Chapter 17.02
DEFINITIONS
Sections:
17.02.005 Application.
For purposes of this title, certain words and terms are defined, and certain rules of construction and interpretation are set forth in this chapter. (Ord. 2008-05 § 1 (part), 2008: Ord. 93-6 § 3 (part), 1993)
17.02.010 Format.
The following rules of format apply, unless inconsistent with the plain meaning of the context of the title:
A. Headings. In the event that there is any conflict or inconsistency between the headings of a chapter, section or subsection of this title and the context thereof, the heading shall not be deemed to affect the scope, meaning or intent of such context.
B. Verification. The word “verification” includes declaration under penalty of perjury.
C. Any words or phrases not defined in this chapter shall be defined in the manner set forth in a dictionary, or in the terminology in common use by planning and zoning professionals. (Ord. 2008-05 § 1 (part), 2008: Ord. 93-6 § 3 (part), 1993)
17.02.030 Definitions.
“Abandoned” means to cease or suspend from developing or maintaining a building, structure or use for ninety days or lesser time as may be specified herein.
“Abandoned activity” means a business or activity with no reported sales or activity for a period of at least one hundred eighty days. Exceptions are temporary closures for repairs, alterations, or other similar situations.
Abut, Abutting (Adjacent). “Abutting” means two or more parcels sharing a common boundary of at least one point. To physically touch, border upon border, or to share a common corner or property line, except where two or more lots adjoin only at a corner or corners, they shall not be considered as abutting unless the common property line between the two parcels measures not less than eight feet in a single direction. For the purposes of this title, abutting properties shall include those properties separated by any road, street, walkway, easement, alley right-of-way or highway, except a major highway as defined by the circulation element of the general plan.
“Access” means safe, adequate, and usable ingress or egress to a property or use.
Access Drive or Access Way. “Access drive” means a way or means of approach to provide entrance to a property that is safe, adequate and usable as ingress or egress for pedestrians and vehicles.
“Accessory building” means a building or structure which is subordinate to, and the use of which is customarily incidental to, that of the main building structure or use on the same lot; if an accessory building is attached to the main building by a common wall or a connecting roof, such accessory building shall be deemed to be a part of the main building.
“Accessory living quarters” means living or sleeping quarters within an accessory building for the sole use of occupants of the premises, guests of such occupants or persons employed on the premises. Such quarters shall have no kitchen facilities, and shall not be rented.
“Accessory use” means a use customarily and normally incidental to, subordinate to and devoted exclusively to the main use of the premises.
Airport or Heliport. “Airport” means any area of land designated and set aside for the landing and taking off of any aircraft regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Airport, Private. “Private airport” means an airport or airstrip intended for the sole use of the airport owner and his or her invitees.
Airport, Public Use. “Public airport” means a publicly or private owned airport that offers the use of its facilities to the public without prior notice or special invitation or clearance, and that has been issued a California Airport Permit by the Division of Aeronautics of the California Department of Transportation.
“Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC)” means the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, a state agency that administers the provisions of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act in a manner that fosters and protects the health, safety, welfare, and economic well-being of the people of the state.
“Alley” means a public or private way permanently dedicated or reserved as a secondary means of access to abutting property.
“Amendment” means a change in the wording, context or substance of this title, addition or deletion or a change in the zone district boundaries or classifications upon the zoning map.
“Amusement park” means an outdoor facility, which may include structures and buildings, where there are various devices for entertainment, including rides, booths for the conduct of games or sales of items, and buildings for shows and entertainment.
Apartment. For a definition of “apartment,” see “Dwelling, Multiple.”
“Auto” or “automobile” includes trucks, unless otherwise specifically provided.
“Auto accessory parts (new) retail sales” means the sale of differential and transmission assemblies, engine blocks or heads and similar head parts, radiators, and tires and wheels, and tail pipes and mufflers. There shall be no machine work or repairs or installation of merchandise on the premises. There shall not be a service garage or automobile service of any kind permitted on the premises.
“Automobile sales lot” means an open area used for the display, sale and/or rental of new or used automobiles.
“Bed and breakfast inn” means a building or portion thereof occupied as a residence, intended for occupancy by transient visitors wherein guest rooms, including the serving of breakfast, are provided for compensation.
“Bedroom” means any room in a residential living unit designated as separated sleeping quarters or suitable for that purpose.
“Bicycle shop” means a business devoted to retail sales, service or repair of bicycles which are not powered by any type of mechanical device.
