A use of a building, lot or portion thereof, which is incidental and subordinate to the principal use of the main building or lot.

The raising of farm products for use or sale, including animal or poultry husbandry, and the growing of crops, such as grain, vegetables, fruit, grass for pasture or sod, trees, shrubs, flowers and similar products of the soil.

An area within a structure arranged or designed for occupancy by one family.

Any building arranged, designed or used for rent or occupancy, or cooperatively owned by its occupants, having three or more family units, and with a yard, compound, service or utilities in common.

A room marketed, designed, or otherwise likely to function primarily for sleeping.

Refers to the Board of Appeals.

The line established by law, beyond which a building shall not extend, as determined herein by front, side and rear yards.

Any structure enclosed within exterior walls for the enclosure, shelter or protection of persons, animals or chattels.

Refers to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

A directional or omnidirectional device which transmits or receives communication, including radio, television and personal wireless services. A communication antenna is mounted on a communication tower or on another structure or building. "Communication antenna" does not include amateur radio operator antennas which are accessory to a residential use and television antennas which are accessory to a residential use.

A structure to support radio, television and personal wireless transmission antenna; microwave relay tower; monopole; and similar structures for transmission or reception and retransmission of electronic signals. Communication towers include accessory equipment buildings that do not have office space.

Any animal that is commonly kept by persons as a pet or for companionship, including but not limited to domesticated dogs and domesticated cats.

Uses which are specified for Board of Appeals approval prior to authorization and which uses, after public hearing, may be approved conditionally or disapproved in accordance with § 135-265. The term "conditional use" shall constitute the same meaning as "special exception," specified as one of the general powers of the Board of Appeals in accordance with Article 66B of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

For the purposes of this chapter, construction will be deemed to have begun when all of the necessary excavation and piers and/or footings of one or more buildings or structures covered by the permit have been completed.

Any building which is arranged, designed or used, in whole or in part, for residential purposes, but not including a tent, cabin, trailer or mobile home or a room in a hotel or motel.

A detached building or a group of attached and semidetached buildings, designed for or used exclusively for residential purposes by more than two families or more than two housekeeping units.

A detached building designed for or used exclusively for residential purposes by one family or one housekeeping unit.

A detached building with one dwelling unit above the other (duplex) or two semidetached dwelling units located on abutting lots or on the same lot, separated by a party wall without openings, in either case designed for or used exclusively for residential purposes by not more than a total of two families or more than two housekeeping units.

Any animal that is not normally domesticated in the United States or is wild by nature. Exotic animals include but are not limited to any of the following orders and families, whether bred in the wild or captivity, and also any of their hybrids with domestic species. The animals listed in parentheses are intended to act as examples and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list or limit the generality of each group of animals, unless otherwise specified:

Any chemical compound, mixture or device, the primary or common purpose of which is to function by explosion.

The extracting or mining of sand, gravel, limestone, soapstone or building stone.

One or more persons occupying a single housekeeping unit.

An area of land used for agricultural purposes, as defined in this section, and which provides a primary source of income for the occupant or owner.

Any animal commonly used by persons for use, draft or pleasure purposes. The definition of "farm animal" includes but is not limited to: poultry, rabbits, cattle, swine, sheep, goats and horses.

Any structure or barrier that is naturally grown or constructed for purposes of confinement, means of protection or use as a boundary.

A domestic cat that does not appear by its behavior or appearance and possibly location found to have been domesticated. A domestic cat that is not tame and behaves as if it were wild.

A building that is designed in modular bays to accommodate business of varying sizes, and used for offices, research and development, light manufacturing, assembly, storage, sales, and similar uses, including business community support retail up to 15% of the buildings in the project. Flex space buildings have rear loading only and generally have 25% or more of the space in any bay devoted to office use.

A common area within a building or facility with multiple food vendors and provides a common area for sit-down dining. The food may also be ordered as takeout for consumption at another location.

Also called a "yard sale" or "moving sale." The occasional sale of surplus personal property held on premises by the owner or occupant of a lot in a residential district.

An accessory building, portion of a main building or building attached thereto used for the storage of private motor vehicles, 50% of which may be for the storage of a commercial vehicle.

A garage, other than a residential garage, where motor vehicles, trailers or other types of equipment are stored, equipped for operation, repaired or kept for remuneration, hire or sale.

The Carroll County Department of Health.

Refers to the Historic District Commission authorized in accordance with Article 66B of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

An in-home commercial activity operated in a residential dwelling by one or more family members who reside within the dwelling.

An in-home office or economic activity operated in a residential dwelling by a family member residing within the dwelling.

A hospital which does not primarily treat communicable diseases, insane or feebleminded patients, epileptics, drug addicts or alcoholic patients and is not a penal or correctional institution.

A hospital which does primarily treat the types of cases noted in a Class A hospital above and which may be a penal or correctional institution.

The division of a tract of land, which is eminently suitable for industrial use, into small tracts or parcels, according to a Comprehensive Plan, for occupancy by a group of industries and which has streets and utilities.

Any building or structure and/or land used, designed or arranged for the housing, boarding, breeding or care of more than three adult dogs, which are kept or bred for hunting, sale, exhibition or domestic use, or other domestic animals which are kept or bred for profit, but not including those animals raised for agricultural purposes.

An administrative center for any public agency responsible for the public order and safety. It cannot include a holding facility which has the purpose of detaining persons charged with criminal law violations while awaiting trial or sentenced criminal offenders.

A piece or parcel of land occupied or intended to be occupied by a principal building and its accessory buildings and uses, including all open spaces required by this chapter, having frontage on a street as defined herein.

