means failure to develop, maintain or use a building, structure or improvement or failure to conduct a use upon real property for a stated period of time.

means two for more parcels sharing a common boundary at least at one point.

means safe, adequate and usable ingress or egress to real property, structures or improvements.

means the decision made by the reviewing authority on a land use application, including appropriate findings, environmental determination and conditions of approval, where applicable.

means any construction which increases the size of a building or facility in terms of site coverage, height, length, width, or gross floor area.

is a public thoroughfare for the use of pedestrians and/or vehicles, producing only a secondary means of access to the abutting property.

means 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.

means a device for transmitting or receiving radio, television or any other transmitted signal.

means owner(s) of property, or their agent(s) who are seeking privileges provided by this title.

means any structure that has a wall or roof in common with another structure.

means a portion of building partly or wholly underground and having more than one-half (1/2) of its height below the average level of the adjoining ground.

means a mound or embankment of earth.

means a parcel of land surrounded by public streets, highways, freeways, railroad rights-of-way, flood control channels, creeks, washes, rivers or unsubdivided acreage or any combination thereof.

means a permanently located structure, having a roof, for the housing or enclosure of persons, possessions, or property of any kind. Mobilehomes, travel trailers and other vehicles, even though permanently immobilized, shall not be deemed to be buildings.

means the net portion of the lot remaining after deducting all required setbacks from the gross area of the lot.

means the percent of lot area which may be covered by roof covered buildings, structures or improvements located on a lot.

means the vertical distance between the average finished ground surface adjacent to the structure and to the highest point of the structure, excluding architectural features and appurtenances such as, but not limited to, chimneys, vents, antennas, elevators, and similar mechanical equipment.

means a building in which the principal use of the real property is conducted.

means 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 building setback area.

means an area extending from the required front building setback area or, where there is no required front building setback area, from the front lot line to the required rear building setback area or, where there is no required rear building setback area, to the rear lot line and from the interior side lot line to a setback line parallel thereto.

means an area extending across the full width of the lot between the rear lot line and a setback line parallel thereto.

means a building setback area between the side lot line and a line parallel thereto and extending from the front building setback area to the rear building setback area.

means an area extending from the required front building setback area or, where there is no required front building setback area, from the front lot line to the rear lot line, and from the side street lot line, or the existing or future side street right-of-way (whichever is greater) to a structural setback line parallel thereto.

means the ground area of a building together with all open spaces required by this title.

means a permanent roofed structure not completely enclosed to be used for vehicle parking.

An organization recognized as a 501(c)(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Service, i.e. eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

means the City of Hanford.

means a vehicle customarily used a part of a business for the transportation of goods or people.

means the Planning Commission of the City of Hanford.

means a use that may locate within a zone only upon taking measures to address issues that may make the use detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare and will not impair the integrity and character of the zoned district.

means 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.

means the start of construction of a substantial portion on-site and off-site structural improvements after a building permit has been issued.

means the City Council of the City of Hanford.

means the County of Kings.

means an open, unoccupied space, other than a yard, unobstructed from ground to sky on the same lot with a building or buildings and which is bounded on two or more sides by the walls of a building.

means consecutive calendar days unless otherwise stated.

is a unit for describing the amplitude of sound, as it is heard by the human ear.

means the number of dwelling units per gross acre, unless otherwise stated, for residential uses.

means an increase in the allowable number of residences granted by the City or county in return for the project's providing low- or moderate-income housing. A housing development that provides 20% of its units for lower-income households, 10% of its units for very-low income households, or 50% of its units for seniors is entitled to a density bonus and other concessions (See California Government Code Section 65915).

means 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; fire roads and fire breaks; lot size and configuration; traffic access; grading; land to be dedicated for park or recreational purposes; building, structures and improvements and other such specific physical requirements.

means any building or structure that does not have a wall or roof in common with any other building or structure.

means any change or alteration of real property or its boundary lines, and including, without limitation, the placement or erection of any solid material, structure or improvement thereon; 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 or sale of such land by a public agency; change in the intensity of use of water, or of access thereto; construction, reconstruction, demolition or alteration of the 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.

means a binding contract between a developer and a City or county establishing the conditions under which a particular development may occur. The local government "freezes" the regulations applicable to the site for an agreed upon period of time. (see California Government Code section 65864)

means 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 specific property, subject to compliance with all terms and conditions imposed on the entitlement.

means the area of a building in a retail sales store used to display goods that are for sale.