“Billboard” means a sign which advertises any business, food, product or service not conducted, sold, manufactured or distributed from the premises or facilities on which the sign is located.
“Block” means all property fronting on one side of a street between points where such street is intersected or intercepted by streets, railroad rights-of-way or city boundaries or terminated by a dead end; an intercepting street shall determine only the boundary of the block on the side of the street from which it so intercepts.
“Boarding, rooming, lodging house” means a building where lodging and/or meals are provided for compensation for seven or more but not more than fifteen persons, not including residential care homes.
“Body piercing shop” means an establishment providing body piercing services, which means any method of puncturing the skin of a person by an aid of needles or other instrument designed or used to puncture the skin for the purpose of inserting jewelry or other objects in or through the human body. Body piercing services shall not include: (A) ear piercing services where said services are not the primary source of business; and/or (B) the use of needles for legally authorized medical procedures by a licensed acupuncturist, a certified doctor, and/or a registered nurse.
“Breezeway” means a roofed structure not enclosed on more than two sides attached to and connecting portions of a main building, or a portion of a main building and accessory building.
“Building” means a permanently located structure having a roof; house trailers and other vehicles, even though permanently immobilized, shall not be deemed to be buildings.
“Building area” means the net portion of the lot remaining after deducting all required setbacks from the gross area of the lot.
“Building coverage” means the percent of lot area which may be covered by all the footprints of buildings or structures on a lot.
“Building height” means the vertical distance from the average level of the highest and lowest point of that portion of the lot covered by the building to the highest point of the roof.
“Building site” means the ground area of one or more lots, as defined in this chapter, when used in combination for a building or permitted group of buildings, together with all open spaces as required by this title. When so combined as a single building site, the common line dividing any two or more contiguous lots may be exempt from the provisions requiring side yards with respect thereto.
Business, Retail. “Retail business” means the retail sale of any article, substance or commodity for profit or livelihood, conducted within a building, but not including the sale of lumber or other building materials or the sale of used or secondhand goods or materials of any kind.
Business, Wholesale. “Wholesale business” means the wholesale handling of any article, substance or commodity for profit or livelihood, but not including the handling of lumber or other building materials, or the open storage or sale of any material or commodity and not including the processing or manufacture of any product or substance.
“Campground” means a plot of ground upon which two or more campsites are located, established, or maintained for occupancy by camping units of the general public as temporary living quarters for recreation, education, or vacation purposes.
“Campsite” mean an area within a campground prepared and maintained for the purpose of occupancy by camping units of the general public as temporary living quarters for recreation, education, or vacation purposes.
“Caretaker’s residence” means a single-family residence on the same property with, or an abutting property owned by the owner of, a commercial or manufacturing use, which residence is occupied by one or more persons charged with care or protection of facilities used in such commercial or manufacturing use, and which residence is provided to the occupant as compensation for such services and for which he does not pay money or any other thing of value other than his services.
“Carnival” means a group of two or more devices or acts, operated or conducted for five days or less from time of set up and in conjunction with an established business for the purpose of attracting the public, or to advertise a product, idea or program.
“Carport” means a detached accessory building not enclosed on more than three sides and designed for and used to shelter or house automobiles. When attached to the main building, a carport becomes a part thereof.
“Cell phone store” means a business that sells cell phones and cell phone accessories.
“Centerline” means a line designated by official survey to be the center of the future or existing fully developed easement, street, road or highway, which may or may not coincide with the construction centerline.
“Central business district” means a section of the city which is the principal shopping, commerce area and focal point of many individual stores and businesses individually owned and/or operated.
“Certified massage therapist” is a person who is state certified by the Massage Therapy Organization under subdivision (b) or (c) of California Business and Professions Code Section 4601 as may be amended, and who administers massage for compensation and is practicing consistent with the qualifications established by his or her certification.
“Child care facility” means a facility, other than a home, which provides regular care, protection and supervision to children for a period of less than twenty-four hours a day, while the parents or guardians are away.
“Child care home” means a home in which the occupant provides regular care, protection and supervision to twelve or fewer children, inclusive, including children who reside at the home, if any, for a period of less than twenty-four hours a day, while the parents or guardians are away.
“Church” means and includes, but is not necessarily confined to, any building, structure or open space where a group of two or more persons, not immediate members of one family only, regularly gather for purposes of divine worship.
“Club” means an association of persons for some common nonprofit purpose, but not including groups organized primarily to render a service which is customarily carried on as a business.
