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<division heading="Division 50.2. Interpretation and Defined Terms">
  <section heading="Section 2.1. Rules of Interpretation">
    <paragraph indent="1">The following rules of interpretation apply to this Chapter.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">A.   How to Compute Periods Measured in Months. If a period of time is measured in months, the period begins and ends on the same day of a month; however, if there are not enough days in the final month for this to be possible, the period ends on the final day of the final month.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">B.   How to Compute Periods Measured in Days. If this Chapter requires or allows a person to perform an act within a specific time period measured in days, the person must compute the deadline in the following manner:</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">1.   If the period follows an event, count the day after the event as the first day of the period.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">2.   Count the remaining number of calendar days in the period; however, if the period is 7 days or fewer, omit Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">3.   Do not count the last day if it is a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or if the office where the person must file a document or perform an act is not open during the regular hours of that office on that day.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">C.   Requirements to Act by a Specific Date.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">1.   If the law requires or allows a person to perform an act by a specific date, but the specific date is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the person may perform the act on the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">2.   Any action required to be taken within a specific time period is measured from the date of a final agency action, or, if a party seeks judicial review of the agency action, from the date the court makes a final decision.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">D.   Signatures. The signature of a person may be the actual signature of the person or a mark that the person has authorized.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">E.   Singular and Plural. The singular includes the plural and the plural includes the singular.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">F.   Tense. The present tense includes the future tense.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">G.   Use of “Or”. “Or” indicates that the connected items, conditions, provisions, or events may apply singularly or in any combination.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">H.   Use of “Includes”. “Includes” does not limit a term to the specific examples.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">I.   Titles of Articles, Divisions, and Sections. Titles and captions are not part of the law. They only advise the reader of the content of each Article, Division, or Section.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">J.   Use of “Chapter”. “Chapter” means a numbered section in the Montgomery County Code.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">K.   Use of “Section”. In this Chapter, “Section” means section or subsection, as the context indicates.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">L.   Use of “In Writing”. In this Chapter, written communication includes electronic communication.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">M.   Reference to County Standards. For infrastructure under the jurisdiction of State or local municipalities, references in these regulations to County standards, published policy, and procedures include the applicable standards, policy, and procedures of the agency responsible for maintaining the infrastructure.</paragraph>
  </section>
  <section heading="Section 2.2. Definitions">
    <paragraph indent="1">All terms used in this Chapter that are defined in Chapter 59 or Chapter 49 have the same meanings as the definitions in those Chapters, unless otherwise defined here. In this Chapter, the following words and phrases have the meanings indicated.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">A.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Administrative Civil Penalty: A monetary penalty imposed by the Board after considering the factors in this Chapter for violating a Planning Board Action or Director Action.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Administrative Subdivision Plan: A preliminary plan submitted for the Director’s approval before the preparation of a plat.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Agricultural Land: Land classified in the Agricultural Reserve zone established by Division 4.2 of Chapter 59; and land in other zones containing at least 25 acres devoted to an agricultural use as defined in Chapter 59.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Applicant, Developer or Subdivider: An individual, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity and its agent that undertakes the subdivision of land or the activities covered by this Chapter. The terms include all persons involved in successive stages of the project, even though such persons may change and ownership of the land may change. Each term includes the other.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">B.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Bikeshare Station or Stations: A designated area on publicly or privately owned real property that contains one or more of the following items: bikeshare dock, terminal, technical platform, battery, and map frame.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Bicycle Facilities: Any infrastructure or amenity required to provide for or enhance use of bicycles for transportation or recreational purposes by the public, including but not limited to the following: bikeways, bicycle parking equipment or structures, bicycle repair stands, bikeshare stations, and end-of-trip services such as showers and changing rooms.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Board: The Montgomery County Planning Board of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Block: Land area bounded by roads, other rights-of-way, unsubdivided acreage, natural barriers, and any other barrier to the continuity of development.