For the purposes of this Title, certain words and terms used herein are defined as follows:
ABANDONED: To cease or suspend from, developing or maintaining a building or use for a stated period of time.
ABANDONED ACTIVITY: A business or activity with no reported sales or activity for a period of at least one hundred eighty (180) days. Exceptions are temporary closures for repairs, alterations, or other similar situations.
ABUTTING (ADJACENT): Two (2) or more parcels sharing a common boundary, of at least one point.
ACCESS: Safe, adequate, and usable ingress or egress to a property or use.
ACCESSORY BUILDING: A. 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 site, including patio covers.
B. Except in the case of garden structures, if any accessory building is attached to the main building by a common wall or a connecting roof, such accessory building shall be deemed to be part of the main building.
ACCESSORY USE: A use incidental, related, appropriate and clearly subordinate to the main use of the site or building, which accessory use does not alter the principal use of the site.
ACTION: The decision made by the review authority on a land use application, including appropriate findings, environmental determination and conditions of approval, where applicable.
AGRICULTURE: The use of land for farming, dairying, pasturing and grazing, horticulture, floriculture, viticulture, apiaries, animal and poultry husbandry, and accessory activities, including, but not limited to, storage, harvesting, feeding or maintenance of equipment excluding stockyards, slaughtering or commercial food processing.
AIRPORT OR HELIPORT: Any area or land designated and set aside for the landing and taking off of any aircraft regulated by federal aviation administration.
ALLEY: A public or private way, at the rear of side or property, permanently reserved as an ancillary means of vehicular or pedestrian access to abutting property.
ALTERATION: Any construction or physical change in the internal arrangement of rooms or the supporting members of a building or structure, or change in the appearance of any building or structure.
ANCILLARY USE: A use incidental to and customarily associated with a specific principal use, located on the same lot or parcel.
ANIMAL HOSPITAL: A place where animals or pets are given medical or surgical treatment and are cared for during the time of such treatment. Use as a kennel shall be limited to short time boarding and shall be only incidental to such hospital use, and within an enclosed soundproof structure.
ANTENNA: A device for transmitting or receiving radio, television, or any other transmitted signal.
APARTMENT: A portion of a structure designed and used for occupancy by two (2) or more individual persons or families living independently of each other, including duplex, triplex, fourplex, and other multiunit configurations.
APPLICANT: Owner(s) or lessee(s) of property, or their agent(s), or person(s) who has contracted to purchase property contingent upon their ability to acquire the necessary permits under this development code, or the agent(s) of such persons.
AREA PLAN: A plan consisting of text, maps, and other documents and exhibits regulating development within a defined area of the city and/or the unincorporated territory which has been adopted by the city, consistent with the general plan and the provisions of Government Code section 65450 et seq.
AUTOMOBILE SALES LOT: An open area used for the display, sale or rental of new or used automobiles.
AUTOMOBILE WRECKING YARD: A site or portions of a site on which the dismantling or wrecking of used vehicles or the storage, sale or dumping of dismantled or wrecked vehicles or their parts are conducted. The presence on a site of three (3) or more motor vehicles which have not been capable of operating under their own power for thirty (30) 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 sales, shall constitute prima facie evidence of a motor vehicle wrecking yard.
AWNING: A roof like cover that is attached to and projects from the wall of a building for the purpose of shielding from the elements.
BED AND BREAKFAST: A transient lodging establishment primarily engaged in providing overnight or otherwise temporary lodging for the general public and may provide meals to the extent otherwise permitted by law.
BERM: A mound or embankment of earth.
BILLBOARD: Shall mean the same as "outdoor advertising structure".
BLOCK: The properties abutting on one side of a street and lying between two (2) nearest intersecting or intercepting street or railroad right of way, unsubdivided land or watercourse.
BOARDING OR ROOMING HOUSE: A building where lodging and meals are provided for compensation for five (5) but not more than fifteen (15) persons, not including rest homes.
BORROW PIT: Any place or premises where dirt, soil, sand, gravel or other materials is removed by excavation or otherwise below the grade of surrounding land for any purpose other than that necessary and incidental to grading or to building construction or operation on the premises.
BREEZEWAY: A roofed passageway, open on at least two (2) sides, connecting the main structure on a site with another main structure or accessory use on the same site.
BUILDING: A permanently located structure, having a roof, for the housing or enclosure of persons, chattels or property of any kind. Mobile homes, travel trailers and other vehicles, even though permanently immobilized, shall not be deemed to be buildings.
BUILDING AREA: The net portion of the lot remaining after deducting all required setbacks from the gross area of the lot.
BUILDING COVERAGE: The percent of lot area which may be covered by all the footprints of buildings or structures on a lot.
BUILDING HEIGHT: The building height is the vertical distance from the finished grade to the highest point of the structure, excluding chimney and vents.
