Chapter 1 General Provisions Part 2 Definitions S

S

Sag Lens (or Drop Lens) -a clear or prismatic refracting lens that extends below the lowest opaque portion of a light fixture.

Scale -The height, size and bulk of a structure compared to the height of adjacent buildings and to the height of a human and/ or the apparent height, size and bulk of the components of the facade compared to the apparent height, size and bulk of the structure.

Scenic Easement - See "Conservation Easement."

School -A facility used for education or instruction in any branch of knowledge, and including the following: elementary, middle and high schools, whether public or private; colleges, community colleges and universities; vocational and professional schools giving instruction in vocational, professional, technical, industrial, musical, dancing, dramatic, artistic, linguistic, scientific, religious or other special subjects. This term does not include child care centers if separate from elementary schools.

Screening -The use of solid fencing or dense vegetative plantings to visually block a particular use from an abutting or adjacent use. See also "Buffer."

Sediment -Solid material, mineral or organic, that is in suspension, is being transported, or has moved from its site of origin by water.

Sedimentation -The deposition of waterborne sediment into a body of running water, into a lake, on property other than the site of origin, or on public rights-of-way.

Semi-pervious Paving System (or Porous Paving System) -A surfacing system composed of structural units with void areas filled with pervious materials such as sand or grass turf so that at least sixty-five percent of the surface area is permeable. A gravel base course provides storage as runoff infiltrates through the porous paving system into underlying permeable soils.

Setback – See definition of “Yard”

Setback, Front – See definition of “Yard, Front”

Setback, Rear – See definition of “Yard, Rear”

Setback, Side – See definition of “Yard, Side

Setback, Street-Side – See definition of “Yard, Street-Side”

Sexual Activities – Partial or complete male and/or female nudity in conjunction with:

1. Depiction of human genitals in a state of arousal;
2. Acts of human masturbation, sexual intercourse or sodomy; or
3. Holding or other erotic touching of human genitals, pubic region, buttocks or breasts.

Shared Use Path -A bikeway physically separated from motorized vehicular traffic by an open space or barrier and either within the highway right of way or within an independent right of way. Shared use paths may also be used by pedestrians, skaters, wheel chair users, joggers, and other non-motorized users.

Shielded (also known as cutoff) Light Fixture - A lighting fixture constructed in such a manner that no more than 2.5 percent of the lamp lumens, either directly from the lamp or a diffusing element, or indirectly by reflection or refraction from any Part of the luminaire, are not emitted above the horizontal plane through the lowest direct-light-emitting Part of the luminaire.

Shopping Center -A group of commercial uses planned, constructed and/ or managed as a total entity with unified design and customer and employee parking provided on-site.

Shopping Mall - A large enclosed building containing a group of commercial uses which share a designated enclosed walking area. Shopping malls may be planned, constructed and/ or managed as a total entity and have unified customer and employee parking provided on site.

Sign - Any device, structure, fixture, display, or placard using graphics, symbols, and written copy for the primary purpose of identifying, providing directions, or advertising any establishment, product, goods, place, activity, business, or service.

Sign Plan - A coordinated plan for developing signs for an individual building or a group of buildings.

Signature Entrance -Any wall(s), fence(s), guard house, or similar structures exceeding 4 feet in height, constructed at an entrance to a major single family subdivision or to a multi-family complex of five acres or more.

Sinkhole - A hole formed in soluble rock by the action of water, serving to conduct surface water to an underground passage and which is often observable as a depression in the ground surface. See "karst".

Site Plan - A plan or a plan revision for the lot upon which a proposed development is to be located.

Solar Collector -A device, or combination of devices, structure, or Part of a device or structure that transforms direct solar energy into thermal, chemical, or electrical energy and that contributes significantly to a structure's energy supply.

Solar Energy System -A complete design or assembly consisting of a solar energy collector, an energy storage facility (where used), and components for the distribution of transformed energy (to the extent they cannot be used jointly with a conventional energy system.) Passive solar energy systems are included in this definition but not to the extent that they fulfill other functions such as structural and recreational.

