The definitions in this chapter shall apply to the terms used in this title.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Abandoned sign" means any sign located on property that is vacant and unoccupied for a period of six months or more, or any sign which pertains to any occupant, business or event unrelated to the present occupant or use.

(Ord. 780 §9(A), 1994).

"Accessory building or structure" means one in which an accessory use is located.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Accessory use" means a subordinate use which is customarily incidental to the essential or primary use.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Basement" means a story partly below curb level of the street in front of the structure.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Bed and breakfast facility" means any facility within a one-family dwelling unit offering a maximum of three lodging units to travelers and transient guests for periods of less than one month. Each "unit" shall accommodate no more than two people at one time.

(Ord. 783 §13(part), 1994).

"Boardinghouse and/or roominghouse" means a dwelling other than a hotel or lodging house, where sleeping, bathing, and toilet accommodations and/or eating for three or more persons are provided for hire.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Building" means any structure having a roof supported by columns or walls for the housing or enclosure of persons, animals, or chattels. When any portion thereof by a division wall without openings, then each such portion shall be deemed to be a separate building.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Apartment building" means a structure composed of three or more one-family dwelling units.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Building height" means the vertical distance measured from an adjoining highest curb elevation to the highest elevation point of the roof beams, in the case of a flat roof, and to the mean height level of the roof in the case of a pitched roof.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Public buildings" means buildings constructed for a public purpose, which shall include hospitals, school buildings, police stations, fire stations, libraries, city hall, community centers, school stadiums, and post office.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Main building" means any building occupied by the essential use of the zone in which the building is located.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Central business district" means that area bounded on the west by Jefferson Street, on the north by Ladd Street, on the east by Brower Street and on the south by Herb Street.

(Ord. 742 §1, 1992).

"Changing message center sign" means an electronically controlled sign where different automatic changing messages are shown on the lamp bank. This definition includes time and temperature displays.

(Ord. 780 §9(B), 1994).

"Private club" means a nonprofit, social organization whose premises are restricted to its members and their guests.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Community recreation facility" means any public or private building, structure, or area which provides amusement, relaxation, or diversion from normal activities for persons within the area in which it is located and which is not operated for profit.

(Ord. 876 §6, 1999).

"Construction sign" means any sign used to identify the architects, engineers, contractors, or other individuals or firms involved with the construction of a building and to show the design of the building or the purpose for which the building is intended.

(Ord. 780 §9(C), 1994).

"Corner lot" means a lot that generally abuts two or more streets except it may abut one street if such street changes its axis more than forty-five degrees along that portion of the lot which it abuts.

(Ord. 834 §2(part), 1997).

"Court" means an open, unoccupied space on the same lot with a building or group of buildings, and bounded on three or more sides by such building or buildings.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Inner court" means any court other than an outer court.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Outer court" means a court which opens on any yard on the lot, or which extends to any street line of the lot.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Curb grade" means the elevation of the top of the face of the curb, as fixed by the city council.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

All improvements on a site, including buildings, other structures, parking and loading areas, landscaping, paved or graveled areas, and areas devoted to exterior display, storage, or activities.

(Ord. No. 1115, § 2, 6-13-2024)

"Directional/incidental signs" means signs indicating entrances, exits, service areas, loading only and parking areas which do not contain advertising or promotional information.

(Ord. 780 §9(D), 1994).

"One-family dwelling unit" means a room or group of rooms, constituting a building, which is designed for residential occupancy by a single family.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Two-family dwelling unit" means a structure containing two buildings, each of which is equipped with a complement of the facilities necessary for the living accommodations of two families.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Multiple dwelling unit" means a structure containing three or more buildings; each of which provides a complement of necessary facilities to accommodate one family.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Family" means one or more persons living together in one dwelling unit, and maintaining a common household, including domestic servants and gratuitous guests, together with boarders, roomers, or lodgers, not in excess of the number allowed by the provisions herein contained.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Family child care home" means the providing of supplemental parental care and supervision for a child or children, eleven years in age or younger, who are not related to the provider, on a regular basis for less than twenty-four hours a day and under license by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. A family child care home does not include babysitting services of a casual, nonrecurring nature or in the child's own home. A family child care home is further not intended to include cooperative, reciprocative child-care by a group of parents in their respective homes. No more than a total of twelve children (including those children living in the home) shall be present in the home at any one time during hours of operation of a family child care home.

