Chapter 18.98
GENERAL DEFINITIONS
Sections:
18.98.020 General zoning terminology.
18.98.030 Historic preservation terminology.
18.98.050 Housing terminology.
18.98.060 Telecommunications terminology.
18.98.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide definitions for terms used throughout this title. Special chapters for terms related to affordable housing, signage, telecommunications, and historic preservation have been included. (Ord. 738 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2013).
18.98.020 General zoning terminology.
“Abutting or adjoining” means having a common border, boundary, or lot line.
“Access” means place or way by which pedestrians and/or vehicles shall have safe, adequate, and usable ingress and egress to a property or use.
“Accessory use or structure” means a use or structure subordinate to the principal use of a building on the same lot and serving a purpose customarily incidental to the use of the principal building.
“Adjacent” means two or more lots or parcels of land separated only by an alley, street, highway, or recorded easement, or two or more objects that lie near or close to each other.
“Agent of owner” means a person or organization authorized to act for the property owner.
“Alley” means a public way which affords only a secondary means of access to abutting properties.
“Alteration” means any exterior change to a structure, site, or feature or change in occupancy.
“Assessor” means assessor of the county.
“Balcony” means a platform that projects from the wall of a building thirty inches or more above grade.
“Bioretention (rain garden)” means a landscaping feature adapted to provide on-site treatment of stormwater runoff. These features are commonly located in parking lot islands or within small pockets of residential land uses. Surface runoff is directed into shallow, landscaped depressions, which are designed to incorporate many of the pollutant removal mechanisms that operate in forested ecosystems. During storms, runoff ponds in the rain gardens in the top mulch and soil in the system. Runoff from larger storms is generally diverted past the facility to the storm drain system. The remaining runoff filters through the mulch and prepared soil mix. The filtered runoff can be collected in a perforated underdrain and returned to the storm drain system.
“Blockface” means the properties abutting on one side of a street and lying between the two nearest intersecting streets.
“Building frontage” means the portion of the building facade that faces a given street. In cases where a building has more than one street frontage, the longest of the street frontages shall be considered the primary building frontage. In cases where a business has no building frontage facing a street, the building frontage with the primary business entrance shall be considered the primary building frontage (e.g., an entrance facing a courtyard). For multi-tenant buildings, ground-floor tenants may have their primary frontage determined independently of the rest of the building based on the aforementioned rules.
“Building height” means the vertical distance from the grade to the highest point of the coping of a flat roof, or to the deck line of a mansard roof, or to the height of the highest gable of a pitch or hip roof.
“CALGreen” means a more stringent building code which requires, at a minimum, that new buildings and renovations in California meet certain sustainability and ecological standards. This new building code (originating on January 1, 2011) is designed to reduce energy consumption to pre-1990 levels. CALGreen has two components—mandatory and voluntary measures. The mandatory measures are minimum baselines that must be met in order for a building to be approved; they range from water and energy efficiency to the use of sustainable building materials. Above and beyond these provisions are voluntary measures. Voluntary measures can be adopted by local jurisdictions through incentives and/or more rigid Tier 1 and 2 requirements.
“Carport” means a permanently roofed structure with a permanent foundation and not more than two enclosed sides, used or intended to be used for automobile shelter.
“Certified arborist” means a professional arborist who has a minimum of three years’ full-time experience working in the professional tree care industry and who has passed an extensive examination covering all facets of arboriculture.
“Cistern/rain barrel” means an artificial reservoir for storing liquids, especially a tank for storing rainwater. Rain barrels and cisterns collect building runoff from roof downspouts and store it for later reuse for nonpotable applications such as irrigation. Rain barrels are most often used for individual residences, while cisterns have both residential and commercial applications. Both storage devices act to decrease the volume and flow rate of rooftop-generated stormwater runoff.
“Clean Air Vehicle” means a vehicle that meets California’s super ultra-low emission vehicle (SULEV) standard for exhaust emissions and the federal inherently low-emission vehicle (ILEV) evaporative emission standard. This includes certain zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs).
“Court” means an open, unoccupied space, bounded on two or more sides by the walls of a building.
“Coverage” means the percentage of a site covered by structures.
“Cul-de-sac” means a local street, one end of which is closed and consists of a circular turnaround.
“Density” means the net number of dwelling units per acre (not including land area used for streets or open space).
