Glossary of Terms

Grading is defined as any cut or fill, combination of cut and fill, or recompaction of soil, rock, or other earth materials.

For the purposes of Article 15. (Fees), grocery store is defined as a project that is for a retail use of which greater than 1/2 of the floor area is devoted to the sale of food items intended for consumption or use off the premises, excluding alcoholic beverages.

Pursuant to Sec. 14.2.10.C. (Ground Floor), ground floor is defined as the finished floor elevation of the ground story.

Pursuant to Sec. 3C.6.2. (Ground Floor Elevation), ground floor elevation is defined as the finished floor height associated with the story of a building having its finished floor elevation nearest to the finished grade.

Pursuant to Sec. 14.2.10.A. (Ground Story), ground story is defined as the lowest story of a building meeting the criteria of either Continuous Ground Story (Typical) or Ground Story Modules pursuant to Sec. 14.2.10. (Story), depending on site and building conditions.

Pursuant to Sec. 14.2.10.B. (Ground Story Facade), ground story facade is defined as the facade of the ground story for the full height of the ground story.

Pursuant to Sec. 3C.6.1. (Ground Story Height), ground story height is defined as the floor-to-floor height of the story of a building having its finished floor elevation nearest to the finished grade.

Pursuant to Sec. 3C.4.2.E.3. (Ground Story Inactive Wall Treatment Alternatives), ground story inactive wall treatment alternatives are permanent design improvements located between segments of ground story active wall and the public realm, designed to improve visual interest and the pedestrian experience.

Ground story windows are defined as any windows on the ground story facade.

Ground surface is defined as any hardscape or softscape surface which is at-grade and is exterior to any building.

Ground-mounted equipment is defined as any mechanical equipment or utility equipment that is fixed to the ground at or below grade in order to serve a building or facility on the same site. See Sec. 4C.12.2. (Ground-Mounted Equipment) for applicable development standards.

Habitable room is defined as an enclosed space in a residential building commonly used for living purposes, but not including any lobby, hall, closet, storage space, water closet, bath, toilet, slop sink, general utility room, kitchen area, or service porch. A recess from a room or an alcove (other than a dining area), or a mezzanine having 50 square feet or more of floor area, and located where it could be partitioned off to form a habitable room, shall be considered a habitable room.

Habitable space is defined as any occupiable space designed and intended for living, sleeping, eating, or cooking. Restrooms, toilet rooms, closets, halls, storage or utility spaces, and similar areas are not considered habitable spaces.

For the purposes of Sec. 9.3.4.C.3. (Health Center Incentive Area), a health center is defined as a healthcare facility certified by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), or FQHC Look-Alike as defined by the HRSA.

A hearing officer is defined as any Department of City Planning staff member conducting a public hearing on behalf of the Director or the City Planning Commission.

Pursuant to Div. 5D.7. (Heavy Commercial Uses), heavy commercial uses are defined as uses that involve the servicing and sale of motor vehicles, and businesses dedicated primarily to storage.

Pursuant to Div. 5D.9. (Heavy Industrial Uses), heavy industrial uses are defined as uses involving manufacturing, processing of animal products, waste, or extraction activities, which requires siting away from the general public due to potentially adverse impacts on the immediate surroundings.

Pursuant to Sec. 2C.4.2. (Height in Feet), height in feet is defined as the vertical dimension of a building or structure measured in feet.

Pursuant to Sec. 2C.4.3. (Height in Stories), height in stories is defined as the vertical dimension of a building measured in stories.

Pursuant to Sec. 5D.5.4. (Heliport), heliport is defined as any public-use, special-use, or personal-use airport, as defined by the California Code of Regulations, Title 21. Sec. 3527. (Definitions), suitable only for use by helicopters.

High quality transit service is defined as a transit route with a service frequency of 15 minutes or less during peak commute hours in one direction. For the purpose of determining service interval frequency, a bus route may include a combination of overlapping bus lines when part of a “colinear” or “family” line as determined in coordination with Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG and local transit agencies, may be considered as one service route for the purpose of calculating service interval frequency.

Pursuant to Sec. 4C.11.6.C.2. (High-Rise Sign 1), a high-rise sign 1 is a sign located at least 100 feet above-grade and attached to the wall of a building.

Pursuant to Sec. 4C.11.6.C.3. (High-Rise Sign 2), a high-rise sign 2 is a sign located at least 100 feet above-grade and attached to the wall of a building within close proximity to the top of the building.

Higher opportunity area is defined as including High and Highest Resource Areas as defined and identified by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC).

Pursuant to Sec. 1.5.6. (Hillside Area Map), a hillside area is defined as any area shown on the Hillside Area Map.

For the purposes of Historic Preservation (Div. 13B.8.), historic is defined as any building, structure, landscaping, natural feature, or lot, including street features, furniture or fixtures, which depicts, represents or is associated with persons or phenomena which significantly affect or which have significantly affected the functional activities, heritage, growth or development of the City, state, or nation.

For the purposes of Historic Preservation (Div. 13B.8.), Historic Preservation Overlay Zone is defined as any area of the City containing buildings, structures, landscaping, natural features or lots having historic, architectural, cultural or aesthetic significance and designated as a Historic Preservation Overlay Zone.

For the purposes of Div. 13B.12. (Redevelopment Plan Procedures) of this Code, historic resource is defined as designated or surveyed resources including properties listed in or formally determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, the California Register of Historical Resources, locally designated Historic-Cultural Monuments (HCMs) and Historic Preservation Overlay Zones (HPOZs); and properties identified as significant per eligibility criteria in SurveyLA and the Community Redevelopment Agency surveys or any subsequent City sanctioned or accepted surveys.

For the purposes of Historic Preservation (Div. 13B.8.), a Historic Resources Survey is a document which identifies all contributing and non-contributing buildings, structures and all contributing landscaping, natural features and lots, individually or collectively, including street features, furniture or fixtures, and which is certified as to its accuracy and completeness by the Cultural Heritage Commission.

Pursuant to Sec. 22.171.10. (Procedures for Designation of Monuments) of the LAAC, a Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM) is defined as any building, structure, landscaping, natural feature, or lot designated by the City as a City Historic-Cultural Monument.

For the purposes of Historic Preservation (Div. 13B.8.), a historical property contract is defined as a contract between an owner or owners of a Historical-Cultural Monument or a contributing element and the City, which meets all requirements of Sec. 50281 and 50282 of the California Government Code and Sec. 19.140 et seq. of the LAAC.

As defined by California Public Resources Code, Sec. 21084.1., and as determined by the Director, in consultation with the Office of Historic Resources, a historical resource means those resources that meet the definition of a historical resource in Sec. 21084.1 (Historical Resources) of the Public Resources Code and Sec. 15064.5(a) (Determining the Significance of Impacts to Archaeological and Historical Resources) of the CEQA Guidelines.

Homeless person as defined in the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11301 et seq.).

For the purposes of Sec. 1.6.2. (Emergency Homeless Shelters — City Owned & Leased Property) and Sec. 1.6.3. (Emergency Homeless Shelters — Charitable Organizations), homeless shelter is defined pursuant to California Government Code, Sec. 8698.4(c)(1) as it is currently written.

Pursuant to Sec. 3D.6.3. (Horizontal Band Articulation), horizontal band articulation is defined as a continuous band of material running horizontally across a facade.

Pursuant to Sec. 14.1.5.A. (Horizontal Encroachments), a horizontal encroachment is defined as a structure or assembly that extends horizontally into a space where structures are typically prohibited.