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MapLink™ | Definitions

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Accessory Building
A subordinate building to a residential dwelling, attached or detached, and used for a purpose customarily incidental to the main structure such as a private garage for automobile storage, tool house, lath, or greenhouse as a hobby (not a business), home workshop, children's playhouse, storage house, or garden shelter, but not involving the conduct of a business.
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Accessory Use
A use that is clearly and customarily incidental and secondary to the main use of land or building(s), and that is located upon the same lot, and that does not change the character thereof. The land/building area that is used for the accessory use is significantly less than that used for the primary use.
Adult-Oriented Business
See City Ordinances No. 658 and 659.
Alternative Compliance
A procedure to grant a deviation from the requirements of the Zoning Regulations to result in equal or better development. Alternative Compliance is only available in the instances specified by 6.07. Alternative Compliance.
Approved Plant List
The list of permitted and prohibited plant species that is maintained by the Director of Planning and Development.
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Awning Sign
A sign on a supporting framework that projects from and is supported by the exterior wall of the building.
Banner Sign
Any sign printed or displayed upon cloth or other flexible material without frames. A banner sign is for temporary use only.
Bench Sign
A sign which is affixed or painted in any manner to a bench.
Billboard Sign
Any outdoor sign, description, device, figure, painting, drawing, message, placard, poster, or structure which directs the attention of the traveling public to a business, commodity, service or entertainment conducted, sold or offered at a location other than the premises on which the sign is located.
Block Length
The distance between two intersections along a street onto which lots face.
Board of Adjustment
See Zoning Board of Adjustment.
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Building
Any structure built for support, shelter or enclosure of persons, animals, personal property, records or other movable property and when separated in a manner sufficient to prevent fire, each portion of such building shall be deemed a separate building.
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Building Height
The vertical distance from Grade to the average height of the highest roof surface.
Building Official
The Building Official of the City or designee.
Building Permit
A permit issued by the City before a building or structure is started, improved, enlarged or altered as proof that such action is in compliance with the City code.
Canopy Sign
A sign on a roof structure, where the roof structure is freestanding or is attached to and supported by a building and by columns, poles, or braces extended to the ground.
Certificate of Occupancy
An official certificate issued by the City through the enforcement official that indicates conformance with the City's rules and regulations and which authorizes legal use of the premises.
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City
The City of Canyon, Texas, together with all its governing and operating bodies.
City Attorney
The person(s) so designated by the City Commission to provide oversight for and have legal responsibility for the City. This term shall also include any designee of the City Attorney.
City Commission
The governing body of the City.
City Engineer
The City Engineer of the City or designee.
City Manager
The officially appointed and authorized City Manager of the City of Canyon, Texas, or the City Manager's authorized representative or designee.
City Secretary
The City Secretary of the City or designee.
Comprehensive Plan
The master plan, including all revisions and addenda thereto, most recently adopted by the City Commission as the official policy regarding the guidance and coordination of the development of land in the City.
County
Randall County, the governmental entity in which the City resides.
Directional Sign
A sign located on private property which displays warnings, instructions, or directions and on which no other form of business promotion or advertising appears.
Director of Planning and Development
The Director of Planning and Development of the City or designee.
Director of Public Works
The Director of Public Works of the City or designee.
Easement
Authorization by a property owner for another to use any designated part of the owner's property for a specified purpose or use and evidenced by an instrument or plat filed with the County.
Electronic Changeable Copy Sign
A sign containing changeable electronic variable message areas which permit light to be turned on or off intermittently or which are operated in a way whereby light is turned on or off intermittently, including any illuminated signs on which such illumination is not kept stationary or constant in intensity and color at all times when such signs are in use, including LED (light emitting diode) or digital signs which vary in intensity or color.
ETJ
See Extraterritorial Jurisdiction.
Exterior Side Setback
The required side yard setback between the building and street.
Extraterritorial Jurisdiction
The unincorporated area, not a part of any other municipality, that is contiguous to the corporate limits of the City, the outer limits of which are measured from the extremities of the corporate limits of the City outward up to the distance stipulated in Chapter 42 of the Texas Local Government Code, as may be amended, according to the population of the City, and in which area the City may apply its Subdivision Regulations and other ordinances and regulations specifically provided by State law to be applied within the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction.
Family
Any number of individuals living together as a single housekeeping unit, in which not more than 4 individuals are unrelated by blood, marriage, or adoption.
Fee Schedule
A listing of fees for various city applications, which is prepared by the City Manager and approved by City Commission and may be amended periodically. The Fee Schedule is approved separately from these Zoning Regulations.