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Building Envelope: The portion of a lot, enclosed by the front, rear, and side setback lines and any additional building restriction lines, in which a structure may be placed.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Building Restriction Line: A line designating an area in which development or building is prohibited under this Chapter.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Burial site: A physical location where human remains were buried in the earth, or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium. A burial site includes a cemetery, but does not include the sprinkling of ashes from cremated remains.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">C.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Citation: A document noting a violation of a Planning Board Action or Director Action, seeking to impose a civil fine or corrective action.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Civil Fine: A requirement to pay a predetermined sum of money specified in an administrative citation for violating a Planning Board Action or Director Action.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Commission: The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Council: The Montgomery County Council sitting as the District Council.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">County Executive: The Montgomery County Executive.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">D.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Department of Permitting Services: The Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Department of Transportation: The Montgomery County Department of Transportation.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Development: The act of building structures and installing site improvements, both public and private, or the resulting structures and improvements.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Development Review Committee: A review committee to whom a plan is referred under the requirements of this Chapter. The Committee consists of Planning Department Staff and staff of any County, State, and Federal agency; municipality; and utility company and meets with applicants to facilitate review of the plan.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Developer: see “Applicant”.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Development Rights: The potential for the improvement of a tract of land based on its zoning classification, measured in dwelling units or floor area.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Director: The Director of the Montgomery County Planning Department or such Director’s designee.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Director Action: A written decision on a preliminary plan, site plan, or other plan, including all associated terms, conditions, requirements, and other obligations or limits, made by the Director under State law and Chapters 50 and 59, including any regulations approved under State or County law. For the purposes of an enforcement action, a Director Action excludes a decision made by the Director under Chapter 22A.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">District or Regional District: The Maryland-Washington Regional District, established by the Land Use Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">E.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Easement: A grant or reservation by the owner of land for the use of all or a portion of the land to others, including the public, for a specific purpose or purposes. The easement must be included in the conveyance of the encumbered land. For platting under this Chapter, an easement area is included within the dimensions and areas of the lots through which the easement may run, and is not separated from the lot as in the case of a dedicated right-of-way.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Easement, Slope: An easement to permit the creation and maintenance of slopes necessary to stabilize construction or to stabilize lands adjacent to construction.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Enforcement Agent: The Director, or the Director’s designee responsible for determining compliance with a Planning Board Action or Director Action.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Engineer: A professional engineer licensed in Maryland.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Environmentally Sensitive Area: In this Chapter, environmentally sensitive areas are limited to: (a) slopes equal to or exceeding 25 percent, wetlands, streams, and associated buffers as defined in the latest version of the “Guidelines for Environmental Management of Development in Montgomery County”; and (b) critical habitats for threatened or endangered wildlife or plant species as defined in the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 08.03.08, or for species designated by the Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service Natural Heritage Program, Department of Natural Resources as rare, watchlist, or in need of conservation.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">F.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Flag Lot: A lot that is separated from the nearest public or private road except for a narrow strip of land used for vehicular access, pedestrian access, frontage requirements, or utility connections.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Floodplain: as defined in Chapter 19.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Floodplain, 100-year: as defined in Chapter 19.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">G.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Growth and Infrastructure Policy: The resolution or guidelines adopted by the District Council to determine the adequacy of public facilities and services.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Growth Tiers: Tiers adopted by Montgomery County under Subtitle 5 of the Land Use Article.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">H.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">I.