Glossary of Terms

Reviewing agency is defined as the agency or official charged with reviewing an application for an approval under this Zoning Code (Chapter 1A) which includes the Zoning Administrator, the Director of Planning, or the Department of City Planning.

Revised tentative tract map is defined as a tract map for which a tentative tract map has been previously approved which involves a revised arrangement of the streets, alleys, easements, or lots within property or a modification of the boundary of the property pursuant to Article 11. (Division of Land).

For the purposes of Historic Preservation (Div. 13B.8.) right-of-way is defined as the dedicated area that includes roadways, medians, and/or sidewalks. For the remainder of this Zoning Code (Chapter 1A) see public right-of-way.

Roadway is defined as that portion of a public right-of-way for a street or alley used for, or intended to accommodate, the movement of vehicles, including provided or planned on-street bike lanes.

Pursuant to Sec. 3D.11.1. (Roof Form), roof form is defined as the shape of the external upper covering of a building, including the frame for supporting the roofing.

Pursuant to Sec. 14.2.5.A.1.b. (Roof Projection), roof projections are defined as roof elements that overhang or cantilever beyond the building footprint and do not include posts or columns. Types of roof projections include, but are not limited to: eaves, roof overhangs, gutters, awnings, or canopies.

Pursuant to Sec. 4C.11.6.C.10. (Roof Sign), a roof sign is defined as a sign erected on a roof of a building.

Pursuant to Sec. 4C.11.6.C.11. (Roof Sign: Open Panel), a roof sign: open panel is defined as a sign erected on a roof of a building consisting of channel letters, graphic segments, open lighting elements, or other open forms affixed to a non-solid panel sign support structure.

A roof structure is defined as the structure forming the upper covering of a building.

Roof-mounted equipment is defined as all mechanical equipment or utility equipment located on a roof, with the exception of solar panels and their required appurtenances. See Sec. 4C.12.1. (Roof-Mounted Equipment).

Pursuant to Sec. 3D.6.5.C.4. (Roofline Cornice), a roofline cornice is defined as a continuous molded projection that crowns a wall, often as part of a parapet.

Pursuant to Sec. 4C.6.4.C.2.b. (Rooftop Planting Area Standards), rooftop planting areas are defined as areas where plants are provided on or over a built structure, including but not limited to, a roof, a bridge, a balcony or a parking structure, and complies with all of the standards in Sec. 4C.6.4.C.2.b. (Rooftop Planting Area Standards).

Root ball is defined as the intact ball of earth or growing medium containing the roots of a nursery plant.

A root collar is defined as the line of junction between the root of a plant and its stem or trunk.

A root flare is defined as the area at the base of the plant’s stem or trunk where the stem or trunk broadens to form roots; the area of transition between the root system and the stem or trunk.

Root mass is defined as a plant's overall amount of root growth.

For the purposes of vertical encroachments pursuant to Sec. 14.2.5.B.1.e. (Safety Barriers), a safety barrier is defined as a vertical barriers that is 45 inches in height or less and required for safety and protection by Chapter IX. (Building Regulations) of this Code to protect occupants from falling from walking surfaces including but not limited to parapets, railings, or banisters. For the purposes of the remainder of this Zoning Code (Chapter 1A), a safety barrier is defined as anything put in place to prevent people from moving easily from one place to another for the purpose of mitigating risk including fences, walls, parapets, and railings.

Sales floor area is defined as the interior floor area of a retail use devoted to the retail sale of merchandise where customers can view, select, and carry merchandise from an inventory display to the point of sale. Areas not included in sales floor area include, showrooms, restrooms, office space, storage areas, open-air retail areas.

Pursuant to Sec. 5D.9.3. (Salvage Yard), a salvage yard is defined as any heavy industrial use having any portion of the use located outdoors where a junk dealer or automobile dismantler operates, or where partially dismantled, obsolete, or wrecked automobiles are stored. This use does not include motor vehicle storage, for such uses see Sec. 5D.7.5. (Storage, Outdoor).

