Unless specifically defined below, words or phrases used in this title shall be interpreted so as to give them the meanings they have in common usage and to give this title its most reasonable application. For purposes of this title, the following words and terms shall have the meanings designated in this section:
ADEQUATE (Regarding Transportation): A transportation facility that meets or exceeds the city's adopted standards of service set forth in the city's comprehensive plan.
APPEAL: A request for a review of the interpretation of any provision of this title or a request for a variance.
AREA OF SHALLOW FLOODING: A designated AO or AH zone on the flood insurance rate map (FIRM). The base flood depths range from one to three feet (3'); a clearly defined channel does not exist; the path of flooding is unpredictable and indeterminate; and, velocity flow may be evident. AO is characterized as sheet flow and AH indicates ponding.
AREA OF SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD: The land in the floodplain within a community subject to a one percent (1%) or greater chance of flooding in any given year. Designation on maps always includes the letters A or V.
BASE FLOOD: The flood having a one percent (1%) chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. Also referred to as the "100-year flood". Designation on maps always includes the letter A or V.
BASEMENT: Any area of a building having its floor below ground level ("subgrade") on all sides.
BREAKAWAY WALL: A wall that is not part of the structural support of the building and is intended through its design and construction to collapse under specific lateral loading forces, without causing damage to the elevated portion of the building or supporting foundation system.
BUILDING PERMIT: Written permission by the building inspector or his designee for the construction, repair, alteration, or addition of a structure.
CAPACITY, TRAFFIC: The maximum number of vehicles that can be accommodated during a specified travel period at a specified level of service. Capacity shall be calculated according to the methodology used in the most current highway capacity manual. An alternative methodology may be used only if it is preapproved by the city administrator or his/her designee.
COASTAL HIGH HAZARD AREA: An area of special flood hazard extending from offshore to the inland limit of a primary frontal dune along an open coast and any other area subject to high velocity wave action from storms or seismic sources. The coastal high hazard area is designated on the FIRM as zone V1-30, VE, or V.
COMPLETION OF DEVELOPMENT: That point in time when the certificate of occupancy or other approval has been issued by the city, thereby authorizing occupancy and use of a development.
CONCURRENCY: The concept that capital facilities shall be "concurrent" with new development or redevelopment (infrastructure is developed on a "pay as you go" basis). The level of service for intersection and roadway segments adopted in the city's comprehensive plan shall be maintained or improved with completion of new development or redevelopment.
CONCURRENCY DISTRICTS: Geographic subareas of the city established to monitor available transportation capacity.
CONCURRENCY, FINDING OF: The finding that is part of the building permit issued by the city indicating the transportation system has adequate unused or uncommitted capacity, or will have adequate capacity to accommodate traffic generated by a proposed development, without causing level of service to decline below adopted standards.
CONCURRENCY TEST: The comparison of the traffic generated by a proposed development with the unused or uncommitted capacity of existing and planned transportation facilities, in order to assess the impact of the proposed development on the transportation level of service.
CONCURRENT WITH DEVELOPMENT: The improvements or transportation strategies in place at the time of building permit issuance, or the financial commitment in place to complete the improvements or strategies within six (6) years.
CRITICAL FACILITY: A facility for which even a slight chance of flooding might be too great. Critical facilities include, and are not limited to: schools; nursing homes; hospitals; police, fire and emergency response installations; installations which produce, use or store hazardous materials or hazardous waste.
DEVELOPMENT: The division of a parcel of land into two (2) or more parcels. The construction, conversion, structural alteration, relocation, or enlargement of any structure; any authorized mining, excavation, landfill, or land disturbance; use or extension of land.
DEVELOPMENT, IN AREAS OF SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD: For purposes of chapter 4 of this title, "development" is any manmade change to improved or unimproved real estate, including, but not limited to, buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations or storage of equipment or materials located within the area of special flood hazard.
DEVELOPMENT PERMIT: Written permission by the city administrator or his designee for the division of property, a conditional use, a variance, activities exceeding a certain dollar amount in the shoreline area, or other land disturbing or construction activities not specifically yet defined.
