§ 38-165. Definitions.

Except as specifically described in this section, all words in this article shall have their usual and customary meanings. The use of the singular includes the plural and the plural the singular; the present tense includes the future; the use of shall means the action is mandatory; and the use of may or should means the action is optional.

Accessory building means a subordinate building, the use of which is incidental to, and reasonably related to, a main building on the same lot or to the primary use of the property. The accessory building shall be of a size and nature customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal. Signs and fences are not to be considered as accessory buildings. A "detached" accessory building shall be one that does not have a common wall with the main building on the same lot.

Buffer, undisturbed means a natural or enhanced vegetated area located adjacent to a reservoir or perennial stream within a water supply watershed.

Conservation easement means a portion of land set aside in its natural state and preserved as open space in perpetuity.

Corridor means all land within the buffer areas established adjacent to reservoirs or perennial streams within a water supply watershed.

Development or single development mean any project or group of related projects constructed or planned for construction on a single parcel or on contiguous parcels under single ownership.

Hazardous Material means any "contaminant" as defined in this article, and any hazardous chemical for which a material safety data sheet must be filed under 42 USC 11021 and 11022.

Hazardous waste means any solid waste which has been defined as a hazardous waste in regulations, promulgated by the administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency according to federal act, which are in force and effect on February 1, 1988, codified as 40 CFR 261.3.

Impervious surface means a manmade structure or surface that prevents the infiltration of stormwater into the ground below the structure or surface. Examples include buildings, roads, driveways, parking lots, decks, swimming pools and patios.

Land-disturbing activity means any operation that involves excavation or filling of land, clearing of vegetation or construction, rebuilding or alteration of an existing structure. Land-disturbing activity does not include ordinary maintenance and landscaping activities, yard and grounds maintenance, individual home gardens, repairs or minor modifications to a single-family residence or the cuffing of firewood for personal use.

Large quantity generator of hazardous waste means any person, corporation, partnership, association or other legal entity defined as a "large quantity generator" by the state department of natural resources pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 12-8-60 et seq. and regulated by the state under that section. To qualify as a large quantity generator, the legal entity must generate at least 2,200 pounds of hazardous waste per year.

Limited development area means the portion of the water supply watershed not included in the water quality critical area.

Natural vegetated area means an undeveloped area largely free from human disturbance where naturally occurring vegetation is allowed to remain undisturbed or is enhanced and maintained by human intervention. Activities specifically allowed in such an area include:

(1)

Conservation or preservation of soil, water, vegetation, fish, shellfish and other wildlife.

(2)

Outdoor recreational activities, including hunting, fishing, trapping, bird watching, hiking, boating, horseback riding, skeet and trap shooting.

(3)

Education, scientific research and nature trails.

(4)

Maintenance or repair of lawfully located roads, structures and utilities used in the service of the public, provided that the work is conducted using best management practices to ensure that negative effects on the pervious nature of the land shall be minimized.

(5)

Limited excavating, filling and land disturbance necessary for the repair and maintenance of structures necessary to the permissible uses.

Nonconforming use means a land use activity, building or structure legally established prior to adoption of this article or subsequent amendment to it, that would not otherwise be permissible under the provisions of this article.

Overlay district means a district that applies supplementary regulations to land previously classified as belonging to a specific zoning district or land use category.

Perennial stream means a stream that flows throughout the year, as indicated by a solid blue line on United States Geological Survey (USGS;) seven-minute topographic series maps (scale of 1/24,000).

Reservoir boundary means the edge of a reservoir, defined by its normal pool level.

Setback means the distance that defines the width of a protective buffer, measured from the boundary of the feature of the landscape (e.g., a wetland or stream bank) that the buffer is designed to protect.

Utility means public or private water or sewer piping systems, water or sewer pumping stations, electric power lines, fuel pipelines, telephone lines, roads, driveways, bridges, river/lake access facilities, stormwater systems and railroads.

Water quality critical area means the portion of the water supply watershed nearest the public water intake, where the most stringent land use limitations of this article apply.

Water supply reservoir means a governmentally owned impoundment of water for the purpose of providing water to one or more governmentally owned public drinking water systems. This excludes the multipurpose reservoirs owned by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Water supply watershed means the drainage area (watershed) of lands upstream of a governmentally owned public drinking water intake or water supply reservoir.

(Ord. of 12-12-2000(2), § 13)

Cross reference

Definitions generally, § 1-2.