Secord Township   1507 Secord Dam Road    Gladwin,  Michigan 48624
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Secord Township Ordinances - Article VI

Table of Contents
Ordinance Index
Article I
Article II
Article III
Article IV
Article V
Article VI
Article VII
Junk Ordinance
Blighted Structure
Inoperable Motor
Vehicle
Ice-Retardant
Enforcement Officer
Fire & Rescue Charge
Noise Ordinance
Amend Violations
Floating Docks
Zoning Authority
ARTICLE VI
TERMINOLOGY AND DEFINITIONS
601 Terminology

1 In case of any difference of meaning or implication between the text and any caption or illustration, the text shall take precedence.
2 The word “shall” is always mandatory and not discretionary. The word “may” is permissive.
3 Words used in the present tense shall include the future. Words used in the singular number shall include the plural and the plural the singular, unless the text clearly indicates the contrary.
4 The phrase “used for” includes “arranged for”, “designed for”, “intended for”, “maintained for”, or “occupied for”.
5 The word ”person” includes an individual, a corporation, a partnership, an incorporated association or any similar entity.
6 The word “occupied” and the word “used” shall be considered to be followed by the words “or intended, arranged, or designed to be used or occupied”.
7 Terms not herein defined shall have the meaning customarily assigned to them.
602 DEFINITIONS

602:1 A

ACCESSORY USES AND STRUCTURES – Uses and structures which are customarily accessory and clearly incident and subordinate to, and on the same zoning lot as permitted principal or special uses and structures in any zoning district.

ALTERATION - Any change in size, shape, character, occupancy, or use of a building or structure.
602:2 B

BOARD OF APPEALS – The Zoning Board of Appeals of Secord Township.

Township Board – Legislative body of Secord Township
602:3 C

CLINIC – An institution for the medical treatment of humans and dealing chiefly with outpatients.

CLUB OR LODGE – The room, building, or other facilities used for the meetings of a group of people organized for a common purpose such as a fraternal organization or a society.
602:4 D

DRIVE-IN FACILITIES - Any place or premises which offers the sale of goods or services to customers in vehicles including those establishments where customer may serve themselves and use the goods or services on the premises.

DWELLING, SINGLE FAMILY – A detached residential dwelling unit designed for and occupied by one family only including seasonal dwellings.

DWELLING, TWO-FAMILY - A detached residential building containing two dwelling units, designed for a occupancy by not more than two families.

DWELLING, MULTIPLE FAMILY – A residential building designed for or occupied by three or more families, with the number of families in residence not exceeding the number of dwelling units provided.

DWELLING UNIT – One or more habitable rooms which are occupied or intended for occupancy by one family with facilities for living, sleeping, cooking, eating, and sanitation.
602:5 E

EDGE OF ROAD – Edge of road (for variance purposes): to determine edge of road; road would be measured from center of road:
Sixty-six (66) ft road measures eleven (11) ft of payment and five (5) ft of shoulder
Fifty (50) ft road: measurers eleven (11) ft of pavement and three (3) ft of shoulder
Forty (40) ft road will be classified same as a Fifty (50) ft road.

ESSENTIAL SERVICES – Equipment and accessories reasonably necessary for the furnishing of adequate service by public utilities or governmental departments or commissions or for the public health or safety or general welfare, but not including buildings other than such buildings as are primarily enclosures or shelters of the essential service equipment.
602:6 F
FAMILY -
a An individual or group of two or more persons related by blood, marriage or adoption, together with foster children and servants of the principal occupants, with not more than one additional unrelated person, who are domiciled together as a single domestic housekeeping unit in a dwelling, or
b A collective number of individuals domiciled together in one dwelling whose relationship is of a continuing nontransient domestic character and who are cooking and living as a single nonprofit housekeeping unit. This definition shall not include any society, club, fraternity, coterie, organization, or group of students or other individuals whose domestic relationship is of a transitory or seasonal nature or for an anticipated limited duration of a school term or terms or other similar determinable period.
FENCE - A fence is an enclosure and or barrier, which is constructed or planted in whole or in part within ten (10) feet of the property line for the purpose of denoting a boundary line between parties or to visually create a barrier between adjacent parcels.

SOLID FENCE - A solid fence is fence that is so constructed or planted such that more than fifty percent (50%) of the surface area, measured perpendicular to the sides, consists of material which is solid or opaque.
FIRST FLOOR - FLOOR: elevation above level of Constructed building foundation.

FLOATING DOCK A more or less rigid, free floating platform not attached to the land, made of buoyant materials: a dock, raft, float, ski jump, trampoline, swimming or diving platform.