BUILDING, MAIN: A building within which is conducted the principal use permitted on the lot or site as provided by this Title.
BUILDING SETBACK LINE: The minimum distance as prescribed by this Title between any property line and the closest point on the foundation or any supporting post or pillar of any building or structure related thereto.
BUILDING SITE: The ground area of a building together with all open spaces required by this Zoning Code.
CARPORT: An accessory structure or portion of main structure open on two (2) or more sides designed for the storage of motor vehicles, without full enclosure.
CEMETERY: Land used or intended to be used for the burial of the dead, and dedicated for such purposes, including columbariums, crematoriums, mausoleums and mortuaries, when operated in conjunction with and within the boundaries of such premises.
CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY: A permit issued by the Building Official prior to occupancy of a structure to assure that the structure is ready for occupancy with all defects corrected and all construction debris removed and the site graded to final grade. Additionally, all on-site amenities (i.e., paving, landscaping, etc.) shall be in place prior to the issuance of the certificate.
CITY: The City of Corcoran.
CLINIC: A place for the provision of group medical services.
CLUB: An association of persons for some common nonprofit purposes, but not including groups organized primarily to render a service which is customarily carried on as a business.
COLLEGE: An educational institution offering advanced instruction in an academic field beyond the secondary level, but not including trade schools or business colleges.
COLLEGE, TRADE: Shall mean the same as "school, trade".
COMMERCIAL OFFICE: Any administrative or clerical office maintained as a business and any office established by a public service over which this Title has jurisdiction.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE: A vehicle customarily used as part of a business for the transportation of goods or people.
COMMISSION: The Planning Commission of the City of Corcoran.
COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT BUILDINGS: A building housing electrical and mechanical equipment necessary for the conduct of a public communication business, with or without personnel.
COMMUNITY CARE FACILITY: Consistent with Health and Safety Code, an intermediate care facility shall include facilities for developmentally disabled habilitative nursing or congregate living.
CONDITIONAL USE/DEVELOPMENT PERMIT: A discretionary entitlement which may be granted under the provisions of this Title and which when granted authorizes a specific use to be made of a specific property, subject to compliance with all terms and conditions imposed on the entitlement.
CONDOMINIUM: A development consisting of an undivided interest in common for a portion of a parcel coupled with a separate interest in space in a residential or commercial building on the parcel.
CONSTRUCTION COMMENCEMENT: The start of construction of substantial site and structural improvements after a building permit has been issued, subject to determination by the Director.
CONVALESCENT HOME: Shall mean same as "rest home".
COUNCIL: The City Council of the City of Corcoran.
COURT: An open, unoccupied space, other than a yard, on the same lot with a building and bounded on two (2) or more sides by the walls of a building.
COVERAGE; MEASUREMENT: The percent of the site area covered by structures shall be measured by dividing the number of square feet of horizontal floor area covered by structures, open or enclosed, by the total horizontal area within the property lines of the site.
DAY CARE FACILITY, CHILDREN: A facility which provides nonmedical care to children under eighteen (18) years of age in need of personal services, supervision, or assistance essential for sustaining the activities of daily living or for the protection of the individual on less than a twenty four (24) hour basis. Family day care homes are further divided into the following categories: small (up to 6 children) and large (7+ children). Day care facilities include family day care homes, infant centers, preschools, and extended day care facilities.
DAYS: Shall always be consecutive calendar days unless otherwise stated.
DENSITY: The number of dwelling units per gross acre, unless otherwise stated, for residential uses.
DESIGN: Includes the planning and engineering of the following: street alignments, grades and widths; drainage and sanitary facilities and utilities, including alignment and grades thereof; location and size of all required easements and rights of way; lot size and configuration; traffic access; grading; land to be dedicated for park or recreational purposes; building and other such specific physical requirements.
DETACHED: Any building or structure that does not have a wall or roof in common with any other building or structure.
DEVELOPMENT: The placement or erection of any solid material or structure; discharge or disposal of any dredged material or any gaseous liquid, solid or thermal waste; grading, removing, dredging, mining or extraction of any soil or materials; change in the density or intensity of use of land, including, but not limited to, subdivision pursuant to the Subdivision Map Act (commencing with section 66410 of the Government Code), and any other division of land, including lot splits, except where the land division is brought about in connection with the purchase of such land by a public agency for public recreational use; change in the intensity of use of water, or of access thereto; construction, reconstruction, demolition, or alteration of size of any structure including any facility of any private, public or Municipal utility; and the removal of any major vegetation. As used in this Title, "structure" includes, but is not limited to, any building, road, pipe, flume, conduit, siphon, aqueduct, telephone line, and electrical power transmission and distribution line. A "project", as defined in Government Code section 65931, is included with this definition.