A lot abutting two or more streets at their intersection, where the interior angle of the intersection does not exceed 135°. A lot abutting a curved street may be considered a corner lot if the angle of the roadway curve is less than 135°.

The front of a lot shall be construed to be the portion nearest the street. For the purpose of determining yard requirements on corner lots and through lots, all sides of a lot adjacent to streets shall be considered "frontage," and yards shall be provided as required herein, except that not more than one rear yard shall be required.

A lot which is part of a subdivision recorded in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Carroll County or a lot or parcel described by metes and bounds, the description of which has been so recorded.

A use of a building or of land lawfully existing at the time this chapter becomes effective and which does not conform to the use regulations of the zone in which it is located.

Includes:

Land provided and deemed necessary and desirable for present and future residents and citizens of the area, including such land in stream valleys, natural woods, areas of unusual natural scenic beauty, local play lots, recreational walkways, pathways and planting areas in residential subdivisions.

Three or more retail stores or service establishments designed as a unit and primarily served by common accessories, such as signs, parking lots, arcades and walkways.

A district classified as "R-40,000," "R-20,000," "R-10,000" or "R-7,500."

Any establishment of which the principal business is the sale of food and of which the principal method of operation is to serve food ordered from a menu to seated customers at a table, booth or counter inside the establishment. However, a snack bar or refreshment stand at a public or nonprofit community swimming pool, playground or park, operated solely for the convenience of patrons of the facility, shall not be deemed to be a "restaurant."

Any establishment where ready-to-eat food primarily intended for immediate consumption is available upon a short wait and packaged or presented so that it can readily be eaten on the premises or taken outside the premises where it is sold.[3]

Specifically designed multi-dwelling-unit buildings consisting of efficiency and one-bedroom dwelling units, to which occupancy is restricted to elderly citizens.

Any premises used primarily for the disposal of garbage or any refuse by dumping, reduction, incineration or burial.

Any area of land including buildings and other structures thereon that are used to dispense motor vehicle fuels, oil and accessories at retail, where minor repair service is incidental and no storage or parking space is offered for rent.

The required minimum horizontal distance between the building line, as defined herein, and the related front, side or rear property lines.

A name, identification, description, display, illustration or device which is affixed or represented, directly or indirectly, upon a building, structure or land and which directs attention to a product, place, activity, person, institution or business.

A sign which directs attention to a business or profession or to a commodity, service or entertainment sold or offered upon the premises where the sign is located.

A sign structure which directs attention to a business, commodity, service or entertainment not necessarily conducted, sold or offered upon the premises where such sign is located.

An area of land on which a large number of ground-based solar panels are installed to generate electricity.

An accessory structure designed for the shelter, feeding and care of no more than two horses or ponies which are maintained on the property as pets or for domestic use, as distinguished from agricultural or commercial stables.

Any street existing or which may be approved by the Commission. The word "street" shall also mean "road," "highway," "boulevard," "avenue," "lane" or "court."

Anything constructed, the use of which requires a fixed location on the ground or is attached to something having such location, but not including fences; power, gas, water, sewage or communication lines or poles, towers or pole structures; sidewalks; driveways; or curbs.

The division of any tract or parcel of land into two or more lots or parcels for immediate or future sale, lease or building development. If a new street is involved, "subdivision" shall mean any division of a tract or parcel of land.

Any use which has been authorized under the provision of this chapter, which is not unlimited as to the time in which such use shall legally continue.

A private drive or road that does not meet the definition of "street" under this chapter but serves as a common vehicular access to more than one residential lot. All use-in-common drives serve only as access to the lots on the drive and cannot be considered as streets for legal frontage as required by this chapter.

Roads (public and private), underground or overhead electrical, gas, communications, stormwater management, water quality, water and sewerage systems, including poles, towers or pole structures, wires, lines, mains, drains, dams, swales, outfalls, sewers, conduits, cables, fire alarm boxes, public telephone stations, police call boxes, traffic signals, fire hydrants, regulating and measuring devices and the structures in which they are housed and other similar equipment, structures and accessories in connection therewith. It does not include buildings, yards or stations used for storage, repair or processing of equipment or material and does not include buildings, yards, stations or substations for transforming, boosting or switching purposes, where such facilities are constructed on the ground.

A sign capable of displaying words, symbols, figures and/or images electronically. This definition shall include light-emitting diode (LED) or similar screens.

A sign which is capable of change of copy through the manual changing of text, symbols or numbers. These signs also are referred to as "reader board panels."

A relaxation of the regulations and requirements listed in § 135-259, where such variance will not be contrary to the public interest and where, owing to conditions peculiar to the property and not the results of the actions of the applicant, a literal enforcement of this chapter would result in unnecessary and undue hardship.

An open space on the same lot with a principal building(s) and/or principal use, which lies between such building(s) and/or principal use and the lot line and is open and unoccupied from the ground up.

A yard extending across the full width of the lot and lying between the front lot line and the nearest line of the principal building. Where a lot abuts or adjoins two or more streets each yard adjoining or abutting a street shall be considered a front yard.

The Planning and Zoning Commission may, as part of the site plan or subdivision review process, designate one front yard on any corner lot as the primary front yard. Where such designation does not exist on the approved site plan or subdivision plat, the Planning and Zoning Commission may, upon the request of the property owner, designate one front yard of any corner lot as the primary front yard.

On any corner lot where a primary front yard has been properly designated by the Planning and Zoning Commission, all other front yards shall be considered secondary front yards.

A yard extending across the full width of the lot and lying between the rear lot line and the nearest line of the principal building.

A yard between the side line of the lot and the nearest line of the principal building and extending from the front yard to the rear yard.

A written statement issued by the Zoning Administrator authorizing buildings, structures or uses in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.