Chapter 17.08 DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of this title certain terms and words are defined in this chapter. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future; the singular tense includes the plural, and the plural the singular; the word “shall” is always mandatory and the word “may” denotes a use of discretion in making a decision; the word “used,” unless the context otherwise requires, shall be considered as though followed by the words: “or occupied,” “or intended,” “or arranged,” and, “or designed to be used.” (Ord. 491 § 2.01, 1966).

“Agriculture” means the tilling of the soil, the raising of crops, horticulture, floriculture, small livestock farming, dairying, and animal husbandry, including all uses customarily incidental thereto, but not including hog farm, slaughterhouse, fertilizer works, bone yard, plant for the reduction of animal matter, or any other secondary processing of agricultural products. (Ord. 491 § 2.03, 1966).

“Alley” means a passage or way, open to public travel and dedicated to public use, affording generally a secondary means of vehicular access to abutting lots and not intended for general traffic circulation. (Ord. 491 § 2.04, 1966).

“Arcade” means a building or part of a building in which five or more pinball machines, video games, or other similar player-operated amusement devices are maintained. (Ord. 1073 § 1 (part), 2001).

“Buffer area” means a landscaped area of predetermined width intended to separate and partially obstruct the view of two adjacent land uses or properties from one another. (Ord. 944 § 1(A), 1996).

“Building” means any structure having a roof supported by columns or by walls, and intended for the shelter, housing, or enclosure of people, animals, or chattels. (Ord. 491 § 2.05, 1966).

“Accessory building” means a detached subordinate building, the use of which is incidental to that of a main building on the same lot, and which does not change or alter the character of the premises. (Ord. 491 § 2.06, 1966).

“Building height” means the vertical distance from the grade plane, as defined in the city’s adopted building code Chapter 14.04, to the height of the highest roof surface. (Ord. 1140 § 5, 2004: Ord. 896 § 1, 1995: Ord. 491 § 2.07, 1966).

“Main building” means a building in which is conducted the principal use of the lot on which it is situated. In any residential district, a dwelling shall be deemed to be the main building on the lot on which it is situated. (Ord. 491 § 2.08, 1966).

“Carport” means a covered space for the housing of one or more motor vehicles and enclosed on no more than two sides by walls, screens, cabinets, or other types of enclosures. (Ord. 491 § 2.09, 1966).

“Child day care center” means a facility providing regularly scheduled care for a group of thirteen or more children, within a one-month of age through twelve years of age range exclusively, for periods less than twenty-four hours, as licensed and regulated by the Department of Social and Health Services under WAC 388-155. (Ord. 795 § 2 (part), 1991).

“Clinic” means a building or portion of a building containing offices for providing medical, dental, psychiatric, or chiropractic services for out-patients only. (Ord. 491 § 2.10, 1966).

“Density” means the number of dwelling units or building structures permitted per (net) acre of land. This definition is sometimes referred to as “net-density,” which excludes streets, easements, water, slope grades greater than fifteen to twenty percent, open spaces, etc., from the building calculation formula. (Ord. 944 § 1(B), 1996).

“Multiple family dwelling” means a building designed for or containing three or more independent dwelling units. (Ord. 491 § 2.14, 1966).

“Two family dwelling” means a detached building designed for or containing two independent dwelling units. (Ord. 491 § 2.13, 1966).

“Dwelling unit” means a building or portion of a building, which provides complete housekeeping facilities for one family, meeting all uniform building code and Washington State energy code standards or manufactured home requirements as defined in Section 17.08.282. (Ord. 944 § 1(I), 1996: Ord. 491 § 2.15, 1966).

“Family child care home” means a facility in the family residence of the licensee providing regularly scheduled care for twelve or fewer children, including the children who reside at the home, within a birth through eleven-years-of-age range exclusively for periods less than twenty-four hours, as licensed and regulated by the Department of Social and Health Services under WAC 388-155. (Ord. 795 § 2 (part), 1991).

“Flag lot” means a lot which consists of a lot or a grouping of contiguous small lots platted prior to 1950, including a narrow strip of property connecting the building site to an existing developed city street. (Ord. 974 § 3(1), 1997).

“Flag stem” means that portion of a flag lot which connects a lot or a grouping of continuous small lots which were created prior to 1950 to an existing, developed city street. A flag stem shall be a minimum of twelve and one-half feet wide, for a single-family residence and twenty feet wide for multiple-family dwellings. (Ord. 974 § 3(2), 1997).

“Gross floor area” means the sum of the areas of all floors included within the surrounding walls of a building or portion thereof, exclusive of vents, shafts, and courts. (Ord. 491 § 2.17, 1966).

“Group home/rehabilitation center” means a publicly or privately operated residential facility licensed by the state for children, developmentally, physically or mentally disabled individuals, recovering alcoholics or drug addicts, juveniles or adults under the jurisdiction of the criminal justice system and other groups of a similar nature. Group homes or rehabilitation centers shall be limited to twelve residents including staff. (Ord. 1073 § 1 (part), 2001).