DRIVE-IN-RESTAURANT: An establishment which serves food or beverages to persons while seated in or on a motor vehicle, and/or which serves food or beverages for consumption off the premises of the restaurant.
DUMP: A place used for the disposal, abandonment or discarding by burial, incineration or by any other means of any garbage, sewage, trash, refuse, rubble, waste material, offal or dead animals.
DWELLING: A building or portion thereof, designed exclusively for residential purposes, including one-family, two-family, three-family and multiple-family dwellings; including mobile homes; not including hotels, apartment hotels, boarding and lodging houses, fraternity and sorority houses, rest homes, convalescent homes, nursing homes, child care nurseries, or house trailers even though permanently immobilized.
DWELLING, MULTIPLE-FAMILY: A building designed exclusively for occupancy by four (4) or more families, living independently of each other (e.g., fourplex or apartment).
DWELLING, ONE-FAMILY: A detached building designed exclusively for occupancy by or occupied by one family for residential purposes.
DWELLING, THREE-FAMILY: A building designed exclusively for occupancy by or occupied by three (3) families, living independently of each other (e.g., triplex).
DWELLING, TWO-FAMILY: A building designed exclusively for occupancy by two (2) families, living independently of each other (e.g., duplex).
DWELLING UNIT: One or more rooms and a kitchen designed for occupancy by one family for living and sleeping purposes.
EASEMENT: A grant of one or more property rights by the property owner for the use by the public, a corporation or another person or an entity.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS: Public or other nonprofit institutions conducting regular academic instruction at preschool, kindergarten, elementary, secondary and collegiate levels, and including graduate schools, universities, nonprofit research institutions and religious institutions. Such institutions must either: a) offer general academic instruction equivalent to the standards prescribed by the state board of education, or b) confer degrees as a college or university of undergraduate or graduate standing, or c) conduct research, or d) give religious instruction. This definition does not include schools, academies or institutes, incorporated or otherwise, which operate for a profit nor does it include commercial or trade schools.
ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SUBSTATION: 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 consumer use.
ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION SUBSTATION: 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 voltage for purposes of consumers, interchange connections with other distribution substations for transformation to still lower voltages for distributions to smaller individual users.
ENTERTAINMENT (LIVE): Any act, play, revue, pantomime, scene, dance act, or song and dance act, or any combination thereof, performed by one or more persons whether or not they are compensated for the performance.
FAMILY: One or more persons living as a bona fide single nonprofit relatively permanent housekeeping unit as distinguished from a group occupying a boarding or lodging house, hotel or club suitable for group use. A family shall not include a fraternal, social or business group.
FENCE, OPEN: A fence, fifty percent (50%) or more of the vertical surface of which is open to the transmission of light, air and vision.
FENCE, SCREENED: A fence, ninety percent (90%) or more of the vertical surface of which is closed to the transmission of light, air and vision.
FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR): Floor area ratio (FAR) means a maximum permitted ratio of gross building floor area to lot size. The FAR is intended to regulate building bulk while allowing flexibility in determining the height and placement of the building on the lot. For example, a ten thousand (10,000) square foot property with a FAR of 1.0 would be permitted to have a maximum ten thousand (10,000) square foot building. Required setbacks, height of structures, parking and landscaping will affect total lot coverage, probably reducing the ultimate FAR below the maximum allowable. The illustration below depicts different FAR configurations considering variables such as landscaping, size of building, and on or off site parking.
FRONTAGE: The side of a lot abutting a street (the front lot line), except the side of a corner lot.
FRONT WALL: The nearest wall of a structure to the street upon which the structure faces, but excluding cornices, canopies, eaves, or any other architectural establishments.
GARAGE, PRIVATE: A detached accessory building or a portion of a main building on the same lot as the dwelling for the housing of vehicles of the occupants of the dwelling, including carports.
GARAGE, REPAIR: A structure or part thereof, other than a private garage, where motor vehicles are repaired or painted.
GARDEN STRUCTURE: An arbor, deck, fountain, lath cover, lath house, pergola, raised planting bed, trellis or other similar structure intended specifically to enhance the appearance of the garden or which has a function relating to the use of outdoor space, but not including a house, garage, carport or storage building.
GENERAL PLAN: The city of Corcoran general plan as adopted by the city council, who may amend the plan from time to time, hereafter referred to as the "general plan".
GRADE: The degree of rise or descent of a sloping surface.
"GRANNY" FLAT: An additional dwelling unit intended for the sole occupancy of one or two (2) adult persons who are sixty two (62) years or over, and the floor area of the attached "granny" flat dwelling unit does not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the existing living area of the primary residence or the floor area of the detached "granny" flat dwelling unit does not exceed one thousand two hundred (1,200) square feet on a lot designated as residential, as defined in Government Code section 6582.1.