FRATERNITY HOUSE – SEE ROOMING HOUSE
602:7 G

GASOLINE SERVICE STATION - Any structure or premises arranged, designed or used for the retail sale of fuels, lubricants, air, water, and other operating commodities for motor vehicles and including the customary space and facilities for the installation of such commodities on or in such vehicles and for the washing or polishing of such vehicles but not including the use of space or facilities for the refinishing of motor vehicles or for the rebuilding or the dismantling for the purpose of reuse or resale of motor vehicles or parts thereof or for the outdoor storage or repair of motor vehicles or parts thereof.

GARAGE, RUMMAGE AND YARD SALES –The sale of any new, used, antique, second hand merchandise in any yard, garage, home building or vacant lot within the township.
602:8 H
HEIGHT OF STRUCTURE – The vertical distance measured from the established grade at the center of the front of the structure to the highest point of the structure whether it be a roof, wall, parapet or similar appurtenance of the structure.

HOME OCCUPATIONS – A home occupation is defined as a business or commercial pursuit conducted by the home owner while residing in a residential dwelling.

a. Accessory building located on premises.

b. Located on contiguous property owned by home owner.
602:9 I

ICE SHANTY - A shanty or tent type structure designed for fishing through the ice. This may be a portable or stationary type of structure.
602:10 J

JUNK YARD – An open area where waste or scrap materials are bought, sold, exchanged, stored, baled, packed, disassembled, or handled, including but not limited to scrap iron and other metals, papers, rags, rubber tires and bottles, and also including an auto wrecking yard but not including uses established entirely within closed buildings.
602:11 K

KENNEL – Any premises on which dogs, cats, or other household pets are maintained, boarded, bred or cared for, in return for remuneration or are kept for the purpose of sale.

KEYHOLE DEVELOPMENT - Any multiple-unit residential development in residential/recreation zoning districts that shares a common lake front area or frontage.
602:12 L

LOADING SPACE, ON-SITE – Space logically and conveniently located for merchandise or passenger pickups and deliveries, located on the same lot with the use which it is to serve for the temporary parking of vehicles which are performing the said pickups and deliveries.

LOT – A parcel, tract, or portion of land separated from other parcels or portions of land by description on a recorded plat or by metes and bounds description.

LOT, CORNER – A lot having a least two (2) contiguous sides abutting upon one or more streets or roads, provided that the interior angle at the intersection of such two sides is less than one hundred thirty-five (135) degrees.

LOT, DOUBLE FRONTAGE – Any lot including a corner lot, as defined herein, having two (2) or more sides abutting one (1) or more streets or roads.

LOT LINE – Any line abounding a lot.

1. Front Lot Line – The lot line separating the lot from the street or road, or separating the lot from an established body of water, or the front line as designated on the plat or in the address of the lot.

2. Rear Lot Line – The lot line opposite to and most distant from the front lot line as designated for each lot; in the case of irregularly-shaped lots, an imaginary line parallel to the front lot line but not less than ten (10) feet long measured within said lot.

3. Side Lot Line – any lot line other than a front or rear lot line.
602:13 M

MOBILE HOME – A manufactured relocatable residential unit providing complete, independent living facilities for one family including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation in accordance with Act 96, MPA of 1987.

MOBILE HOME PARK – A lot, parcel, or tract of land which has been planned and improved for the placement of mobile homes in accordance with act 96, MPA of 1987.
602:14 N

NON-CONFORMING USE OR STRUCTURE – Any use or structure which was lawfully existing immediately prior to the time this Ordinance became effective and which does not now comply with the requirements thereof.
602:15 O

Reserved for future use.
602:16 P

PARKING, SPACE, ON-SITE – Any space designated and used for the parking of motor vehicles, located on the same site, lot or parcel with the use which it is to serve.

PERSONAL SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS – Establishments offering services for a fee or other remuneration such as financial institutions, barber or beauty shops, clothing repair shops, professional offices and other similar uses.

POINT-OF –SALE – Determined at the time of Signed Document

POOL, PRIVATE SWIMMING – Any artificially constructed basin or other structure for the holding of five hundred (500) or more gallons of water for the use by the owner, his family or guests for aquatic sports or recreation.

PRINCIPAL USE - The primary or chief purpose for which a lot is used.

PUBLIC UTILITY – Any person, firm, corporation, department or board, duly authorized to furnish and furnishing to the public under Federal, State, or County regulations, electricity, gas, steam, communications, transportation, or water.