“Hazardous waste” means and includes all dangerous and extremely hazardous waste as defined in RCW Chapter 70.105. (Ord. 918 § 1 (part), 1995; Ord. 751 § 2 (part), 1988).

“Hazardous waste treatment and storage facility” means a location at which hazardous waste is treated and/or stored. (Ord. 751 § 2 (part), 1988).

“Home occupation” means any use customarily conducted in a home environment and entirely within a dwelling unit, which use is clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the dwelling unit for dwelling purposes and does not change the character thereof. (Ord. 491 § 2.18, 1966).

“Incineration facility” is where municipal refuse is sorted and burned at extremely high temperature to reduce refuse into an ash substance. The ash is then transferred to an approved central sanitary landfill for final disposal in accordance with all applicable local, state and federal regulations. (Ord. 1073 § 1 (part), 2001).

“Junkyard” means the use of a lot, or a portion of any lot, for the storage, keeping, or abandonment of junk, including scrap metals or other scrap material, or the use of any area for the dismantling, demolition, or abandonment of automobiles or other vehicles or machinery or parts thereof. This definition shall not be deemed to include uses conducted entirely within an enclosed building or the outdoor display and sale of used automobiles in operable condition. (Ord. 491 § 2.19, 1966).

“Large-lot estate” means any parcel of property three acres in size or larger permitted within the R-1 zone. (Ord. 944 § 1(C), 1996).

“Light industrial manufacturing” means a use engaged in the manufacture, predominately from previously prepared materials, of finished products or parts, including processing, fabrication, assembly, treatment, packaging, incidental storage, sales, and distribution of such products, but excluding basic industrial processing. (Ord. 1073 § 1 (part), 2001).

“Lot” means one or more parcels of land occupied or to be occupied by a use or building or group of buildings and accessory buildings, together with such open spaces as are required under the provisions of this title and having not less than the minimum area required by this title in the district in which such land is situated. “Lot” as defined herein is not necessarily the same as a platted lot. (Ord. 491 § 2.20, 1966).

“Corner lot” means a lot bounded on two sides by intersecting street lines; provided that the interior angle of intersection or interception of said street lines does not exceed one hundred thirty-five degrees. (Ord. 491 § 2.21, 1966).

“Lot depth” means the horizontal distance between the midpoints of the front lot line and the rear lot line. For lots with front lot lines containing curves or angles, the measurement shall be taken from a line parallel to and midway between a base line joining the front corners of the lot and a line drawn parallel to said base line tangent to the curve. (Ord. 491 § 2.24, 1966).

In the case of an interior lot, “front lot line” means the line separating the lot from the street right-of-way; in the case of a corner lot, “front lot line” means the line separating the narrowest street frontage of the lot from the street right-of-way, or, where a corner lot has two or more street frontages of equal length or nearly equal length, the front lot line shall be considered to be the line adjoining the street which is intended or likely to carry the heaviest traffic flow. The flag stem on a flag lot shall not be used to determine the front lot line. (Ord. 974 § 3(3), 1997: Ord. 491 § 2.25, 1966).

“Rear lot line” means the lot boundary line which is generally opposite the front lot line. If the lot comes to a point at the rear, that point shall be deemed to be the rear lot line. In the case of a through lot, there will not be a rear lot line. (Ord. 491 § 2.26, 1966).

“Side lot line” means any lot boundary line which is not a front line or a rear lot line, excluding the flag stem on a flag lot. (Ord. 974 § 3(4), 1997: Ord. 491 § 2.27, 1966).

“Lot width” means the distance between side lot lines measured at a point twenty-five feet from the front lot line on each side lot line. The flag stem on a flag lot shall not be used to determine lot width, excluding the flag stem on a flag lot. (Ord. 974 § 3(5), 1997: Ord. 491 § 2.28, 1966).

“Machinery/equipment rentals” mean the rental of equipment or machinery commonly stored outside and commonly used in construction and industrial activities or used for transport of goods or equipment. (Ord. 1073 § 1 (part), 2001).

“Manufactured home” means a single-family residence constructed after June 15, 1976, in accordance with state and federal requirements for manufactured homes, which:
A. Is comprised of at least two fully enclosed parallel sections each of not less than twelve feet wide by thirty-six feet long;
B. Was originally constructed with and now has a composition or wood shake or shingle, coated metal, or similar roof of nominal 3:12 pitch; and
C. Has exterior siding similar in appearance to siding materials commonly used on conventional site-built uniform building code single-family residences. (Ord. 1166 § 1, 2005: Ord. 944 § 1(D), 1996).

“Off-site hazardous waste treatment or storage facility” means facilities that treat and store hazardous waste from generators on properties other than that on which the facility is located. (Ord. 751 § 2 (part), 1988).

