§ 3. DEFINITIONS.

For the purposes of this Ordinance, the following terms, phrases, words, and their derivations shall have the meaning ascribed to them as follows:

A.

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIAL. The individual charged with the administration and enforcement of this ordinance, or his duly authorized representative.

A.5.

ALLEY. A minor public right-of-way, not intended to provide the primary means of access to abutting lots, which is used primarily for vehicular service access to the back or sides of properties otherwise abutting on a street.

B.

BUILDING SETBACK LINE. The line within a property defining the minimum horizontal distance between a building and the adjacent street line.

C.

BOARD OF ALDERMEN. The governing body of the Village comprised of the Mayor and five aldermen.

D.

CROSSWALK WAY. A public right-of-way, 10 feet or more in width between property lines, which provides pedestrian circulation.

E.

CUL-DE-SAC. A street having but one outlet to another street, and terminated on the opposite end by a vehicular turn-around.

F.

DEAD-END STREET. A street, other than a cul-de-sac, with only one outlet.

G.

ENGINEER. A person duly authorized under the provisions of the Texas Engineering Registration Act, as heretofore or hereafter amended, to practice the profession of engineering.

H.

LOT. An undivided tract or parcel of land having frontage on a public street and which is, or in the future may be, offered for sale, conveyance, transfer or improvement; which is designated as a distinct and separate tract, and which is identified by a tract or lot number or symbol in a duly approved subdivision plat which has been properly filed on record.

I.

PAVEMENT WIDTH. The portion of a street available for vehicular traffic: where curbs are laid, it is the portion measured back to back of curb.

J.

PLANNING COMMISSION. The Village Planning Commission of seven members appointed by the Board of Aldermen to study and advise the Board of Aldermen in matters of Village planning as established herein.

K.

PERSON. Any individual, association, firm, corporation, governmental agency, or political subdivision.

L.

SHALL, MAY. The [word] "shall" is always mandatory. The word "may" is merely directory.

M.

STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS. Standards and specifications for the Village of Dickinson governing the same as used herein shall mean the standards and specifications for streets and alleys, storm sewer lines and appurtenant structures, water lines and appurtenant structures, sewer lines and appurtenant structures, and rules and regulations governing the construction of sanitary sewers as included in Section 9 of this Ordinance, and those promulgated from time to time by the Board of Aldermen.

N.

STREET. A public right-of-way, however designated, which provides vehicular access to adjacent land.

1.

ARTERIAL STREET. A street providing vehicular circulation to various sections of the Village.

2.

COLLECTOR STREET. A street providing circulation within neighborhoods, to carry traffic from minor streets to arterial streets, or to carry traffic through or adjacent to commercial or industrial areas.

3.

MARGINAL ACCESS STREET. A street which is parallel to and adjacent to an arterial street, which primarily provides access to abutting properties and protection from through traffic.

4.

MINOR STREETS. A street providing access to abutting property. This would include stubs on dead end streets.

O.

SUBDIVIDER. Any person or any agent thereof, dividing or proposing to divide land so as to constitute a subdivision as that term is defined herein. In any event, the term "subdivider" shall be restricted to include only the owner, equitable owner or authorized agent of such owner, of land sought to be subdivided.

P.

SUBDIVISION. A division of any tract of land situated within the corporate limits, in two or more parts for the purpose of laying out any subdivision of any tract of land or any addition of any town or city, or for laying out suburban lots or building lots, or any lots, and streets, alleys or parts or other portions intended for public use or the use of purchasers or owners of lots fronting thereon or adjacent thereto. Subdivision includes re-subdivision, but it does not include the division of land for agricultural purposes in parcels or tracts of five acres or more and not involving any new street, alley or easement of access.

Q.

SURVEYOR. A person duly authorized under the provisions of the Texas Surveyor Registration Act, as heretofore or hereafter amended, to practice the profession of surveying.

R.

UTILITY EASEMENT. An interest inland granted to the Village, to the public generally, and/or to a private utility corporation, for installing or maintaining utilities across, over, or under private land, together with the right to enter thereon with machinery and vehicles necessary for the maintenance of said utilities.

S.

VILLAGE. The Village of Dickinson, Galveston County, Texas.

T.

Any office referred to in this Ordinance by title means the person employed or appointed by the Village in that position, or his duly authorized representative.

U.

Definitions not expressly prescribed herein are to be construed in accordance with customary usage in municipal planning and engineering practices.

(Ord. No. 654-2008, § 2, 11-11-08)

Editor's note

Inasmuch as Ord. No. 654-2008, § 2, adopted November 11, 2008, enacted a new subsection A., the provisions of the former subsection A. have been redesignated as subsection A.5. at the discretion of the editor.

State law reference

Definitions relating to the regulation of subdivisions, V.T.C.A. Local Government Code, § 212.001.