“Development” means the construction, reconstruction, conversion, structural alteration, relocation, or enlargement of any structure.
“Development standard” means any site or construction condition that applies to a residential development pursuant to any ordinance, general plan element, specific plan, or other local condition, law, policy, resolution, or regulation. “Site and construction conditions” means standards that specify the physical development of a site and buildings on the site in a housing development.
“District” means a portion of the territory of the city within which certain uses of land, premises, and buildings are permitted or prohibited and within which certain yards and open spaces are required and certain height limits are established for buildings.
“Dwelling” means a building or portion thereof used exclusively for residential purposes, including single-family, two-family, and multiple-family dwellings, but not including hotels and boarding houses.
“Dwelling unit” means one or more rooms in a building or portion thereof, designed, intended to be used, or used for occupancy by one family for living and sleeping quarters, and containing a single kitchen.
“Easement” means a grant of one or more of the property rights by the owner to, or for the use by, the public, a corporation, or another person or entity.
“Electric vehicle” means a vehicle that uses one or more electric motors or traction motors for propulsion. Three main types of electric vehicles exist: those that are directly powered from an external power station, those that are powered by stored electricity originally from an external power source, and those that are powered by an on-board electrical generator, such as an internal combustion engine or a hydrogen fuel cell.
“Family” means an individual or two or more persons living together in a dwelling unit as a single housekeeping unit.
“Feasible” means capable of being accomplished in a successful manner within a reasonable period of time taking into account economic, environmental, social, and technological factors.
“Floor area” means the total horizontal area of all the floors of a building measured from the exterior surface of the outside walls.
“Floor area ratio” means the numerical value obtained through dividing the floor area of a building or buildings by the total area of the lot or parcel of land on which such building or buildings are located.
“Frontage” means the length of any one property line of a premises, which property line abuts a legally accessible street right-of-way.
“General plan” means the city general plan, as amended, a general comprehensive and long-term plan for the physical development of the area under the city’s jurisdiction.
“Grade” means the average of the finished ground level at the center of all walls of a building. In case walls are parallel to and within five feet of a sidewalk, the ground level shall be measured at the sidewalk.
“Green roof” means essentially a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered by living vegetation which reduces stormwater runoff and can insulate a building to increase energy efficiency by lowering cooling and heating costs. A green roof or living roof also includes a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane, and may include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems.
“Halfplex” means a building designed as a single structure and containing two separate living units, each of which is designed to be occupied as a separate permanent residence for one family. Each unit is owned separately.
“Integrated development” means a group of two or more adjacent parcels or uses planned and/or developed in a joint manner, which may include shared buildings, public spaces, landscape, and/or parking facilities. Integrated development may be under single or multiple ownership.
“Landscape wall” means a wall of stone, brick, block, wood, or similar material used to retain soil for purposes of creating a landscape area raised above the finish grade of the lot. A landscape wall does not function as a retaining wall as defined by this title.
“Landscaping” means the planting and maintenance of some combination of trees, shrubs, vines, groundcovers, flowers, or lawns. In addition, the combination or design may include natural features such as rock and stone, and structural features, including, but not limited to, fountains, reflecting pools, art works, screens, walls, fences, and benches.
“Lot” means a piece or parcel of land occupied or intended to be occupied by a principal building or a group of buildings or used for a principal use and accessory uses together with such open spaces as required by this title and having frontage on an improved and accepted public street.
“Lot area” means the total area, measured in a horizontal plane, included within the lot lines of a lot or parcel of land.
Lot, Corner. “Corner lot” means a lot bounded by two or more adjacent street lines that have an angle of intersection of not more than one hundred thirty-five degrees. The front yard of a corner lot shall adjoin the shortest street property line.
“Lot depth” means the horizontal distance measured between the midpoints of the front and rear lot lines.
Lot, Flag. “Flag lot” means a lot with access provided to the bulk of the lot by means of a narrow corridor.
Lot, Interior. “Interior lot” means a lot other than a corner lot.
Lot Line, Front. “Front lot line” means the lot line separating the lot from the street.
Lot Line, Rear. “Rear lot line” means the lot line opposite and most distant from the front lot line.
Lot Line, Side. “Side lot line” means any lot line that is not a front lot line or a rear lot line.
Lot, Through. “Through lot” means an interior lot having a frontage on two streets.