“On-site hazardous waste treatment or storage facility” means a facility that stores or treats hazardous wastes generated on the same, geographically contiguous or bordering properties. (Ord. 751 § 2 (part), 1988).

“Outdoor advertising sign” means any lettered, figured, or pictorial matter or other sign of any kind or character whatsoever, made visible for outdoor advertising purposes. (Ord. 491 § 2.29, 1966).

“Places of assembly” means a building used in whole or part for the gathering together of persons for such purposes as deliberation, entertainment, amusement, or awaiting transportation. Churches, lodges, community halls, and club houses would fall under this definition. (Ord. 1073 § 1 (part), 2001).

“Off-street parking space” means space within a public or private parking area, or within a building used for the parking or storage of motor vehicles. (Ord. 491 § 2.30, 1966).

“Recreation vehicle” means a vehicle, self-propelled or otherwise, designed for temporary sheltering of persons while traveling. Such vehicles shall have a body width of eight feet or less and a length of less than forty-one feet. Such vehicles include truck-mounted campers, self-propelled travel vans and all units classified as motor homes by the State Department of Labor and Industries. (Ord. 944 § 1(E), 1996).

“Recreation vehicle park (RV-park)” means an area designed, equipped and maintained under single ownership, for the temporary parking of two or more recreation vehicles being used for living quarters. Temporary parking, for the purposes of this title, shall mean the placement and use of an RV on a designated parking site in an approved RV-park for not more than thirty days per designated site. (Ord. 944 § 1(F), 1996).

“Recycling center” means a collection point for small recyclable items and materials, such as cans, bottles, newspapers, secondhand goods and used motor oil. Activities of a recycling collection center are limited to sorting, compacting and transferring. (Ord. 1073 § 1 (part), 2001).

“Sign” means any structure, or device, or portion thereof, identifying the premises, the occupant of said premises, or relating to goods or services manufactured, produced, or available on said premises. (Ord. 491 § 2.31, 1966).

“Small lot single-family residential” means a zoning overlay designated that permits single-family residential units to be built on lot sizes less than the standard lot size assigned the underlying residential zone, subject to site-plan approval. (Ord. 944 § 1(G), 1996).

“State siting criteria” means the criteria developed by the Washington State Department of Ecology under the authority of RCW 70.105.210 for the siting of hazardous waste management facilities. (Ord. 918 § 1 (part), 1995; Ord. 751 § 2 (part), 1988).

“Storage” means the holding of hazardous waste for a temporary period. Accumulation of hazardous waste by an on-site generator is not storage as long as the generator complies with the applicable requirements of WAC 173-200 and 173-201. (Ord. 918 § 1 (part), 1995; Ord. 751 § 2 (part), 1988).

“Street” means a public right-of-way which affords the principal means of access to abutting property, including avenue, place, way, drive, lane, boulevard, highway, road, and any other thoroughfare except an alley. (Ord. 491 § 2.32, 1966).

“Structure” means anything constructed or erected which requires location on the ground or attachment to something having location on the ground. (Ord. 491 § 2.34, 1966).

“Treatment” means the physical, chemical or biological processing of hazardous waste to make such waste nondangerous or less dangerous, safer for transport, amenable for energy or material resource recovery, amenable for storage, or reduced in volume. A hazardous waste treatment facility requires a state dangerous waste permit under the provisions of Chapter 173-303, Washington Administrative Code (WAC). (Ord. 751 § 2 (part), 1988).

“Truck terminal” means a building or area in which freight brought by a truck is assembled and/or stored for routing or reshipment, or in which semi-trailers, including tractor and/or manufactured home units and other trucks are parked or stored. (Ord. 1073 § 1 (part), 2001).

“Variance” means a modification of the regulations of this title after finding that the literal application of the provisions of this title would cause undue and unnecessary hardship in view of certain facts and conditions applying to a specific building, structure, or parcel of land. (Ord. 491 § 2.37, 1966).

“Waste transfer site” means an area where municipal refuse is collected in either forty cubic yard drop boxes or one hundred cubic yard transfer manufactured homes, for hauling to an approved central sanitary landfill for final disposal in accordance with all applicable local, state and federal regulations. (Ord. 1073 § 1 (part), 2001).

“Front yard” means a yard extending the full width of a lot, and measured as to depth at the least horizontal distance between the front lot line and the exterior wall of building on the lot. (Ord. 491 § 2.38, 1966).

“Rear yard” means a yard which extends the full width of a lot, and measured as to depth at the least horizontal distance between the rear lot line and the exterior wall of the main building or structure on the lot. (Ord. 491 § 2.39, 1966).

“Side yard” means a yard which extends from the front lot line to the rear lot line, and measured as to width at the least horizontal distance between a side lot line and the exterior wall of a main building or structure on the lot. (Ord. 491 § 2.40, 1966).