GROSS ACREAGE: The total area within the lot lines of a lot or parcel of land before public streets, easements or other areas to be dedicated or reserved for public use are deducted from such lot or parcel, and does not include adjacent lands already dedicated for such purposes.
GROSS FLOOR AREA: The area included within the surrounding exterior finish wall surface of a building or portion thereof, exclusive of courtyards.
GUEST HOUSE: 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.
HAZARDOUS WASTE: Means either of the following:
A. A waste, or combination of wastes, which because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical or infectious characteristics may either:
1. Cause, or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible, or incapacitating reversible, illness.
2. Pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, or disposed of, or otherwise managed.
B. A waste which meets any of the criteria for the identification of a hazardous waste adopted by the State Department of Heath Services pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 25117.
C. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act hazardous wastes.
D. Unless expressly provided otherwise, the term "hazardous waste" shall be understood to also include extremely hazardous waste and acutely hazardous waste. (Health and Safety Code section 25117)
HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITY: All contiguous land and structures, other appurtenances, and improvements on the land used for the treatment, transfer, storage, resource recovery, disposal, or recycling of hazardous waste, and may consist of one or more treatment, transfer, storage, resource recovery, disposal, or recycling hazardous waste management units, or combinations of these units. (Health and Safety Code section 25117.1)
HOME OCCUPATION: The conduct of an art or profession, the offering of a service or the conduct of a business, or the handcrafted manufacture of products within a dwelling in a residential district, which use is clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the structure for dwelling purposes and which does not change the character thereof, in accordance with the regulations prescribed in Chapter 15 of this Title.
HOSPITAL: An institution, designed within an integrated campus setting for the diagnosis, care, and treatment of human illness, including surgery and primary treatment.
HOTEL: A building in which there are sixteen (16) or more guest rooms where lodging with or without meals is provided for compensation, usually on a transient basis. "Hotel" shall not be construed to include motel, trailer court, sanitarium, hospital or other institutional building, or jail or other building where persons are housed under restraint.
INFILL DEVELOPMENT: Development that occurs on up to four (4) contiguous vacant lots scattered within areas that are already largely developed or urbanized. Generally, these sites are vacant because they were once considered of insufficient size for development, because an existing building located on the site was demolished or because there were other, more desirable sites for development.
JUNKYARD: A site or portion of a site on which waste, discarded or salvaged materials are bought, sold, exchanged, stored, baled, cleaned, packed, disassembled or handled, including used furniture and household equipment yards, house wrecking yards, used lumberyards and the like; excepting a site on which uses are conducted within a completely enclosed structure and excepting motor vehicle wrecking yards as defined in this Section. An establishment for the sale, or purchase of salvaged machinery in operable condition and the processing of used or salvaged materials as part of a manufacturing operation shall not be deemed a junkyard.
KENNEL: Any lot or premises on which four (4) or more dogs and/or cats at least four (4) months of age are kept, boarded or trained, whether in special buildings or runways or not.
KITCHEN: Any room used or intended or designed to be used for cooking or the preparation of food.
LANDSCAPING: An area devoted to or developed and maintained predominantly with native or exotic plant materials including lawn, ground cover, 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.
LODGE: An order or society of persons organized for some common nonprofit purpose, but not including groups organized primarily to render a service which is customarily carried on as a business.
LODGING HOUSE: A dwelling in which lodging or lodging means are provided for compensation for more than five (5) but not more than fifteen (15) persons other than members of the resident family, excepting a "nursing home" as defined in this Section.
LOT:
A. A single parcel of land for which a legal description is filed of record, or the boundaries of which are shown on a subdivision map, or record for survey map filed in the office of the County Recorder.
B. The term "lot" shall include a part of a single parcel of land when such part is used as though a separate lot for all of the purposes and under all the requirements of this Title.
C. The term "lot" shall include two (2) or more abutting lots when combined and used as though a single lot.
LOT AREA: The total horizontal area within the lot lines of a lot.
LOT AVERAGING: The design of individual adjoining lots within a residential subdivision in which the average lot area equals the minimum prescribed area for the RL Low Residential Land Use Zoning District. To maintain an average, some lots may be reduced to a maximum of ten percent (10%) below the minimum lot size, while a corresponding number of lots shall each maintain a lot area of at least ten percent (10%) above the minimum lot size. Allowable density shall be within the prescribed maximums.
LOT, CORNER: A lot situated at the intersection of two (2) or more streets which have an angle of intersection of not more than one hundred thirty five and one-fourth degrees (1351/4°).
LOT COVERAGE: That portion of a lot or building site which is occupied by any building or structure, excepting paved areas, walks and swimming pools, regardless of whether said building or structure is intended for human occupancy.