Flag
A piece of cloth or similar material, typically oblong or square, attachable by one edge to a pole or rope and used as the symbol or emblem of a country, institution, or business or as a decoration during public festivities.
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Floodplain
Any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from any source.
Floor Area
The habitable area of a building that is served by a conditioned air system, but specifically excluding porches, patios, breeze- ways, automobile storage areas, garages, workshops, attic storage areas and basements.
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Front Yard
A yard across the full width of a lot extending from the front line of the principal building to the front property line of the lot.
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Grade
A reference plane representing the average of finished ground level adjoining the building at all exterior walls.
Gross Floor Area
For an apartment house, the measurement of the outside dimensions of the apartment building at each floor level, excluding, however, the floor area of basements or attics not used for residential purposes.
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Groundcover
Grasses and other living plant materials that are designed to grow low to the ground, generally less than one (1) foot in height. See the Approved Plant List maintained by the Director of Planning and Development.
Interior Side Setback
The required side yard setback between the building and the neighboring property line.
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Lot
Land occupied or to be occupied by a building(s), together with such open spaces as are required under these Zoning Regulations, and having its principal frontage upon a street or officially approved place.
Lot Coverage
The proportion of lot or site covered or permitted to be covered by a building or structure.
Lot Depth
The average horizontal distance between the front and rear lot lines.
Lot Width
The mean horizontal distance between the side lot lines of a lot measured at right angles to the depth or the same distance measured at the front building line.
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Menu Board Sign
Any sign displaying the items offered at a business.
Mobile Home
Per the Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1201.003(20), a Mobile Home means a structure:
a. Constructed before June 15, 1976;
b. Built on a permanent chassis;
c. Designed for use as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when the structure is connected to the required utilities;
d. Transportable in one or more sections; and
e. In the traveling mode, at least eight body feet in width or at least 40 body feet in length or, when erected on site, at least 320 square feet; and
f. Includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems of the home.
Monument Sign
Any outdoor sign attached to a contiguous structural base that is of the same width as or greater width than the message portion of the sign, and is permanently affixed to the ground.
Nameplate Sign
An on-premises sign showing only the name and/or address of the occupant.
Nonconforming Lot
A lot that does not meet the required lot dimensions or configuration.
Nonconforming Structure
A structure that does not meet the required dimensional standards, building design, or other requirement regarding the building.
Nonconforming Use
A land use or other operation that does not comply with the Permitted Use Chart, required conditional standards, or other regulations related to the land use.
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Nonresidential Zoning District
See 2.03. Nonresidential Zoning Districts.
On-Premise Sign
Any sign identifying or advertising a business, person, or activity, and installed and maintained on the same premises as the business, person, or activity.
Ornamental Grass
Decorative grasses used in landscaping. See the Approved Plant List maintained by the Director of Planning and Development.
Ornamental Tree
A smaller tree intended to provide aesthetic benefit rather than significant shade. See the Approved Plant List maintained by the Director of Planning and Development.
PD Concept Map
A map depicting the development plan for the area of a PD Planned Development District. A PD Concept Map combined with a PD Design Statement forms a PD Master Plan. (See 6.04. PD Planned Development District Regulations)
PD Design Statement
A written report outlining the development plan for the area of a PD Planned Development District. A PD Concept Map combined with a PD Design Statement forms a PD Master Plan. (See 6.04. PD Planned Development District Regulations)
PD Master Plan
Comprised of the PD Concept Map and PD Design Statement.
Planned Development
A flexible development method intended to accommodate unique and innovative development types. Frequently abbreviated as a "PD". See 6.04. PD Planned Development District Regulations.
Planning and Development Department
The City department responsible for reviewing development permits and similar applications related to planning and development.
Planning and Zoning Commission
The Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Canyon.
Plat
A map or chart of the subdivision, lot or tract of land. It shall include the term plan, plat or re-plat, in either singular or plural.
Pole Sign
Any outdoor sign that is mounted on one or more freestanding poles or other support so that the bottom edge of the sign face is not in direct contact with a solid base or the ground.
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Portable Sign
A sign, not including a bench sign, whose principal supporting structure is intended by design, use or construction, to be used by resting upon the ground for support and to be easily removed and relocated for reuse.
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Principal Building
The building that contains the primary function or activity on a lot.
Professional Engineer
A person licensed as a Professional Engineer in the State of Texas.
Professional Surveyor
A person registered as a Professional Land Surveyor in the State of Texas.
Projecting Sign
Any sign affixed to a building or wall in such a manner that its leading edge extends more than six inches beyond the surface of such building or wall.
