Chapter 1
Generally

7.101 Rules of Construction.

The following rules of construction apply to the text of this Ordinance:

A.    The particular shall control the general.

B.    In the case of any difference of meaning or implication between the text of this Ordinance and any caption or illustration, the text shall control.

C.    The word “shall” is always mandatory and not discretionary. The word “may” is permissive and discretionary.

D.    Words used in the present tense shall include the future, and words used in the singular number shall include the plural, and the plural the singular, unless the context clearly indicates the contrary.

E.    A “building” or “structure” includes any part thereof. The word “dwelling” includes “residence”. The word “lot” includes the words “plot” or “parcel”.

F.    The phrase “used for” includes “arranged for,” “designed for,” “intended for,” “maintained for” or “occupied for.”

G.    The word “person” includes an individual, a firm, an association, an organization, a corporation (public or private), a partnership or co-partnership, a limited liability company, an incorporated or unincorporated association, a trust, or any other entity recognizable as a “person” under the laws of Michigan.

H.    Unless the context clearly indicates the contrary, where a regulation involves two or more items, conditions, provisions or events connected by the conjunction “and,” “or” or “either ... or,” the conjunction shall be interpreted as follows:

1.    “And” indicates that all the connected items, conditions, provisions or events shall apply.

2.    “Or” indicates that all the connected items, conditions, provisions or events shall apply singly or in any combination (i.e., “or” also means “and/or”).

3.    “Either ... or” indicates that the connected items, conditions, provisions or events may apply singly.

I.    The terms “this Zoning Ordinance” or “this Ordinance” includes the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Pontiac and any amendments there to.

J.    The terms “abutting” or “adjacent to” include property “across from”, such as across a street, alley, or an easement. This term shall also apply to adjacent zoning districts in an adjacent community.

K.    The word “he” includes “she.”

L.    The phrase “such as” shall mean “such as, but not limited to.”

M.    The word “including” shall mean “including, but not limited to.”

N.    Terms not defined in this Ordinance shall have the meaning customarily assigned to them.

7.102 Index of Terms.

The following index lists all terms defined in this Article and the page number upon which the definition for each term is found.

 

A

 

A Street    

See Street Type

Abandoned Sign    

7-31

Accessory Building or Structure    

7-18

Accessory Sign    

7-31

Adjacent    

7-20

A-Frame Sign    

7-31

Agriculture    

7-20

Agriculture, Urban    

7-18

Alley    

7-20

Alteration    

7-20

Animated Signs    

7-31

Architectural Projection    

7-31

Assisted Living Facility    

7-16

Automobile Service (Commercial)    

7-7

Automobile Service (Industrial)    

7-13

Awning    

7-20

Awning Sign    

See Building Mounted Sign

 

B

 

B Street    

See Street Type

Background Area    

7-31

Bakery or Confectionary    

7-7

Bank or Financial Institution    

7-7

Banner    

7-31

Bar, Tavern, or Alcohol Service Establishment    

7-7

Base, Middle, Cap    

7-30

Basement    

See Story

Bee Keeping    

7-18

Bench Signs    

7-31

Billboard    

7-31

Block    

7-20

Board of Appeals    

See Zoning Board of Appeals

Boarders or Roomers    

7-18

Boarding or Lodging House    

7-5

Buildable Area    

7-20

Building    

7-20

Building Directory Sign    

7-31

Building Height    

7-20

Building Official    

7-20

Building-Mounted Sign    

7-31

Business Service Establishment    

7-7

 

C

 

C-2 Downtown Medical Marihuana Overlay
District    


See Map 3

C Street    

See Street Type

Canopy    

7-20

Canopy Sign    

7-32

Cap    

See Base, Middle, Cap

Cemetery    

7-16

Cesar Chavez Medical Marihuana Overlay
District    


See Map 2

Changeable Copy Sign    

See Readerboard Sign

Child Care Center or Day Care Center    

7-7

Cold Air Inflatable Balloon    

7-32

Community Service Facility    

7-16

Community Special Event Sign    

7-32

Construction Sign    

7-32

Copy Area    

7-32

Court    

7-20

Cultural or Municipal Use    

7-17

 

D

 

Decorative Display    

7-32

Development Entrance Sign    

7-32

Directional Sign    

7-32

Display Sign    

7-32

District    

7-20

Double-Faced Sign    

7-32

Drive-Through Facility (accessory to any principal use)    

7-18

 

E

 

Electronic Readerboard    

See Readerboard Sign

Erect    

7-20

Essential Services    

7-21

Excavating    

7-21

 

F

 

Facade    

7-22

Family    

7-22

Festoon Sign    

7-32

Filling    

7-22

First Story    

See Story

Flashing Sign    

7-32

Floor Area    

7-22

Front Building Wall    

7-30

Front Lot Line    

See Lot Line

Front Street    

7-30

Front yard    

See Yard

Funeral Home or Mortuary    

7-7

 

G

 

Gallery or Studio    

7-7

Garbage    

7-22

Gardening and Cultivating of Plants (including Community
Gardens)    


7-18

Golf Course    

7-17

Grade    

7-22

Greenhouse or Nursery    

7-18

Ground Sign    

7-32

Grower    

 

 

H

 

Half-story    

See Story

Helipad    

7-18

Heliport    

7-13

Home Occupation    

7-19, 7-23

Hospital    

7-17

 

I

 

Illegal Sign    

7-32

Illuminated Sign    

7-32

Incombustible Material    

7-32

Industrial District    

7-23

 

J

 

Junk    

7-23

Junk Yard    

7-23

 

K

 

Keeping of Household Animals or Pets    

7-18

Kennels    

7-18

 

L

 