“College” means an educational institution offering advanced instruction in any academic field beyond the secondary level, but not including trade schools or business colleges.
“Columbarium” means a structure of vaults lined with recesses for cinerary urns for the ashes of cremated bodies.
“Commercial farm building” means a farm building used in connection with agricultural operations conducted for a profit, not including dwellings.
“Commission” means the planning commission of the city.
“Communication towers and facilities” means the equipment and associated structures needed to transmit and/or receive electromagnetic signals.
“Communications equipment building” means a building housing electrical and mechanical equipment necessary for the conduct of a public utility communications business, with or without personnel.
“Convalescent home” means an establishment or home for the care and nursing of convalescents, invalids and aged persons, excluding cases of communicable diseases, mental sickness or disorder and surgical or obstetrical operations.
“Crematory” means a building or structure operated in conjunction with a columbarium, mausoleum, cemetery, or mortuary containing one or more furnaces for the reduction of bodies of deceased persons to cremated remains.
“Dairy farm” means any place or premises upon which milk is produced for sale or other distribution and where more than two cows or six goats are in location.
“Detached” means any building or structure that does not have a wall or roof in common with any other building or structure.
“Director” means an individual, designated by the city manager, with authority to carry out the responsibilities as contained in this title.
“District zoning” means a portion of the city within which certain uses of land and buildings are permitted or prohibited and within which certain yards and other open spaces are required and certain height limits are established for buildings, all as set forth and specified in this title.
Dormitory. See “Boarding or lodging house.”
“Drive-through” means a facility in which a portion thereof is designed and constructed to provide goods or services to patrons while they remain in their vehicles.
“Dump” means a place used for the disposal, abandonment or discarding of garbage, sewage, trash, refuse, waste material, or dead animals.
“Duplex” means a detached building designed for or occupied exclusively by two families living independently of each other. The two living areas are usually joined by a common wall or roofline in the duplex.
Dwelling, Multiple. “Multiple dwelling” means a building or buildings or portion thereof used and designed as a residence for two or more families or individuals living independently of each other, with separate kitchen and bathroom facilities. “Multiple dwelling” shall not include trailers, mobile homes or residential manufactured housing.
Dwelling, Single-Family. “Single-family dwelling” means a building designed for and/or occupied as a residence by one family or individual. “Single-family dwelling” shall not include trailers, mobile homes or residential manufactured housing.
“Easement” means a grant of one or more property rights by the property owner for use by the public, a corporation or another person or entity.
“Educational institution” means a school, college, or university, supported wholly or in part by public funds and giving general academic instruction equivalent to the standards prescribed by the State Board of Education.
“Electric distribution substation” means an assembly of equipment which is part of a system for the distribution of electric power where electric energy is received at a subtransmission voltage and transformed to a lower voltage for distribution for general public use.
“Electric transmission substation” means an assembly of equipment which is part of a system for the transmission of electric power where electric energy is received at a very high voltage from its source of generation by means of a network of high voltage lines and where, by means of transformers, said high voltage is transformed to a low subtransmission voltage for purposes of supplying electric power to large individual customers, interchange connections with other power-producing agencies, or electric distribution substations for transformation to still lower voltages for distribution to smaller individual users.
“Emergency shelter” means housing with minimal supportive services for homeless persons that is limited to occupancy of six months or less by a homeless person. No individual or household may be denied emergency shelter because of an inability to pay.
“Employee housing” means living quarters including dwellings, tents, bunkhouses, railroad maintenance cars, trailer coaches or other housing accommodations maintained in connection with any work or place where work is being performed and the site on which they are located, and/or a site set aside providing for camping of five or more employees by a labor contractor, excepting farm employee housing as defined in this section.
“Family” or “household” means all those persons, related and unrelated, who occupy a single housing unit.
“Farm employee housing” means living quarters, including dwellings with sleeping accommodations and dining facilities, maintained for occupancy by persons employed principally in farming and related pursuits on land owned, leased or rented by the owner, lessee or tenant of the site on which the farm employee housing is located; excepting a labor camp or trailer park.
“Farmers market” means a retail market where agricultural produce is offered for sale to the general public, either within an enclosed building or outdoors.
Feed Lot or Feed Yard. “Feed lot” means a lot or portion of a lot used for the enclosing of livestock for market, and not operated in connection with a bona fide farm.
Fence, Open or Lattice Type. “Open or lattice type fence” means a fence, fifty percent or more of the surface of which is open to the passage of air.