LOT DEPTH: The depth of a lot shall be the horizontal length of a straight line connecting the midpoints of the front and rear lot lines.
LOT, DOUBLE FRONTAGE: An interior lot having frontage on and with access on two (2) parallel or approximately parallel streets.
LOT FRONTAGE: The portion of the lot contiguous to the street.
LOT, INTERIOR: A lot abutting only one street.
LOT, KEY: The first lot to the rear of a reversed corner lot, whether or not separated by an alley.
LOT LINE, FRONT: A. In the case of an interior lot, a line separating the lot from the street.
B. In the case of a corner lot, the line separating the narrowest street frontage of the lot from the street.
LOT LINE, REAR: A lot line which is opposite and most distant from the front lot line, or, in the case of an irregular triangular shaped lot, a line ten feet (10') in length within the lot parallel to and at a maximum distance from the front lot line.
LOT LINE, SIDE: Any lot boundary line not a front lot or a rear lot line.
LOT, REVERSED CORNER: A corner lot, the street side of which is substantially a continuation of the front lot line of the lot upon which it rears.
LOT, THROUGH: See definition of Lot, Double Frontage.
LOT, WIDTH: The horizontal distance between the side lot lines, measured at right angles to the lot depth at a midway point between the front and rear lot lines.
MANUFACTURED HOME: A factory-built or manufactured home including mobile homes, as permitted by State of California and Federal laws.
MEDIAN: A paved or planted area separating a street or highway into two (2) or more lanes of opposite direction of travel.
MEDICAL BUILDING: Clinics or offices for doctors, dentists, oculists, chiropractors, osteopaths, chiropodists or similar practitioners of the healing arts; including accessory laboratories and a prescription pharmacy, but not including offices for veterinarians.
MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT: The development of a parcel(s) or structure(s) with two (2) or more different land uses such as, but not limited to, a combination of residential, office, manufacturing, retail, public, or entertainment in a single or physically integrated group of structures.
MOBILE HOME: A structure having multiple sections equaling or exceeding exterior dimensions of eight feet (8') in width and forty feet (40') in length, having a chassis and designed to be movable, with kitchen, bathroom and living facilities, designed for use as a single-family dwelling when connected to appropriate utility lines, with or without a permanent foundation.
MOBILE HOME PARKS: Any parcel or contiguous parcels of land under single ownership, designed or intended to be used to accommodate mobile homes on a permanent or semipermanent basis, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 10 of this title.
MOTEL: A building or group of buildings containing individual sleeping or living units, designed primarily for use by automobile tourists or transients, where a majority of such units open individually and directly to the outside. An establishment shall be considered a motel, in any case, when required by the Health and Safety Code of the state of California, to obtain the name and address of the guests and a description of their vehicle and its license. The term "motel" shall include tourist court, auto court and motor lodge.
MULTI-FAMILY: A structure or structures designed and used for occupancy by two (2) or more individual persons or families living independently of each other, including duplex, triplex, fourplex and other attached or detached multiunit configurations or two (2) detached single-family dwellings.
NET SITE AREA: The total area within the lot lines of a lot or parcel of land after public street easements or other areas to be dedicated or reserved for public use are deducted from such lot or parcel.
NONCONFORMING BUILDING: A building or portion thereof lawfully existing at the time of adoption of this title or amendments thereto.
NONCONFORMING LOT: A lot, the area, frontage or dimensions of which do not conform to the provisions of this title.
NONCONFORMING USE: A use complying with applicable laws when established but does not conform to the provisions of this title.
NURSERY SCHOOL: A school or the use of a site or a portion of a site for an organized program devoted to the education or daycare of five (5) or more preelementary school age children, including those in residence on the site.
NURSING HOME: A structure operated as a lodging house in which nursing, dietary and other personal services are rendered to convalescents, not including persons suffering from contagious diseases, 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.
OFF STREET LOADING FACILITIES: A site or a portion of a site devoted to the loading or unloading of motor vehicles or trailers, including loading berths, aisles, access drives and landscaped areas.
OFF STREET PARKING FACILITIES: A site or a portion of a site devoted to the off street parking of motor vehicles including parking spaces, aisles, access drives and landscaped areas.
OUTDOOR ADVERTISING STRUCTURE: Any structure of any kind or character erected or maintained for outdoor advertising purposes, upon which any outdoor advertising sign may be placed, located on a site other than the site on which the advertising use is located or on which the advertised product is produced.
PARCEL: A parcel of land under one ownership that has been legally subdivided or combined and is shown as a single parcel on the latest equalized assessment roll.
PARKING DISTRICT: A government parking district maintained by the federal, state, county or city government, or special district.
PARKWAY: The area of a public street that lies between the curb and the adjacent property line or physical boundary definition such as fences or walls, which is used for landscaping and/or passive recreational purposes.
