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Definitions

CHAPTER 7.

7-1 Usage

Usage. For the purpose of these regulations, certain numbers, abbreviations, terms, and words used herein shall be used, interpreted, and defined as set forth in this chapter.
Meaning of Terms. Unless the context clearly indicates to the contrary, the following shall apply:
1. Words used in the present tense include the future tense.
2. Words used in the plural number include the singular.
3. The word "herein" means "in these regulations."
4. The word "regulations" means "these regulations."
5. A "person" includes a corporation, a partnership, and an unincorporated association of persons, such as a club.
6. "Shall" is always mandatory.
7. "May” shall be interpreted to be assigned to the Metropolitan Planning Commission, except where otherwise noted.
8. A "building" or "structure" includes any part thereof.
9. "Used" or "occupied," as applies to any land or building, shall be construed to include the word "intended, arranged, or designed to be used or occupied."
10. The word "days” means "calendar days.”

7-2 Words and Terms Defined

Abutting.: Lots that are touching or sharing a common point or line but does not include lots that are across a public way from each other.
Access.: The place, means, or way by which pedestrians, bicyclists, and/or vehicles have safe, adequate, and usable ingress and egress to a property or use. A private access is an access not in public ownership or control by means of deed, dedication, or easement.
Adjacent.: Lots that are touching or sharing a common point or line including lots that are across a public way from each other.
Alley.: A low volume lane intended to provide access to the rear or side of lots or buildings and not intended for the purpose of through vehicular traffic.
Applicant.: The owner or optionee of land proposed to be subdivided or his/her authorized representative, also referred to as subdivider or subdivider agent. See "Subdivider and Subdivider Agent"
Arterial Street.: See "street, arterial."
Block.: A tract of land bounded by streets or by a combination of streets and public lands, cemeteries, railroad rights-of-way, shorelines of waterways or any other barrier to the continuity of development.
Block Face.: A single boundary of a block described in the definition of a block. A block face is opposing when it is across a public street.
Bond, Performance.: An agreement and security to assure construction of roads, water and sewer systems or other public facilities in a form specified by Chapter 6 of these regulations. (See public improvements.)
Building.: Any structure built for the support, shelter, or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels, or movable property of any kind. The term includes any permanent structure including mobile homes.
Capital Improvements Program.: A schedule of all future projects, listed in order of construction priority, together with cost estimates and the anticipated means of financing each project. All major projects requiring the expenditure of public funds, over and above the annual local government operating expenses, for the purchase, construction, or replacement of the physical assets for the community are included.
Collector Street.: See "street, collector."
Common Open Space.: Any portion of a condominium site or a subdivision that is held in joint ownership by property owners or a homeowners' association and is intended for the use or enjoyment of the occupants. Common Open Space can include property that is left in a natural state and has primarily scenic value. Land to accommodate required subdivision infrastructure, including green infrastructure such as planting strips, street medians/islands, and conventional stormwater management devices, is excluded from common open space calculations. Conventional stormwater management devices are those designed to hold water for an extended period of time and require disturbance of the land in order to meet detention requirements. (See "lands held in common")
Community Transect Zones.: A development pattern classification system that was developed by the Metropolitan Planning Department and described in detail in the "Land Use Policy Application" as adopted, May 27, 2004 and subsequently amended. This classification system consists of seven zones, each representing a graduation in existing and desired development character from most rural to most urban.

Natural Areas Transect Zone - A Community Transect Zone that is characterized by publicly or privately owned land intended to be permanently maintained as open space for preservation or recreational needs.
Rural Transect Zone - A Community Transect Zone that is characterized by privately owned and environmentally sensitive open-space farms and large lot residential uses.
Suburban Transect Zone - A Community Transect Zone that is characterized by low density, single-family residential uses.
Neighborhood Transect Zone - A Community Transect Zone that is characterized by medium density housing and scattered non-residential uses, such as commercial areas located in neighborhood centers or commercial corridors that are along the edges of neighborhoods.
Center Transect Zone - A Community Transect Zone that is characterized by mixed land uses, with commercial areas that serve multiple surrounding neighborhoods.
Core Transect Zone - A highly urbanized Community Transect Zone that primarily consists of the historic downtown area and the associated central business district.
District Transect Zone - A Community Transect Zone that is characterized by a dominant single activity and its ancillary uses, such as medical centers, universities, industrial parks, and airports.