Fence, Screen. “Screen fence” means a fence, ninety percent or more of the surface of which is closed to the passage of light on a horizontal plane.
“Fraternity house and sorority house” means a dwelling occupied by members of a fraternity or sorority or used as a meeting/assembly place for a fraternity or sorority.
“Frontage of building” means the lineal length of any portion of a building facing any adjacent public street or shopping center’s common parking area.
“Frontage of parcel” means the lineal length of that portion of a property abutting a street or, in the case of a property which abuts and has a public entrance facing a publicly owned parking lot, that portion of a property abutting the publicly owned parking lot.
Garage, Private. “Private garage” means an accessory building or portion of a main building designed or used only for the shelter or storage of vehicles owned or operated by occupants of the premises, and includes “carport.”
Garage, Public. “Public garage” means a building other than a private garage used for the care, repair or equipping of automobiles, or where such vehicles are kept or stored for compensation, or for hire or sale.
“Grade” means the point of elevation of the finished surface of the ground, or at a location where a sign or any projection thereof is within five feet of a public sidewalk, alley or other public way, the grade shall be the elevation of the sidewalk, alley or public way. Where a raised planter, earth berm or other artificial elevation of the ground exists at a location, the grade shall be the elevation at the base of such planter, earth berm or artificial elevation of the ground.
“Greenhouse” means a building or structure constructed chiefly of glass, glass-like translucent material, cloth or lath, which is devoted to the protection or cultivation of flowers or other tender plants.
“Group care facility” means a community care facility licensed by the State Department of Social Services that is not a residential care home, or any other facilities providing nonmedical care and supervision to children and/or adults.
“Guest house” means a detached accessory building with a floor area less than two hundred fifty square feet which does not contain kitchen facilities and which is designed for and used to house nonpaying transient visitors or guests of the occupants of the dwelling on the lot.
“Hazardous waste” means waste, or a combination of wastes, which because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics may either:
A. Cause or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible or incapacitating reversible illness.
B. Pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, disposed of or otherwise managed.
“Health care facility” means any facility, place or building which is maintained and operated to provide medical care. “Health care facility” shall include, but not be limited to, hospitals, nursing homes, intermediate care facilities, psychiatric care facilities, clinics and home health agencies which are licensed by the State Department of Health Services.
“Hedge” means a fence or barrier formed of bushes set close together.
Height, Building. “Building height” means the vertical distance from the average level of the highest and lowest point of the portion of the lot covered by the building to the topmost point of the roof.
“Height of sign” means the vertical distance from the grade to the highest point of a sign or any vertical projection thereof.
“Home occupation” means an occupation or profession carried on by a member of the immediate family residing on the premises.
“Hookah bar” means any facility or location whose business operation, whether as its primary use or as an accessory use, is denoted by smoking specially made tobacco through one or more pipes (commonly known as hookah, shisha, or narghile) designed with a tube passing through an urn of water that cools the smoke.
“Hospital” or “major medical facility” means any facility, place or building which is organized, maintained and operated for the diagnosis, care, prevention and treatment of human illness or injury, physical or mental, including convalescence and rehabilitation and including care during and after pregnancy, or for any one or more of these purposes, for one or more persons.
“Hotel” or “motel” means any building or buildings, or portion thereof, containing six or more guest rooms used, designed or intended to be used, let or hired out to be occupied on a temporary basis of not more than thirty continuous days by any family or individual.
“Household hazardous waste collection center” means a city- and county-operated household hazardous waste collection center, a facility operated or authorized by the city and county for the collection, sorting, packing, storage and shipment of small quantities (less than five gallons or fifty pounds per delivery) of hazardous wastes generated in the home. Such a facility would be operated with a state-approved operating plan and would require approval of the city fire marshal. The facility would serve to implement the household hazardous waste recommendations of the approved Tulare County hazardous waste management plan. Such a facility would occupy an area of not more than five hundred square feet, and would not use power-driven processing equipment. The facility must be located over five hundred feet from existing residential uses. Waste materials collected would include, but not be limited to, pesticides, cleaners and polishes, oil-based paints, hobby supplies and other household items considered hazardous as a result of flammability, corrosiveness, toxicity or reactivity. Items such as used motor oil and lead-acid batteries would be collected for recycling.
“Household pets” means any domestic animal normally kept as a pet including cats, dogs and birds and other small animals determined by the planning commission to be appropriate as domestic pets, provided such animals are confined to the limits of the residential property occupied by the owner of the pets. Household pets shall not include any animal or bird maintained for commercial purposes, whether or not such animal or bird may be appropriate for a domestic pet.
