.

WETLANDS MARGIN

The transitional area extending from the outer limit of the wetland.

WIND ENERGY SYSTEM

A device, which includes a tower structure and associated mechanism(s) and supporting components, which is installed aboveground for the purpose of generating mechanical or electrical energy, and may include, but not be limited to, vertical or horizontal plane, wind-driven turbines, helixes, meteorological towers, and windmills.

WINDOW SIGN

A sign affixed to or within 12 inches of the interior surface of a window with its message visible to the outside of said window surface.

WOOD-FIRED BOILER

An alternative energy facility designed to burn wood or other organic biomass fuels, which transfers heated air or liquid through a piping or ventilation system to a principal use. All such systems are generally contained within an accessory structure that is not intended for habitation by humans or animals. Outdoor wood-fired boilers may also be known as "outdoor wood-fired furnaces," "outdoor wood-burning appliances," "outdoor hydraulic heaters," and/or "hot-water stoves."

WOODLANDS

One-quarter acre or more of wooded land where the largest trees measure at least six inches in diameter at breast height (dbh) or 4.5 feet from the ground. The woodland shall be measured from the dripline of the outer trees. Woodlands are also a grove of trees forming one canopy where 10 or more trees measure at least 10 inches in diameter at breast height (dbh).

YARD

A. YARD, FRONT
A yard between a structure and a street line and extending the entire length of the street line. In the case of a lot that fronts on more than one street, the yards extending along all streets are front yards.

B. YARD, REAR
A yard between a structure and rear lot line and extending the entire length of the rear lot line.

C. YARD, SIDE
A yard between a structure and a side lot line, extending from the front yard to the rear yard. In the case of a lot having no street frontage or a lot of odd shape, any yard that is not a front yard or a rear yard shall be considered a side yard.

Township of Middletown, PA

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