PERMITTED USE: Any use allowed in a land use zoning district and subject to the provisions applicable to that district.
PERSON: Any individual, firm, copartnership, joint venture, association, social club, fraternal organization, company, joint stock association, corporation, estate, trust, organization, business, business trust, public agency, school district, state of California, and its political subdivisions or instrumentalities, receiver, syndicate or any group or combination thereof, acting as a unit, including any trustee, receiver or assignee.
PHYSICAL CULTURE STUDIOS: A building or premises used for the development of human anatomical features such as muscles or physique through the use of free weights, mechanical equipment, electrical devices, or other means of individual exercise.
PLANNING DIRECTOR: Community development director of the city of Corcoran.
PUBLIC PARK: A park, playground, swimming pool, beach, pier, reservoir, golf course or athletic field within the city which is under the control, operation or management of the city, the county, or the state.
PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY: A strip of land acquired by reservation, dedication, prescription or condemnation and intended to be occupied by a road, trail, water line, sanitary sewer and/or other public uses.
PUBLIC UTILITY SERVICE YARD: A site or portion of a site on which a public utility company may store, house and/or service equipment such as service trucks and other trucks and trailers, pumps, spools of wire, pipe, conduit, transformers, crossarms, utility poles, or any other material, tool or supply necessary for the normal maintenance of the utility facilities.
QUEUE LINE: An area for temporary awaiting of motor vehicles while obtaining a service or other activity.
RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY: A strip of land of a maximum width of one hundred feet (100') only for the accommodation of main lines or branch line railroad tracks, switching equipment, and signals, but not including lands on which stations, offices, storage buildings, spur tracks, siding, section gang and other employee housing, yards or other uses are located.
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE: A motor home, travel trailer, truck camper or camping trailer, with or without motive power, designed for recreational human habitation.
RECYCLING: The process by which waste products are reduced to raw materials and transformed into new products, including automobiles.
RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION: A structure which is used primarily for religious worship and related religious activities.
RESIDENCE: A structure containing a dwelling unit designed for occupancy or occupied by one family or more.
RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILITY: A family home, group care facility, or similar facility for twenty four (24) hour nonmedical care of persons in need of personal services, supervision or assistance essential for sustaining the activities of daily living or for the protection of the individual.
REST HOMES OR HOMES FOR THE AGED: An establishment or home intended primarily for the care and nursing of invalids and aged persons; excluding cases of communicable diseases and surgical or obstetrical operations. The term shall not include nursing home.
RESTAURANT: An establishment which serves food or beverages primarily to persons seated within the building. This includes cafes and tearooms, and outdoor cafes.
RESTAURANT, DRIVE-THROUGH: A use providing preparation and retail sale of food and beverages, as defined under "restaurant" with the added provision of one or more drive- thru lanes for the ordering and dispensing of food and beverages to patrons remaining in their vehicles.
ROUNDING OF QUANTITIES: The consideration of distances, unit density, density bonus calculations, or other aspects of development of the physical environment expressed in numerical quantities which are fractions of whole numbers; the numbers are to be rounded to the next highest whole number when the fraction is five-tenths (0.5) or more, and to the next lowest whole number when the fraction is less than five-tenths (0.5), except as otherwise provided in this Title.
SATELLITE DISH ANTENNA: An apparatus capable of receiving or transmitting communication from a satellite.
SCHOOL: An institution of learning for minors, whether public or private, which offers instruction in those courses of study required by the California Education Code or which is maintained pursuant to standards set by the State Board of Education. This definition includes a nursery school, kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, senior high school or any special institution of education, but it does not include a vocational or professional institution of higher education, including a community or junior college, college, or university.
SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY, JUNIOR HIGH OR HIGH: Public and other nonprofit institutions conducting regular academic instruction at kindergarten, elementary and secondary levels. Such institutions shall offer general academic instruction equivalent to the standards prescribed by the State Board of Education.
SCHOOL, PRIVATE OR PAROCHIAL: An institution conducting regular academic instruction at kindergarten, elementary or secondary levels, operated by a nongovernmental organization.
SCHOOL, TRADE: Schools offering preponderant instruction in the technical commercial or trade skills, such as real estate schools, business colleges, electronics schools, automotive and aircraft technician schools and similar commercial establishments operated by a nongovernmental organization.
SECOND DWELLING UNIT: An additional dwelling unit which may be rented, and the floor area of the attached second dwelling unit does not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the existing living area of the primary residence or the floor area of the detached second dwelling unit does not exceed one thousand two hundred (1,200) square feet on a lot designated as residential, as defined in Government Code section 65852.2.
SENIOR CONGREGATE CARE HOUSING: A structure(s) providing residence for a group of senior citizens (60 years of age or more) with central or private kitchen, dining, recreational, etc. facilities with separate bedrooms and/or living quarters.