“Lot width” means the average width of the lot, measured at right angles to its depth.
“Major development project” means any single structure or group of multiple structures developed on one parcel or several parcels under single ownership, which development totals an aggregate of thirty thousand square feet or more, or the total parcel size or aggregate area of parcels totals five acres or more.
“Nonconforming lot” means a legally created lot having a width, depth, or area less than required for the zoning district in which it is located.
“Nonconforming use” means a use of a structure or site that was lawfully established and maintained, but which does not conform with the use regulations or required conditions for the district in which it is located by reason of adoption or amendment of this title or by reason of annexation of territory to the city.
“Open space” means an area that is intended to provide light and air, and is designed for environmental, scenic, or recreational purposes. Open space may include, but is not limited to, lawns, decorative planting, walkways, active and passive recreation areas, playgrounds, fountains, swimming pools, wooded areas, and watercourses. Open space shall not be deemed to include driveways, parking lots, or other surfaces designed or intended for vehicular travel.
“Parcel of land” means a contiguous quantity of land in the possession of, or owned by, or recorded as the property of, the same person.
“Parcel space” means a readily accessible area, not including driveways, ramps, or loading or work areas, maintained exclusively for the parking of one automobile.
“Permeable paving (also known as pervious or porous pavement)” means the method of paving a surface so that it allows the flow of water through it. This allows stormwater to filter through the soil below the paved surface, preventing the numerous environmental issues associated with water runoff.
“Permitted use” means permitted without a requirement for approval of a use permit.
“Personal utility trailer” means and includes a vehicle without motor power, not exceeding twenty feet in length, eight feet in width, and thirteen and one-half feet in overall height, designed so that it can be drawn behind a motor vehicle in accordance with general highway laws. A personal utility trailer, as defined in this section, is considered incidental to the owner’s residential use of a property. It is not intended to mean a truck trailer, single or double, that would be pulled behind a commercial vehicle or similar tractor-truck vehicle.
“Planned development” means the planning, construction, or implementation and operation of any use or structure, or a combination of uses and structures, on a single parcel of land based on a comprehensive and complete design or plan treating the entire complex of land, structures, and uses as a single project.
“Planned unit development” means a development (other than a community apartment project, a condominium project, or a stock cooperative) having either or both of the following features:
A. The common area is owned either by an association or in common by the owners of the separate interests who possess appurtenant rights to the beneficial use and enjoyment of the common area; and/or
B. A power exists in the association to enforce an obligation of an owner of a separate interest with respect to the beneficial use and enjoyment of the common area by means of an assessment which may become a lien upon the separate interests in accordance with Section 1367 or 1367.1 of the California Civil Code.
“Recreational vehicle” means and includes a motor home, travel trailer, tent trailer, camper, motorcycle trailer, boat and boat trailer, small personal motorized watercraft and watercraft trailer, small personal motorized snowmobile and snowmobile trailer, or other similar type vehicle, not to exceed thirty feet in overall length if placed, parked, and/or stored within a required front yard, not to exceed forty feet in overall length if placed, parked, and/or stored within an interior side and/or rear yard and not to exceed eight and one-half feet in width, or thirteen and one-half feet in overall height (overall height includes vehicles mounted on a trailer). Recreational vehicle shall not mean or include any aircraft, including an ultra-light aircraft, glider, or hang glider. A vehicle meeting this definition, which exceeds the stated size limitations, shall not be deemed to be incidental to a dwelling unit and shall not be permitted to be placed, parked, and/or stored within a residential area.
“Recycling collection point” means an incidental use that serves as a neighborhood drop-off point for temporary storage of recoverable resources. No processing of such items at this point is allowed.
“Residence” means one or more rooms designed, used, or intended to be used as permanent living quarters and not as temporary or overnight accommodations.
“Retaining wall” means a wall constructed as part of the development of the site through the issuance of a grading permit or as part of a roadway improvement project that is designed and engineered to retain soil for purposes of soil stabilization.
“Satellite dish antenna” means a round, parabolic antenna intended to receive signals from orbiting satellites and other sources. Noncommercial dish antennas are defined as being less than four meters in diameter, while commercial dish antennas are usually those larger than four meters and typically used by broadcasting stations.
“Scenic corridor” means a strip of land on each side of a watercourse or roadway that is generally visible to the public traveling on or about such route (greenbelt).
