S T U

  • Screening, Complete Visual - A type of screening which affords a year-round effect and through which the screened object is totally obscured. Complete visual screening should consist of fences, walls, screen planting, or combinations, such as compact evergreen planting designed to provide 80% or more continuous opacity beginning at least twelve months after installation, when viewed horizontally from between 2 and 10 feet above average ground level provided such plants are maintained to provide such opacity on an on-going basis.
  • Setback - The minimum horizontal distance from any street or lot line to any building, structure, or use, measured in a straight line from and perpendicular to such street or lot line (i.e. - from the property line inward). See also "Yard" in Section 2.2 of these Regulations.
  • SF - Square feet.

Sign-Related Terms

  • Sign -An illustration or display of any kind, attached or erected in any manner and displayed out-of-doors in view of the general public for recognized advertising purposes. The term sign shall include a directly illuminated sign erected inside the window display area of a building, as well as outside flags or banners, but shall not include a non-illuminated, on-premises sign erected inside the window display area of a building.
  • Animated Sign-Any sign or source of light, or part thereof, which flashes, alternates, rotates, moves, or in any way simulates motion, exclusive of time and temperature signs.
  • Banners- Attention generating devices of various shapes, sizes and colors that are typically made of, but not limited to, flexible materials such as fabric, cloth, nylon, canvas, that do not typically include a rigid frame and are intended to hang overhead from a pole, bracket, or similar device attached to a fixed object such as a light pole or building.
  • Commercial Advertising or Off-Premises Sign - Any sign owned or operated by any person, firm, or corporation engaged in the business of outdoor advertising for compensation for the use of such signs, or any sign advertising a commodity or activity not sold, produced, or conducted on the premises.
  • Directional Sign - A sign intended to direct the way to a place or activity or to point toward a place or activity.
  • Double-Face Sign- A sign containing the same advertisement on both sides of the supporting structure.
  • Flashing Sign- Any sign, the illumination of which is not kept constant in intensity at all times, and/or which exhibits sudden or marked changes in such light intensity or color effect, exclusive of time and temperature signs.
  • Ground or Free-Standing Sign- A sign supported by one or more uprights or braces in or above the ground.
  • Illuminated Sign - A sign which is illuminated by either internal or external lighting devices or sources.
  • Indirectly Illuminated Sign- A sign which is illuminated by external lighting devices or sources only.
  • Identification, On-Premises, or Point-of-Sale Sign - Any sign advertising a commodity sold or produced on or a business conducted on the premises where the sign is located.
  • Projecting Sign - A sign which is affixed to an exterior wall of any building and extending more than 15 inches beyond the building walls or parts thereof.
  • Wall Sign - A sign which is affixed to the exterior walls of any building and projecting not more than 15 inches from the building wall or parts thereof. Wall signs shall also include illuminated signs erected inside window display areas of a building.
  • Sign Area - The number of square feet contained within a single contiguous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of the actual sign surface. Structural members and supports required by the Building Code and not bearing advertising matter and not forming an integral part of the display shall be excluded from the sign area. The allowable area of a double face sign shall be computed on the one side only.
  • Number Of Signs- For the purpose of determining the number of signs, a sign shall be considered to be a single display surface or display device containing elements organized, related, and composed to for a unit. Where matter is displayed in a random manner without organized relationship of elements or where there is reasonable doubt about the relationship of elements, each element shall be considered to be a single sign.
  • Specialized Classrooms - Classroom or instructional space intended to provide instruction in specific subjects, including, but not limited to, engineering, drafting, accounting, or trades for adults not involving any offensive odor, noise, vibration, smoke, particulate matter, dust or other objectionable effects, and other studio-style classrooms for the purpose of providing instruction in dance, art, theater, yoga, martial arts, music, etc. No meal service, overnight activities, or outdoor activities shall occur on-site. Office and storage space that supports the primary instructional use is allowed.

Story-Related Terms

  • Story - That part of a building between any floor and the floor above, or in its absence, the ceiling or roof above unless such part is a cellar or a half-story. (Note that a basement is a story but a cellar is not a story. See Section 5.3.D of these Regulations for the definition of basement for floodplain management purposes.)
  • Cellar - A portion of a building located partly or wholly underground where the ceiling is not more more than 3.0 feet above the average level of finished grade adjoining the exterior walls of the street façade.
  • Half-Story - - Any area under the pitched roof at the top of a building where:
    • The floor is not more than 2 feet below the plate; and
    • Less than 60% of the area of the floor is used for rooms, baths, or toilets.

Def.-Story

  • Street - Any right-of-way used for streets, roads, highways, avenues, boulevards, lanes, or other vehicular access ways.
  • Street, Private - Any street other than a public street.
  • Street, Public - Any street officially accepted by the City of Groton, as approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission under the Subdivision Regulations of the City of Groton.
  • Street Facade - The exterior wall surface of a building which is visible from and generally parallel to the street providing access and/or the mailing address.
  • Street Line - See "Lot-Related Terms" in Section 2.2 of these Regulations.
  • Structure - See "Building vs Structure" in Section 2.2 of these Regulations.
  • Structural Alteration - Any change in or addition to the structural or supporting members of a building, such as bearing walls, columns, beams, or girders.
  • Structural Fill - Screened earth material engineered to meet specific gradients of particle size, geotechnical conditions and controlled compaction rates to support the foundation or slab of a building or structure or of a paved surface.
  • Swimming Pool - Any "swimming pool" as defined and regulated in "The Public Health Code of the State of Connecticut," as amended.
  • Taxi Services Facility - A commercial site where licensed taxis are parked and maintained and from which are dispatched only from site.
  • Telecommunication Facility - Towers and/or antennae and accessory structures and equipment used in receiving or transmitting telecommunications or radio signals from a mobile communication source and transmitting those signals to another wireless site, and other communication source or receiver or to a central switching computer which connects the mobile unit with land based telephone lines.
  • Terrace - A structure not more than 18 inches in height above average grade on any side and located on the ground with no structural supports other than a subsurface base material.
  • Through Lot- See "Lot-Related Terms" in Section 2.2 of these Regulations.
  • Tour / Sportfishing Boat - See "Ferry and Boat-Related Terms" in Section 2.2 of these Regulations.
  • Use - The specific purpose for which a lot or building is designed, arranged, intended to be used, or for which it is or may be occupied or maintained. The terms permitted use, special use, or its equivalent shall not be deemed to include any non-conforming use. See "Principal vs Accessory"
  • Use, Accessory - See "Principal vs Accessory" in Section 2.2 of these Regulations.
  • Usable Open Space - See "Open Space, Usable" in Section 2.2 of these Regulations.