“School”
means a structure and accessory facilities in which prescribed courses are taught. This definition includes elementary, junior high or high schools and institutions of higher learning, but does not include commercial schools, nursery schools, kindergartens, or day nurseries, except when operated in conjunction with a public, private, or parochial school.
“School, vocational”
means the commercial use of a structure or land for teaching arts, crafts, or trades.
“Service station”
means a retail facility to supply motor fuel and other petroleum products to motor vehicles, and may include lubrication and minor repair service and incidental sale of motor vehicle accessories.
“Setback, front”
is the minimum horizontal distance measured perpendicularly from the centerline of the adjacent right-of-way to the nearest wall of the structure. Where there is a partial right-of-way, the setback shall be measured perpendicularly from the design centerline. When there is no right-of-way, the front setback shall be twenty feet from the front property line.
“Setback, side and rear”
is the minimum horizontal distance measured perpendicularly from the nearest property line to the nearest wall of the structure, except that a side setback on a corner lot, along the adjacent right-of-way, shall be measured perpendicularly from the centerline of the right-of-way. When there is a partial right-of-way, the setback shall be measured perpendicularly from the design centerline.
“Sewer system, community”
means small, self-contained sewage treatment facilities built to serve developed areas generally found outside public sewer service areas.
“Sewer system, individual”
means a system designed and constructed on site to dispose of sewage from one or two structures. Septic tank systems are the most common form of individual sewer system.
“Sewer system, regional”
means sewer service provided by a municipality or special purpose district.
“Short term rental”
means a residential structure providing individuals with lodging for not more than thirty days. For home occupations, such uses are limited to having not more than five guest rooms.
Sign.
See YMC Chapter 15.08 for a complete listing of sign definitions.
“Sign manufacturing and assembly”
means the design, manufacturing, and assembly of metal-cased, thermo-formed, wooden, stone, neon, internally lit, or electronic signs.
“Site improvement”
means any structure or other addition to land.
“Site improvement, required”
means any specific design, construction requirement or site improvement that is a condition of approval for any permit issued under the provisions of this title or which is a part of any site plan approved under the provisions of this title.
“Site plan, detailed”
means a general site plan incorporating such additional factors as landscaping, drainage, and others as may be specified.
“Site plan, general”
means a sketch drawn to scale showing the actual dimensions and shape of the lot to be built upon, the sizes and location of existing buildings on the lot to the nearest foot, and the location and dimensions of the proposed building(s), structure(s), or alteration(s).
“Social card room”
means a commercial facility, or a portion thereof, open to the general public, in which house-banked social card games are played, as that term is defined by RCW 9.46.0282 (or as the same may be subsequently amended hereafter), or in which other activities occur that constitute gambling and are authorized by the Washington State Gambling Commission under RCW 9.46.070 (or as the same may be subsequently amended hereafter), to the extent that said activities include any gambling activity engaging in the use of, or associated with, slot machines (whether mechanical or electronic) or any gambling activity engaging in the use of, or associated with, any other electronic mechanism including video terminals.
“Special event”
means any event for which a special event permit has been issued pursuant to Chapter 9.70 of this code.
Specialty Food Store/Food Store, Specialty.
See “Delicatessen and other specialty food stores.”
“Standard, administrative adjustment of”
means a change, either an increase or decrease, in one or more of the development standards in YMC Chapters 15.05 through 15.08, in accordance with the provisions of YMC Chapter 15.10.
“Standard, general”
means any standard not capable of precise numerical definition, but which expresses the policies of the community in this title and which may be applied by the reviewing official during a Type (1), Type (2) or Type (3) review.
“Standard, specific”
means those numerical standards established in YMC Chapters 15.04, 15.05, 15.06, 15.07, 15.08 and 15.09.
“State siting criteria”
means criteria for the siting of hazardous waste treatment and storage facilities adopted pursuant to the requirements of Chapter 70.105 RCW.
“Stockpiling of earthen materials”
means permanent and/or continuous use for storage of rock, gravel, rubble, sand, or soil.
“Storage facilities, bulk”
means either enclosed (see “Warehouse”) or outdoor areas designed for the storage of either large quantities of materials or materials of large size. Includes the storage of vehicles when such storage is not incidental and subordinate to another land use and is not vehicle parking, automotive wrecking/dismantling yards or vehicle sales lots.
“Storage facilities, commercial”
means enclosed storage areas designated as support facilities for commercial activities and used for the storage of retail materials.
“Storage facilities, commercial outdoor”
means a storage area as support facilities for commercial activities and used for the storage of retail materials which may be stored outdoor and screened by, at minimum, a six-foot-tall view obscuring fence or wall.
“Storage facilities, residential mini-storage”
means enclosed areas providing storage for residential goods and/or recreational vehicles within the structure.
“Storage facilities, residential mini-storage outdoor”
means an outdoor area providing storage for residential goods and/or recreational vehicles and screened by, at minimum, a six-foot-tall view obscuring fence or wall.
“Storage, vehicle”
means keeping vehicles on a given site that are not actively used by the principal occupants of the site. This definition does not include automotive wrecking/dismantling yards or vehicle sales lots.
“Street”
means a public or private road.
“Street vendor”
means a vendor selling food, nonalcoholic beverages, and/or other goods or services within a public or private parking lot, pedestrian plaza, public street, alley, sidewalk, public right-of-way, or public property using a nonmotorized cart or temporary structure. See YMC Chapter 5.57.
“Structural alteration”
means:
1.
Any change in a major component or other supporting members of the structure, including foundations, bearing walls, beams, columns, floor or roof joists, girders, or rafters; or
2.
Any change in the exterior lines or configuration of a structure if such changes result in the enlargement of the structure.
“Structure”
means anything constructed or erected which requires location on the ground or attached to something having a location on the ground.
“Structure, temporary”
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.
“Swimming pool”
means a contained body of water, used for swimming or bathing purposes, either above ground level or below ground level, with the depth of the container being more than eighteen inches or the area being more than thirty-eight square feet.
(Ord. 2026-011, 4/7/2026)