“Screening” means the method by which a view of one site from another adjacent site is shielded, concealed, or hidden. Screening techniques include fences, walls, hedges, berms, or other features.
“Setback” means the required minimum horizontal distance between the building line and the related front, side, or rear property line.
“Shopping center” means a grouping of retail business and service uses on a single site with common parking facilities.
“Site plan” means a plan, prepared to scale, showing accurately and with complete dimensioning the boundaries of a site and the location of all buildings, structures, uses, and principal site development features proposed for a specific parcel of land.
“Story” means the portion of a building included between the upper surface of any floor and the upper surface of the floor above. The topmost story shall be the portion of a building included between the upper surface of the topmost floor and the ceiling or roof above.
“Story, Half.” Half story means a partial story under a gable, hip, or gambrel roof, the wall plates of which, on at least two opposite exterior walls, are not more than two feet above the floor of such story.
“Street” means a public right-of-way, usually for vehicular travel, which provides a public means of access to abutting property. The term shall include avenue, drive, circle, lane, road, parkway, boulevard, highway, thoroughfare, or any similar term.
“Structure” means anything built or constructed which requires a permanent location on the ground or is attached to something having a permanent location on the ground.
“Substandard lot” means a lot in a zoning district that does not meet the minimum area requirements for that zoning district.
“Transitional use” means a permitted use or structure that by nature or level and scale of activity acts as a transition or buffer between two or more incompatible uses.
“Use” means the purpose for which land or premises of a building thereon is designed, arranged, or intended or for which it is or may be occupied or maintained. Includes construction, establishment, maintenance, alteration, moving onto, enlargement, operation or occupancy.
Use, Accessory. “Accessory use” means a use that is appropriate, subordinate, and customarily incidental to the main use of the site and which is located on the same site as the main use.
“Variance” means a dispensation permitted on individual parcels of land as a method of alleviating unnecessary hardship by allowing a reasonable use of the building, structure, or property, which, because of unusual or unique circumstances, is denied by the terms and provisions of this title.
“Vegetative swale and filter strip” means an area of vegetation typically placed along the edge of roadways designed to remove contaminants from stormwater runoff. As stormwater moves through the vegetation, contaminants are removed by filtration, infiltration, and absorption. A thick coverage of vegetation can reduce the flow velocity of runoff, allow particulates to settle, and protect against erosion. Swales accept a concentrated flow of stormwater through a grassed channel, while filter strips accept distributed stormwater flow across a vegetated area.
“Warehouse” means a building used primarily for the storage of goods and materials.
“Yard” means an open space other than a court, on the same lot or parcel of land as the building which it serves, unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground upward, except as otherwise provided in this title.
Yard, Corner Side. “Corner side yard” means a side yard on the street side of a corner lot.
Yard, Front. “Front yard” means an open space extending the full width of the lot or parcel of land, measured between the building closest to the front lot line and the front lot line, unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground upward, except as otherwise provided in this title.
Yard, Rear. “Rear yard” means an open space extending the full width of the lot or parcel of land, between a building and the rear lot line, unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground upward, except as otherwise provided in this title.
Yard, Side. “Side yard” means an open space extending from the front yard to the rear yard between a building and the nearest side lot line, unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground upward, except as otherwise provided in this title.
“Zoning district” means a portion of the city where the use of land and structures and the location, height, and bulk of structures are governed by this title.
“Zoning map” means the zoning map, or maps, of the city, as amended.
“Zoning ordinance” or “zoning code” means the zoning ordinance of the city, as amended, as set forth in this title. (Ord. 767 (part), 2014; Ord. 738 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2013).
18.98.030 Historic preservation terminology.
“Alteration” means any exterior change or modification, through public or private action, of any historic or cultural resource of any property located within a historic preservation overlay district, including, but not limited to, exterior changes to or modifications of structure, architectural details, or visual characteristics such as paint color, surface texture, grading, surface paving, new structures, cutting or removal of trees or other natural features, disturbance of archaeological sites or areas, and placement or removal of any exterior objects such as signs, plaques, light fixtures, street furniture, walls, fences, steps, paintings, and landscape accessories affecting the exterior visual qualities of the property.
