Building Permit. Any building or structure for which a Building Permit has been issued may be completed and used in accordance with the plans, specifications, and permits on which said Building Permit was granted, provided at least one inspection has been requested and posted for the primary structure on the site where the permit is issued and provided construction is diligently pursued and completed within six months of permit issuance. No extensions of time except as provided for in the Building Code shall be granted for commencement of construction, unless the applicant has secured an allowed permit extension from the Planning Division.

Previously Approved Land Use Authorization. This Zoning Code shall not interfere with, repeal, abrogate, or annul any previously granted land use authorization. All allowances, requirements, and conditions of approval of previous land use authorizations shall apply until the applicable review authority specifically repeals the allowance, requirement, or condition.

Land Use Authorization in Process. An application for a discretionary land use authorization that has been accepted by the Planning Division as complete for processing prior to the adoption of this Code or any applicable amendment shall be processed according to the requirements of this Zoning Code or the prior Code upon written request from the project applicant. The written request shall be made no later than 30 days after the effective date of this Zoning Code and at least one action must be taken by the review authority within 210 days of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this Code.

The specific controls the general.

In case of conflict between the text and a figure, illustration, heading, caption, diagram, or graphic, the text controls.

Sections and section headings contained herein shall not be deemed to govern, limit, modify, or in any manner affect the scope, meaning, or intent of any section.

Unless the context clearly indicates the contrary, the following conjunctions shall be interpreted as follows:

The words "shall," "will," "must," and "is to" are always mandatory and not discretionary. "Should" is a regulation that is not mandatory but must be either fulfilled or the applicant must demonstrate an alternative that fulfills the intent of the regulation. "May" is permissive.

The present tense includes the past and future tenses, and the future tense includes the past.

The singular number includes the plural, and the plural, the singular.

All references to departments, committees, commissions, boards, or other public agencies are to those of the City of West Sacramento, unless otherwise indicated.

All references to public officials are to those of the City of West Sacramento, and include designated deputies of such officials, unless otherwise indicated.

Boundaries indicated as approximately following the centerlines of alleys, lanes, streets, highways, streams, or railroads shall be construed to follow such centerlines.

Boundaries indicated as approximately following lot lines, City limits, or extraterritorial boundary lines shall be construed as following such lines, limits, or boundaries.

General Rounding. Fractions exceeding one-half or greater shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number and fractions equal to or less than one-half shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number, except as otherwise provided.

Exception for State Affordable Housing Density Bonus. The calculation of fractions related to permitted bonus density units for projects eligible for bonus density pursuant to Government Code Section 65915 or any successor statute, and Chapter 17.23, Affordable Housing, Density Bonuses, and Incentives, any fractional number of units shall be rounded up to the next whole number.

Measurements Are Shortest Distance. When measuring a required distance, such as the minimum distance between a structure and a lot line, the measurement is made at the closest or shortest distance between the two objects.

Distances Are Measured Horizontally. When determining distances for setbacks and structure dimensions, all distances are measured along a horizontal plane from the appropriate line, edge of building, structure, storage area, parking area, or other object. These distances are not measured by following the topography or slope of the land.

Measurements Involving a Structure. Measurements involving a structure are made to the closest support element of the structure. Structures or portions of structures that are entirely underground are not included in measuring required distances.

Measurement of Vehicle Stacking or Travel Areas. Measurement of a minimum travel distance for vehicles, such as garage entrance setbacks and stacking lane distances, are measured down the center of the vehicle travel area. For example, curving driveways and travel lanes are measured along the center arc of the driveway or traffic lane.

Measuring Radius. When a specified land use is required to be located a minimum distance from another land use, the minimum distance is measured in a straight line from all points along the lot line of the subject project, in all directions.

Measuring Building Height. Building height is measured from the average level of the highest and lowest points where the vertical plane of the exterior walls touch existing or finished grade, whichever is lower, to the highest point on the roof.

Measuring the Number of Stories. In measuring the number of stories in a building, the following rules shall apply:

Measuring Height of Fences or Walls. The height of a fence or wall is measured as the vertical distance from the average of the ground levels immediately adjacent to both sides of the fence or wall to the height of such fence or wall.

Measuring the Height of Decks. Deck height is determined by measuring from the ground to the top of the floor of the deck directly above the ground below.

Lot Width. Lot width is the horizontal distance between the side lot lines, measured at right angles to the lot depth at a point midway between the front and rear lot lines.

Lot Depth. Lot depth is measured along a straight line down from the midpoint of the front property line of the lot to the midpoint of the rear property line or to the most distant point on any other lot line where there is no rear lot line.

S = Average slope (in percent)

I = Contour interval (in feet)

L = Total length of all contour lines on the parcel (in feet)

A = Area of subject parcel (in square feet)

Included in Floor Area. Floor area includes, but is not limited to, all habitable space (as defined in the California Building Code) that is below the roof and within the outer surface of the main walls of principal or accessory buildings or the centerlines of party walls separating such buildings or portions thereof or within lines drawn parallel to and two feet within the roof line of any building without walls. In the case of a multi-story building that has covered or enclosed stairways, stairwells, or elevator shafts, the horizontal area of such features shall be counted only once at the floor level of their greatest area of horizontal extent.

Excluded from Floor Area. Floor area does not include mechanical, electrical, and communication equipment rooms that do not exceed two percent of the building's gross floor area; bay windows or other architectural projections where the vertical distance between the lowest surface of the projection and the finished floor is 30 inches or greater; areas that qualify as usable open space such as balconies and outdoor terraces; rooms submerged more than 50% below the finished grade of the property; and areas used for off-street parking spaces or loading spaces, driveways, ramps between floors of a multi-level parking garage, and maneuvering aisles that are located below the finished grade of the property.

Non-Residential Uses. For non-residential uses, gross floor area includes pedestrian access interior walkways or corridors, interior courtyards, walkways, paseos, or corridors covered by a roof or skylight. Non-residential gross floor area does not include arcades, porticoes, and similar open areas that are located at or near street level and are accessible to the public but are not designed or used as sales, display, storage, service, or production areas.

Unenclosed and unroofed decks, uncovered patio slab, porches, landings, balconies and stairways less than four feet in height;

Eaves and roof overhangs projecting up to three feet from a wall;

Trellises and similar structures that have roofs that are at least 50% open to the sky through uniformly distributed openings;

Swimming pools and hot tubs that are not enclosed in roofed structures or decks.

Corner Lot. The front of a lot is the narrowest dimension of the lot with street frontage.

Through Lot. The front of a through lot abuts the street that neighboring lots use to provide primary access.

Yards Abutting Planned Street Expansions. If a property abuts an existing or proposed street for which the existing right-of-way is narrower than the right-of-way ultimately required for the street, the required setback shall be established from the future right-of-way rather than the property line.