§ 66-2. Definitions; title.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, which shall be known and may be cited as "Subdivision Regulations," shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Access street means any public street within a subdivision or along the boundaries of a subdivision which is located in a manner which would serve any properties outside the plat boundaries or provide a connection directly with a collector street.

Alley means a right-of-way which is used only for secondary access to individual properties which otherwise have their primary access from an adjacent public street.

Block means a tract or parcel of land established and identified within a subdivision which is surrounded by streets or a combination of streets and other physical features and intended to be further subdivided into individual lots or reserves.

Building setback restriction means a defined area designated on a subdivision plat in which no building structure may be constructed and which is located between the adjacent street right-of-way line or other type of easement or right-of-way and the proposed building.

City engineer means a person or firm recognized by the city as responsible for approving construction design of public works such as streets, roads, bridges, etc., in the city.

Commission and planning commission mean any of the officially constituted planning commissions in the city having jurisdiction in the matter under consideration.

Comprehensive plan means a plan or group of plans or any portion thereof, adopted by the city, showing the general location and extent of present and proposed facilities, including housing, industrial and commercial uses, major streets, parks, schools, and other community facilities. This plan establishes the goals, objectives, and policies of the community.

Correction plat means a plat, previously approved by the planning commission and duly recorded, which is resubmitted to the commission for reapproval and recording, which contains dimensional or notational corrections of erroneous information contained on the originally approved and recorded plat. A correction plat is not to be considered as a replat or resubdivision and may not contain any changes or additions to the physical characteristics of the original subdivision, but is intended to correct errors or miscalculations.

Covenant means a written promise or pledge or contract commonly referred to in relation to subdivisions as restrictions.

Developer and subdivider mean any person, group, or corporation acting as a unit, or any agent thereof, dividing or proposing to divide land so as to constitute a subdivision as defined in this chapter.

Drainage course means a natural or manmade area intended for the collection or distribution of rainfall or floodwaters, such as bayous, coulees, canals, swales, or floodwater basins.

Easement means authorization by a property owner for the use by another individual and/or company, or public or private governmental entity, for specified purposes, such as utilities or drainage, of any designated part of his property.

Engineer means any person designated by the state to practice professional engineering.

Final plat means a map or drawing of a proposed subdivision prepared in a manner suitable for recording in the parish records and containing accurate and detailed engineering data and dimensions and prepared in conformance with the conditions of preliminary approval previously granted by the planning commission.

Frontage means that portion of any tract of land which abuts a public street right-of-way and where the primary access to the tract is derived.

Improvements means street pavement or resurfacing, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, water lines, sewer lines, flood control and drainage facilities, utility lines, landscaping, and other related matters normally associated with the development of raw land into building sites.

Living unit. A living unit consists of one or more rooms, including a bathroom and complete kitchen facilities, which are arranged, designed, or used as living quarters for one family.

Lot means an undivided tract, parcel, or plot of land contained within a block and designated on a subdivision plat by numerical identification, commonly used for a building site.

Lot, minimum area of. The area of a lot is computed as that property within the property or lot lines, exclusive of any portion of the right-of-way of any public or private street.

Lot types:

Corner lot. A corner lot is a lot abutting upon two or more streets at their intersection.

Double frontage or through lot. A double frontage lot or through lot is a lot which runs the depth of the block with frontage on more than one street.

Interior lot. An interior lot is a lot other than a corner lot with frontage on a single street.

Reversed frontage lot. A reversed frontage lot is a lot on which frontage is at right angles to the general pattern in the area. A reversed frontage lot may also be a corner lot.

Major thoroughfare plan means a portion of the comprehensive plan adopted by the Lafayette Areawide Planning Commission indicating the general location recommended for arterial, collector, and local thoroughfares within the incorporated and unincorporated areas of the parish.

Monuments means permanent concrete or iron markers used to establish definitely all lines of the plat of a subdivision, including all lot corners, boundary line corners, and points of change in street alignment.

Open space means any area of a lot, site, tract, or plat, exclusive of structures, streets (public or private), driveways, parking or open storage areas, which is open to the sky. Open space also includes areas used for recreational activities.

Performance bond and letter of credit mean an agreement by a subdivider or developer with the city for 100 percent of the amount of the estimated construction cost guaranteeing the completion of physical improvements according to plans and specifications within the time prescribed by the agreement.

