Definitions

Soils, highly erodible means (excluding vegetation) with an erodibility index (EI) from sheet and rill erosion equal to or greater than eight.

Highly permeable soils are identified as any soil having a permeability equal to or greater than six inches of water movement per hour in any part of the soil profile to a depth of 72 inches (permeability groups "rapid" and "very rapid") as found in the latest edition of the "National Soil Survey Handbook" of November 1996, in the "Field Office Technical Guide" of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Riparian buffer means a vegetated buffer no less than 100 feet wide, located adjacent to and landward of all tidal shores, tidal wetlands, non-tidal wetlands connected by surface flow and contiguous to tidal wetlands or along water bodies with perennial flow.

Resource protection area (RPA) means the "shoreward" component of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area. RPAs are composed of tidal wetlands, nontidal wetlands connected by surface flow and contiguous to tidal wetlands or water bodies with perennial flow, tidal shores, such other lands considered necessary to protect the quality of state waters and 100 feet of riparian buffers adjacent to and landward of these features.

Substantial alteration means an expansion or modification of a building or development that would result in a disturbance of land exceeding an area of 2,500 square feet in the resource management area only.

Sign, contractor means one sign per licensed contractor performing, or having performed within the past 31 days, construction or building renovation work on the premises.

Sewage treatment system, private, individual alternative means any device or system which results in a point source discharge of treated sewage for which the department of health may issue a permit authorizing construction and operation when such system is regulated by the state department of environmental quality pursuant to a general Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued for an individual single-family dwelling with flows less than or equal to 1,000 gallons per day on a yearly average.

Subdivision, farmstead means a subdivision of two to seven lots where the lots are a minimum of 15 acres in size.

Temporary stands for sale of fireworks not to exceed 14 days per calendar year. A zoning permit is required.

Solar facility, medium-scale means a facility that generates electricity from sunlight primarily to reduce onsite consumption of utility power for commercial and industrial applications. Sites are between one to three acres with a maximum capacity of 999 kilowatts.

Solar facility, medium-scale means a facility that generates electricity from sunlight primarily to reduce onsite consumption of utility power for commercial and industrial applications. Sites are between one to three acres with a maximum capacity of 999 kilowatts.

Micro-wireless facility means a small cell facility that is not larger in dimension than 24 inches in length, 15 inches in width, and 12 inches in height and that has an exterior antenna, if any, not longer than 11 inches (Code of Virginia, § 15.2-2316.3).

Micro-wireless facility means a small cell facility that is not larger in dimension than 24 inches in length, 15 inches in width, and 12 inches in height and that has an exterior antenna, if any, not longer than 11 inches (Code of Virginia, § 15.2-2316.3).

Micro-wireless facility means a small cell facility that is not larger in dimension than 24 inches in length, 15 inches in width, and 12 inches in height and that has an exterior antenna, if any, not longer than 11 inches (Code of Virginia, § 15.2-2316.3).

Micro-wireless facility means a small cell facility that is not larger in dimension than 24 inches in length, 15 inches in width, and 12 inches in height and that has an exterior antenna, if any, not longer than 11 inches (Code of Virginia, § 15.2-2316.3).

Mini-warehouse means a building designed to provide rental storage space in cubicles where each cubicle has a maximum floor area of 400 square feet.

Subdivision, minor means a subdivision other than a major subdivision or a single-lot subdivision that results in the creation of no more than four platted lots.

Short term business rental means the rental of any legally permitted dwelling unit for occupancy, or any portion of any legally permitted dwelling unit for occupancy, for dwelling, lodging, or sleeping purposes for a period of less than 30 consecutive calendar days.

Small cell facility means a wireless facility that meets both of the following qualifications: (i) each antenna is located inside an enclosure of no more than six cubic feet in volume, or, in the case of an antenna that has exposed elements, the antenna and all of its exposed elements could fit within an imaginary enclosure of no more than six cubic feet and (ii) all other wireless equipment associated with the facility has a cumulative volume of no more than 28 cubic feet, or such higher limit as is established by the Federal Communications Commission.

Small cell facility means a wireless facility that meets both of the following qualifications: (i) each antenna is located inside an enclosure of no more than six cubic feet in volume, or, in the case of an antenna that has exposed elements, the antenna and all of its exposed elements could fit within an imaginary enclosure of no more than six cubic feet and (ii) all other wireless equipment associated with the facility has a cumulative volume of no more than 28 cubic feet, or such higher limit as is established by the Federal Communications Commission.

Restaurant, small means an establishment engaged in the preparation of food and beverages containing no more than 2,000 gross square feet and characterized primarily by table service to customers in non-disposable containers.

Solar facility, small-scale means a facility that either: (a) generates less than 15 kilowatts electricity from sunlight, consisting of one or more photovoltaic (PV) systems and other appurtenant structures and facilities within the boundaries of the site; or (b) utilizes sunlight as an energy source to heat or cool buildings, heat or cool water, or produce electrical or mechanical power by means of any combination of collecting, transferring, or converting solar-generated energy; and (c) meets at least one of the following criteria: has a disturbance zone equal to or less than an acre; is mounted on or over a building, parking lot, or other previously disturbed area; or utilizes integrated PV only.

Special event means circuses, fairs, carnivals, festivals, weddings, family reunions or other types of special events that: 1. Run for no longer than two weeks.