“Hydroponic store” means an establishment that sells equipment and/or supplies used to cultivate plants in water and nutrient solution, without soil.
“Junk” means any old scrap metals, rags, papers, lumber, bottles and old parts of bicycles, automobiles, other vehicles or machinery, or other scrap materials, and also bicycles, automobiles, other vehicles or machinery, dismantled or wrecked, and similar personal property ordinarily classified as junk, all regardless of whether the same is being held for sale or storage.
“Junkyard” means any premises or portion thereof upon which any of the articles defined as junk in this chapter are kept for sale or storage, in the open and not entirely enclosed within a room or building, whether for profit, business use, personal use or convenience or otherwise.
“Kennel” means any lot where four or more dogs, cats, or other small animals over the age of four months are kept, and where such keeping is for pleasure, profit, breeding, or exhibiting, including places where said animals are boarded, or kept for sale or hire.
“Kitchen” means any room, all or part of which is designed and/or used for storage, refrigeration, cooking and/or the preparation of food.
“Landscaping” means an area devoted to or developed and maintained predominantly with native or exotic plant materials including turf, groundcover, trees, shrubs, and other plant materials; and also including accessory decorative outdoor landscape elements such as pools, fountains, paved or decorated surfaces (excluding driveways, parking, loading, or storage areas), and sculptural elements.
“Laundromat” means an establishment providing washing, drying, or dry cleaning machines on the premises for rental use to the general public for family laundering or dry cleaning purposes.
“Liquor store” means a retail establishment designed and operated for the primary purpose of selling alcohol. Food stores and convenience markets for which sales of food comprise the majority of gross sales, but also sell alcohol, shall not be considered as a liquor store.
“Livestock” means any cattle, sheep, swine, goat, horse, mule, or other equine animals.
Lot, Corner. “Corner lot” means a lot located at the intersection of two or more streets.
Lot, Interior. “Interior lot” means a lot other than a corner lot or a reversed corner lot.
Lot, Key. “Key lot” means an interior lot where the side yard abuts the rear yard or side yard of a corner lot.
Lot Line, Front. “Front lot line” means, in the case of an interior lot, a line separating the lot from the street; in the case of a corner lot, the line separating the narrowest street frontage of the lot for the street.
Lot Line, Rear. “Rear lot line” means a lot line which is opposite and most distant from the front lot line; or in the case of an irregular, triangular or pie-shaped lot, a line ten feet in length within the lot, parallel to and at a maximum distance from the front lot line.
Lot Line, Side. “Side lot line” means any lot boundary line not a front lot line or a rear lot line.
Lot, Reversed Corner. “Reversed corner lot” means a corner lot, the street side line of which is substantially a continuation of the front lot line of the lot upon which it rears.
Lot, Through. “Through lot” means a lot having frontage on two parallel or approximately parallel streets.
“Lot width” means the horizontal distance between the side lot lines, measured at right angles to the lot depth at a point midway between the front and rear lot lines.
“Massage therapy business” means an establishment offering massage, alcohol rub, fomentation, electric or magnetic treatment, or similar treatment or manipulation of the human body by a certified massage therapist. This definition specifically excludes adult massage as defined in Section 17.76.020.
“Medical clinic” means an organized outpatient health facility which provides direct medical care, advice, services or treatment to patients who remain less than twenty-four hours.
“Mobile home” or “manufactured home” means a residential building or dwelling unit which is either wholly or partially constructed or assembled off the site in accordance with regulations adopted by the State Housing and Community Development Department. Manufactured homes shall be placed on a permanent foundation.
“Mobile home park” means any parcel of land or portion thereof which is used or offered for use as a location for one or more mobile homes or manufactured homes and is licensed by the state of California.
“Modular home” means a residential building or dwelling unit partially constructed off the site and then brought to and assembled on the site with a permanent foundation, with construction in accordance with the same local and state building codes as site-built homes.
Multifamily. See “Dwelling, Multiple.”
“Nonconforming building” means a building or portion thereof lawfully existing at the time of the adoption of the ordinance codified in this title, and which does not conform to the applicable regulations of this title, or amendments thereto.
“Nonconforming use” means a use which lawfully occupies any building or land at the time of the adoption of the ordinance codified in this title, and which does not conform to the applicable regulations of this title, or amendments thereto.