“Exterior architectural feature” means the architectural elements embodying style, design, general arrangement, and components of all the outer surfaces of an improvement, including, but not limited to, the kind, color, and texture of the building materials and the type and style of all windows, doors, lights, signs, and other fixtures appurtenant to such improvement.
“Historic landmark” means any improvement that has special historic, cultural, aesthetic, or architectural character, interest, or value as part of the development, heritage, or history of the city, the state of California, or the nation, and that has been designated pursuant to this chapter.
“Historic or cultural resource” means improvements, buildings, structures, signs, features, sites, places, areas, or other objects of historic, aesthetic, educational, cultural, or architectural significance to the citizens of the city, which may or may not have been officially designated as “historic landmarks” or “historic sites” as hereinafter defined.
“Historic site” means a parcel or part thereof on which a historic or cultural resource is situated and any abutting parcel or part thereof constituting part of the premises on which the cultural resource is situated, and which has been designated a historic site pursuant to this chapter.
“Improvement” means any building, structure, place, parking facility, fence, gate, wall, work of art, or other object constituting a physical betterment of real property, or any part of such betterment.
“Structure” means a building or any other manmade object affixed on or under a particular site. (Ord. 738 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2013).
18.98.040 Sign terminology.
“Sign” means a structure, device, figure, display, message placard, or other contrivance, or any part thereof, situated outdoors or indoors, which is designed, constructed, intended, or used to advertise or to provide information in the nature of advertising, to direct or attract attention to an object, person, institution, business, product, service, event, or location by any means, including words, letters, figures, designs, symbols, fixtures, colors, illumination, or projected images. Does not include murals, paintings, and other works of art that are not intended to advertise or identify any business or product. Types of signs include the following:
A. “Abandoned sign” means a sign that no longer advertises a business, lessor, owner, product, service or activity on the premises where the sign is displayed.
B. “Animated or moving sign” means a sign which uses movement, lighting or special materials to depict action or create a special effect to imitate movement.
C. “Awning sign” means a sign copy or logo attached to or painted on an awning.
D. “Banner, flag or pennant” means cloth, bunting, plastic, paper, or similar nonrigid material used for advertising purposes attached to a structure, staff, pole, line, framing, or vehicle, not including official flags of the United States, the state of California and other states of the nation, counties, municipalities, official flags of foreign nations, and nationally or internationally recognized organizations.
E. “Bench sign” means copy painted on a portion of a bench.
F. “Cabinet sign (can sign)” means a sign which contains all the text and/or logo symbols within a single enclosed cabinet; may or may not be internally illuminated.
G. “Changeable copy sign” means a sign designed to allow the changing of copy through manual, mechanical, or electrical means, including time and temperature displays.
H. “Directional sign” means an on-site sign which is designed and erected solely for the purposes of directing vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic within a project.
I. “Directory sign” means a sign for listing the tenants and their suite numbers of a multiple-tenant structure or center.
J. “Double-faced sign” means a sign constructed to display its message on the outer surfaces of two identical and/or opposite parallel planes.
K. “Electronic reader board sign” means a sign with a fixed or changing display composed of a series of lights, but not including time and temperature displays.
L. “Electronic graphic display sign” means computer-programmable, microprocessor-controlled electronic or digital displays. Electronic graphic display signs include projected images or messages with these characteristics onto buildings or other objects. It’s a sign or portion thereof that displays electronic, static images, static graphics, or static pictures, with or without text information, defined by a small number of matrix elements using different combinations of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), fiber optics, light bulbs, or other illumination devices.
M. “Electronic message sign” means an electronic sign, typically comprising a liquid crystal diode (LCD), light-emitting diode (LED), plasma, or other digital illuminated sign that displays one or more messages. An electronic message sign is different from an illuminated sign in that the illumination of the display creates the message, rather than illumination illuminating the message. An electronic message sign could be used as a message delivery method for a wall sign, a monument sign, or other freestanding sign, or a billboard and is subject to conditional use permit approval per Chapter 18.82.
N. “Flashing sign” means a sign that contains an intermittent or sequential flashing light source.
O. “Freestanding sign” means a sign fixed in an upright position on the ground not attached to a structure other than a framework, pole, or device, erected primarily to support the sign. Includes monument signs and pole signs.
P. “Freestanding center identification sign” means a freestanding sign erected to identify a commercial center consisting of four or more tenant spaces.