Planned unit development means an area of land in which a variety of housing types and/or related commercial and industrial facilities are accommodated in a preplanned environment under more flexible standards.

Plat means the map, drawing, or chart on which the subdivision's plan of development (sketch, preliminary, or final) is presented to the planning commission for approval.

Preliminary plat means a map or drawing of a proposed subdivision of land prepared to illustrate the features of the development for review and approval by the planning commission, but not suitable for recording in the parish records.

Public way means an alley, avenue, boulevard, bridge, easement, expressway, freeway, highway, parkway, right-of-way, sidewalk, street, tunnel, walk, or other way which is dedicated (whether or not improved), in which the general public, a utility, or a public entity has a right of use.

Right-of-way means a strip of land taken or dedicated for use as a public way or such use as is set forth in the instrument establishing the right-of-way. In addition to the roadway, it normally incorporates curbs, lawn strips, sidewalks, lighting, and drainage facilities, and may include special features (required by topography or treatment) such as grade separation, landscaped areas, and bridges.

Sewer. Community (public or private) or central sewer means an approved sewage disposal system which provides a collection network and disposal system and central sewage treatment facilities for a single development, community, or region.

Street, road and thoroughfare mean the full width between property lines bounding every public way of whatever nature, with a part thereof to be used for vehicular traffic and designated as follows:

Arterial street. A general term denoting a highway primarily for through traffic, carrying heavy loads and large volumes of traffic, usually on a continuous route, and shown as such on the major thoroughfare plan.

Collector street. A thoroughfare, whether within a residential, industrial, commercial, or other type of development, which primarily carries traffic from local streets to arterial streets, including the principal entrance and circulation routes within subdivisions, and as designated on the major thoroughfare plan or arterial street plan.

Cul-de-sac and dead-end street. Usually, a short street having one end open to traffic and being terminated at the other end by a vehicular turnaround.

Interior street. Any public street within a subdivision designed to serve only those properties within the boundaries of the subdivision in which it is dedicated and established. An interior street must be so designated and located as to form a closed circulation system. Culs-de-sac and loop streets or street systems beginning from streets within a subdivision may be considered as interior streets. Interior streets may not, however, be any street which would allow access through the subdivision to other properties.

Local, minor street. A street primarily for providing access to residential, commercial, or other abutting property; also, a street not designated as a mayor thoroughfare, highway, or freeway.

Loop street. A type of local curved street, each end of which terminates at an intersection with the same street or thoroughfare.

Major thoroughfare. A public street designed for fast, heavy traffic and intended to serve as a traffic artery of considerable length and continuity throughout the community and so designated on the latest edition of the major thoroughfare plan adopted by the Lafayette Areawide Planning Commission.

Marginal access street (frontage road). A street which is parallel to and adjacent to a major street or thoroughfare, and which provides access to abutting properties and protection from through traffic.

Stub street. A public street not terminated by a circular turnaround ending adjacent to the undeveloped property or acreage and intended to be extended at such time as the adjacent undeveloped property or acreage is subdivided. A stub street which has been dedicated but cannot be extended into the adjacent property or terminated with a circular turnaround or cul-de-sac can then be considered to be a dead-end street.

Structure means that which is built or constructed, an edifice or building of any kind or any piece of work artificially built up or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner, including among other things a stadium, storage bin, display sign, fence, and radio tower.

Subdivision means:

(1)

The division of a lot, tract or parcel of land into two or more lots, plats, sites, or other divisions of land for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of sale or of building development, and, with regard to parishes, for purposes other than agricultural. It includes resubdivision and, when appropriate to the context, relates to the process of subdividing or to the land or territory subdivided.

(2)

The dedication, granting, or constructing of a road, highway, street, alley, or servitude through a tract of land regardless of the area.

Surveyor, registered land, means any person registered by the state to practice land surveying.

Utility means a commodity or service which is of public consequence and need, such as electricity, gas, sewer, water, transportation, or telephone or telegraph service.

Utility system (community) means a privately owned or community owned system generally serving one community or subdivision.

Utility system (public) means a publicly owned system generally serving a parish, municipality, area or parts or combinations thereof.

Vicinity map means a drawing located on a plat which sets forth, by dimensions or other means, the relationship of the proposed subdivision or use to the nearby developments or landmarks and community facilities and services within the city in order to better locate and orient the area in question.

(Ord. No. 2002-010, 5-20-2002)

Cross reference

Definitions generally, § 1-2.