“Nursing home” means a structure operating as a lodging house in which nursing, dietary and other personal services are rendered to convalescents, invalids or aged persons not including persons suffering from contagious or mental illness, alcoholism or drug addiction, and in which surgery is not performed and primary treatment, such as customarily is given in hospitals and sanitariums, is not provided. A convalescent home shall be deemed a nursing home.
“Occupancy use permit” means a permit issued to verify the proposed use complies with the provisions of the zoning ordinance.
“Off-sale liquor establishment” means any establishment which has obtained or is required to obtain an Alcoholic Beverage Control board license Type 20 (off-sale beer and wine) or Type 21 (off-sale general) and/or is selling alcoholic beverages in an open or a closed container for consumption off the premises. Typical off-sale liquor establishments may include but are not limited to the following: food markets, supermarkets, drugstores, liquor stores, bars and convenience markets.
“Off-street parking” means an area for the temporary storage of motor vehicles that is directly accessible to but not located on a dedicated street right-of-way.
“Office” means a business or commercial establishment for the rendering of service, administrative or consultation but excluding retail services.
“Open space” means any parcel or area which is used exclusively for the parking of motor vehicles and which is accessible by such vehicles to and from an improved street or alley.
“Parking facility” means a structure or an area of land, a yard or other open space on a lot fully improved with all-weather surfacing and storm drainage as approved by the department of public works and used for or designed for use by standing motor vehicles.
Parking Facility, Off-Site. “Off-site parking facility” means a parking facility located on a lot other than the lot on which the use it serves is located.
“Parking space” means a paved area which is used exclusively for the parking of motor vehicles and which is accessible by such vehicles to and from an improved street or alley.
“Paved” means and includes either:
A. A structural section of asphalt concrete and aggregate base rock designed for vehicle volumes and loadings, but not less than one-and-one-half-inch asphalt concrete over four-inch aggregate base rock;
B. For developments with four or less required parking spaces, a structural section of asphalt chip seal over four-inch aggregate base rock.
“Personal service establishment” means a commercial or professional establishment specializing in rendering services and in which the sale of commodities is only incidental thereto.
“Pet grooming business” means a business that performs the hygienic care and/or cleaning of pets in a way that maintains and enhances an animal’s physical appearance, and which may or may not allow overnight stay for pets for a maximum of five nights. Businesses allowing overnight stay for more than five nights shall be considered a kennel.
“Physical culture studio” is a business that conducts health and training regimens, fitness training, weight resistance training, diet, aerobic activity, athletic competition, and mental discipline. This definition also specifically excludes adult massage as defined in Section 17.76.020.
“Play area” means a playground, not exceeding one acre in area.
“Playground” means any area, including accessory buildings, used or designed for recreation and not conducted for a profit.
“Premises” means a lot or parcel of real property or any portion thereof which is used separately from other portions thereof or any building located thereon or any portion of such building which has a separate street address. “Premises” does not include easements in real property appurtenant to a lot.
“Public utility service yard” means an area for the storage of public utility vehicles and material and office facilities for installation, maintenance and construction personnel.
“Readerboard sign” means a sign designed and constructed so that the display surface may be changed by a person using the sign and which is used for the purpose of displaying information about the products or services offered on the premises where the sign is located, or for announcing community events; provided, that readerboard signs shall not be used as identification signs.
“Recyclable material” means reusable material including, but not limited to, metals, glass, plastic and paper, which are intended for reuse, remanufacture or reconstitution for the purpose of using the altered form. “Recyclable material” does not include refuse or hazardous materials. “Recyclable material” may include used motor oil collected and transported in accordance with Sections 25250.11 and 25143.2(b)(4) of the California Health and Safety Code.
“Recycling facility” means a center for the collection and/or processing of recyclable materials. A certified recycling facility or certified processor means a recycling facility certified by the California Department of Conservation as meeting the requirements of the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act of 1986. A recycling facility does not include storage containers or processing activity located on the premises of a residential, commercial or manufacturing use and used solely for the recycling of material generated by that residential property, business or manufacturer.
“Residential care home” means a community care facility licensed by the State Department of Social Services as a residential facility, a residential care facility for the elderly, a foster family home or a small family home, as defined in Health and Safety Code Section 1502 or described in Welfare and Institutions Code Section 5116, that serves six or fewer adults and/or children, and an alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facility as defined in Health and Safety Code Section 11834.02 serving six or fewer persons.