ELEVATED BUILDING: For insurance purposes, a nonbasement building which has its lowest elevated floor raised above ground level by foundation walls, shear walls, posts, piers, pilings, or columns.
ELEVATION CERTIFICATE: The official form (FEMA form 086-0-33) used to track development, provide elevation information necessary to ensure compliance with community floodplain management ordinances, and determine the proper insurance premium rate, with section B completed by the Long Beach building inspector.
FINANCIAL COMMITMENT, TRANSPORTATION: Revenue sources forecast to be available and designated for transportation facilities or strategies in the comprehensive plan or in the transportation element of the comprehensive plan; other unanticipated revenue from federal or state grants, or other sources from which the city has received a notice of commitment; and/or revenue that is assured by an applicant in a form approved by the city.
FIRE RESISTANT SKIRTING: A type of wainscoting around the lower part of a mobile or manufactured home that covers the wheels and undercarriage and is constructed of a fire resistant material, usually aluminum panels or fiber cement board.
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 applicable risk premium zones.
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.
FLOOD OR FLOODING: A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas from the overflow of inland or tidal waters; and/or the unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff of surface waters from any source.
FLOODWAY: The channel of a 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 one foot (1').
GRADE: The vertical elevation of the ground surface.
GRADE, FINISHED: The final elevation of the average ground level adjoining a building or structure at all exterior walls after development; also known as postconstruction grade.
GRADE, NATURAL: The elevation of the ground level of a site in its natural state before construction, filling or excavation; also known as preconstruction grade.
IMPACT FEE: A fee imposed on development to help finance the cost of improvements or services.
LEVEL OF SERVICE (LOS) STANDARD: A qualitative measurement describing operational conditions within a traffic stream along a given roadway segment or at a given intersection. Roadway and intersection level of service standards are commonly denoted by a letter ranking from "A" (free flowing/minimal intersection delay), the highest LOS, to "F" (gridlock/long intersection delay), the lowest LOS.
LOWEST FLOOR: The lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area, except for unfinished or flood resistant enclosures used solely for parking vehicles, building access, or storage. If the lowest enclosed area is used for anything other than parking vehicles, building access, or storage, the floor of that area is considered the lowest floor. Where a basement is present, the floor of the basement (where "basement" means the floor is below grade on all sides) will always be the lowest floor, regardless of how the space is used.
MANUFACTURED HOME: A structure intended for residential habitation that is manufactured in one area, then transported to another area for occupation, and that is consistent with the requirements of Revised Code Of Washington 35A.63.145(2).
MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION: A residential development designed, equipped, or maintained for placement of two (2) or more manufactured homes.
MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION, EXISTING: A park or subdivision where construction of facilities servicing lots/sites on which manufactured homes are affixed (including, at a minimum, the installation of utilities, the construction of streets, and either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads) is completed before the effective date of the city's original adopted floodplain management regulations (August 1979).
MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION, EXPANSION: The creation of additional lots/sites by construction of additional facilities for servicing lots on which manufactured homes are to be affixed (including the installation of utilities, the construction of streets, and either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads).
MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION, NEW: A park or subdivision where construction of facilities for servicing lots/sites on which manufactured homes are affixed (including at a minimum, the installation of utilities, the construction of streets, and either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads) is completed on or after the effective date of adopted floodplain management regulations.
MOBILE HOME: A dwelling constructed in a factory prior to June 15, 1976, to standards other than the code set forth by the United States department of housing and urban development (HUD).
MODULAR HOME: A dwelling constructed in a factory in accordance with the international building code and bearing the appropriate sign indicating such compliance.
NEW CONSTRUCTION: Structures for which the "start of construction" commenced on or after the effective date of this title.
OPENING: In reference to flood hazard reduction, a hole in an otherwise solid wall or footing that allows water to flow through rather than build up pressure on one side of the wall or footing.