Complete Application.: The completed form or forms and all accompanying documents, maps, exhibits and fees required of an applicant, including all information required by the Submittal Checklist available from the Executive Director.
Concept Plan.: A plan drawn to scale that shows street, lot, and open space layouts, public dedications, and reservations, if any, and proposed environmental changes to the tract. It includes topographical information, existing site conditions, analysis, and off-site conditions of a minimum of 300 feet beyond the property boundaries.
Concept Plan Pre-Application Conference.: A meeting to discuss, at the earliest stages, subdivision requirements and procedures, and possible issues related to the development of a property. It is intended that this meeting will help alleviate possible conflicts over subdivision requirements by early recognition of existing conditions, necessary facilities and other requirements, which the developer can then consider in preparing the formal subdivision proposal.
Condominium.: Joint domain (joint ownership) also horizontal property regime.
Conservation Easement.: The grant of a property right or interest from the property owner to a unit of government or nonprofit conservation organization stipulating that the described land shall remain in it its natural, scenic, open or wooded state, precluding future or additional development. The land may contain historic structures and archaeological sites.
Conservation Land.: The portion of undeveloped land within a conservation subdivision that has been designated, dedicated, reserved or restricted in perpetuity from further development and is set aside under a conservation easement. Conservation Lands are divided into Primary and Secondary Conservation areas. Land to accommodate required subdivision infrastructure, including green infrastructure such as planting strips, street medians/islands, drainage fields for individual sewage disposal systems, and conventional stormwater management devices, is excluded from Conservation Land calculations. Conventional stormwater management devices are those designed to hold water for an extended period of time and require disturbance of the land in order to meet detention requirements.
Conservation Subdivision.: A residential development where at least 50 percent or more of the land area is designated as undivided, permanent open space or farmland, thereby permanently protecting agriculturally, environmentally, culturally or historically significant areas within the tract. The subdivision is characterized by compact lots, common open space, and the preservation maintenance of natural, historical, and cultural resources. Conservation Subdivisions are an alternative approach to the conventional lot-by-lot division of land in rural areas that spreads development evenly throughout a parcel with little regard to impacts on the natural and cultural features of the area.
Construction Plan.: The maps or drawings showing the specific location and design of improvements to be installed in a subdivision or development.
Contextual Street Classifications.: See Street, Contextual Classifications.
Conventional Subdivision.: A lot-by-lot division of land that spreads development evenly throughout a parcel, minimum lot size determined by underlying zoning.
Cottage Subdivision.: A small lot single-family residential or attached subdivision of dwelling units arranged on at least two sides of a common open space with frontage onto a street of sufficient width to allow direct pedestrian access to the street. Vehicular access is via an abutting alley. A primary pedestrian entrance to each of the dwelling units is located on the common open space with frontage onto a street.
County.: Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee.
County Council (Metro Council).: The chief legislative body for The Metropolitan
Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
Close Street.: See Street, Close.
Critical Lots.: Lots designated as critical during the concept plan review process based on soil conditions, degree of slope, flooding, or other lot features that could affect the feasibility of construction.
Cul-de-sac Street.: See Street, Permanent Dead End.
Deed Restriction.: A restriction on the use of a property set forth in the deed.
Developer.: The owner of land proposed to be subdivided or his authorized representative.
Development Review Committee.: A committee established to review all development applications. The Committee is made up of staff from the Planning, Public Works, Stormwater Division, Water Services, Code Enforcement, Fire Marshal, Parks and Greenways, Health, NES and other agencies as appropriate, with representatives of the State, or Boards and Commissions maybe included in the review as appropriate.
Drawings.: The documents that show the characteristics and scope of a subdivision in map form.
Drive.: A way or place in private ownership that is used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having express or implied permission from the owner, but not by other persons and is not eligible to become a public right-of-way in the future pursuant to Section 13.10 of the Metro Code.
Easement.: Authorization by a property owner creating the right for the use by another, for a specified purpose, of any designated part of his property. Eligible Areas, Natural Conservation and Rural Land Use Policy. Areas of the county that are eligible for subdivision on private streets and individual sewage disposal systems because the property to be subdivided lies within a Natural Conservation or Rural land use policy area (designated by the General Plan), is proposed for the creation of lots of five acres or greater, has a predominance of steep topography or floodplain precluding development of lots on less than five acres, and is located where public sewer service is not anticipated.