Solid Waste Transfer Station -A facility, with all operations confined within an enclosed building, for the accumulation, sorting, storage and compaction of recyclable and/ or re-usable material, and for compaction and transfer of non-recyclable solid waste for ultimate disposal off the premises. Materials that may be recycled or processed are paper, cardboard, wall board, glass, plastic, insulation, dimensional lumber, metal beverage and food containers, and those materials whose manufacture, processing, treatment or storage are specifically permitted in the M-2 zone. Inoperable automobiles and trucks, automotive parts, steel barrels and drums, chemicals, toxic materials and hazardous wastes shall not be accumulated, sorted or stored at a solid waste transfer station; nor shall a solid waste transfer station be used for any Part of a scrap metal or similar operation.

Sound Level -In decibels, the quantity measured by an instrument satisfying the requirements of the American Standard Specification for Type I Sound Level Meter. The sound level shall be the frequency weighted sound pressure level obtained with the frequency weighing "A" and the standardized dynamic characteristic "SLOW".

Sports Fields - An open space area specifically designed and equipped for large-scale structured recreation including but not limited to baseball, football and soccer.

Spotlight -a lighting assembly designed to direct the output of a contained lamp in a specific tightly focused direction (a beam) with a reflector located external to the lamp.

Square - An open space, often an entire block, at the intersection of important streets, set aside for civic purposes and surrounded by the fronts of buildings. Its landscape generally consists of paved walks, lawns, trees, and civic buildings, all formally arranged and requiring significant maintenance.

Stable, Private -A detached accessory building for the keeping of not more than two horses, owned by the occupant of the main building on a lot at least one acre in area provided, however, the capacity of the building may be increased if the lot whereon such building is located contains an additional twenty-five hundred (2500) square feet for each additional horse stabled.

Start of Construction -The first placement of permanent construction of a structure (other than a mobile home) on a site, such as the pouring of slabs or footings or any work beyond the stage of excavation, including the relocation of a structure. Permanent construction does not include the installation of streets and/ or walkways; nor does it include excavation for abasement, footings, piers or foundations or the erection of temporary forms; nor does it include the installation on the property of accessory buildings, such as garages or sheds not occupied as dwelling units or not as Part of the principal structure. For a structure (other than a mobile home) without abasement or poured footings, the "start of construction" includes the first permanent framing or assembly of the structure or any part thereof on its piling or foundation. For mobile homes not within a mobile home park or mobile home subdivision, "start of construction" means the affixing of the mobile home to its permanent site. For mobile homes within mobile home parks, "start of construction" is the date on which the construction of facilities for servicing the site on which the mobile home is to be affixed (including, at a minimum, the construction of streets, either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads, and installation of utilities) is completed.

State -The Commonwealth of Kentucky and its authorized agents.

Step Back - An offset or reduction in the mass of a structure, typically at upper story levels.

Storefront - The first floor of the primary façade. It includes the major components of the transom, display window, main entrance, piers and bulkhead.

See also “Expressway.” For purposes of the Land Development Code, expressways are not considered streets.

Street -Any public way or legally created private way for vehicular traffic used as a means of access to lots abutting thereon, and including the following:

1. Major Arterial -A street primarily for through traffic, usually on a continuous route.
2. Minor Arterial -A secondary way or highway for use primarily as a connector for major arterials, minor arterials, or between a minor arterial and a collector.
3. Collector -A street intended to move traffic from local streets and other collectors to the arterial street system. A collector street serves a neighborhood or large subdivision and should be designed so that no single family residential properties face onto it. Collector level streets are those streets either designated as such by the Comprehensive Plan for Louisville and Jefferson County, or by the Director of Works.
4. Local -A street used primarily for access to abutting property.
5. Cul-de-sac -A street ending in a turn-around and designed not to be extended.
6. Stub street -A street usually ending at a property line which is designed to be extended in the future.
7. Through street -A local street or segment of a series of local streets which provides at least two separate points of access to a collector, arterial or another through street. Certain street segments not meeting this requirement may be designated a through street if approved by the County Engineer. All arterial and collector streets are designated as through streets. (See also "Grid Street Pattern")

Street Index File - The computerized listing of all the vehicular rights-of-way and areas with a common name in Jefferson County which is a Part of the Louisville/ Jefferson County Information Consortium (LOJIC) and is maintained by the Division of Planning and Design Services.