RV PARK: Any lot or parcel on which two (2) or more stalls are located, established, or maintained for occupancy by RVs for a fee as temporary living quarters for recreation or vacation purposes, and with each site having individual connections for electricity and sanitary services. An RV park may also include amenities for the use of the occupants, including, and not limited to, laundry, showers, game room, recreation, or restaurant.
RV PARK STALL: A space wherein an RV may be parked within an RV park.
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE (RV): Any vehicular portable structure without permanent foundation that can be towed, hauled, or driven, and is primarily designed as a temporary living accommodation for recreational and camping purposes. Recreational vehicles (RVs) include, and are not limited to, travel trailers, truck campers, camping trailers, and self- propelled motor homes. RVs located in a special flood hazard area (SFHA) are those that are:
A. Built on a single chassis;
B. Four hundred (400) square feet or less when measured at the largest horizontal projection;
C. Designed to be self-propelled or permanently towable by a light duty truck; and
D. Designed primarily not for use as a permanent dwelling but as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal use.
RECURRENCE INTERVAL: The average number of years between the occurrence of two (2) floods with the same level of discharge. For the "base flood" (see definition in this section), the recurrence interval is one hundred (100) years.
RIGHT OF WAY PERMIT: Written permission by the city administrator or his designee for any activity occurring by noncity personnel located within a city right of way.
SCREENING: The use of fences, walls, plants, berms, structures or other materials to shield or buffer a use from adjacent properties or uses.
START OF CONSTRUCTION: Includes substantial improvement, and means the date the building permit was issued, provided the "actual start of construction" (see definition of "Start Of Construction, Actual" in this section), repair, reconstruction, placement or other improvement was within one hundred eighty (180) days of the permit date.
START OF CONSTRUCTION, ACTUAL: Placement of permanent elements of a structure on a site, such as pouring of slab or footings, installation of piles, construction of columns, or any work beyond excavation; or the placement of a manufactured home on a foundation. Does not include land preparation, installation of streets and/or walkways, excavation for a basement, footings, piers, or foundations, or erection of temporary forms. Also does not include installation of accessory buildings such as garages or sheds not occupied as dwelling units or not part of the main structure. For a substantial improvement, the "actual start of construction" means the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor, or other structural part of a building, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the building.
STRUCTURE: Anything constructed in the ground, or anything erected that requires location on the ground or water, or is attached to something having location on or in the ground, including a gas or liquid storage tank that is principally above ground, but not including fences less than six feet (6') in height, paths, trails, or paved areas.
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE: Damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the structure to its predamaged condition would equal or exceed fifty percent (50%) of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.
SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT: Any repair, reconstruction, or improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds fifty percent (50%) of the market value of the structure either: a) before the improvement or repair is started; or b) if the structure has been damaged and is being restored, before the damage occurred. Does not include either: 1) any project for improvement of a structure to correct existing violations of state or local health, sanitary, or safety code specifications which have been identified by the local code enforcement official and which are the minimum necessary to assure safe living conditions; or 2) any alteration of a structure listed on the national register of historic places or a state inventory of historic places.
TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES, EXISTING: Facilities in place at the time a concurrency test is applied.
TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES, PLANNED: Facilities scheduled to be completed no later than the sixth year of the capital facilities plan and/or transportation element in effect at the time the city approves the development.
TRANSPORTATION STRATEGIES: Transportation demand management plans, schemes, techniques, programs, and methodologies for minimizing transportation facility demand. Examples include improved transit service, off peak travel, and ride sharing programs.
VARIANCE: An adjustment in the application of the specific regulations of this title to a particular piece of property which, because of special circumstances applicable to it, is deprived of privileges commonly enjoyed by other properties in the same vicinity and zone and which adjustment remedies disparity in privileges.
WATER DEPENDENT: A structure for commerce or industry which cannot exist in any nonwater location and is dependent on the water by reason of the intrinsic nature of its operations. (Ord. 847, 8-17-2009; amd. Ord. 889, 4-13-2013; Ord. 909, 4-20-2015)