For the purpose of this title, certain words and terms are defined as follows:

Words used in the present tense include the future. Words in the singular number include the plural, and the plural the singular. Words not included herein but defined in the building code shall be construed as defined therein.

Some definitions are included for reference purposes and may not be permitted in any current zone found in the Santa Clara City zoning ordinance.

   ACCESSORY BUILDING: A structure on the same lot with a main structure but incidental and subordinate to the use thereof. There must first be a "main" building on the lot before a permit can be issued for any other building to be "accessory".

   AGRICULTURE: Land devoted to the raising of useful plants and animals with a reasonable expectation of profit, including forage and sod crops, grain and feed crops, nut and fruit crops, vegetables, nursery, floral and ornamental stock, livestock animals including domestic animals, poultry and honeybees. Agricultural land also includes land devoted to and meeting the requirements and qualifications for payments or other compensation under a cropland retirement program with an agency of the state or federal government.

   A.   Does not permit residential dwellings in an agriculture zone.

   B.   Not currently zoned anywhere in Santa Clara City.

   ANIMAL NUMBERS: The number of animals does not include newborn animals under the age of six (6) months, or those animals that are dependent upon their mother for sustenance of life, whichever is greater, that were born by animals kept on the property in compliance with the numbers of animals allowed by this title.

   ANIMAL SIZE: The categorizing of animals is based upon a classification of large, medium, or small animals. The determination may be made by size of animal, irrespective of genetic makeup at the discretion of the planning commission.

   BARNS, COOPS, STABLES: A building for the keeping of livestock animals, or fowl, by the occupants of the premises. The above uses are not considered to be accessory buildings and do not require a prior permit for a primary structure. They must meet all setback and height requirements of the zone in which they are located, and any permit requirements of the international building code.

   BASEMENT: A story partly underground. A basement shall be counted as a story for the purposes of height measurement if its height is one-half (1/2) or more above grade.

   BOARDING HOUSE: A building with not more than five (5) guestrooms, where, for compensation, meals are provided for at least five (5) but not more than fifteen (15) persons.

   BUILDING: Any structure having a roof supported by columns or walls, for the housing or enclosure of persons, animals or property.

      Main Building: The principal building or one of the principal buildings upon a lot, or the building of one of the principal uses upon a lot.

      Public Building: A building owned and operated or owned and intended to be operated by a public agency of the United States of America, of the state of Utah, or any of its subdivisions.

   CARPORT: A private garage not completely enclosed by walls or doors. For the purposes of this title, a carport shall be subject to all of the regulations prescribed for a private garage.

   CHICKEN RUN: A fenced area, typically attached to a chicken coop where chickens can exercise, forage, and engage in natural behaviors.

   CHILD NURSERY: An establishment for the care and/or instruction, whether or not for compensation, of six (6) or more children other than members of the family residing on the premises.

   CONDITIONAL USE: A use of land for which specific conditions or approval are required by the planning commission, prior to authorizing a permit therefor.

   CONDOMINIUM OR TOWNHOUSE PROJECT: A development where there is ownership of a single unit in a multiple-family development, together with an undivided interest in the common area, and facilities, and such project meets all requirements of the condominium ownership act of the state of Utah and requirements of the city of Santa Clara.

   COOPS: See definition of Barns, Coops, Stables.

   CORRAL OR PEN: A space fenced and used for the confinement of animals. They must meet the setback requirements of the zone in which they are located. They are not considered to be an accessory use (see definition of Barns, Coops, Stables).

   DAIRY: A commercial establishment for the manufacture and/or processing of dairy products.

   A.   Not currently zoned anywhere in Santa Clara City.

   DISTRICT: A portion of the city shown on a map attached to the ordinance codified herein and given a district or zoning name.

   DOMESTIC ANIMALS: Animals historically found on farms in Washington County. Domestic animals shall not include animals commonly found in zoos and animal preserves, and which animals are not historically endemic to the Washington County areas. Exception: Llamas may be considered as domestic animals, subject to planning commission approval, and limited to the number limitations of the zone in which they are located.

   DWELLING: Any building, or portion thereof, which is designed and used for residential purposes and complies with the provisions of the international building code, except for the following: hotels, motels, boarding houses, bed and breakfast homes, travel trailers, recreation vehicles, or motor homes are not considered dwellings.

Multiple-Family Dwelling: A dwelling arranged or designed to be occupied by more than two (2) families.

Single-Family Dwelling: A building arranged or designed to be occupied by one family, the structure having only one dwelling unit.

Two-Family Dwelling: A building arranged or designed to be occupied by two (2) families, the structure having two (2) dwelling units.

   DWELLING UNIT: One or more rooms in a dwelling, designed for, or occupied by, one family for living or sleeping purposes, and having kitchen facilities for the use of not more than one family.

   EXOTIC ANIMALS: Animals not historically found on farms in the Washington County area. Exotic animals shall include animals commonly found in zoos and animal preserves, and which animals are not historically endemic to the Washington County area. For the purpose of determining the types of animals that may be allowed to be maintained in the various zones of the city of Santa Clara, the term "exotic animals" shall not include traditional household pets, including dogs, small domestic house cats, small caged birds, gerbils, guinea pigs, and similar traditional household pets, but not including biting or venomous snakes.