Pylon Sign
A permanent freestanding sign having at least twenty-five (25) percent of the sign structure width in contact with the ground and in which the sign face is separated from ground level by means of one (1) or more supports such as poles, pole covers or columns.
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Rear Yard
A yard extending across the full width of the lot and measured between the rear line of the lot and rear line of the principal building, except that area included in the side yard as defined below.
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Residential Zoning District
See 2.02. Residential Zoning Districts.
Rezoning
A change or modification to the boundaries of any zoning district within the Zoning District Map. Also referred to as a "Zoning Map Amendment".
Right-of-Way
A parcel of land occupied or intended to be occupied by a street or alley. A Right-of-Way may be used for other facilities and utilities, such as sidewalks, railroad crossings, electrical communication, oil or gas, water or sanitary or storm sewer facilities, or for any other use. The use of Right-of-Way shall also include parkways and medians outside of pavement.
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Rock Landscape Base or a Mulch Base
Rock or mulch material used for landscaping.
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Roof Sign
A sign that extends above or is supported on the roof of a building.
Shade Tree
A plant having at least one well-defined stem or trunk at least three (3) inches in caliper and has a canopy that screens and filters the sun. See the Approved Plant List maintained by the Director of Planning and Development.
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Shrub
A woody plant that usually remains low and produces shoots or trunks from the base; it is not usually tree-like or single- stemmed. See the Approved Plant List maintained by the Director of Planning and Development.
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Side Yard
A yard between the building and the side lot line and extending from the front yard to the required minimum rear yard.
Sign
A structure, display, device, figure, painting, drawing, message, plaque, poster, or billboard, intended to be visible from the outside of a building, that is designed or used to advertise or inform. The term "sign" includes the supporting structure of the sign.
Site Plan
A detailed, scaled drawing of all surface improvements, structures, and utilities proposed for development.
Special Exception
An adjustment in application of the specific regulations of the Zoning Regulations to a particular parcel of property that has been pre-defined by these Zoning Regulations and does not require a hardship.
Specific Use Permit
An approval for a specific use that has been determined to be more intense or to have a potentially greater impact than a use permitted-by-right within the same zoning district. See 6.05. SUP Specific Use Permit Regulations.
Story
The height between the successive floors of a building or from the top floor to the roof. The standard height for a story is 11 feet, 6 inches (11 1/2 feet).
Subdivision Entry Sign
A sign that is allowed at the entrance(s) into a legally recorded residential subdivision that contains only the name of the subdivision.
Subdivision Regulations
The adopted subdivision regulations of the City.
Substantially Damaged Sign
Where the cost of repairing the sign is more than sixty (60) percent of the cost of erecting a new sign of the same type at the same location.
SUP
See Specific Use Permit.
Temporary Sign
Any sign that is used only temporarily and is not permanently mounted.
Transportation Plan
The plan that guides the development of adequate circulation within the City, and connects the City street system to regional traffic carriers. Also referred to as the Thoroughfare Plan.
Variance
An adjustment in application of the specific regulations of the Zoning Regulations to a particular parcel of property which, because of special conditions or circumstances, peculiar to the particular parcel, is necessary to prevent the property from being deprived of rights and privileges enjoyed by other parcels in the same vicinity and zoning district.
Wall Sign
Any sign painted on or attached to an exterior wall of a building in a parallel manner.
Zoning Board of Adjustment
The City's Board of Adjustment, which is established in 5.03. Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Zoning District Map
The official certified map upon which the boundaries of the various zoning districts are drawn and that is an integral part of the Zoning Regulations, which may also be cited as the Zoning Map. See 1.05. Zoning District Map.
Zoning Regulations
The adopted Zoning Regulations of the City of Canyon, as may be amended.
Zoning Text Amendment
An amendment or change to these Zoning Regulations. See Rezonings and Zoning Text Amendments.
Note: The provided images are illustrative only and not intended to be regulatory.

A.    Usage and Interpretation Rules
1.   For the purpose of these regulations, certain terms or words herein shall be interpreted or defined as follows:
2.   Words used in the present tense include the future tense;
3.   The singular includes the plural;
4.   The word "person" includes a corporation, trust, individual, and/or group of individuals;
5.   The term "shall" is always mandatory; and
6.   The term "may" is discretionary.

B.     Words and Terms Not Expressly Defined
Words and terms not expressly defined herein are to be construed according to the normally accepted meaning of such words or terms or, where no definition appears, then according to their customary usage in the practice of planning and engineering, as determined by the Director of Planning and Development.