Glossary

Unless the context clearly implies a contrary meaning or unless a rigid application of the definition would be contrary to the law, the following words, when utilized in this plan shall be construed as follows.

1. Abut: To touch along a border or with a projecting part - to border on.

2. Accessory Building: A subordinate building, the use of which is incidental to that of the main building on the same lot or building site.

3. Adjacent: Having a common border.

4. Adjoin: Lie next to or in contact with.

5. ADT: Average Daily Traffic. The total volume of traffic in trips using a given road during a twenty four hour period.

6. Agricultural Area: See agricultural production area.

7. Agricultural Employee Housing: See Farmworkers Housing

8. Agricultural Land: Land designated within an agricultural land use category.

9. Agricultural Operation: A specific agricultural use or business.

10. Agricultural Production Activities: Those activities directly associated with agriculture, but not including agricultural support services, processing, and visitor serving uses. Activities include growing, harvesting, crop storage, milking, etc.

11. Agricultural Production Area: Land used to produce food, fiber, or plant materials and its immediate surrounding area.

12. Agricultural Support Services: Processing services, maintenance and repair of farm machinery and equipment, veterinary clinics, custom farming services, agricultural waste handling and disposal services, and other similar services.

13. Agriculture: The production of food, fiber and plant materials.

14. Ancillary Use: A use related to and subordinate to the primary use of the land.

15. Aquaculture: The raising of fish or produce in water.

16. Aquifer: A geologic formation that stores, transmits, and yields significant quantities of water into wells and springs.

17. Area of Interest: An area of land surrounding a city but outside of its sphere of influence, within which the city has expressed a desire to review land use.

18. "Area Plan": A planning document which sets forth policies and programs which regulate development in a local area at a greater level of detail than the general plan.

19. Arterial: Medium to high capacity roadway serving primarily through traffic.

20. Assessment District: A district formed through special procedures for the purpose of taxing itself for certain benefits or improvements.

21. Base Zone: As used in the Sonoma County General Plan, a zoning district which describes and regulates the predominant use of the land.

22. Bikeway: Any facility that explicitly provides for bicycle travel. Bikeways are classified into three types denoting a degree of separation from the highway, as follows: Class 1 (completely separated right-of-way designated for the exclusive use of bicycles), Class II ( a restricted right-of-way designated for the exclusive or semi-exclusive use of bicycles), and Class III ( a shared right-of-way designated by signing or stenciling on pavement).

23. Biotic: Relating to plant and animal life.

24. Biotic Resource Area: Unique or significant plant or animal communities, including estuaries, fresh and salt water marshes, tideland resources, riparian corridors and certain terrestrial communities.

25. Building Envelope: A defined location or locations on a parcel.

26. "Build out": A theoretical level of development which assumes that every parcel of land will develop to the maximum allowed by a plan or zoning.

27. Channelization: The straightening and/or deepening of a water course for purposes of stream runoff control or ease of navigation. Channelization often includes the lining of stream banks with retaining material such as concrete.

28. Circulation: The movement of goods and people within a region.

29. Clearcutting: A method of timber harvest as defined by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

30. Clustered Development: Development in which a number of dwelling units are placed in closer proximity than usual, or are attached, with the purpose of retaining an expanse of undeveloped or less developed land.

31. Collector: A relatively low speed, low volume roadway which provides circulation within and between neighborhoods which is intended to collect trips from local streets and distribute them to the arterial network.

32. Combining District: A zoning designation which is superimposed over a base zoning district to modify the regulations in the base zoning district.

33. Community Area: Areas of the unincorporated county which include clusters of urban development but which may or may not have urban services. Specifically, these communities are shown in the Land Use Element on Figure LU-2.

34. Compatible, Congenial, Harmonious with: As used in the land use and other elements, referring to land uses and types of development that can exist together without creating a conflict.

35. Conservation: The management of natural resources to prevent waste, depletion, destruction, or neglect.

36. Constraints: Impediments to development, such as slope instability, lack of adequate water.

37. Critical Habitat: As defined in the Open Space Element, those biotic communities shown on Figure OS-3 on page 185.

38. Cultivation: The act of preparing the soil for the raising of crops.

39. Density: As generally used in the land use element, the term refers to the number of dwelling units per acre or the number of acres per residential dwelling unit.

40. Discretionary Project or Permit: A project or permit which the decision making body may approve, approve with conditions or deny.

41. Dwelling Unit: A residence containing cooking, sleeping and sanitation facilities used to house the members of a household. Within the meaning of the General Plan, dwelling unit does not include a second dwelling as defined in the Sonoma County Code Section 26-10, nor to Farmworker and Farm Family Housing.

42. Easement: Usually the right to use property owned by another for specific purposes.

43. Easement, Conservation, Scenic, Open Space: An interest in real property whereby open space is secured.

44. Economically Practical: That which is capable of being accomplished in relation to a proposed program, land use or development such that the costs associated therewith do not make the proposed land use or development infeasible.

45. Economically Viable: That which is capable of making a reasonable return on investment.

46. Environment: The circumstances, objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded. The physical conditions including both natural and man made, which exist within an area including land, air, water, minerals, flora, fauna, noise, and objects of historic or aesthetic significance.

47. Environmentally Suitable: Having minimal or insignificant adverse impact on the environment.

48. Environmental Review: The identification and analysis of the potential adverse impacts of a proposed development on the environment conducted pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code 21000 et seq); the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (Title 14, California Administrative Code Section 15000 et seq); and Sonoma County Code Section 23A-1 et seq.