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Improvements: Required public or private infrastructure needed to support the development, including the following: roads; alleys; grading; road pavement; curbs and gutters; sidewalks; pedestrian ways or paths; bicycle infrastructure, including bikeshare facilities; water mains; sanitary sewer lines; water supply and sewage disposal; storm drain facilities; curb returns; sidewalk and driveway entrances in right-of-way; guard rails; retaining walls; sodding; planting; street trees; monuments; street lights; and stormwater management.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Improvement, Public: Any improvements located on land dedicated to the public or within a dedicated right-of-way or public improvement easement.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">J.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">K.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">L.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Land Surveyor: A land surveyor who is licensed in the State to “practice land surveying” as defined in the Maryland Business Occupations and Professions Code Ann. Section 15-101, as amended.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Limit of Disturbance Line: A line designating an area beyond which land disturbance as defined in Chapter 19 is prohibited.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Lot: A discrete area of land that is described by a plat recorded in the land records for which the Department of Permitting Services may issue a building permit.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">M.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Maryland Coordinate System: The coordinate system defined in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Real Prop. §§ 14-401 through 14-407.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Maryland-Washington Regional District in Montgomery County: An area defined by the Land Use Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland as the entire County; however, subdivision, planning, and zoning matters within the jurisdictional boundaries of Brookeville, Poolesville, Laytonsville, Rockville, Barnesville, Gaithersburg, and Washington Grove are governed only by each municipality’s ordinance.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Master Plan: A plan of any portion of the General Plan that may consist of maps, data, and other descriptive matter that guides the physical development of the district or any portion of the district, including any amendments, extensions, or additions by the Commission, indicating the general locations for major roads, parks or other public spaces, public building sites, routes for public utilities, zones, or other similar information. Master plan includes a sector plan and any other type of master plan prepared by the Board and approved by the District Council. See Land Use Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Mid-Block Right-of-Way: A pedestrian or bike right-of-way within a block, which may include utilities where necessary, and from which motor vehicles are typically excluded.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Minor Subdivision: Creation of lots through the division, resubdivision, or assemblage of a lot, tract, or parcel of land, including minor adjustments to existing lot lines, that does not require the approval of a preliminary plan of subdivision. For the purpose of applying the State Growth Tier rules, a minor subdivision is separately defined in Section 4.3.F.3.a.i.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">N.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Notice of Hearing: An administrative document issued by the Director that informs an alleged violator where and when an enforcement hearing will be held by the Board or the Board’s designee to address an alleged violation.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Notice of Violation: A document issued by an enforcement agent that informs a recipient of a violation and specifies the remedial action that the recipient must take to avoid further enforcement action.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">O.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Outlot: An area of land shown on a record plat on which the construction of a building or other structure requiring a building permit is prohibited.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Owner: A person or other legal entity holding a legal title in the land, not including a mortgagee, lienor, lessee, or contract purchaser.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Ownership Plat: A plat approved by the Board and recorded in the land records for the convenience of the property owner that designates land as separate units for purposes of ownership identification only.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Ownership unit: An area of land shown on an ownership plat or on a record plat created only for the convenience of the owner under Section 7.1.D of this Chapter that reflects a deed, mortgage, or lease line but does not subdivide the underlying lot.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">P.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Parcel, Unplatted: A contiguous area of land described only in a deed recorded in the land records and not included on a record plat.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Person: An individual, partnership, corporation, organization, or other legal entity that owns property or otherwise has an interest in a property.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Place of Worship: A meeting area for religious practices, including a church, a synagogue, a mosque, a convent, a temple, or a monastery.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Planning Board: see “Board”.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Planning Board Action: A final decision on a preliminary plan, site plan, project plan, sketch plan, water quality plan, or other plan, including all associated terms, conditions, requirements, and other obligations or limits, made by the Board under State law and Chapters 50 and 59, including any regulations issued under State or County law. For the purposes of an enforcement action, a Planning Board Action excludes a decision made by the Board under Chapter 22A.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Plat: A drawing depicting some or all of an approved subdivision, prepared and submitted under this Chapter, and intended for recording in the land records after approval by the Board. A plat may consist of one or more sequentially numbered sheets. See also “Record Plat”.