   FAMILY: A. An individual, or two (2) or more persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption living together as a single housekeeping unit in a dwelling unit; or

   B.   A group of not more than four (4) persons, who need not be related by blood, marriage, or adoption, living together as a single housekeeping unit in dwelling unit. Persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption may not have more than three (3) additional persons living with them as a single housekeeping unit in a dwelling unit.

   FENCE, SOLID: A fence of a material that is sight obscuring, and made of a solid material such as wood, vinyl, or masonry, but not including a chainlink fence with slats inserted into the chainlinks. Any questionable material shall be reviewed by the planning commission for determination.

   FINANCIAL INSTITUTION: A depository institution such as a bank, brokerage firm, credit union, mortgage lender, or savings and loan. A Non-Depository Institution (see definition) is not included.

   GRADE: Compare to sign height or building elevation.

   A.   For buildings adjoining one street only, the elevation of the sidewalk at the center of that wall adjoining the street;

   B.   For buildings adjoining more than one street, the average of the elevations of the sidewalks at the centers of all walls adjoining the street;

   C.   For buildings having no wall adjoining the street, the average level of the ground (finished surface) adjacent to the exterior walls of the building. All walls approximately parallel to and not more than five feet (5') from a street line are to be considered as adjoining a street.

   HANDICAPPED PERSON: A person who has a severe chronic disability attributable to a mental or physical impairment or to a combination of mental and physical impairments, which results in a substantial functional limitation in three (3) or more of the following areas of major life activity: self-care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living, or economic self-sufficiency; and who requires a combination or sequence of special interdisciplinary or generic care, treatment, or other services that are individually planned and coordinated to allow the person to function in, and contribute to, a residential neighborhood.

   HOME OCCUPATION: Any use conducted and carried out by persons residing in the dwelling unit, which is clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the dwelling for dwelling purposes. It shall not cause a change in the character of the dwelling unit. The home occupation shall not change the character of any accessory buildings and shall not use any yard space outside of the main dwelling or accessory buildings. A home occupation shall have no outdoor advertising, except as permitted by this code, and will not generate such traffic as to become a public nuisance to the neighborhood.

A home occupation may be granted with a conditional use permit from the planning commission, but may be rescinded for cause if such use becomes a nuisance to the neighborhood.

   HOUSEHOLD PETS: Animals or fowl ordinarily permitted in the house, and kept for personal use, but not for commercial purposes. Household pets do not include, "exotic animals", or "domestic animals" as defined herein, unless specifically approved by the planning commission.

   JUNK: Old or scrap copper, brass, rope, rags, batteries, paper, trash, rubber, debris, waste of junked, dismantled or wrecked automobiles, or parts thereof, iron, steel, and other old scrap ferrous or nonferrous material.

   JUNKYARD: Any place, establishment, or business maintained, used, or operated for storing, keeping, buying, or selling junk, or for the maintenance, or operation of an automobile graveyard, and the term includes garbage and sanitary fills.

   KENNEL: Any premises where four (4) or more dogs older than four (4) months are kept.

   A.   Not currently zoned anywhere in Santa Clara City.

   LIVESTOCK: A. Large animals: May include horses, and cattle, or other animals judged by the planning commission to be compatible with this category of animal, but not including pigs, or "exotic animals" as defined in this section.

   B.   Medium animals: Three (3) medium animals shall equal one large animal, and shall include goats, sheep or ponies which do not exceed thirty six inches (36") in height, measured from the withers, or other animals judged by the planning commission to be compatible with this category of livestock, but not including exotic animals or pigs.

   C.   Small animals: Include poultry, rabbits, or other small animals judged by the planning commission to be compatible with this category of animal. Small animals do not include exotic animals or pigs.

   LIVESTOCK FEED YARD: A commercial operation on a parcel of land where livestock are kept in corrals, or pens, for extended periods of time, at a density which permits little movement, and where all feed is provided for the purpose of fattening or maintaining the condition of the livestock prior to their shipment to a stockyard for sale, etc.

   A.   Feed yards are not currently zoned anywhere in Santa Clara City.

   LIVESTOCK PASTURE: A fenced land area devoted to the production of a grass product in which livestock may be kept in a loosely controlled environment as opposed to being kept in a barn, corral, or stable. No setback is required from any property line.

   LOT: A parcel of land occupied or to be occupied by a main building, or group of buildings (main and accessory), together with such yards, open spaces, lot width and lot area, as are required by this title, and having frontage upon a dedicated and improved city street.

   LOT, CORNER: A lot having frontage on two (2) or more improved and dedicated city streets.

   MANUFACTURED HOME: A transportable factory built housing unit constructed on or after June 15, 1976, according to the federal home construction and safety standards act of 1974 (HUD code), in one or more sections, which, in the traveling mode, is eight (8) body feet or more in width, or forty (40) body feet or more in length, or, when erected on site, is four hundred (400) or more square feet in size, and which is built upon a permanent foundation when connected to required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems.