PUBLIC UTILITIES FACILITIES - Electric transformer stations, gas regulator stations, gas valve houses, booster stations, telephone exchange buildings, and telephone repeater buildings, and other similar utility uses. Also referred to as ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
602:17 Q

Reserved for future use.
602:18 R

RECREATIONAL VEHICLE – A current licensed vehicle primarily designed and used as temporary living quarters for recreation or camping or a vehicle mounted on or drawn by another vehicle, includes but is not limited to motor homes, travel trailers, pop-up campers, modified trailers and tents.

RENTAL SALES ESTABLISHMENTS – Establishments offering goods for sale such as food stores, drug stores, clothing sales, gift shops, hardware and appliance sales, restaurants and drinking places, variety stores and similar uses.

ROADS – PRIVATE – A private road that accesses a parcel or Parcels of land owned and maintained by an individual and is not dedicated to or maintained by the County Road Commission.

ROOMING HOUSE - Also referred to as a boarding home, lodging house, fraternity house, sorority house, or dormitory. A dwelling having one kitchen and used for the purpose of providing lodging or lodging and meals for pay or compensation of any kind, to more than two persons other than members of the family occupying such dwelling.
602:19 S

SANITARY LANDFILL – An area planned and designed for the disposing of refuse, as defined by the Michigan Solid Waste Disposal Act 641, P.A. 1978, as amended, without creating nuisances or hazards to public health or safety.

SETBACK LINE – The line limiting the minimum horizontal distance between any side of a structure and the nearest property line.

SIGN – Any device designed or intended to inform or attract the attention of any person or business.

SORORITY HOUSE - See ROOMING HOUSE.

SPECIAL USE – A use that would not be appropriate generally or without restriction throughout the zoning district but which, if controlled as to number, location, size or relation to the surrounding area would be in the best interest of the public health, safety, welfare, morals, order, comfort, convenience, appearance, prosperity, or general welfare. Such uses may be permitted in accordance with the provisions set forth in Section 501 this Ordinance.

STABLE, PRIVATE – A privately owned facility, including shelter buildings, corrals, feed, and storage buildings, for the keeping of riding horses for use by the owner, his family or guests for riding sports or recreation without pay or compensation of any kind.

STABLE, PUBLIC - A facility, including shelter buildings, corrals, feed, and storage buildings, for the keeping of riding horses for the use by the owner, his family or guests or for customers for riding sports or recreation for which there is rental or compensation of any kind.

STRUCTURE – Anything constructed or erected on the ground, or attached to something having a fixed location on the ground including buildings, walls, lean-tos, fences, signs and Carports (portable or fixed).
602:20 T

TIMBER AND TREE PRODUCTS PRODUCTION – The cutting, splitting, hauling, extraction, and similar processing of tree products not including the selling of finished lumber products.

TRAVEL TRAILER PARK OR CAMPGROUND – A lot, parcel, or tract of land which has been planned and improved for the placement, on a temporary basis of travel trailers, campers, tents, and similar temporary living facilities in accordance with Act 368, MPA OF 1978.
602:21 U

Reserved for future use.
602:22 V

VARIANCE – A modification of the literal provisions of this Ordinance granted when strict enforcement of this Ordinance would cause undue hardship owing to circumstances unique to the individual property for which the variance is requested. A variance may be granted only by the Zoning Board of Appeals.
602:23 W

WELLS AND SEPTIC SYSTEMS: - Wells and Septic systems that serve as a portable water source and sewage disposal for properties located within A-1, R-1 and C-1 Districts.
602:24 X

Reserved for future use.
602:25 Y

YARD – An open space on the same lot with a structure, unoccupied and unobstructed on or above grade level which extends along a lot line and to a depth or width specified in the yard requirements for the zoning district in which it is located.

YARD, REQUIRED FRONT - The open space extending the full width between the side lot lines and also the full depth between the front lot line and the required setback line as specified for each zoning district.

YARD, REQUIRED REAR – The open space extending the full width between the side lot lines and also the full depth from the rear lot line to the line specified as the minimum distance a structure may be located from the rear lot line as specified for each zoning district.

YARD, REQUIRED SIDE – The open spaces on either side of a structure extending from the required front yard to the required rear yard and also the full width from the side lot lines to the line specified as the minimum distance a structure may be located from the side lot line as specified for each zoning district.
602:26 Z

ZONING ADMINISTRATOR - The duly authorized official of Secord Township who is responsible for the administering and enforcing of this Ordinance.

ZONING DISTRICTS – The areas into which Secord Township has been divided and for which the regulations and requirements governing use and size of lots and structures are specified in this Ordinance.