Engineer.: See "Registered Engineer."
Escrow.: A deposit of cash with the county in lieu of posting a performance or maintenance bond.
Executive Director.: The Executive Director of the Metropolitan Planning Commission or such person as designated by the Executive Director responsible for enforcing the provisions of these regulations. (See Secretary of the Planning Commission.)
External Subdivision Boundary.: All points along the periphery of a subdivision.
Final Subdivision Plat. The final map or drawing and accompanying materials, described in these regulations, on which the subdivider's plan of the subdivision is presented to the Planning Commission and which, if approved, may be submitted to the Register of Deeds for recording.
Floodplain.: A land area adjoining a river, stream, watercourse, bay, or lake that is likely to be flooded. The floodplain is composed of the regulated floodway and the floodway fringe, as further defined in Volume 1, Regulations, of the Metropolitan Government Stormwater Management Manual.
Flood Prone Area.: Those lands located in an area that will be inundated by a one hundred-year flood.
Floodway.: The stream channel and adjacent over bank area required to carry and safely discharge the one hundred-year flood without increasing flood levels more than one foot above natural flood levels (i.e., the area of moving or flowing water).
Frontage.: That side of a lot abutting on a street and ordinarily regarded as the front of the lot, but it shall not be considered as the ordinary side of a corner lot.
Frontage Street.: See "Street, Frontage."
Frontage Zone.: The space running parallel to and between the street right of way (or boundary of other public/common space) and the front building façade, extending along the width of a building lot.
General Plan.: The general development plan for Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee meeting the intent of Sections 13-3-301, 13-3-302, and 13-4-102, Tennessee Code Annotated, including any subordinate documents.
Grade.: The slope of a road, other public facility, or terrain generally specified in percentage terms.
Greenway.: A public linear park, alternative transportation route, or open space conservation area approved by the Metropolitan Greenways Commission that provides passive recreational opportunities, pedestrian and/or bicycle paths, and/or the conservation of open spaces or natural areas, as indicated in a greenway plan adopted by the Greenway Commission.
Greenway Conservation Easement.: An easement required for land identified as a greenway, as indicated in the General Plan, including the Metropolitan Parks and Greenways Master Plan, and along blue line streams identified in Community Plans, including a streambed plus a corridor width based on the natural conditions of the land abutting the stream.
Highway, Limited Access.: A freeway or expressway providing a traffic-way for through traffic, in respect to which owners or occupants of abutting property or lands and other persons have no legal right of access to or from the traffic-way, except at such points and in such manner as may be determined by the public authority having jurisdiction over such traffic-way.
Hollow Core Turnaround.: The turnaround area of a permanent dead-end street (also referred to as a cul-de-sac) that includes an interior landscaped island in the center of the turnaround.
Homeowners' Association.: An incorporated community association responsible for the maintenance and management of commonly owned properties or facilities.
Improvements.: See "Lot Improvement" or "Public Improvement."
Individual Sewage Disposal System.: A septic tank and disposal field, seepage tile sewage disposal system, or any other sewage treatment device other than a public treatment system, that serves an individual lot.
Infill Development.: Refers proposed development within previously subdivided or predominantly developed areas.
Internal Subdivision Boundary.: All points within a subdivision such as lot corners, street lines, etc., which do not constitute external boundaries.
Lands Held in Common.: Lands held in common are all lands held by a homeowners' association or equivalent and includes: lands designated as Common Open Space (see "Common Open Space"); Conservation Lands owned by the Homeowners' association (see "Conservation Lands"); land used for the provision of infrastructure common to all subdivisions such as private roads, sidewalks on private roads, planting strips, stormwater facilities, planted portion of hollow-core turnarounds, closes and eyebrows; and land used for drainage fields for individual sewage disposal systems.
Land Surveyor.: See "Registered Land Surveyor."
Land Use Policy.: Land use policy categories contained in "Land Use Policy Application" as adopted, May 27, 2004 and subsequently amended, which guide the development of community plans and provide specific guidance on land use intent.
Landscape Buffer.: A required yard located at the perimeter of the lot containing landscaping, berms, walls, or fences that shield use of adjacent properties from those uses occurring on the subject property.