Q. “Illegal sign” means a sign that includes any of the following:
1. A sign erected without first complying with all regulations in effect at the time of its construction or use;
2. A sign that was legally erected, but whose use has ceased, the structure upon which the display is placed has been abandoned by its owner, or the sign is not being used to identify or advertise an ongoing business for a period of not less than ninety days;
3. A sign that was legally erected which later became nonconforming as a result of the adoption of an ordinance, the amortization period for the display provided by the ordinance rending the display conforming has expired, and conformance has not been accomplished;
4. A sign that was legally erected which later became nonconforming and then was damaged to the extent of fifty percent or more of its current replacement value;
5. A sign which is a danger to the public or is unsafe;
6. A sign which is a traffic hazard not created by relocation of streets or highways or by acts of the city; and/or
7. A sign that pertains to a specific event, and five days have elapsed since the occurrence of the event.
R. “Indirectly illuminated sign” means a sign whose light source is external to the sign and which casts its light onto the sign from some distance.
S. “Internally illuminated sign” means a sign whose light source is located in the interior of the sign so that the rays go through the face of the sign, or a light source which is attached to the face of the sign and is perceived as a design element of the sign.
T. “Marquee (canopy) sign” means a sign which is attached to or otherwise made a part of a permanent roof-like structure which projects beyond the building wall in the form of a large canopy to provide protection from the weather.
U. “Monument sign” means an independent, freestanding structure supported on the ground having a solid base, as opposed to being supported by poles or open braces.
V. “Multi-tenant sign” means an identification sign for a commercial site with multiple tenants, displaying the names of each tenant on the site.
W. “Multi-vision sign” means any sign composed in whole or in part of a series of vertical or horizontal slats or cylinder that are capable of being rotated at intervals so that partial rotation of the group of slats or cylinders produces a different image and when properly functioning allows on a single sign structure the display at any given time of one or two or more images.
X. “Nonconforming sign” means an advertising structure or sign which was lawfully erected and maintained prior to the adoption of the ordinance codified in this chapter, but does not now completely comply with current regulations.
Y. “Off-site directional sign” means a sign identifying a publicly owned facility or emergency facility, or a temporary subdivision sign, but excluding real estate signs.
Z. “Off-site sign” means a sign identifying a use, facility, service, or product which is not located, sold, or manufactured on the same premises as the sign or which identifies a use, service, or product by a brand name which, although sold or manufactured on the premises, does not constitute the principal item for sale or manufactured on the premises.
AA. “Permanent sign” means a sign constructed of durable materials and intended to exist for the duration of time that the use or occupant is located on the premises.
BB. “Political sign” means a sign designed for the purpose of advertising support of or opposition to a candidate or proposition for a public election.
CC. “Pole/pylon sign” means an elevated freestanding sign, typically supported by one or two poles or columns.
DD. “Portable sidewalk sign” means an A-frame or sandwich board sign.
EE. “Portable sign” means a sign that is not permanently affixed to a structure or the ground.
FF. “Projecting sign” means a sign other than a wall sign suspending from, or supported by, a structure and projecting outward.
GG. “Real estate sign” means a sign indicating that a property or any portion thereof is available for inspection, sale, lease, or rent, or directing people to a property, but not including temporary subdivision signs.
HH. “Reader board sign” means a sign composed of individual changeable letters affixed to a marquee or sign cabinet that may or may not be internally illuminated.
II. “Roof sign” means a sign constructed upon or over a roof, or placed so as to extend above the edge of the roof.
JJ. “Subdivision directional sign” means a temporary or otherwise limited-term sign for the purpose of providing direction for vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic to the initial home sales of multiple lots with a single builder within a master planned community, including both single-family and multifamily for-sale products. All other home sales are included within the definition of “real estate sign.”
KK. “Temporary sign” means a sign intended to be displayed for a limited period of time and capable of being viewed from a public right-of-way, parking area, or neighboring property. Examples of temporary signs include banners, stake signs, and A-frame signs.
LL. “Time/temperature sign” means an electronic or mechanical device that shows time and/or temperature but contains no business identification or advertising.
MM. “Vehicle sign” means a sign that is attached to or painted on a vehicle which is parked on or adjacent to any property, the principal purpose of which is to attract attention to a product sold or business located on the property.
