4-11-060 DEFINITIONS F:

A. FACILITY: (For purposes of aquifer protection area regulations contained in RMC 4-3-050, Critical Areas Regulations.) All contiguous land within an APA, structures, other appurtenances, and improvements on the land and operations therein including, but not limited to, business, government, and institutional activities where hazardous materials are stored, handled, treated, used or produced in quantities greater than the de minimis amounts specified in RMC 4-9-015, Aquifer Protection Area Permits.

B. FAMILY: Any number of related individuals, or not more than four (4) unrelated individuals, living together as a single household.

C. FARMERS MARKET: A public market at which farmers and often other vendors sell agricultural produce, which includes the sale of flowers directly to consumers.

D. FAST FOOD RESTAURANT: An eating or drinking establishment, in which the manner of preparation, packaging, and service of the product enables its consumption outside the restaurant, and which has most of the following characteristics: quick food service is offered; food is already prepared and held for service or able to be prepared quickly; identified by a name brand that offers a standard menu, typical business operation logo, advertising franchise ownership or affiliation; food is generally served in disposable wrappings or containers and with disposable utensils; and orders are not generally taken at a customer’s table. This definition excludes coffee stands.

E. FEASIBLE (with regard to application of the Surface Water Design Manual in RMC 4-6-030): An LID best management practice that is considered capable of implementation following consideration of the Surface Water Design Manual infeasibility criteria. Provided, an LID best management practice is not feasible if it would conflict with requirements of Federal or State law, zoning district design criteria, public health and safety, transportation regulations, regulations protecting tree species, a local code or rule adopted as part of a Wellhead Protection Program established under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, or a local code or rule adopted to protect a Critical Aquifer Recharge Area established under the State Growth Management Act.

F. FEATURE, KEY: A distinctive element of a site, development, or building that provides a defining characteristic, style, or functionality of a development, such as prominent architectural elements, environmental amenities (e.g., creek crossing, retained tree stands), or prominent design features (e.g., promenades or site entries).

G. FENCE: An outdoor physical and/or visual barrier, railing, or other upright structure erected above ground and separating an area of ground. For the purpose of administering this Title, a wall shall be considered to be a fence unless the wall resists the lateral displacement of soil or other materials, in which case it shall qualify as a retaining wall.

H. FILL: A deposit of earth material placed by artificial means.

I. FINAL PLAT: See PLAT, FINAL.

J. FIRE CHIEF: The Fire Chief or Chief Administrative Officer of the Renton Regional Fire Authority.

K. FIRE DEPARTMENT: The Renton Regional Fire Authority.

L. FIRE FLOW: The measure of the sustained flow of available water for fire-fighting at a specific building or within a specific area at twenty (20) pounds per square inch residual pressure.

M. FIRE MARSHAL: The City of Renton Fire Marshal or his/her designee.

N. FLAT: See DWELLING, ATTACHED.

O. FLOOD or FLOODING:

1. A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas from:

a. The overflow of inland or tidal waters, and/or

b. The unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff of surface waters from any source, and/or

c. Mudslides (i.e., mudflows) which are proximately caused by flooding as defined in subsection 1b of this definition and are akin to a river of liquid and flowing mud on the surfaces of normally dry land areas, as when earth is carried by a current of water and deposited along the path of the current.

2. The collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or other body of water as a result of erosion or undermining caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels or suddenly caused by an unusually high water level in a natural body of water, accompanied by a severe storm, or by an unanticipated force of nature, such as flash flood or an abnormal tidal surge, or by some similarly unusual and unforeseeable event which results in flooding as defined in subsection 1a of this definition.

P. FLOOD CONTROL: Any undertaking for the conveyance, control, and dispersal of flood waters.

Q. FLOOD ELEVATION STUDY: An examination, evaluation and determination of flood hazards and, if appropriate, corresponding water surface elevations, or an examination, evaluation and determination of mudslide (i.e., mudflow) and/or flood-related erosion hazards. Also known as a Flood Insurance Study (FIS).

R. FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP (FIRM): The official map on which the Federal Insurance Administration has delineated both the areas of special flood hazard and the risk premium zones applicable to the community. A FIRM that has been made available digitally is called a Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM).

S. FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY: The official report provided by the Federal Insurance Administration that includes flood profiles, the flood boundary-floodway map and the water surface elevation of the base flood.