(Ord. 783 §13(part), 1994).

"Flashing sign" means an electric sign or a portion thereof (except changing message centers) which changes a light intensity in a sudden transistor burst, or which switches on and off in a constant pattern in which more than one-third of the noncondensed light source is off at any one time.

(Ord. 780 §9(E), 1994).

"Freestanding sign" means any sign supported by one or more uprights, poles or braces in or upon the round and is independent from any building or other structure.

(Ord. 780 §9(F), 1994).

"Commercial garage" means a building in which the primary function is the repair of motor vehicles.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Private garage" means a building or portion of the main building used for the storage of self-propelled vehicles, owned by one or more members occupying the dwelling unit of which the garage is a part or accessory.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Public garage" means a building in which the primary function is the rental of storage space for motor vehicles.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Gasoline service station" means a building used primarily for the retail sale of fuels, lubricants, and other operating commodities for motor vehicles.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Hazardous waste" means and includes substances composed of radioactive, toxic or hazardous components, including dangerous waste and extremely hazardous waste as defined in RCW 70.105.010 and designated in WAC 173-303-070 through 173-303-103 and WAC 173-303-040.

(Ord. 693 §1, 1988).

"Hazardous waste storage" means the holding of hazardous waste for a temporary period. Accumulation of hazardous waste by the generator on the site of generation is not storage as long as the generator complies with the applicable requirements of WAC 173-303-200 and 173-303-201.

(Ord. 693 §2, 1988).

"Hazardous waste treatment" means the physical, chemical or biological processing of hazardous waste to make such waste nondangerous or less dangerous, safer for transport, amenable for energy or material resource recovery, amenable for storage or reduced in volume.

(Ord. 693 §3, 1988).

(a)

"Hazardous waste treatment and storage facility, on-site" means treatment and storage facilities which treat and store hazardous wastes generated on the same property. This activity is always the accessory use to a primary activity on the property.

(b)

"Hazardous waste treatment and storage facility, off-site" means treatment and storage facilities which treat and store hazardous wastes generated on properties other than those on which the offsite facilities may be located. This use is always the primary use of the property.

(Ord. 693 §§4, 5, 1988).

"Hedge" means a series of plants planted in such a way as to provide a visual or physical barrier.

(Ord. 876 §7, 1999).

"Convalescent or nursing home" means a home providing practical nursing service to four or more persons for pay but not providing the technical and administrative services offered in a regular hospital.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Home occupation" means a business, profession or craft which is clearly incidental to the residence as a dwelling; not one in which the use of a premises as a dwelling place is largely incidental to the business carried on. Said business shall be carried on by a member of the family residing within the dwelling place, with the addition of no more than one outside individual at any one time, and may include, but is not limited to, art studio, dress making, beauty salon, family child care in the home, professional office of a lawyer, physician, engineer, architect or accountant, or musical instruction or dance limited to no more than two pupils at any one time.

(Ord. 783 §13(part), 1994).

"Hotel" means a structure or any part of a building which contains living and sleeping accommodations for transient occupancy and has a common entrance or entrances.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Hospitals" means and includes any licensed sanitarium, sanitorium, preventorium, clinic, and any other place duly licensed and established for the diagnosis, treatment, and care of human ailments.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Illumination sign" means any sign (electric or otherwise) employing the use of lighting sources for the purpose of decorating, outlining, accentuating or brightening the sign area.

(Ord. 780 §9(G), 1994).

"Interior lot" means a lot that generally abuts or has frontage on only one street, although on through lots that run from one block face to another, such lots could abut two streets.

(Ord. 834 §2(part), 1997).

"Commercial kennel" means a lot or building in which four or more dogs, cats, or animals, not less than four months of age, are kept, whether by the owner or by another person, providing facilities for care, boarding, and/or training in exchange for compensation; but not including small animal hospitals, clinics, pet shops, or grooming shops.

(Ord. 783 §13(part), 1994).

"Line of sight" means that it is possible to reasonably visually distinguish and recognize individuals. In most circumstances, a visually unobstructed distance of six hundred feet constitutes line of sight.

(Ord. 929 §1, 2002).