Level of Service (LOS).: A standard comparing a roadways traffic load to the roadways capacity. The Level of Service range, from LOS A (free flow) to LOS F (forced flow). The factors affecting LOS are numerous but include the lane widths, number of lanes, parking, bus stops, percentage of trucks, types of traffic controls, etc. LOS is determined using the procedures described in the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) published by the Transportation Research Board (TRB).
Local Street.: See "Street, Local."
Loop Street.: See "Street, Loop."
Lot.: A tract, plot, or portion of a subdivision or parcel of land intended as a unit for the purpose, whether immediate or future, for transfer of ownership or for creation of a building site.
Lot, Corner.: A lot situated at the intersection of two streets the longest dimension of which is to be considered the side.
Lot, Double Frontage.: A lot other than a corner lot that has frontage on two or more streets that do not intersect at a point abutting the property.
Lot, Flag.: A lot, which has a minimum frontage on a public or private street, that is reached via a private drive or lane and otherwise meets the dimension standards of the Zoning Code.
Lot, Through.: See "lot, double frontage."
Lot Improvement.: Any building, structure, work of art, or other object or improvement constituting a physical betterment of real property, or any part of such betterment.
Major Street.: A street that is classified as a collector or arterial street according to these regulations or by the Major Street Plan. See "street, arterial," "street, collector," and "Major Street Plan."
Major Street Plan.: The plan adopted by the Planning Commission, pursuant to Sections 13-3-402 and 13-4-302, Tennessee Code Annotated, showing, among other things, "the general location, character, and extent of public ways... (and) the removal, relocation, extension, widening, narrowing, vacating, abandonment or change of use of existing public ways..."
Major Subdivision.: See Subdivision, Major.
Metro.: The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
Metropolitan Attorney.: The attorney holding the position of attorney for the county or such licensed attorney designated by the Metropolitan Attorney to furnish legal assistance for the administration of these regulations.
Minor Street.: See "Street, Minor."
Minor Subdivision.: See "Subdivision, Minor."
Natural Conservation Land Use Policy, Eligible Areas.: See, Eligible Areas, Natural Conservation and Rural Land Use Policy.
Neighborhood Street Plan.: See "Street, Neighborhood Plan."
Off-Site (Also Off-Site Improvements).: Any premises not located within the area of the property to be subdivided, whether or not in the same ownership of the applicant for subdivision approval.
Open Space.: Open space includes, but is not limited to, parks, plazas, courtyards, playing fields, trails, greenways, and golf course. Open space may be public or privately held and may be used for active or passive recreation.
Owner.: Any person, group of persons, firm or firms, corporation or corporations, or any other legal entity having legal title to or sufficient proprietary interest in the real property, including contracts to purchase.
Owner's Registered Engineer or Registered Land Surveyor.: The person, firm, or corporation named to perform design or survey services for the owner. (See Registered Engineer and Registered Land Surveyor)
Parcel.: A single piece of land separately owned, either publicly or privately, and may be converted into a building site.
Pedestrian Benefit Zone.: Each of eleven zones, established in Section 7-2, in which fees in-lieu of sidewalk construction may be collected, and where such fees shall be spent for the safety and convenience of pedestrians utilizing the sidewalk or pedestrian network within that zone. Each zone represents, to the extent practicable, an area where pedestrian circulation can take place without traversing major barriers to movement such as interstate freeways and major federal highways that are, by definition, unsafe or unsuitable for pedestrian crossing. Pedestrian Benefit Zones are described as follows:

Zone 1-A Bounded by I-40 and I-265 on the southeast; Cumberland River on north/northwest; county line on west. (West, edge)
Zone 1-B Bounded by Cumberland River and I-265 on the south; I-24 on the east and north; county line on the west. (Northwest, edge)
Zone 1-C Bounded by I-24 on the west; I-65 on the southeast and east; county line on the north. (North, edge)
Zone 2-A Bounded by I-65 on the northwest; I-24 on the west; Cumberland River on the south and east; county line on the northeast. (Northeast, edge)
Zone 2-B Bounded by Cumberland River on the north/northwest; I-40 on the south/southwest; county line on the east. (East, edge)
Zone 3 Bounded by the downtown loop (Downtown)
Zone 4-A Bounded by I-65 on the east/northeast; I-440 on the south and southwest; I-40 on the north and northeast. (Southwest, inner)
Zone 4-B Bounded by I-65 on the east; I-440 on the north/northeast; I-40 on the northwest; county line on the south. (Southwest, edge)
Zone 5-A Bounded by I-440 on the south; I-24 on the northeast and east; I-40 on the north/northwest; and I-65 on the west. (South, inner)
Zone 5-B Bounded by I-24 on the east/northeast; I-65 on the west; I-440 on the north; and county line on the south. (South, edge)
Zone 5-C Bounded by I-40 on the north; I-24 on the west and southwest; county line on the east. (Southeast, edge)

Pedestrian Access.: Pedestrian accesses are accessways that provide direct and continuous pedestrian passage through blocks. They are designed to provide continuous pedestrian routes by connecting a public street to another public street or a residential area, neighborhood activity center, an industrial or commercial center, a transit facility, a park, a school, open space, or a trail facility.