NN. “Video display sign” means a sign that changes its message or background in a manner or method of display characterized by motion or pictorial imagery, which may or may not include text and depicts action or a special effect to imitate movement, the presentation of pictorials or graphics displayed in a progression or frames which give the illusion of motion, including, but not limited to, the illusion of moving objects, moving patterns or bands of light, or expanding or contracting shapes, not including electronic changeable copy signs.
OO. “Wall sign” means a sign which is attached to or painted on the exterior wall of a structure with the display surface of the sign approximately parallel to the building wall.
PP. “Wind sign” means a sign that spins or is otherwise propelled by the force of air moving across its face.
QQ. “Window sign” means a sign posted, painted, placed, or affixed in or on a window exposed to public view. An interior sign which faces a window exposed to public view and is located within three feet of the window.
“Sign area” means the entire area within a perimeter defined by a continuous line composed of right angles using no more than four lines which enclose the extreme limits of lettering, logo, trademark, or other graphic representation.
“Sign height” means the vertical distance from the uppermost point used in measuring the area of a sign to the average grade immediately below the sign, including its base or the top of the nearest curb of the street on which the sign fronts, whichever measurement is the greatest. (Ord. 738 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2013).
18.98.050 Housing terminology.
“Affordability requirements” means provisions established by a public agency to require that a specific percentage of housing units in a project or development remain affordable to very low-, low-, and moderate-income households for a specified period.
“Affordable” means rented at an affordable rent or sold at an affordable housing price.
“Affordable housing” means housing capable of being purchased or rented by a household with very low or low income, based on a household’s ability to make monthly payments necessary to obtain housing.
“Affordable ownership cost” means monthly housing payments during the first calendar year of a household’s occupancy, including interest, principal, mortgage insurance, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, property maintenance and repairs, a reasonable allowance for utilities, and homeowners’ association dues, if any, not exceeding the following:
A. Moderate-income units: One hundred ten percent of the area median income, adjusted for assumed household size based on unit size, multiplied by thirty-five percent and divided by twelve; or
B. The assumed household size shall be one person in a studio apartment, two persons in a one-bedroom unit, three persons in a two-bedroom unit, and one additional person for each additional bedroom.
“Affordable rent” for a unit whose occupancy is restricted to a very low-income household means that the monthly rent, including utilities and all fees for housing services, shall not exceed thirty percent of income for households earning fifty percent or less of the median income, or for a unit whose occupancy is restricted to a low-income household means that the monthly rent, including utilities and all fees for housing services, shall not exceed thirty percent for households earning fifty-one percent to eighty percent of the median income as defined herein. Affordable rent shall be based on presumed occupancy levels of one person in a studio unit, two persons in a one-bedroom unit, three persons in a two-bedroom unit, and one additional person for each additional bedroom thereafter.
“Affordable sales price” means the maximum purchase price that will be affordable to low- and moderate-income households as defined herein. In setting the affordable sales price, realistic assumptions regarding down payment, mortgage interest rate, and term will be required, and those assumptions must demonstrate that targeted income families can reasonably qualify. If evidence is presented which shows to the satisfaction of the city that targeted income buyers can qualify for financing even though the percentage of their income allocated to housing is higher than thirty percent, then a corresponding increase may be approved in the affordable sales price. Affordable sales price shall be based upon presumed occupancy levels of one person in a studio unit, two persons in a one-bedroom unit, three persons in a two-bedroom unit, and one additional person for each additional bedroom thereafter.
“Affordable unit” means and is limited to those dwelling units which are required to be rented at affordable rents or purchased at an affordable sales price to specified households as described in this chapter.
“Annual household income” means the combined gross income for all adult persons living in a dwelling unit as calculated for the purpose of the Section 8 program prescribed by the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended, or its successor.
“Area median income” means area median income for Stanislaus County as published pursuant to California Code of Regulations, Title 25, Section 6932, or successor provision.
“Condominium project” means a housing development as defined in subdivision (f) of Section 1351 of the Civil Code, not including the conversion of existing rental apartments to condominiums.
“Construction costs” means the estimated cost per foot of construction, as established by the building department of the city of Patterson for use in the setting of regulatory fees and building permits, multiplied by the total square footage to be constructed for each dwelling unit, minus square footage for garage area.
“Density bonus” means a density increase over the otherwise allowable maximum residential density, as described in Chapter 18.88.