means a permanently surfaced area providing direct access for vehicles between a street and a permitted off-street parking or loading area.

means a room or group of rooms (including sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation facilities, but not more than one kitchen), which constitutes an independent housekeeping unit, occupied or intended for occupancy by one household on a long-term basis. A dwelling unit shall have interior access between all habitable spaces, except that a JADU without a separate bathroom shall maintain interior access to the remainder of the primary residence.

means a grant of property rights by the property owner to the public, or any specific person.

means a vehicle that uses a plug-in battery to provide all or part of the motive power of the vehicle, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, or plug-in fuel cell vehicle.

means an electric component assembly or cluster of component assemblies designed specifically to charge batteries within electric vehicles by permitting the transfer of electric energy to a battery or other storage device in an electric vehicle.

means land, buildings, rooms, space, and/or equipment necessary for conducting business.

means the exterior wall of a building exposed to public view or that wall viewed by persons not within the building.

is an individual or a group of persons living together who constitute a bona fide single-family housekeeping unit in a dwelling unit, not including a fraternity, sorority, club, or other group of persons occupying a hotel, lodging house or institution of any kind.

means land, buildings, rooms, space, and/or equipment necessary for doing something.

is a measure of development intensity. FAR is the ratio of the floor area of a building to the area of its site. For instance, both a two-story building that covers an entire lot and a four-story building that covers 1/2 of a lot have a FAR of 2.

means a barrier surrounding or located upon a parcel of real property or a portion thereof and intended to prevent escape or intrusion therefrom or to identify a boundary identity, including without limitation, screened, solid (90% or more closed to air, light and vision), open (50% or more), or temporary and which may be constructed from wood, metal or masonry material or any combination thereof.

means the gross area included within the surrounding exterior finish wall surface of a building or portion thereof, exclusive of courtyards.

means the things placed in a room which equips it for living. This normally includes beds, tables, chairs, sofas, desks, and shelves. Home appliances, outdoor/patio furniture, wall cabinets, garage storage units and home furnishing accessories are excluded from the definition of furniture.

means an enclosed building, or a portion of an enclosed building used for the parking of vehicles.

means a document adopted by the City Council containing statement of policies, including text and diagrams, setting forth objectives, principles, standards, and plan proposals, for the future physical development of the City of Hanford.

means the effect produced by brightness sufficient to cause annoyance, discomfort, or loss in visual performance and visibility.

means the degree of rise of descent of a sloping surface.

means the final elevation of the ground surface after development.

means the elevation of the ground surface in its natural state before man-made alterations.

means the stripping, cutting, filling, stockpiling of earth or land, including the land in its cut or filled condition.

means 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.

means either of the following:

means any item which becomes part of, placed upon, or is affixed to real estate.

means a parcel or group of parcels that make up a site that is vacant or underutilized and is surrounded by developed land or parcels on at least 75% of its perimeter. Infill development sites include previously developed sites that may/will be redeveloped.

means a combination of three or more business establishments permitted or conditional permitted in the zone district in which they are located where off-street parking, landscaping, lighting, or other features are developed, managed and maintained jointly.

means any room, all or any part of which is designed and/or used for cooking and the preparation of food.

means an area devoted to, or developed and maintained predominantly with, native or exotic plant materials including lawn, groundcover, trees, shrubs and other plant materials; artificial turf and other permeable surfaces; 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.

means a description of how land (real estate) is occupied or utilized.

means an off-street space or berth on the same lot with a building or contiguous to a group of buildings for the temporary parking of a commercial vehicle while loading or unloading merchandise or materials.

means a parcel, tract or area of land established by plat, subdivision, or as otherwise permitted by law, to be used, developed or built upon. The classifications of lots are:

means the net horizontal area within bounding lot lines after dedication.

means the area of a lot covered by buildings excluding eaves, projecting balconies, ground-level paving, landscaping, and open recreational facilities.

is the horizontal distance between the midpoint of the front lot line and the midpoint of the rear lot line.

means the portion of the lot contiguous to the street.

means any boundary of a lot. The classifications of lot lines are:

means the horizontal distance between side lot lines, measured at the front setback line.

means a large building or series of connected buildings containing a variety of retail stores, restaurants, and entertainment activities including, but not limited to, such activities as theaters, arcades, amusement rides, rock-climbing and other indoor recreation opportunities that serve a regional population.

means a paved or planted area separating a street or highway into two or more lanes of opposite directions of travel.

means a lot, the area, frontage or dimensions of which do not conform to the provisions of this zoning code.