Performance Bond.: See "Bond."
Permanent Dead-End Street.: See "Street, Permanent Dead-End.
Planned Unit Development (PUD).: An overlay zone district created by approval of the Metropolitan Council for the purpose of permitting a specific development or land uses.
Planning Commission.: The Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County Planning Commission created in accordance with Title 13 of the Tennessee Code Annotated and the Charter of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee.
Preliminary Plat.: Term formerly used under the previous Subdivision regulations to mean drawing or drawings, described in these regulations, indicating the proposed manner of layout of the subdivision. Now referred to as the Concept Plan.
Primary Conservation Areas.: Primary Conservation areas include the 100 year floodplain, all perennial and intermittent streams and associated floodways with a 75-foot corridor measured from the outer edge of the floodway, contiguous slopes over 20 percent, wetlands, known habitat for rare, threatened, or endangered species, cedar glade communities, archaeological sites, cemeteries and burial grounds.
Private Street.: See "Street, Private."
Public Improvement.: Any drainage ditch, roadway, parkway, sidewalk, pedestrian way, tree, lawn, off-street parking area, lot improvement, or other facility for which the county may ultimately assume the responsibility for maintenance and operation or which may affect an improvement for which county responsibility is established.
Public Works Department.: The Department of Public Works for Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County.
Ratio of Street Enclosure.: A ratio used to spatially define the space of the street (or passageway) and associated frontage zones. The ratio of street enclosure compares the average building height along a block to the horizontal separation between the building facades that spatially define the street. When defining the space of streets classified as Urban Overlay Streets, a ratio of one increment of height to six increments of width (1:6) is the maximum, with a ratio of 1:3 being typical, a ratio of 1:2 being desirable in dense urban settings, and a ratio of 1:1 being appropriate for urban pedestrian passages. In the absence of spatial definition by building facades, regularly spaced street trees can provide the vertical element of the ratio.
Register of Deeds.: The Metropolitan Davidson County Register of Deeds.
Registered Engineer.: An engineer certified and registered by the State Board of Architectural and Engineer Examiners pursuant to Section 62-202, Tennessee Code Annotated, to practice in Tennessee.
Registered Land Surveyor.: A land surveyor certified and registered by the State Board of Land Survey Examiners pursuant to Section 62-1803, Tennessee Code Annotated, to practice in Tennessee.
Registered Landscape Architect.: Landscape architect certified and licensed by the State Board of Landscape Architects pursuant to Section 62-203, Tennessee Code Annotated, to practice in Tennessee.
Resubdivision.: A change of any approved or recorded subdivision plat if such change affects any street layout on such map, or any area reserved thereon for public use, or any lot line, or if it affects any map or plan legally recorded prior to the adoption of any regulations controlling subdivisions.
Right-of-Way.: A strip of land occupied or intended to be occupied by public facilities such as streets, crosswalks, railroads, electric transmission lines, oil or gas pipelines, water mains, sanitary or storm sewer lines, or for another special use. The usage of the term "right-of-way," for land platting purposes, shall mean that every right-of-way hereafter established and shown on a final plat is to be separate and distinct from the lots or parcels adjoining such right-of-way and not included within the dimensions or area of such lots or parcels.
Rural Land Use Policy, Eligible Areas.: See, Eligible Areas, Natural Conservation and Rural Land Use Policy.
Sanitary Sewer.: Domestic wastewater collected from dwelling units, commercial, industrial and institutions within Metro and conveyed through gravity or pumped pipe network to a publicly owned treatment works. Sanitary sewers are not designed to convey stormwater or groundwater.