“Density bonus housing agreement” means a recorded agreement between a developer and the city as described in Chapter 18.88 to ensure that the requirements of this chapter are satisfied. The agreement, among other things, shall establish the number of target units, their size, location, terms and conditions of affordability, and production schedule.
“Density bonus units” means those residential units granted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter which exceed the otherwise allowable maximum residential density for the development site.
“Discretionary permit” means and includes use permits issued pursuant to Title 18, and the approval of tentative, final, or parcel maps pursuant to Title 16.
“Housing development” means construction projects consisting of five or more residential units, including single-family and multifamily units, for sale or for rent. For the purposes of this chapter, “housing development” also includes a subdivision, planned unit development, or condominium project consisting of five or more residential units or unimproved residential lots, the substantial rehabilitation and conversion of an existing commercial building to residential use, and the substantial rehabilitation of an existing multifamily dwelling, where the rehabilitation or conversion would create a net increase of at least five residential units.
“Incentives (or concessions)” means such regulatory concessions as listed in Chapter 18.88.
“Low-income household” means a household whose income does not exceed the low-income limits applicable to Stanislaus County, as published and periodically updated by the State Department of Housing and Community Development pursuant to Section 50079.5 of the California Health and Safety Code. It typically refers to those households with incomes of up to eighty percent of median income.
“Market-rate unit” means a dwelling unit in a residential project, which is not an affordable unit as defined herein.
“Maximum residential density” means the maximum number of residential units permitted by the city’s zoning ordinance on the date the application is deemed complete.
“Median income” means the median income, adjusted for family size, applicable to Stanislaus County as published annually pursuant to Title 25 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 6932 (or its successor provision) by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“Moderate-income household” means a household whose income does not exceed the moderate-income limits applicable to Stanislaus County, as published and periodically updated by the State Department of Housing and Community Development pursuant to Section 50079.5 of the California Health and Safety Code. This typically refers to those households with incomes of up to one hundred twenty percent of median income.
“Monthly owner-occupied housing payment” shall be that sum equal to the principal, interest, property taxes, utilities, homeowner’s insurance, and homeowners’ association dues paid on an annual basis divided by twelve.
“Nonrestricted units” means all units within a housing development excluding the target units (see “Target unit”).
“Qualifying resident” means a senior citizen or other person eligible to reside in a senior citizen housing development.
“Substantial rehabilitation” means rehabilitation of existing dwelling units to ensure that they will remain available at affordable housing cost to persons of moderate, low, and very low income for the longest feasible time, but for not less than thirty years.
“Target unit” means a dwelling unit within a housing development which will be reserved for sale or rent to, and is made available at an affordable rent or affordable ownership cost to, very low-, low-, or moderate-income households, or a unit in a senior citizen housing development.
“Targeted income families” means those households that meet the classification as moderate-, low-, and very low-income households as defined in this chapter.
“Very low-income household” means a household whose income does not exceed the very low-income limits applicable to Stanislaus County, as published and periodically updated by the State Department of Housing and Community Development pursuant to Section 50105 of the California Health and Safety Code. Typically this refers to those households with incomes of up to fifty percent of median income. (Ord. 738 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2013).
18.98.060 Telecommunications terminology.
“Antenna” means any system of wires, poles, rods, reflecting discs, whips, panels, or similar devices used for the transmission or receiving of electromagnetic radio frequency signals.
“Antenna, building mounted” means an antenna which is affixed to or supported by the roof or exterior wall of a building or other structure.
“Antenna, ground mounted” means an antenna which is fully or partially supported by a platform, framework, pole, or other structural system that is affixed to or placed directly on or in the ground.
“Co-location” means the use of two or more wireless communication facilities on a single support structure or otherwise sharing a common location. For the purposes of this chapter, co-location shall also include the location of wireless communication facilities with other facilities such as water tanks, light standards, and other utility facilities and structures.
“Communication tower” means any structure which is used to transmit or receive electromagnetic radio frequency signals or that supports such a device.
“Electromagnetic radio frequency signal” means a wave or burst of electric and magnetic energy radiating away from a transmission source to be picked up by a receiving antenna for the purpose of communicating information.
“Wireless communication facility” means a facility containing communication towers and/or antennas and any related equipment for the purpose of transmitting or receiving electromagnetic radio frequency waves. (Ord. 738 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 2013).