"Loading and unloading space" means any space on the same property with the main building designed and intended for unloading or loading goods destined from or to the place of business.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Lot area" means the total horizontal area included within the lot lines of a zoning lot.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Through lot" means any zoning lot which has two street lines which are parallel to, or within forty-five degrees of being parallel to each other, and which are not corner lots.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Zoning lot" means a single tract of land, located within a single block, which, at the time of filing for a building permit, is designated by its owner or developer as a tract to be used, developed or built upon as a unit, under single ownership or control, and assigned to the particular use for which the building permit and occupancy permit are issued.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Rear lot line" means the line opposite to the street line, which is parallel or within forty-five degrees of being parallel to the front lot line.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Front lot line" means the street line of an interior lot. Either street line of a corner or through lot, as selected by the applicant.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Side lot line" means any lot line which is not a front lot line or a rear lot line.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Lot of record" means any lot established by a duly approved and recorded plat in which the lot is located.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Double-wide manufactured home" means a single-family dwelling complete and ready for occupancy thirty-six feet or more in length and at least twenty-four feet in width when assembled, constructed in accordance with state of Washington or federal manufactured home construction standards as evidenced by the attachment of an insignia designed for transportation after fabrication on public streets and highways on its own chassis and wheels.

(Ord. 876 §10, 1999: Ord. 661 §1, 1986: Ord. 650 §1, 1985).

"Single-wide manufactured home" means a single-family dwelling complete and ready for occupancy thirty-five feet or more in length and at least eight feet in width constructed in accordance with state or federal manufactured home construction standards as evidenced by the attachment of an insignia designed for transportation after fabrication on public streets and highways on its own chassis and wheels.

(Ord. 650 §2, 1985).

"Maximum lot coverage" means that portion of the total square footage of a lot which may be covered by any structure, and shall include the dwelling, any accessory building, or other structures.

(Ord. 876 §11, 1999).

"MLMC" means the Medical Lake Municipal Code.

(Ord. 876 §12, 1999).

For the purpose of this title the definition of mobile home shall be considered identical to that of manufactured home.

(Ord. 650 §3, 1985).

Storage containers meant for temporary storage of personal items. These containers are typically made of a light metal or wood.

(Ord. No. 1115, § 2, 6-13-2024)

"Multiple building complex" means a group of structures holding two or more retail offices or commercial uses sharing the same lot, access and/or parking facilities, or a coordinated site plan. For the purposes of this section, each multiple building complex shall be considered a single use.

(Ord. 780 §9(H), 1994).

"Multiple tenant building" means a single structure housing two or more retail, office, or commercial uses. For purposes of this section, each multiple tenant building shall be considered a single use.

(Ord. 780 §9(I), 1994).

"Neighborhood density" means the total number of dwelling units of a district of homes divided by the entire total land area of the district, including streets and other public or commercial areas.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Nonconformer" means any building, and/or structure not in compliance with any one or all of the provisions herein contained, which existed on December 8, 1960.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Nonconforming sign" means a sign which was legally installed under laws or ordinances in effect prior to the effective date of this title or subsequent revisions, but which is in conflict with the provisions of this title.

(Ord. 780 §9(J), 1994).

"Day nursery" means a building operated for the primary purpose of care for pay of three or more children of ages less than that admitted to the kindergarten.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Off-premises sign" means a sign which advertises or promotes merchandise, services, goods, or entertainment which are sold, produced, manufactured or furnished at a place other than on the property on which said sign is located.

(Ord. 780 §9(K), 1994).

"Off-street parking space" means any space not on a highway or street, where one passenger vehicle up to a three-quarter of a ton truck may park, having a minimum width of nine feet and length of eighteen feet, excluding service lanes.

(Ord. 876 §13, 1999: Ord. 285 §6 (part), 1960).

"Commercial off-street parking" means an area of land designated primarily for the parking of motor vehicles for pay.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"On-premises sign" means a sign incidental to a lawful use of the premises on which it is located, advertising the business transacted, services rendered, goods sold or products produced on the premises or the name of the business, person, firm, or corporation occupying the premises.

(Ord. 780 §9(L), 1994).

"Private parking lot" means a parking lot.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Permitted use" means the specific purpose for which land and/or a building is designed, arranged, intended, or for which it is or may be occupied or maintained. Permitted use or its equivalent shall not include any nonconforming use.

(Ord. 285 §6 (part), 1960).

The planning director, or designee.

(Ord. No. 1115, § 2, 6-13-2024)

The city official(s) appointed or retained by the city to administer and enforce this title and associated regulations and other such codes and regulations as the city may so designate.