means a structure, lot or use which did conform to applicable laws when constructed or initiated, and which does not now conform to the provisions of this zoning code.

means a use complying with applicable laws when established but which does not conform to the provisions of this zoning code.

means any parcel or area of land or water essentially unimproved and set aside, dedicated, designated, or reserved for public or private use or enjoyment or for the use and enjoyment of owners and occupants of land adjoining or neighboring such open space. Does not include area covered by buildings or accessory structures (except recreational structures), paved areas (except recreational facilities), proposed and existing public and private streets or driveways, and school sites.

means recreational or leisure space for the shared use of residents of a multi-unit development with no dimension less than 20-feet and may include gardens, playgrounds, courtyards, swimming pools, sitting areas, court games, recreation rooms, exercise rooms or gyms, spas, community rooms, lawn/turf used for open play, ponds, fountains, atriums, picnic areas, rooftop gardens or green roofs, or similar uses or facilities.

means the part of a roof or wall that extends beyond the facade of a lower wall.

is a district established by this zoning code which may be applied to a lot or portion thereof only in combination with a base district.

means the extension of the main walls of a building above the roof level.

means a parcel of land under one ownership that has been legally subdivided or combined and is shown as a single parcel on the latest recorded map in the Kings County recorder's office.

means any public or private land area designed and used for parking motor vehicles including parking lots, garages, private driveways, and legally designated areas of public streets.

is an off-street, ground-level area, usually surfaced and improved, for the temporary storage of motor vehicles.

means the number of parking spaces provided per 1,000 square feet of floor area.

means a public or private parking area used jointly by two or more uses.

is the space marked for the parking of a motor vehicle within a public or private parking area.

means a multi-story car park (also called a parking garage or indoor parking) designed for car parking and where there are a number of floors or levels on which parking takes place.

means that portion of the public street right-of-way between the curb or curb line and the adjacent sidewalk or property line, as applicable, used for or which may be used for the purpose of planting and maintaining street trees, shrubs, hedges, or other plants. In some areas within the City, park strips may extend into a private property's yard beyond the sidewalk. Park strips may be located on private property or may abut private property.

means zoning regulations that permit uses based on a particular set of standards of operation rather than on particular type of use. Performance standards may provide specific criteria to limit noise, air pollution, emissions, odors, vibration, dust, dirt, glare, heat, fire hazards, wastes, traffic impacts, or visual impact of a use.

means a written governmental permission issued by an authorized official, empowering the holder thereof to do some act not forbidden by law, but not allowed without such authorization.

means any use allowed in a land use zoning district and subject to the provisions applicable to that district.

means any individual, firm, co-partnership, 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.

means the development of a parcel(s) or structure(s) with two 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.

means the primary or predominate use of any lot, building or structure.

means the total development within the boundaries as defined on the development plan.

means a strip of land acquired by reservation, dedication, prescription, voluntary purchase and sale, or condemnation and intended to be occupied by a road, trail, water line, sanitary sewer and/or any other public uses.

means a vehicle or trailer capable of human habitation or designed or used for recreational camping or travel use, whether self-propelled or mounted on or drawn by another vehicle, or any structure inspected, approved and designated a recreational vehicle and bearing the insignia of the state of California or any other state or federal agency having the authority to approve recreational vehicles. RVs include, without limitation, any of the following: camp trailer, as defined by the California Vehicle Code Section 324; house car, as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 362; trailer coach, as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 635; mobilehome, as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 396; bus, as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 233, whether altered or unaltered or for commercial or private use; boat, watercraft, and/or trailer for a boat or watercraft; trailers designed to carry persons, property or animals on its own structure and to be drawn by a motor vehicle; and recreational vehicle, as defined by the California Health and Safety Code Section 18010.

means the process by which waste products are reduced to raw materials and transformed into new reused or reconstructed products which meet the quality standards necessary to be used in the market place.

means the person, committee, commission or council responsible for the review and/or final action on a land use entitlement.

means a strip of land acquired by purchase, reservation, dedication, forced dedication, prescription, or condemnation and intended to be occupied or occupied by a road, crosswalk, railroad, electric transmission lines, oil or gas pipeline, water line, sanitary storm sewer, and other similar uses.

means the consideration of distances, unit density, density bonus calculations, or other aspects of development or the physical environment expressed in numerical quantities which are fractions of whole numbers; the numbers are to be rounded to the nearest highest whole number when the fraction is 0.5 or more, and to the next lowest whole number when the fraction is less than 0.5, except as otherwise provided in this title.