Pursuant to Sec. 5D.3.9. (School), school is defined as an institution of academic learning and social development that provides facilities for teaching and instruction to accommodate a student body such as preschool, K-12, post-secondary education, and associated athletic and recreational facilities. This use does not include avocational, recreational, or other educational or instruction-based uses, for such uses see Sec. 5D.6.6. (Instructional Services). This use does not include a campus auditorium or stadium facilities with a seating capacity greater than 3,000 seats, for such uses see Sec. 5D.4.1. (Amphitheater or Stadium).

Pursuant to Sec. 5D.3.9.B. (School: K-12), school: K-12 is defined as an institution of learning which offers instruction in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade, and associated recreation and athletic facilities serving its students.

Pursuant to Sec. 5D.3.9.C. (School: Post-Secondary), school: post-secondary is defined as an institution offering a formal educational program beyond K-12, including programs whose intent is academic, vocational, or continuing professional education. School: post-secondary includes college, technical school, trade school, and university.

Pursuant to Sec. 5D.3.9.A. (School: Preschool/Daycare), school: preschool/daycare is defined as a facility providing care, supervision, and educational services to children during the day. A school: preschool/daycare includes all forms of early childhood education, daycare, and after school supervision. This use does not include in-home child care, for such uses see Sec. 5D.2.2.A. (Household Business: Family Child Care).

Screening is defined as an arrangement of structures, vegetation, or site elements that are intended to block or obscure views into a lot or structure. See Div. 4C.8. (Screening).

Screening plants are defined as plants that are arranged for the purposes of obscuring views into a lot or structure.

A screening structure is defined as a structure obstructing visibility from outside an enclosed area to another space, object, or structure.

For the purposes of Sec. 13B.9.1. (Coastal Development Permit (Pre-Certification)) sea is defined as the Pacific Ocean and all harbors, bays, channels, canals, estuaries, salt marshes, sloughs and other areas subject to tidal action through any connection with the Pacific Ocean, excluding nonestuarine rivers, streams, tributaries, creeks, and flood control and drainage channels.

Sea level rise area is defined as an area of the coast that is vulnerable to five feet of sea level rise, as determined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Ocean Protection Council, the United States Geological Survey, the University of California, and as accepted for use by the Director of Planning, or as determined by a local coastal hazards vulnerability assessment.

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Senior care facility is defined as any assisted living, senior independent living, or skilled nursing home for senior citizens. See Sec. 9.4.3. (Senior Care Facilities Incentive Program).

Senior citizen is defined as individuals who are at least 62 years of age, except that for projects of at least 35 units, a threshold of 55 years of age may be used, provided all applicable City, state, and federal regulations are met.

Senior citizen housing development is defined as a development that has at least 35 dwelling units, as defined in California Civil Code Sec. 51.3 and Sec. 51.12, or a mobile home park that limits residency based on age requirements for housing for older persons pursuant to California Civil Code Sec. 798.76 or Sec. 799.5.

Unless otherwise provided in this Code or City guidelines for a specific purpose, sensitive use is defined as any permitted use in the residential use group, a hospital use, a school use, or any use in the open space & recreation use group shall be considered a sensitive use.

Service floor area is defined as all indoor floor area within an eating & drinking use where the customer can be served, including an indoor dining or lounge area, bar-top and bar seating area, service counter, customer waiting area, customer restrooms, and indoor paths of travel accessible to customers.

A service road is defined as that part of a major or secondary highway, containing a roadway that affords access to abutting property, but is adjacent and approximately parallel to, and separated from the principal roadway.

Pursuant to Sec. 5D.6.13. (Sexually Oriented Business), sexually oriented business is defined as any commercial use involving the retail sale, rental or exhibition, of any goods or services that are characterized by an emphasis on the exposure or display of specified sexual activities or specified anatomical parts. Each sexually oriented business use shall constitute a separate sexually oriented business, even if operated in conjunction with another sexually oriented business at the same establishment, for the intent of meeting applicable use standards.