(Ord. No. 1115, § 2, 6-13-2024)

"Portable sign" means any sign not permanently attached to the ground or other permanent structure, or a sign designed to be transported, including, but not limited to, signs designed to be transported by means of wheels, signs converted to A or T frames, menu and sandwich board signs, balloons used as signs, and/or umbrellas used for advertising.

(Ord. 780 §9(M), 1994).

"Projecting sign" means any sign other than a wall sign, which projects from and is supported by a wall of a building or structure.

(Ord. 780 §9(N), 1994).

"Residential sign" means any sign located in a district zoned for residential uses that contains no commercial message except advertising for goods or services legally offered on the premises where the sign is located, if offering such service at such location conforms with all requirements of this title.

(Ord. 780 §9(O), 1994).

"Residential zone" means any zone the primary use of which is declared by this title to be for residential purposes.

(Ord. 876 §14, 1999).

"Risk potential facility" is an activity or facility that provides a higher incidence of risk to the public from persons conditionally released from the special commitment center.

(Ord. 929 §2, 2002).

"School, specialty" means any public or privately operated school having specialty training and not offering a general curriculum.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

A secondary building, structure, and/or use is one customarily related to the essential or permitted use, building and/or structure, may support the function of the essential use, but is not requisite to its existence and efficient operation, and may or may not have direct relationship to the essential or permitted uses.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Secure community transition facility" is a residential facility for persons civilly committed and conditionally released to a less restrictive alternative under Chapter 71.09 RCW. A secure community transition facility has supervision and security and either provides or ensures the provision of sex offender treatment services. Secure community transition facilities include, but are not limited to, the facilities established pursuant to 71.09.250 RCW and any community-based facilities established under 71.09 RCW and operated by the secretary of the Washington Department of Social and Health Services or under contract with the secretary.

(Ord. 929 §3, 2002).

"Storage containers" that are built as standard sized boxes made of steel, used to store and transport goods from one place to another via cargo ship. These are also referred to as cargo containers or Conex containers.

(Ord. No. 1115, § 2, 6-13-2024)

"Sign" means any communication device, structure, or fixture (including the supporting structure) that identifies, advertises and/or promotes an activity, product, service place, business, or any other thing.

(Ord. 780 §10, 1994: Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Story" is that portion of a building included between the upper surface of any floor and the upper surface of the floor next above, except that the topmost story shall be that portion of a building included between the upper surface of the topmost floor and the ceiling or roof above. If the finished floor level directly above a usable or unused under-floor space is more than six feet above grade for more than fifty percent of the total perimeter or is more than twelve feet above grade at any point, such usable or unused under floor space shall be considered as a story.

(Ord. 650 §4, 1985).

"Street" means a public way established by or maintained under public authority whether or not constructed.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Structure" means anything constructed or erected, which requires location on the ground, or attachment to something having a location on the ground.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Temporary sign" means any sign, banner, pennant, valance, or advertising display constructed of cloth, paper, canvas, cardboard, and/or other light, nondurable materials. Types of displays include grand openings, special sales, special events, and garage sale signs.

(Ord. 780 §9(P), 1994).

"Variance" means a modification of the specific standards of this title granted in accordance with the terms of this title for the purpose of assuring that no property, because of special circumstances applicable to it, shall be deprived of privileges commonly enjoyed by other properties in the same vicinity and zone.

(Ord. 650 §5, 1985: Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Vulnerable adults" are those individuals as defined in RCW 74.34.

(Ord. 929 §3, 2002).

"Wall sign" means any sign attached to or painted directly on the wall, or erected against and parallel to the wall of a building, not exceeding more than twelve inches from the wall.

(Ord. 780 §9(Q), 1994).

"Front yard" means an open space extending the full width of the lot, between a main building and the front lot line, unoccupied and unobstructed by buildings or structures from the ground upward, the depth of which shall be the least distance between the front lot line and the front of a main building.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Junk yard" means the use of land, with or without structures, for the storage or keeping of junk, scrap metal or materials, for dismantling or demolishing vehicles, machinery, or parts thereof.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Rear yard" means an open space extending the full width of a lot, between the rear-most main building and the rear lot line. The required width of the side yards shall be measured horizontally from the nearest point of the side lot line to the nearest part of the main building.

(Ord. 650 §6, 1985: Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).

"Interior side yard" means any side yard, not on the street side of a corner lot.

(Ord. 285 §6(part), 1960).