Secondary Conservation Areas.: Secondary Conservation areas include existing healthy, native forests of a least one-acre contiguous area, prime farmland soils and land in agricultural use, designated historic and specimen trees, other significant natural features and scenic viewsheds, existing and planned trails that connect the tract to neighboring areas, contiguous slopes between 15 and 20 percent and significant historical and cultural sites.
Secretary of Planning Commission.: The Executive Director of the Metropolitan Planning Commission (also see Executive Director).
Separation.: A required area of undeveloped land, which may be left in a natural state or landscaped, at the perimeter of the subdivision designed to separate new conservation subdivisions from existing conventional subdivisions or to separate dwelling units from an abutting arterial or collector street or to separate existing agricultural uses from dwelling units in conservation subdivisions.
Sidewalk.: That portion of a street between the curb lines, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and the adjacent property lines, intended for use by pedestrians.
Sinkhole.: A sinkhole is a depression that occurs naturally in a karst area with no surface outflow of water and shall be identified by the first closed contour on 2-foot contour interval map or as designated by TDEC.
Specific Plan (SP) District.: An alternative zoning process that may permit any land uses, mixture of land uses, and alternative design standards, as may be required to address the unique characteristics of an individual property through a site-specific plan. In return, a SP district requires the site specific plan to be designed such that, at a minimum, the location, integration and arrangement of land uses, buildings, structures, utilities, access, transit, parking, and streets collectively avoid monotony, promote variety, and yield a context sensitive development.
Specifications.: Written descriptions of a technical nature of materials, equipment, construction systems, standards, and workmanship.
Specimen Quality Trees.: Trees that are generally considered to be prototypical of that particular species, accurately representing the typical line, form, texture, and color. Generally, larger than 12 inches in caliper.
Start of Construction.: The first use of permanent construction materials on a site, such as the pouring of slabs or footings or any work beyond the state of excavation.
Arterial Street. Any street designated either present or future in accordance with the Major Street Plan designation as an arterial street.
Street, Arterial.: Any United States or state numbered route, controlled-access highway, or other major radial or circumferential street or highway designated by metropolitan government within their respective jurisdictions as part of a major arterial system of streets or highways.
Street, Collector.: A street whose principal functions include providing access to abutting properties and collection and distribution of traffic between local streets and the Arterial Street System.
Street, Contextual Classifications.: Contextual street classifications are labeled and described below according to the context each supports. They are intended for use with the development standards of Chapters 4 and 5. Contextual street classifications address right-of-way and frontage zones, taken together, and include elements of the street architecture that occupy space between building facades on opposing sides of a street. The classifications for streets define the array of elements that make streets "complete", in that they support the needs of drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians to access adjacent land uses, to circulate safely and comfortably, and to enjoy the predominant public realm of the city - the space of its streets. Each contextual street is correlated to the functional classification(s) it overlays. The definition for each street below sets out a typical way in which a cross-section can be assembled. Variations to the cross-section are permitted to the extent that they support the intended context and meet the needs of the various users.
Street, Close.: A "U" shaped loop street having two open ends, each end generally connecting with the same street. Property fronts on the outside of the "U” but the interior of the "U" is a natural or landscaped open space. The close street is used as an alternative to cul-de-sacs in areas where it is difficult to provide a through street.
Street, Cul-de-Sac.: See "Street, Permanent Dead-end."
Street Design (Standard Specifications and Details).: The standards for engineering design and construction of roads, highways, streets, alleys, and related structures within a public street right of way or in an easement created to grant public use of a street.
Street, Eyebrow.: An informal open space created along a street that preserves an existing natural feature that is in the path of the street.
Street, Frontage.: A minor street giving access to lots usually running parallel to an arterial street.
Street, Local.: A street whose principal function is providing access to individual properties.
Street, Loop.: A local service street that originates from and returns to the same street.
Street, Minor Local.: A dead-end or loop street providing service to no more than 50 single-family residential lots or 65 multifamily units.
Street Plan, Neighborhood.: The pattern and hierarchy of streets that provide structure to a compact, walkable neighborhood. The organic network, curvilinear network, orthogonal grid, and diagonal network are types of neighborhood street plans that provide good connectivity, multiple routes, and efficient low-speed vehicular movement.
Street, Permanent Dead-End.: A street or a portion of a street with only one vehicular-traffic outlet. Also referred to as a cul-de-sac street. (See also Hollow Core Turnaround).
