Northampton County Unincorporated

GROUP HOME. A respite care service facility, retirement home or supervised living residential facility that houses more than eight individuals or otherwise is not a "residential facility" as defined herein.

ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY. A congregate residential setting that provides or coordinates personal and health care services, 24-hour supervision, and assistance (scheduled and/or unscheduled) for the maintenance and care of four or more adults who are aged, infirm, or disabled and who are cared for in a primarily residential setting in accordance with VA Code § 63.2-100.

APARTMENT or APARTMENT HOUSE. An arrangement of three or more attached dwelling units within a structure, each intended for occupation by a separate family.

DWELLING, MULTI-FAMILY. A structure containing three to five attached dwelling units, each intended for occupancy by a separate family.

DWELLING, MANUFACTURED HOME. A structure transportable in one or more sections, which, in the traveling mode, is eight body feet or more in width or 40 body feet or more in length, or when erected on site is 320 or more square feet and is built on a permanent chassis and is designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when attached to the required utilities.

CRITICAL ROOT AREA. A circular region measured outward from a tree trunk representing the essential area of the roots that must be maintained or protected for the tree's survival. CRITICAL ROOT AREA is one foot of radial distance for every inch of tree DBH with a minimum of eight feet.

BUILDING, HEIGHT OF. The vertical distance from the average finished grade at the building line to the top of the highest roof beam of a flat roof or to the peak of pitched or hip roofs or a mansard roof.

BUILDING COVERAGE or LOT COVERAGE. All areas under roof or projection from buildings on a lot or parcel.

BUFFER (SCREENING). A device or vegetated growth, or a combination thereof, designed or used as a barrier to vision or noise between adjoining properties or land uses. A vegetated buffer may be opaque, intended to create a strong impression of spatial separation and to preclude visual contact; or semi-opaque, intended to maintain a sense of spatial separation and to partially block visual contact.

BUFFER AREA. An area of natural or established vegetation managed to protect other components of a resource protection area and state waters from significant degradation due to land disturbances.

CONSTRUCTION FOOTPRINT. The area of all impervious surface, including, but not limited to, buildings, roads and drives, parking areas, and sidewalks and the area necessary for construction of such improvements, such as land disturbance (grading, clearing, filling, and excavating), stormwater facilities, best management practices (BMPs), and utilities including drainfields, etc. The construction footprint may also include open space outside the buffer area up to 50 feet in width around the primary structure.

COASTAL PRIMARY SAND DUNE. ... shall mean a mound of unconsolidated sandy soil which is contiguous to mean high water, whose landward and lateral limits are marked by a change in grade from 10% or greater to less than 10%

COASTAL SECONDARY SAND DUNE. A mound of unconsolidated sandy soil which is contiguous to a coastal primary dune or shoreline, whose landward and lateral limits are marked by a change in grade from 2% to 50% and is classified as AsE 17-Assateague sand under the Northampton County Soil Survey.

CENTRAL WATER AND SEWER. Water, sewer, and wastewater treatment, including its infrastructure, provided by a developer, builder, or other private supplier, for a specific project or development, and serving three or more residential lots or a minimum of one non-residential lot.

FARM MARKET. A seasonal or year round business selling agricultural products, value added agricultural products and agricultural-related products from a permanent structure or building.

FARM STAND. A seasonal business selling agricultural products and value added agricultural products. A farm stand shall not be a permanent structure or building, shall not be permanently affixed to the ground, shall comply with all applicable building codes and includes structures such as canopy tents and stands. Farm stands shall also include vehicles and mobile carts properly registered and licensed by the Virginia Department of Transportation.

FLOOR AREA. The total gross floor area of all floor or portions of floors in a structure and measured from outside to outside of exterior walls.

FRONTAGE. Lot width at the building set back line along a public road, private road or access easement. (See LOT WIDTH).

GROSS ACREAGE. Total area expressed in acreage of a development or proposed development, including streets, recreational areas and other areas which function as part of the development, and easements, but excluding land classified as wetlands or conservation areas.

BUILDABLE AREA. The area of a lot or parcel remaining after required yards, open spaces, parking, loading and access areas have been provided. When related to open space ratio, BUILDABLE AREA shall be the calculated upland portion of a base parcel, excluding any wetlands or ponds.