“Residential manufactured housing unit” means a mobile home which is placed on a foundation system in accordance with the provisions of Section 18551 of the California Health and Safety Code and which is used as a single-family dwelling.
“Reverse vending machine(s)” means an automated mechanical device which accepts at least one or more types of empty beverage containers, including but not limited to aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles, and issues a cash refund or a redeemable credit slip with a value not less than the container’s redemption value as determined by the state. A reverse vending machine may sort and process containers mechanically; provided, that the entire process is enclosed within the machine. In order to temporarily store containers and to meet the requirements of certification as a recycling facility, multiple grouping of machines may be necessary.
“Right-of-way” means a strip of land acquired by reservation, dedication, prescription, or condemnation and intended to be occupied or is occupied by a road, crosswalk, railroad, electric transmission lines, oil or gas pipeline, waterline, sanitary storm sewer, or other similar uses.
“Sanitarium” means a health station or retreat or other place where resident patients are kept and which specializes in giving clinical, temporary and emergency services of a medical or surgical nature to patients and injured persons, and is licensed by state agencies under provisions of law to provide facilities and services in surgery, obstetrics and general medical practice as distinguished from treatment of mental and nervous disorders but not excluding surgical and post-surgical treatment of mental cases.
“Sanitary landfill” means a disposal site employing an engineered method of disposing of solid wastes in a manner that minimizes environmental hazards by spreading, compacting to the smallest practical volume, and applying cover material over all exposed wastes at the end of each operating day.
School, Public or Private. “Public or private school” means a public or private academic institution of learning for children or adults, but excluding a business college.
“Senior citizens’ housing development” means a development containing dwellings specifically designed for and occupied by persons sixty-two years of age or older and limited to such occupancy for the actual lifetime of the building, either by the requirements of state or federal programs for housing for the elderly or in accordance with standards established by resolution of the planning commission and/or the city council.
“Service station, full service” means a retail business establishment supplying gasoline and oil and minor accessories and services for automobiles, but excluding painting, body work and steam cleaning. A full service station may include as an accessory use a convenience store.
“Service station, gasoline sales and convenience store only” means a retail business establishment supplying gasoline and providing, as an accessory use, a convenience store. Additional services such as oil changes and minor accessories and services for automobiles are not allowed in conjunction with this use.
“Setback line” means a line established under this title to govern the placement of buildings and improvements with respect to streets, access easements, alleys and adjoining properties.
“Shooting ranges, indoor” means a facility specifically designed for firearms practice within an enclosed building. Each shooting range facility is typically overseen by one or more range masters to ensure gun safety rules are being followed.
“Shooting ranges, outdoor” means an outdoor facility specifically designed for firearms practice with a required backstop and other safety features to catch bullets. Each shooting range facility is typically overseen by one or more range masters to ensure gun safety rules are being followed.
“Shopping center” means a group of three or more commercial establishments planned and developed as a unit.
Sign. See “Uniform Sign Code.” “Sign” does not include the American flag or the flag of the state of California, nor any support frame or standard which is used exclusively for display of any such flag.
“Solar electricity generating plant” means a facility that generates electricity from the sun, primarily for commercial purposes.
“Solar energy system” means a solar collector, solar energy device, or structural design feature of a building whose primary purpose is to provide for the collection, storage and distribution of solar energy for space heating or cooling, for water heating, or for generation of electricity that will be used primarily by the persons and structures on the site.
“Solid waste” means all putrescible and nonputrescible solid, semisolid and liquid wastes, including garbage, trash, refuse, paper, rubbish, ashes, industrial wastes, demolition and construction wastes, abandoned vehicles and parts thereof, discarded home and industrial appliances, manure, vegetable or animal solid and semisolid wastes, and other discarded solid and semisolid wastes.
“Solid waste transfer facility” means a facility for the collection, sorting, temporary storage and transfer of solid waste to a sanitary landfill.
“Street” means a public or private thoroughfare which affords principal means of access to abutting property, including avenue, place, way, drive, lane, boulevard, highway, road and any other thoroughfare, except an alley as defined in this chapter.
“Street line” means the boundary between a street right-of-way, private street or access easement and adjoining property.
“Street property line” means that property line common to the street right-of-way or access easement.
“Structural alteration” means any change in the supporting members of a building, such as bearing walls, columns, beams or girders, and floor joists, ceiling joists or roof rafters, but not restricted to those mentioned above.
“Structure” means anything constructed or erected, the use of which requires locating on the ground or attachment to something having location on the ground.