Lake, private    

7-24

Lake, public    

7-24

Learning Center    

7-7

Legal Nonconforming Sign    

7-32

Location    

7-32

Lodging Uses    

7-7

Lot    

7-24

Lot Area    

7-24

Lot Coverage    

7-24

Lot Depth    

7-24

Lot Line    

7-24

Lot of Record    

7-24

Lot Width    

7-25

Lot, Corner    

7-24

Lot, Double Frontage    

7-24

Lot, Interior    

7-24

Lot, Through    

7-24

 

M

 

Manufacturing and Processing (heavy)    

7-14

Manufacturing, Fabrication and Processing (general)    

7-13

Manufacturing, Fabrication and Processing (light)    

7-13

Marihuana Business    

 

Marquee Sign    

See Building Mounted Sign

Master Plan    

7-25

Medical Clinic    

7-7

Medical Marihuana Facility    

 

Mezzanine    

See Story

Middle    

See Base, Middle, Cap

Mini-Warehouse    

7-15

Mixed Use Building    

7-5

Mixed Use District    

7-25

MMLFA    

 

MMMA    

 

Monument Sign    

See Ground Sign

MRTMA    

 

Multiple Family Apartment Building (3+ units)    

7-5

Multiple Family Manor House (3-4 units)    

7-5

Mural    

7-33

 

N

 

Nonconformities    

7-25

Nonrequired Yard    

See Yard

Nonresidential District    

7-26

Nursing Home    

7-17

 

O

 

Occupied    

7-26

Off Premises Sign    

7-33

Office    

7-8

Off-Street Loading Space    

7-26

On Premises Sign    

7-33

One Family Dwelling Unit    

7-5

Open Space, Required    

See Yard

Opinion Sign    

7-33

Outdoor Dining (sidewalk or patio)    

7-19

Outdoor Retail Sales (accessory to a permitted use)    

7-19

Outdoor Retail Sales (temporary or seasonal)    

7-19

Outdoor Storage (accessory)    

7-19

Outdoor Storage or Outdoor Yard (major)    

7-15

 

P

 

Park or Recreation Facility    

7-18

Parking Lot    

7-26

Parking Space    

7-26

Person    

7-26

Personal Service Establishment    

7-8

Pet Boarding Facility    

7-18

Place of Assembly    

7-8

Planning Commission    

7-26

Political Sign    

See Opinion Sign

Porch, Enclosed    

7-26

Porch, Open    

7-26

Portable Sign    

7-33

Premises    

7-33

Private Club, Fraternal Organization, or Lodge Hall    

7-17

Private Recreation (large indoor)    

7-17

Private Recreation (large outdoor)    

7-18

Private Recreation (small indoor)    

7-17

Private Recreation (small outdoor)    

7-18

Processor    

 

Projecting Sign    

See Building Mounted Sign

Provisioning Center    

 

Public Parking Lot/Structure    

7-17

Public Utility    

7-26

 

Q

 

Quarry Excavation    

7-26

 

R

 

Readerboard Sign    

7-33

Real Estate Sign    

7-33

Rear Lot Line    

See Lot Line

Rear yard    

See Yard

Recycling Center    

7-15

Recycling Plant or Scrap Processing    

7-15

Regulated Use    

7-8

Religious Institution    

7-17

Required yard    

See Yard

Research Facility (general)    

7-15

Research Facility (major)    

7-15

Residential District    

7-26

Restaurant    

7-8

Retail Sales (indoor)    

7-8

Reviewing Authority    

7-26

Roof Sign    

7-33

Rubbish    

7-26

 

S

 

Safety Compliance Facility    

7-15

Salvage Yards/Resource Recovery Facilities/Junk Yards    

7-15

School, College or University    

7-17

School, Primary or Secondary    

7-17

School, Vocational    

7-17

Secure Transporter    

 

Service and Repair (industrial)    

7-15

Setback, Required    

7-26

Sexually Oriented Business    

7-8

Side Lot Line    

See Lot Line

Side Street    

7-30

Side Street Lot Line    

See Lot Line

Side street yard    

See Yard

Side yard    

See Yard

Sign    

7-33

Sign Height    

7-33

Sign Structure    

7-33

Site Plan    

7-27

Small Wind Energy
System    

See Sustainable Energy Generation

Solar Energy System    

See Sustainable Energy Generation

Special Exception Permit    

7-27

Special Purpose or Seasonal Signs    

7-33

State Licensed Residential Facility    

7-5

Story    

7-27

Street    

7-28

Street Type    

7-28

Structure    

7-28

Subdivision Signs    

See Development Entrance Sign

Substantially Altered    

7-33

Surface    

7-33

Sustainable Energy Generation.    

7-19

 

T

 

Temporary Construction Facilities    

7-19

Temporary Sign    

7-33

Temporary Use    

7-19

Terminal, Freight    

7-15

Terminal, Public Transportation    

7-15

Top Story Attic    

See Story

Total Surface Area of Sign    

7-33

Townhouse (3+ units)    

7-6

Transparency    

7-30

Two Family Dwelling Unit    

7-7

 

U

 

Use, Accessory    

7-28

Used    

7-28

Utility (major)    

7-17

Utility (minor)    

7-17

Utility Wind Energy System    

See Sustainable Energy Generation

 

V

 

Veterinary Hospital or Clinic    

7-18

 

W

 

Wall Sign    

See Building Mounted Sign

Walton Blvd. Medical

Marihuana Overlay District    


See Map 1

Wholesale Storage/Distribution (toxic or hazardous
materials)    


7-16

Wholesale Storage/Distribution (nontoxic, nonhazardous)    

7-15

Window Sign    

7-34

Wireless Telecommunication Facilities    

7-19

Workshop/Showroom    

7-13

 

Y

 

Yard    

7-28

 

Z

 

Zoning Board of Appeals    

7-29