Street Tree – A tree and/or group of trees planted (typically in a linear fashion) usually within verges, medians, or along streets – to enhance visual quality of a street, to provide spatial enclosure, to provide canopy coverage (shade) over pavement, as well as other technical benefits. Coniferous trees shall not be used as street trees. Refer to Appendix 10 A for preferred street trees.

Street Wall - A vertical plane at the right-of-way line created by the façade of a structure or series of structures along a given block face.

Structural Alterations -Any change in the supporting members of a building or structure, such as bearing walls or partitions, columns, beams or girders, or any substantial change in the roof or in the exterior walls.

Structure -Anything constructed or erected, the use of which requires location on the ground, or attachment to something having a location on the ground, including walls or fences exceeding four (4) feet in height, buildings, and signs. In these regulations reference to buildings includes structures and vice versa.

Subdivider -Any person, firm, association, syndicate, partnership, corporation, trust, or any other legal entity commencing proceedings under Chapter 11 to undertake a subdivision of land hereunder for himself/ herself or for another.

Subdivision -Division of a parcel of land into two or more lots or parcels, for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of sale, lease, or building development; or if a new street is involved, any division of a parcel of land. The term includes resubdivision and when appropriate to the context, shall relate to the process of subdivision or to the land subdivided. The following shall not be considered a subdivision:

(1) consolidation of existing lots, parcels or tracts by deed or other recorded instrument; or (2) creation of an easement other than an access easement (e.g. utility easement, etc.), or (3) a division of land into lots of five acres or larger for agricultural use and not involving a new street

The term "subdivision" is further defined as follows:

1. Major Subdivision -Any subdivision not defined as a minor subdivision.
2. Minor Subdivision – A Subdivision of land into no more than five tracts or lots, provided that such subdivision does not involve the creation of any new public street. Further division of an approved minor subdivision (exceeding the total of five lots in any 12 month period) shall require the subdivider to proceed under the provisions governing major subdivisions.

Substantial Improvement -Any combination of repairs, reconstruction, alteration, additions to or improvements to existing development, taking place during the life of the structure and begun after the affective date of the applicable regulation contained in these Chapters, in which the cumulative cost equals or exceeds fifty (50) percent of the market value of the structure either (a) before the improvement or repair is started, or (b) if the structure has been damaged and is being restored, before the damage occurred. The market value of the structure for purposes of this ordinance is (a) the appraised value of the structure determined by a certified general real property appraiser licensed and certified by the Kentucky Real Estate Appraisers Board or lacking that, the current assessment of the structure shown by the Property Valuation Administrator of Jefferson County. This term includes repairs made to structures which have incurred damage equal to or in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the pre-damage value of the structure, regardless of the cumulative cost of the actual repair work performed. The cost of alteration, additions, or improvements shall reflect the value in the marketplace of the labor and materials to be used in the improvements. For the purposes of this definition, "substantial improvement" is considered to occur when the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor, or other structural Part of the building commences, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the structure. The term does not, however, include either (a) any project for improvement of a structure to comply with existing state or local health, sanitary, or safety code specifications which are solely necessary to assure safe living conditions, or (b) any alteration of a structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places or a state inventory of historic places; or (c) the cost of flood-proofing or elevating a structure or any portion thereof above the local regulatory base flood elevation plus one foot.

Suburban Form Districts – Are those form districts that follow a more suburban pattern of development, the following are Suburban Form Districts: Neighborhood Form District, Suburban Marketplace Corridor Form District, Suburban Workplace Form District, Regional Center Form District, Village Form District “Outlying” and Campus Form District.

Surface Water Body -Any lake, stream, sinkhole or other water area, whether natural or man-made, but not including any jurisdictional wetland.

Swimming Pool -Any constructed pool used for swimming or bathing, over twenty-four (24) inches in depth, or with a surface area exceeding two-hundred fifty (250) square feet.