SERVICE STATION: An occupancy engaged in the retail sales of gasoline, diesel or liquefied petroleum gas fuels, oil, tires, batteries and new accessories and which provides for the servicing of motor vehicles and operations, incidental thereto, including: automobile washing, incidental waxing and polishing, tire changing and repairing (but not including recapping), battery service, charging and replacement (but not including repair or rebuilding), radiator cleaning, flushing and repair, installation of minor accessories, lubrication of motor vehicles, rental of utility trailers, the testing, adjustment and replacement of motor parts and accessories.
SETBACK: The required distance that a building, structure, parking or other designated item must be located from a lot line.
SETBACK, FRONT/REAR AVERAGE: The average front/rear yard setback of a group of five (5) adjacent dwelling units. The setback on any unit may vary up to five feet (5') as long as the average setback of all five (5) units equals the minimum required for the land use zoning district.
SIDEWALK/PARKING LOT SALE: A promotional sales event conducted by one or more businesses which is held outside the confines of the commercial or manufacturing structure(s) in which such business is normally conducted and which sale involves the outdoor display within a paved or concreted area on the same lot as the structure(s) of merchandise which is normally displayed within the structure(s). Sale events shall be conducted solely on private property and not encroach within public right of way.
SIGN: Any letter or symbol made of cloth, metal, paint, paper, wood or other material of any kind whatsoever, placed for advertising, identification or other similar purposes, on the ground or on any wall, post, fence, building, structure, vehicle or on any place whatsoever. The term "placed" shall include constructing, erecting, posting, painting, printing, tacking, nailing, gluing, sticking, carving or otherwise fastening, affixing or making visible in any manner whatsoever.
SITE: A parcel of land, subdivided or unsubdivided, occupied or to be occupied by a use or structure. See definition of Lot.
SITE AREA: The total horizontal area included within the property lines of a site. See definition of Lot Area.
SITE DEPTH: The average horizontal distance between the front and rear property lines of a site measured along a line midway between side property lines. See definition of Lot Depth.
SITE WIDTH: The average horizontal distance between the front and rear property lines of a site measured along a line midway between side property lines. See definition of Lot Width.
SOLAR FACILITIES: The airspace over a parcel that provides access for a solar energy system to absorb energy from the sun.
SPECIFIC PLAN: A plan consisting of text, maps, and other documents and exhibits regulating development within a defined area of the City, consistent with the General Plan and the provisions of Government Code section 65450 et seq.
STABLE: A detached accessory structure including, but not limited to, a corral or paddock for the keeping of one or more horses owned by the occupants of the premises and which are not kept for remuneration, hire or sale.
STABLE, COMMERCIAL: A structure including, but not limited to, a corral or paddock for the keeping of horses for remuneration, hire or sale.
STORAGE: A space or place where goods, materials and/or personal property is put for more than twenty four (24) hours.
STORY: That portion of a building included between the surface of any floor and the surface of the floor next above it, or if there is no floor above it, then the space between such floor and the ceiling above it.
STREET: A public or private way permanently dedicated or reserved as a primary means of access to abutting property.
STREET LINE: The boundary line between street rights of way and abutting property.
STRUCTURAL ALTERATION: Any change in the supporting members of a building, such as foundations, bearing walls, columns, beams, floor or roof joists, girders or rafters, or any change in the exterior dimensions of a building, excepting those changes which may result from providing minor repairs and building maintenance.
STRUCTURE: Anything constructed or erected which requires a fixed location on the ground, including a building or sign pole or standard, but not including a fence or wall used as a fence, patio, walk, driveway or raised planting bed.
STRUCTURE, MAIN: A structure housing the principal use of a site or functioning as the principal use.
SWAP MEETS: 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 to prospective buyers for admission, or a fee may be charged for the privilege of offering or displaying such merchandise. The term swap meet is interchangeable with and applicable to: flea markets, auctions, open air markets, farmers markets, or other similarly named or labeled activities; but the term does not include the usual supermarket or department store retail operations.
TEMPORARY USE: A use established for a specified period of time, with the intent to discontinue the use at the end of the designated time period.
TRAFFIC SAFETY SIGHT AREA: A space that is set aside on a corner lot in which all visual obstructions, such as structures and plantings, that inhibit visibility and thus cause a hazard to traffic and pedestrian safety are prohibited.
TRAILER SALES LOT: An open area where trailers are sold, leased or rented and where no repairs, repainting or remodeling are done.
TRAILER, UTILITY: A vehicle without motive power, designed and constructed to travel on the public thoroughfares in accordance with the provisions of the State Vehicle Code, and to be used only for carrying property.