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Preliminary Plan: A drawing for a proposed subdivision submitted for approval before the preparation of a plat.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Pre-Preliminary Plan: A drawing for a proposed subdivision submitted for binding or non-binding advice before the submission of a preliminary plan.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Q.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">R.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Receiving Area: Land designated on the zoning map as qualified for more development than its base density through the transfer of development rights.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Record Plat: A plat of subdivision recorded in the land records under the requirements of this Chapter.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Resubdivision: A change to any lot line created by a previously recorded record plat. Resubdivision includes the assembly of recorded lots or parts of previously recorded lots. A resubdivision is a subdivision.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Right-of-Way: Land intended for the passage of people, vehicles, or utilities, as shown on a record plat or described by a deed of dedication under Section 50.3.3.A.3. Any right-of-way for a public road must be dedicated to public use by the maker of the plat. The land area of a public right-of-way may be donated in fee to the County, state, or other governmental body. The parcel or area delineated on a plat for a private road is the private road right-of-way.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Road: Any street, highway, avenue, lane, alley, or viaduct, or any segment of any of them. Roads must be created by a subdivision plan under this Chapter and be shown on a record plat or deemed a road under Chapter 49.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Road, Centerline of: A line established as a centerline of a road right-of-way by any State, County, or other official agency or governing body with jurisdiction and shown on an officially adopted plan or recorded plat. In the absence of an official centerline, the Board or Director must establish the centerline with consultation from the applicable agency with jurisdiction over the road.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Road Design and Construction Code: Article 3 of Chapter 49 and any regulation that implements and amends that Article.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">S.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Shared Access Lot: A flag lot or a lot that does not abut a public or private road that is created for the subdivision of land for a duplex, triplex, townhouse, or apartment building type.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">State: The State of Maryland.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Stop Work Order: In this Chapter, an administrative order issued by an enforcement agent that requires a person to discontinue any further development, construction, or other land disturbance activity authorized by a Planning Board Action or a Director Action until a violation has been corrected.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Subdivider: see “Applicant”.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Subdivision (v.): The division or assemblage of a lot, tract, or parcel of land into one or more lots or parcels or other divisions for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of sale or development. The definition of subdivision does not include a bona fide division of exclusively agricultural land not for development purposes. A resubdivision is a subdivision.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Subdivision (n.): The land or area subdivided.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Subdivision Regulations: Chapter 50 of the Montgomery County Code, also referred to as this Chapter.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">T.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Tract: A contiguous area of land, including all proposed and existing rights-of-way, lots, parcels, and other land dedicated or donated in fee by the owner or a predecessor in title. A tract does not include land conveyed to a government for more than nominal consideration.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Turnaround: The termination of a road in the approximate shape of a “T”, built to allow vehicles to reverse direction using a 3-point turn. A temporary turnaround may become the permanent terminus of a public street when it is so approved by the Director of the Department of Transportation.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">U.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Utilities: Water, sewage, gas, electric, energy, telecommunications, telephone, broadband, cable facilities, and similar facilities that serve the public.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">V.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">W.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Water Quality Plan: A plan, including supporting documents, required as part of a water quality review under Chapter 19 for certain projects located in a special protection area.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">WMATA: The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">WSSC: The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">X.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Y.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Z.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">This section is cited in Lee v. Maryland-National Capital Park &amp; Planning Commission, 107 Md.App. 486, 668 A.2d 980 (1995).  Section 2.2 [formerly §50-1 and, prior to that, §104-1] is cited in Gruver-Cooley Jade Corporation v. Perlis, 252 Md. 684, 251 A.2d 589 (1969).  Section 2.2 [formerly §50-1 and, prior to that, §19-1] is cited in Nohowel v. Hall, 218 Md. 160, 146 A.2d 187 (1958).</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">Ord. No. 15-65, §2, states: This ordinance takes effect on March 1, 2006.  Section 50-41 [now portions of §§2.2 and 10.6], as amended by this ordinance, applies to any enforcement action taken on or after that date, including any action to enforce a Planning Board Action taken before that date.</paragraph>
  </section>
</division>