Use means the purpose for which land or water or a structure thereon is designed, arranged or intended to be occupied or utilized or for which it is occupied or maintained.

Useable open space means the total land area of a multifamily or transient accommodation property, which is open for use by all residents or guests thereof and/or which is used for recreational purposes, excluding land covered or utilized for ingress, egress, dedicated or required yards, structures, streets, off-street parking or vehicular maneuvering areas.

Utilities mean distribution or service connection facilities and appurtenances thereto, for gas, electricity, water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, communications, heating, fuel, cable television and other similar consumable public commodities or services.

Vacant structure means a structure not currently occupied, or a structure to which water service has been disconnected for a period of time exceeding 60 days.

Variance means a grant of relief by the appropriate board of authority or City Commission from the requirements of the Land Development Code which permits development in a manner otherwise prohibited, subject to the standards set forth in Section 3.12.

Vehicle means a device or structure, self-propelled or towed, by which persons or property may be transported, propelled, moved or drawn, except by human power.

Vehicle, commercial, means a vehicle of 24 feet or more in length, ten or more feet in height, or 10,000 pounds or more in weight, or a trailer of 16 feet or more in length, that is designed and licensed for use on the public roadways, and which is used for commercial or business purposes.

Vehicle, recreational, means a vehicle with or without motor power, which is designed for sport or recreational use, or which is designed for human occupancy on an intermittent basis. Recreational vehicles are divided into three categories: motor homes having a gross vehicle weight in excess of 10,000 pounds, boats, and accessory recreational vehicles.

Vehicle, recreational accessory, means non-motorized recreational vehicles designed for human occupancy on an intermittent basis, such as vacation trailers and fifth-wheel trailers. A camper is considered an accessory recreational vehicle when it is standing alone.

Vehicle for hire means any vehicle engaged in the transport of persons or property, in return for payment, over public roadways which is offered as a public conveyance over regular or irregular routes and with or without specific schedules.

Vessel for hire means any watercraft, which is not based in St. Pete Beach, Florida, engaged in the transport of persons or property over the intracoastal waterways and/or the Gulf of Mexico, and which is offered as a conveyance to the public at locations within the city.

Veterinarian means a facility for the medical care of dogs and/or cats, but which does not offer boarding for dogs or cats, except as necessary for the medical treatment of the animal. Such facility shall have no outside runs.

Waterfront property means a property abutting open water, bays, manmade canals and similar navigable waterways.

Yard means an open space that lies between the principal building or buildings and the nearest lot line. The minimum required yard as set forth in this chapter shall be unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground upward except as may be otherwise specifically provided herein.

Front yard means a space extending the full width of the lot between the principal structure and the front lot line and measured perpendicular to the building at the closest point to the front lot line. Note that this term defines a space and not a required setback.

Rear yard means a space extending the full width of the lot between the principal structure and the rear lot line and measured perpendicular to the building at the closest point to the rear lot line. Note that this term defines a space and not a required setback.

Required yard means the area of open space between a lot line and a building line within which no structure shall be located except as provided in this chapter.

Secondary front yard, applicable only to corner lots, means a yard abutting a street that intersects the street by which a front yard is determined. Note that this term defines a space and not a required setback.

Side yard means a space extending from the front yard to the rear yard between the principal structure and the side lot line and measured perpendicular from the side lot line to the closest point of the principal building. Note that this term defines a space and not a required setback.

Waterfront yard means a yard required on a waterfront property with a depth measured perpendicular to the centerline of the seawall or mean high-water line where no seawall exists. Where the property line falls landward of the seawall, the waterfront yard shall be measured perpendicular to the lot line.

Zoning lot means an area of land under one ownership, or contiguous areas of land under multiple ownership assembled or combined for any development project to calculate density or intensity, of at least sufficient size to meet minimum zoning requirements for use, coverage and area, and to provide such yards and other open spaces as are required by this ordinance. Such zoning lots shall have frontage on a public street or on an approved private street as set out in Section 7.2(h) of this ordinance, and may consist of:

(1) A single lot of record

(2) A portion of a lot of record

(3) A combination of complete lots of record or complete lots of record and portions of lots of record or of portions of lots of record;

(4) A parcel of land described by metes and bounds

Provided that in no case of division, boundary adjustment, or consolidation shall any residual area of land be created which does not meet the requirements of this ordinance. The grant of an interest, for security or other purpose, in real property for less than an entire zoning lot, or the foreclosure or sale of such interest, shall not be deemed to create a legal zoning lot unless properly approved in accordance with Division 24 of this ordinance.