TRAVEL TRAILER: A vehicle with or without motive power, designed and constructed to travel on the public thoroughfares in accordance with provisions of the State Vehicle Code, designed for human habitation, with no footing or foundation other than wheels and temporary stabilizing units with exterior dimensions less than eight feet (8') in width and less than forty feet (40') in length. The terms "camper" and "motor home" are included within the meaning of the term "travel trailer".
TRAVEL TRAILER PARKS: A parcel, or contiguous parcels of land under single ownership, designed or intended to be used to accommodate travel trailers on a transient basis (one month continuous occupancy or less).
USE: The purpose for which a site or structure is arranged, designed, intended, constructed, moved, erected, altered or enlarged or for which either a site or structure is or may be occupied or maintained.
USE, CONDITIONAL: A use which is listed as a conditional use in any given district in this Title. Conditional uses may be required to meet certain requirements as a condition precedent to the granting of a use permit which will allow the establishing of a conditional use in any given district.
USE, PERMITTED: A use which is listed as a permitted use in any given district in this Title. Permitted uses need not meet special requirements as a condition precedent to be allowed to establish in a given district, except as required by the provisions of Chapters 17 and 18 of this Title.
VARIANCE: A discretionary entitlement which permits the departure from the strict application of the development standards contained in this Title.
YARD: Open and unoccupied space on a lot.
YARD, FRONT: An area extending across the full width of the lot between the front lot line or the existing or future street right of way and a structural setback line parallel thereto. On corner lots, the shortest street frontage shall be the front yard in residential land use districts, while the longest street frontage shall be the front yard in commercial/industrial land use districts.
A front yard shall be provided on each frontage of a "through lot", except where a waiver-of- access to none of the frontages applies.
YARD, REAR: A yard, the depth of which is the minimum required horizontal distance between the rear lot line and a line parallel thereto on the lot, which yard extends across the full width of the lot.
YARD REQUIREMENTS; EXCEPTIONS: Architectural features including sills, chimneys, fireplaces, cornices and eaves may extend into a required side yard, a required rear yard, or a space between structures not more than thirty six inches (36") and may extend into a required front yard not more than six feet (6'), provided that where an architectural feature extends more than twenty four inches (24") into a required side yard, said extension shall be protected by a minimum one hour fire resistant standard. No building or projection thereof may extend into a public easement.
Open, unenclosed, uncovered metal fire escapes and depressed ramps or stairways may project into any required yard or space between buildings not more than four feet (4'); planter boxes attached to a building may be extended into a required front yard by not more than three feet (3').
Fences, walls, hedges, garden structures, walks, driveways and retaining walls may occupy any required yard or other open spaces, subject to the limitations prescribed in the district regulations. However, the provisions of this Title shall not apply to a fence or wall necessary for public safety as erected by a public or quasi-public agency or as required by any law or regulation of the State of California or any agency thereof.
Where more than sixty percent (60%) of such portion of the linear frontage of lots improved with residential buildings within any block is comprised of lots with less than the minimum front yard requirement, the minimum front yard requirement for other residential buildings in such block may be reduced to the average of the actual front yards of all the lots in such block improved with residential buildings, counting those which have front yards greater than the minimum front yard requirement of the district as having the minimum requirement.
YARD REQUIREMENTS; MEASUREMENT: Required yard shall be measured as the minimum horizontal distance from the property line of the site or street line to a line parallel thereto on the site; provided that where a precise street plan has been adopted by the City Council, required front yards shall be measured from the plan line, and no provision of this Title shall be construed to permit a structure or use to extend beyond such line; and provided further that where a site abuts on a street having only a portion of its required width dedicated or reserved for street purposes, site area and required yards shall be measured from a line representing the boundary of the additional width required for street purposes abutting the site. Where a site abuts a public alley, required yards shall be measured from the center line of the alley, except that garages and carports shall be located a minimum of twenty five feet (25') from the opposite alley which has access perpendicular to the alley right-of-way line.
YARD, SIDE: A yard, the width of which is the minimum required horizontal distance between the side lot line and a line parallel thereto on the lot, not including any portion of required front yard or required rear yard.
YARD SPACES: No yard space about any structure in compliance with the regulations for the district in which it is located shall be deemed to provide a yard for any other structure, and no yard on one site shall be deemed to provide a yard space for a structure on another site.
Where two (2) or more dwellings are located on the same lot, and any one of them has a door facing a side yard, such dwelling shall be located not less than ten feet (10') from the adjacent side lot line. A door shall be deemed to face a side yard if the wall in which the door is set is located at an angle of forty five degrees (45°) or less to the side yard.
ZERO LOT LINE: The location of a structure on a lot in such a manner that one or more of the structure's sides rest directly on a lot line.
(Ord. 527, 8-4-1997; amd. Ord. 549, 8-20-2002; Ord. 581, 3-23-2005)