T. FLOOD, ONE HUNDRED (100) YEAR: The maximum flood expected to occur during a one-hundred (100) year period.

U. FLOOD PROOFING: Any combination of structural and nonstructural additions, changes, or adjustments to structures which reduce or eliminate risk of flood damage to real estate or improved real property, water and sanitary facilities, structures, and their contents. Flood proofed structures are those that have the structural integrity and design to be impervious to floodwater below the Base Flood Elevation.

V. FLOODPLAIN or FLOOD-PRONE AREA: Any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from any source. See FLOOD or FLOODING.

W. FLOODPLAIN ADMINISTRATOR: The community official designated by title to administer and enforce the floodplain management regulations.

X. FLOODWAY: The channel of river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than a designated height. Also referred to as “Regulatory Floodway.”

Y. FLOODWAY: (This definition for RMC 4-3-090, Shoreline Master Program Regulations, use only.) Those portions of a river valley lying streamward from the outer limits of a watercourse upon which flood waters are carried during periods of flooding that occur with reasonable regularity, although not necessarily annually. The floodway shall not include those lands that can reasonably be expected to be protected by flood control devices maintained by or maintained under license from the Federal government, the State, or a political subdivision of the State.

Z. FLOOR AREA, GROSS: The sum of the gross horizontal areas of all floors of a building measured from the exterior face of each wall.

AA. FLOOR AREA, NET: The total of all floor area of a building, excluding stairwells, elevator shafts, mechanical equipment rooms, interior vehicular parking or loading, and all floors below the ground floor, except when used for human habitation or service to the public.

BB. FLOOR AREA RATIO: The gross floor area of all buildings on a lot divided by the lot area.

CC. FLOOR, GROUND: The floor located at or near the adjacent grade or public right-of-way.

DD. FLOWER/PLANTS AND FLORAL SUPPLY: A business involving the retail sale of flowers, house plants, and associated floral supplies.

EE. FRANCHISE RETAIL ARCHITECTURE (OR GENERIC OR CORPORATE ARCHITECTURE): Consists of site layout, buildings, and signs for businesses (usually large format, chain, or franchise retail establishments) that are the same style, color, and material regardless of location. Typically, the employees wear uniforms and the products or food are the same in every facility.

FF. FRONT YARD: See YARD REQUIREMENT.

GG. FUEL DEALERS: Wholesale distribution of fuels with associated bulk fuel storage.

HH. FUELING STATION, VEHICLE: See VEHICLE FUELING STATION.

II. FULFILLMENT CENTER: A building used primarily for the storage and/or consolidation of manufactured goods (and to a lesser extent, raw materials) prior to their distribution to retail customers, retail locations, or other warehouses. A typical fulfillment center has a high level of on-site automation and logistics management. Fulfillment centers are generally characterized by a significant storage function and direct distribution of ecommerce product to end users. These facilities usually handle smaller packages and quantities than other types of warehouses, and operations at these facilities often include employees fulfilling online orders by picking, packing, and shipping the goods and materials directly to online retail customers. These qualities, large scale, and volume of goods moved directly to home customer delivery differentiate it from other kinds of warehouse distribution. This definition excludes warehousing, and warehousing and distribution.

JJ. THE FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ACT OF 1956 (FWPCA): See RMC 4-6-100.

(Ord. 2820, 1-14-1974; Ord. 3541, 5-4-1981; Ord. 4071, 6-1-1987; Ord. 4716, 4-13-1998; Ord. 4851, 8-7-2000; Ord. 4963, 5-13-2002; Ord. 5100, 11-1-2004; Ord. 5124, 2-7-2005; Ord. 5392, 6-23-2008; Ord. 5432, 12-8-2008; Ord. 5450, 3-2-2009; Ord. 5520, 12-14-2009; Ord. 5633, 10-24-2011; Ord. 5676, 12-3-2012; Ord. 5747, 1-12-2015; Ord. 5806, 6-20-2016; Ord. 5828, 12-12-2016; Ord. 5899, 11-19-2018; Ord. 5976, 8-3-2020; Ord. 5977, 8-10-2020; Ord. 6014, 3-22-2021; Ord. 6100, 12-5-2022; Ord. 6127, 12-11-2023)