means shielded, concealed, and effectively hidden from view by a person standing at ground level on an abutting site, or outside the area, screened by a fence, wall, hedge, berm, or similar architectural or landscape feature that is at least 90% view obscuring.

means the area between the setback line and property line.

is a line within a lot parallel to and measured from a corresponding lot line, forming the boundary of a required yard and governing the placement of structures and uses on the lot.

means 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.

means the land or area that is the subject of a development project or use, and may include more than one lot or parcel.

means the net horizontal area included within the boundary lines of a site, not including the area within the established right-of-way of a public street, future public street, or railroad, or any other area dedicated or to be dedicated for a public use.

means a plan, prepared to scale, showing accurately and with complete dimensioning all of the buildings, structures, and uses and the exact manner of development proposed for a specific parcel of land.

means the degree of deviation of a surface from the horizontal, usually expressed in percentage or degrees.

means the airspace over a parcel that provides access for solar energy system to absorb energy from the sun.

means 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.

means that portion of a building included between the surface of any floor and the surface of any floor next above it, or if there be no floor above it, then the space between such floor and ceiling next above it.

means any public or private thoroughfare with a width of 20 feet or more which affords a primary means of access to abutting property.

means a street in private ownership, not dedicated as a public street, which provides the principal means of vehicular access to a property and not to be construed to mean driveways, alleys, or parking areas.

is a street owned and maintained by the City, the county, or the state. The term includes streets offered for dedication and accepted by a public agency which have been improved.

means any change in the supporting members of a structure such as the bearing walls or partitions, columns, beams, or girders.

means anything constructed or built. An edifice or building of any kind, or any piece of work artificially built up or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner.

means a subordinate building which is incidental and not attached to the main building or use on the same lot. If an accessory building is attached to the main building or if the roof is a continuation of the main building roof, the accessory building shall be considered an addition to the main building. Includes structures regardless of whether a Building Permit is required, including, but not limited to, enclosed and unenclosed patios, barns, guesthouses, second dwelling units, garages, carports, storage buildings/sheds, trellis, gazebos, decks, and real or artificial rockscapes.

means a structure without any foundation or footings and which is removed when the designated time period, activity, or use for which the temporary structure was erected has ceased.

means persons with low incomes who have one or more disabilities, including mental illness, HIV or AIDS, substance abuse, or other chronic health condition, or individuals eligible for services provided pursuant to the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 4500) of the Welfare and Institutions Code) and may include, among other populations, adults, emancipated minors, families with children, elderly persons, young adults aging out of the foster care system, individuals exiting from institutional settings, veterans, and homeless people.

means a use established for a designated period of time, with the intent to discontinue the use at the end of the designated time period.

means a space that is set aside on a corner lot in which all visual obstructions, such as structures and plantings, which inhibit visibility and thus cause a hazard to traffic and pedestrian safety are prohibited.

means a continuous period of two weeks or less.

means land with a structure or structures that occupy only a small portion of the land and is being used significantly below its potential use.

means the purpose (type or extent) for which land or a building is arranged, designed or intended or for which either land or a structure is occupied or maintained.

means a use which is incidental to, and customarily associated with, a specified principal use and which meets the applicable conditions set forth in this ordinance.

means a use listed by the regulation of any particular district as a permitted use within that district and permitted therein as a matter of right when conducted in accord with the regulations established by this Zoning Code.

see "use, accessory."

means a use listed by the regulations of any particular district as a conditional use within that district and allowable therein, solely on a discretionary and conditional basis, subject to development/design review or to a conditional use permit, and to all other regulations established by this Zoning Code.

means the implementation of a use on a parcel or occupancy of a structure, or construction of substantial site improvements after a building permit has been issued, subject to determination by the director.

means a use which fulfills a primary function of a household, establishment, institution, or other entity.

means a use established for a fixed period of time with the intent to discontinue such use upon the expiration of the time period.

means a discretionary entitlement which permits the departure from the strict application of the development standards contained in this Zoning Code.

means self-propelled device by which persons or property may be moved upon a highway, excepting a device moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.

means any area of land that is essentially unimproved, in a natural state of hydrology, vegetation and animal life, and not under cultivation.

means an open space that lies between the principal or accessory building or buildings and the nearest lot line.

means the location of a building on a lot in such a manner that one or more of the building's sides rest directly on a lot line.

means a portion of the City within which certain uses of land and structures are defined, and regulations are specified.