The definitions and interpretational rules set forth in Section 16.04.050 of these development regulations and in Ordinance No. 500, the stormwater management ordinance, with the following additions, shall apply to this chapter:

"Best management practice (BMP)" means the schedule of activities, prohibition of practices, maintenance procedures, and structural and/or managerial practices, that when used singly or in combination, prevent or reduce the release of pollutants and other adverse impacts.

"Bulkhead" means a seawall or rock embankment constructed along the waterfront to protect the land behind it from erosion by waves and tidal action of the sea.

"Caliper" shall mean the diameter of any tree trunk as measured at six inches above grade. Trees larger than twelve (12) inches above grade are measured at DBH (diameter at breast height) or a height of four and one-half feet above the ground. Trees measured on slopes shall be measured from the center point where the tree is located on the slope.

"Classes of forest practices" means the four classifications of forest practices activities defined in WAC 222-16-050. The class of forest practices is determined by considering several factors including, but not limited to, the type of activity proposed (e.g., harvesting, thinning, etc.), its scale, the affected environment, and future use of the site.

"Class IV forest" practices means a forest practice on lands platted after January 1, 1960, as provided in Ch. 58.17 RCW, on lands that have or are being converted to another use, on lands which, pursuant to RCW 76.09.070 as now or hereafter amended, are not to be reforested because of the likelihood of future conversion to urban development.

"Clearing" means the destruction and removal of vegetation by manual, mechanical, or chemical methods resulting in exposed soils.

"Conversion, forest lands" or "forest lands conversion" means any Class IV general forest practices as defined by RCW 76.09.050. Also included are Class I forest practices involving timber harvesting or road construction which are not directly associated with and supportive of commercial forest product production. In general terms, "forest lands conversion" refers to the cutting and removal of trees for the purpose of converting forest land to nonforestry use.

"Developed lot" shall mean a lot or parcel of land upon which a structure(s) is located, which cannot be more intensively developed pursuant to the town zoning code, and which cannot be further subdivided pursuant to town subdivision regulations.

"Development" means any human-induced change to improved or unimproved real property including, but not limited to, the construction of buildings or other structures, placement of manufactured home/mobile, mining, dredging, clearing, filling, grading, paving, excavation, drilling operations, or the subdivision of property.

"Earth" means the natural mineral and organic material forming the soil and its underlying substance. For the purposes of this chapter, earth shall include sand, gravel, and ledge rock.

"Embankment" means an artificial structure consisting of the placement of earth above the pre-existing surface.

"Erosion" means the physical removal of earth from pre-existing surfaces by natural processes involving the mechanical action of wind, water, and the force of gravity.

"Excavation" means the artificial and deliberate removal of earth from pre-existing surfaces by human agency.

"Filling" means the construction of an embankment or the filling or raising of the soil, grade, or surface on the original grade or surface of the earth.

"Grading" means alteration of the pre-existing surface by the placement or removal of earth.

"Ground cover" means living shrubs, grasses, sedges, and other vegetation with trunk or stem size smaller than four inches in diameter established on the surface.

"Grubbing" means the removal of stumps and roots of trees and shrubs.

"Forest land" as defined in the Washington State Forest Practices Act, Ch. 76.09 RCW, means all land which is capable of supporting a merchantable stand of timber and is not actively used for a use which is incompatible with timber growing.

"Forest practice" means any activity conducted on or directly pertaining to forest land and relating to the growing, harvesting, or processing of timber, including, but not limited to: road and trail construction; harvesting, final and intermediate; precommercial thinning; reforestation; fertilization; prevention and suppression of diseases and insects; salvage of trees; and brush control.

"Hazard tree" means a tree that is a threat to life, property, or public safety.

"Heritage tree" means a tree or stand of trees voluntarily enrolled in the Town's heritage tree program. Heritage trees include a tree or stand of trees that is particularly desirable because of its species, size, placement or form or considered to have unique characteristics that set it apart from other similar trees.

"Low impact development (LID)" shall mean a stormwater management strategy that emphasizes conservation and use of existing natural site features integrated with distributed, small-scale stormwater controls to more closely mimic natural hydrologic patterns in residential, commercial, and industrial settings.

"Minimum percent coverage" means the retention and/or planting of trees so that, at maturity of twenty (20) years, a specified minimum tree canopy/tree cover will be provided over usable area of the property, not dedicated to structures or required on-site improvements (e.g. septic system, access easements, utilities, etc.).

"Native vegetation" includes native, undisturbed areas or rehabilitation of previously disturbed areas that consist of trees, plants, forest litter, and understory indigenous to the coastal region Pacific Northwest and which reasonably could have been expected to naturally occur on the site. Invasive species, such as Himalayan Blackberry or Scotch Broom, are not native species.

"Nonconversion" means any Class II, Class III, or Class IV—Special Forest Practice as defined by WAC 222-16-050, where land is being retained for uses consistent with timber growing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the cutting and removal of trees and the replanting for commercial forest production.

"Partially developed lot" shall mean a lot or parcel of land upon which a structure (refer to CTC 16.04.050.B for definition of structure) is located and which is of sufficient area so as to be capable of accommodating additional development pursuant to the Coupeville zoning code; or which may be subdivided in accordance with the Town of Coupeville subdivision chapter.

"Qualified professional arborist" means an individual with relevant education and training in arboriculture or urban forestry having two or more of the following credentials:

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International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist;

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Tree Risk Assessor Qualification (TRAQ) as established by the ISA (or equivalent);

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American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA) registered Consulting Arborist;

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Society of American Foresters (SAF) Certified Forester for Forest Management Plans;

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Board Certified Master Arborist as established by the ISA.

"Significant tree" means a tree with a caliper of at least ten (10) inches except dogwoods and vine maples are significant trees if they have a caliper of at least seven inches. For multiple stem trees such as vine maples, the caliper of the individual stems are added together to determine if a tree meets the minimum caliper for a significant tree.

"Siltation" means deposition of soil, sand, and gravel on the surface or in stormwater conveyance systems as a result of erosion in tributary areas and transport by runoff water.

"Tree" means an erect woody plant whose stem measures six inches or more in diameter measured three feet above the surface on the up-slope side.

"Tree canopy/tree cover" means the aggregate area of coverage by plant material exceeding five feet in height and measured at the drip line.

"Undeveloped lot" shall mean a platted lot or parcel of land upon which no structure (refer to CTC 16.04.050.B for definition of structure) exists.

"Wildlife snag" means the remaining trunk of a tree that is intentionally reduced in height and usually stripped of its branches with the intent of providing habitat.

(Ord. No. 688, § 2(Exh. B), 1-11-2011; Ord. No. 792, § 1(Exh. A), 3-12-2024)