Specialty shop means a small-scale (less than 2,500 square feet per business) retail use which offers for sale items of art or crafts, or which offers for sale items related to a specific theme, such as kitchen wares and pet care.

Temporary sales means temporary stands or outdoor areas for sale of Christmas trees, and the like not to exceed 90 days. A zoning permit is required.

Temporary structure means a structure that will not remain erected on a parcel for a length longer than 60 days. The erection of a temporary structure requires a temporary structure permit.

Area considered as usable common open space must be available for all residential occupants of a given building or project and may include only those spaces enclosing an area of at least 300 square feet, with a least dimension of 15 feet or more.

Area considered as usable common open space must be available for all residential occupants of a given building or project and may include only those spaces enclosing an area of at least 300 square feet, with a least dimension of 15 feet or more.

Subdivision, cluster means a subdivision utilizing a design technique that concentrates single family dwellings in specific areas on the site with 70 percent of the original parcel as a permanent conservation area.

Subdivision, family means a division made pursuant to Code of Virginia, § 15.2-2244, i.e., a single division of a lot or parcel for the purpose of sale or gift to a member of the immediate family of the property owner, including the family member's spouse, subject only to any express requirement contained in the Code of Virginia and to any requirement imposed by the governing body that all lots of fewer than five acres have reasonable right-of-way of 20 feet providing ingress and egress to a dedicated recorded public street or thoroughfare.

Subdivision, family means a division made pursuant to Code of Virginia, § 15.2-2244, i.e., a single division of a lot or parcel for the purpose of sale or gift to a member of the immediate family of the property owner, including the family member's spouse, subject only to any express requirement contained in the Code of Virginia and to any requirement imposed by the governing body that all lots of fewer than five acres have reasonable right-of-way of 20 feet providing ingress and egress to a dedicated recorded public street or thoroughfare.

Subdivision, farmstead means a subdivision of two to seven lots where the lots are a minimum of 15 acres in size.

Restaurant, general means an establishment engaged in the preparation of food and beverages containing more than 2,000 gross square feet and characterized primarily by table service to customers in non-disposable containers.

Subdivision, major means a subdivision with more than four lots and may contain lots of less than 15 acres.

Solar facility, medium-scale means a facility that generates electricity from sunlight primarily to reduce onsite consumption of utility power for commercial and industrial applications. Sites are between one to three acres with a maximum capacity of 999 kilowatts.

Solar facility, utility-scale means a facility that generates electricity from sunlight which will be used to provide electricity to a utility provider. Sites are generally over two acres and have a capacity in excess of one megawatt.

Solar facility, utility-scale means a facility that generates electricity from sunlight which will be used to provide electricity to a utility provider. Sites are generally over two acres and have a capacity in excess of one megawatt.

Enclosed pasture or range with an area in excess of 100 square feet for each hog or small animal or 200 square feet for each larger animal shall not be regarded as a pen.

Enclosed pasture or range with an area in excess of 100 square feet for each hog or small animal or 200 square feet for each larger animal shall not be regarded as a pen.

Petroleum or chemical storage over 30,000 gallons means the storage of chemicals, petroleum products and other materials in above-ground containers in a quantity that totals more than 30,000 gallons, for subsequent resale to distributors or retail dealers or outlets.

Parking space, off-street means an all-weather surfaced area not in a road or alley and having dimensions of not less than nine feet wide by 18 feet deep, exclusive of driveways, permanently reserved for the temporary storage of one vehicle and connected with a road or alley by a paved driveway which affords ingress and egress for an automobile without requiring another automobile to be moved.

Parking space, off-street means an all-weather surfaced area not in a road or alley and having dimensions of not less than nine feet wide by 18 feet deep, exclusive of driveways, permanently reserved for the temporary storage of one vehicle and connected with a road or alley by a paved driveway which affords ingress and egress for an automobile without requiring another automobile to be moved.

Sign, abandoned means a sign or structure of a former sign shall be deemed to be abandoned when for a period of 30 consecutive days it does not identify or advertise a lawful, bona fide, and operational business, service, lessor, owner, product, or activity located at, or offered upon, the premises.

Sign, directional means a sign giving directional instructions, but containing no advertising copy, (e.g., parking or exit and entrance signs). Such signs shall not exceed four feet in height and two square feet in area.

Sign, directional means a sign giving directional instructions, but containing no advertising copy, (e.g., parking or exit and entrance signs). Such signs shall not exceed four feet in height and two square feet in area.

Sign, portable means a freestanding sign that is trailer mounted, or otherwise designed to be relocated, or is constructed on a chassis or carriage with permanent or removable wheels, and has an area not exceeding 60 square feet on each of two parallel sides.

Sign, wall means a sign painted on, or attached to, and erected parallel to the face of an outside wall of a building, and not projecting more than 18 inches from the wall.

For purposes of this chapter, any sign (including illuminated signs) located inside a building and otherwise legible from any vehicular public right-of-way shall be deemed not to be a "window sign" if such sign is less than six square feet in area and is located at least ten feet away from such window(s) through which it is viewed.

For purposes of this chapter, any sign (including illuminated signs) located inside a building and otherwise legible from any vehicular public right-of-way shall be deemed not to be a "window sign" if such sign is less than six square feet in area and is located at least ten feet away from such window(s) through which it is viewed.