Street, Private.: A way or place in private ownership and used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having express or implied permission from the owner, but not by other persons. A private street is not maintained by Metro.
Street Right-of-Way Width.: The distance between property lines measured at right angles to the centerline of the road.
Street, Temporary Dead-End.: A local or collector, closed-end street that is only acceptable as a temporary street condition. Temporary dead-end streets are similar to cul-de-sacs except that they provide a temporary turnaround circle at their closed end. Temporary Dead-end streets are designed to provide for future connections.
Street Trees. Species and varieties of trees identified by the Urban Forester and acceptable to the Public Works Department and utility providers for installation in a planting strip or sidewalk tree well within a street right-of-way. Street trees are a street architecture element and are provided to enhance the pedestrian experience and to enclose the space of the street.
Structure.: Anything constructed above or below ground.
Subdivider.: Any person who having an interest in land, causes it, directly or indirectly, to be divided, also referred to as applicant. See "Applicant."
Subdivider Agent.: Any person who represents or acts for or on behalf of a subdivider or developer in selling, leasing, or developing or offering to sell, lease, or develop any interest, lot, parcel, unit, site, or plot in a subdivision, except an attorney-at-law whose representation of another person consists solely of rendering legal service.
Subdivision.: Any land, vacant or improved, which is divided or proposed to be divided into two (2) or more lots, parcels, sites, units, plots, or interests of less than five (5) acres in size for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of offer, sale, lease, or development, either on the installment plan or upon any and all other plans, terms, and conditions, including resubdivision, provided, however, that the term "subdivision" does not include land partitioned by owners among themselves either in court or by deeds. (The term "subdivision" includes the process of subdivision or division land, whether by deed, description, map, plat, or other recorded instrument.)
Subdivision, Major.: All subdivisions that are not classified as minor or as partitions.
Subdivision, Minor.: A division of land into three (3) or more lots fronting on an existing publicly maintained street not requiring improvements other than repair or construction of sidewalk(s) or other pedestrian connections or other types of minor improvements necessary to serve the lots being created.
Subdivision, Partition.: For the purpose of these regulations, a partition is a subdivision creating not more than two (2) lots fronting on an existing publicly maintained street not requiring public utility extensions.
Substandard Street.: Substandard meaning of less pavement, right-of-way width, construction technique, or otherwise non-conforming with current Standard Specifications and Details as is required by these regulations for the applicable class of street.
Substantial Completion.: Where the stage of constructions of public facilities has progressed to the point of rendering the facility usable for the intended purpose. Project or construction activity is complete except for cleanup, minor landscaping, etc.
Temporary Improvement.: Any improvement built and maintained by a subdivider during construction not intended to be a permanent structure or facility.
Tract. A specified stretch of land to be subdivided.
Unified Plat of Subdivision.: A property plat(s) approved by the planning commission and recorded by the Register of Deeds which either creates new lots or rerecords existing lots for the purpose of achieving a coordinated and inter-related form of development and/or manner of operation, utilizing the plat to identify and establish by appropriate notes and legal cross references those development or operational opportunities and/or limitations as authorized by the Zoning Code for Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County and assigned to the subject lots by the owner(s) of the property.
Urban Design Overlay District (UDO).: An overlay district that allows for the application and implementation of special design standards with the intent of achieving a sense of place by fostering a scale and form of development that emphasizes sensitivity to the pedestrian environment, minimizes intrusion of the automobile into the urban setting, and provides for the sensitive placement of open spaces.
Walkable Subdivision.: Walkable Subdivisions contribute to neighborhoods that are pedestrian oriented, that provide an opportunity for a variety of housing types, where residences, shops, workplaces and civic building are within close proximity of each other, where there is a network of interconnected streets and blocks and the open space is incorporated. A Traditional Neighborhood Subdivision may be infill subdivisions that are built at urban densities and are intended to be part of a larger, integrated, connected community as well as a subdivision that may contain single or mixed uses, built at urban densities, that create a development pattern that initiates or adds to a well connected street system that promotes walkable, urban communities.
Water Body.: A standing pool of water such as a lake or pond either natural or manmade with or without a defined inlet or outlet.
Water Course.: A natural or manmade channel for the movement of water.
Yard.: The area of any lot where building is restricted by the Zoning Code, including front and side yards which shall remain unobstructed by buildings, and rear yard which shall remain unobstructed by the principal building.
Zoning Code.: The Zoning Code for Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County

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