“Supermarket” means a full service, self-service retail store of at least twenty thousand square feet which sells a line of dry grocery, canned goods, or nonfood items and some perishable items.
“Supportive housing” is defined as housing with no limit of stay, that is occupied by the target population, and that is linked on an on-site or off-site service that assists the supportive housing resident in retaining the housing, improving his or her health status, and maximizing his or her ability to live and, when possible, work in the community.
“Swap meet” means any indoor or outdoor place, location, or activity where new or used goods or secondhand personal property is offered for sale or exchange to the general public by a multitude of individual licensed vendors, usually in compartmentalized spaces, and where a fee may be charged for use of space for sale or exchange of goods as well as admission and/or parking.
“Tandem parking” means two parking spaces located such that one of the spaces serves as the only access to and from the other space and when occupied blocks vehicular access to and from the other space.
“Target population” means persons with low incomes who have one or more disabilities, including mental illness, HIV or AIDS, substance abuse, or other chronic health condition, or individuals eligible for services provided pursuant to the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, and may include, among other populations, adults, emancipated minors, families with children, elderly persons, young adults aging out of the foster care system, individuals exiting from institutional settings, veterans, and homeless people.
“Tattoo shop” means an establishment providing tattooing services, which means the marking of the skin of a person by insertion of permanent colors by introducing them through puncture of the skin. Tattooing services does not include the permanent application of make-up.
“Temporary sign” means any sign not permanently attached to the ground or a building.
“Tobacco store” means a business establishment that primarily provides tobacco and tobacco related products for retail sale.
“Transit and transportation equipment, storage space and yards, except freight classification yards” means vehicles that are stored and/or maintained by a public agency on a site that is owned, rented, or leased by a local public agency or the state or federal government.
“Transitional housing” means buildings configured as rental housing developments, but operated under program requirements that require the termination of assistance and recirculation of the assisted unit to another eligible program recipient at a predetermined future point in time that shall be no less than six months from the beginning of the assistance.
“Travel trailer” means any motor home, travel coach or other vehicle with or without motive power and less than forty feet in length, designed and constructed to travel on the public thoroughfares, and designed and used for temporary human habitation.
“Uniform Sign Code” refers to the current edition of the Uniform Sign Code adopted by Chapter 17.72.
“Vehicle towing: tow and repair” means the temporary storage of vehicles for the purpose of repair, but which does not include permanent vehicle storage or dismantling of vehicles.
“Vehicle towing: tow and store” means the temporary storage of vehicles which have been towed or for impound vehicles, but which does not include permanent vehicle storage or dismantling of vehicles.
“Vehicle towing: tow, crush, and store” means the temporary storage of vehicles which have been towed or for impound vehicles, as well as the dismantling or wrecking of motor vehicles or trailers, and crushing of vehicles on the site.
“Vehicle towing: tow, repair, and sales” means the temporary storage of vehicles for the purpose of sale and/or repair, but which does not include permanent vehicle storage or dismantling of vehicles.
“Vehicle wrecking yard” means a site or portion of a site on which the dismantling or wrecking of used vehicles, whether self-propelled or not, or the storage, sale or dumping of dismantled or wrecked vehicles or their parts is conducted. The presence on a site of two or more motor vehicles which have not been capable of operating under their own power for thirty days or more, or, in the case of vehicles not self-propelled, which have not been towable or from which parts have been removed for reuse or sale, shall constitute prima facie evidence of a vehicle wrecking yard.
“Yard” means land unoccupied or unobstructed, except for such encroachments as may be permitted by this title.
Yard, Front. “Front yard” means a yard extending across the full width of the lot, measured between the street line and the required front setback line. The front yard of a corner lot may face either street frontage, at the option of the owner. The front yard of a flag lot may be any yard as designated by the owner at time of development.
Yard, Rear. “Rear yard” means a yard extending between the side property lines of the lot measured from the rear property line of the lot and the required rear setback line. In the case of a corner lot or flag lot, the rear yard is that portion of the lot opposite to the front yard.
Yard, Side. “Side yard” means a yard between the side line of the lot and the required side setback line extending from the front line of the lot to the rear yard. (Ord. 2015-08 § 2 (part), 2015; Ord. 2014-04 § 2 (part), 2014; Ord. 2012-03 § 2 (part), 2012; Ord. 2008-05 § 1 (part), 2008: Ord. 97-4 § 17, 1997; Ord. 93-6 § 3 (part), 1993. Formerly 17.02.015—17.02.560)