   NATURAL WATERWAYS: Those areas, varying in width, along streams, creeks, springs, gullies, or washes, which are natural drainage channels, as determined by the city, and in which areas no buildings shall be constructed.

   NONCONFORMING BUILDING OR STRUCTURE: A building or structure, or a portion thereof, lawfully existing at the time the ordinance codified herein became effective, which does not conform to all regulations herein prescribed for the zone in which it is located.

   NONCONFORMING USE: A use which lawfully occupied a building or land at the time the ordinance codified herein became effective, and which does not conform to the use regulations of the zone in which it is located. Also including land which was used prior to the time the ordinance codified herein became effective, and which use does not conform with the use regulations of the zone in which it is now located. Any nonconforming use that is abandoned or not used for a period exceeding one year may no longer be used or recognized as a nonconforming use, and must be made to comply with the requirements of the zone in which such use is, or was located.

   NON-DEPOSITORY INSTITUTION: A financial business, other than a depository institution, that is registered by the state of Utah pursuant to the Check Cashing Registration Act, the Title Lending Registration Act, or any successor statutes. Non-depository institutions include specifically:

      A.   Check cashing business. A person or business that for compensation engages, in whole or in part, in the business of cashing checks, warrants, drafts, money orders, or other commercial paper serving the same purpose. “Check cashing business” excludes (1) a state or federally charted bank, savings association, credit union, industrial loan company or other depository institution, and (2) a retail seller engaged primarily in the business of selling goods (including consumables) to retail buyers that also cashes checks for or issues money orders to its customers, provided that such services are clearly incidental to its main purpose or business and that the fees charged for such services do not exceed 1% of the amount of the check or money order or otherwise de minimus.

      B.   Deferred deposit lender. A person or business that conducts transactions where a customer presents to a check casher a check written on the customer’s account or provides written or electronic authorization to a check casher to effect a debit to the customer’s account, whereupon the check casher (1) advances the customer an amount of money that is equal to the face value of the check or debit, less any fee or interest charged for the transaction, and (2) agrees to defer processing the check or debit until a specific future date.

      C.   Payday loan business. An establishment providing short-term loans to individuals in exchange for personal checks or assignment of wages as collateral.

      D.   Title loan business. An establishment providing short-term loans to individuals in exchange for the title of a motor vehicle, mobile home or motorboat as collateral.

   NURSING HOME: An institution providing residence and care for the aged or infirm.

   PARKING LOT: A surfaced area other than a street used for the parking of vehicles.

   PARKING SPACE: The space within a building or parking lot for the parking of one motorized vehicle.

   PENS: See definition of Corral Or Pen.

   PLANNED DEVELOPMENT: A development, residential or commercial, in which the regulations of the zone in which the use is situated are modified to allow flexibility and initiative in site and building design and location, in accordance with an approved plan.

   SETBACK: The required portion of a yard over which no portion of a building or structure shall encroach unless otherwise permitted in this title. Setback distance shall be measured from the property line of each yard.

   SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS: Established regulations concerning lot areas, yard setbacks, building height, lot coverage, open green space, and any other special regulations deemed necessary to accomplish the purpose of this title.

   STABLES: See definition of Barns, Coops, Stables.

   STORY: The space within a building included between the surface of any floor and the surface of the ceiling of the next floor above.

   STORY, HALF: A story with at least two (2) of its opposite sides situated in a sloping roof, the floor area of which does not exceed two-thirds (2/3) of the floor immediately below it.

   STREET: A public thoroughfare which affords principal means of access to abutting property and is dedicated and improved to city standards.

   STREET, PRIVATE: A right of way, or easement in private ownership, at least twenty five feet (25') wide, not dedicated or accepted as a public street, which affords the principal means of access to one or more sites.

   STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS: Any change in supporting members of a building, such as bearing walls, columns, beams, or girders.

   STRUCTURE: Anything constructed or erected, which requires location on the ground, or attached to something having a location on the ground.

   USE, ACCESSORY: A subordinate use customarily incidental to and located upon the same lot occupied by a main use.

   WIDTH OF LOT: The distance between the side lot lines at the distance back from the front lot line required for the front yard setback.

   YARD, FRONT: A space on the same lot with a building between the front line of the building and the front lot line, and extending across the full width of the lot.

   YARD, REAR: A space on the same lot with a building between the rear line of the building and the rear line of the lot and extending across the full width of the lot.

   YARD, SIDE: A space on the same lot with a building between the side line of the building and the side line of the lot and extending from the front yard line to the rear yard line.

   ZONE: The area or district within which the regulations of this title are uniform.

(Ord. 2025-09 § 1: Ord. 2025-07: Ord. 2023-17 § 1: Ord. 2009-12 § 1: Ord. 2008-10 § 1: Ord. 2007-01 § 2: Ord. 2004-20 § 1: Ord. 99-16 § 2: Ord. 97-06 ch. 21)