49. Erosion: (1) The loosening and transportation of rock and soil debris by wind, rain, or other running water. (2) The gradual wearing away of the upper layers of the earth.

50. Estuary: The lower course of a river or stream where tidal influence is noticeable; the mixing zone of fresh and salt waters near the mouth of a river or stream.

51. Exaction: A contribution or payment required as an authorized precondition for receiving a development permit or offered as mitigation.

52. Farmworker Housing: A dwelling unit or dwelling units occupied by persons employed by agricultural operations, and their dependents.

53. Feasible: See Practical.

54. Fill: A deposit or earth material placed by artificial means; any act by which earth, sand, gravel, rock, or any other material is placed, pushed, dumped, pulled, transported, or moved to a new location above the natural surface of the ground or on top of the stripped surface.

55. Flood, 100 year: The magnitude of a flood expected to occur on the average every 100 years, based on historical data. The 100 year flood has a 1/100, or one percent, chance of occurring in any given year.

56. Flood Control: Measures that are taken to increase the hydrologic capacity of a natural water course or to create new man-made channels or reservoirs to drain and contain precipitation that otherwise exceeds the capacity of the water course, in an effort to reduce flood damage, usually to man made improvements.

57. Flood Plain: The land area adjacent to a watercourse, drainage way, or creek which has been or may be covered by floodwaters. The boundaries of a flood plain are typically described in terms of the magnitude of a flood event such as the "100 year flood plain".

58. Floodway: The portion of a stream channel and the adjacent flood plain that must be reserved in order to discharge the 100 year flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface more than one foot. The Flood Insurance Rate Maps show floodway boundaries for those streams studied as part of that program.

59. Goal: A general statement of a desired end toward which an effort will be directed.

60. Holding Capacity (also, residential holding capacity): See "Build Out".

61. Household: The year round occupants of a dwelling unit.

62. Implementation: Actions, procedures, programs, or techniques that carry out policies.

63. Incidental: See "Ancillary"

64. Infill Development: Development of vacant or under used land (usually individual lots or left-over properties) within areas which are already largely developed.

65. Infrastructure: Public services and facilities, such as sewage disposal systems, other utility systems, and roads. Generally refers to physical improvements as opposed to social services.

66. Known Geothermal Resource Area (KGRA): Federal designation of boundaries describing an area with known geothermal potential.

67. Land Use: The occupation or utilization of land or water area for any human activity or purpose.

68. Lead Agency: Means the public agency which has the principal responsibility for carrying out or approving a project.

69. Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO): A County commission that reviews and evaluates all proposals for the formation of special districts, incorporation of cities, annexation to special districts or cities, consolidation of districts, merger of districts with cities, and setting of spheres of influence. Each county's LAFCO is empowered to approve, disapprove, or conditionally approve these proposals.

70. Local Area: Any of the unincorporated communities within the county or a geographic area, such as a valley, that is lesser in area than the planning area in which it is located.

71. Local Area Development Policies: Policies that apply to a local area, as a sub unit of a planning area, and which provide a greater level of detail or relate special circumstances for specific use or development in a local area.

72. Lot: See parcel.

73. Lot Size, Minimum: The smallest size parcel which is permitted to be created if a lot can be subdivided.

74. Major Subdivision: The division of any parcel or parcels of improved or unimproved land into five (5) or more parcels, pursuant to the provisions of the Subdivision Map Act (Government Code 66410 et seq) and the Subdivision Ordinance (Sonoma County Code, Chapter 25).

75. Minor Subdivision: The division of any parcel or parcels of improved or unimproved land into four (4) or fewer parcels, pursuant to the provisions of the Subdivision Map Act (Government Code 66410 et seq) and the Subdivision Ordinance (Sonoma County Code, Chapter 25).

76. Mitigate: To ameliorate, alleviate, or avoid to the extent reasonably feasible.

77. Mitigation Measure: An action or series of actions designed to avoid or lessen the extent of an adverse impact of a project, pursuant to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (14 Cal. Adm. Code Sec 15370).

78. Natural Resource: Something (as a mineral, waterpower source, forest, or kind of animal) that occurs in nature.

79. Navigable Stream: "A stream of sufficient capacity to be used for commercial or recreational purposes and/or capable of being navigated by oar or motor propelled small craft."

80. Non Conforming Use: A lawful use existing on the effective date of a zoning ordinance restriction and continuing since that date in nonconformance to the restriction.

81. Objective: A specific detailed statement of a desired future condition toward which the County is committed and progress is measurable.

82. Open Space: Any parcel or area of land or water which is essentially unimproved and devoted to an open space use as defined in Section 65560(b) of the Government Code.

83. Parcel: A legally defined lot, or contiguous group of lots, in single ownership or under single control, usually considered a unit for purposes of development. (See "lot").

84. Peak Hour: For any given roadway, the daily 60 minute period during which traffic volume is highest.

85. Performance Standards: Standards or criteria for regulating or determining the acceptability of certain land uses based upon the performance of the use.

86. Permitted Use: A typical land use that is allowed within a particular General Plan Land Use category. A permitted use is considered to be consistent with and to further the objectives of the General Plan. Such a use may also be subject to performance or other development standards and either ministerial or discretionary approval in the zoning ordinance.

87. Planning Areas: Nine (9) geographic subunits of the county.

88. Policy: Specific statement that guides decision making in order to achieve a goal or objective.

89. Practical: That which is capable of being accomplished in a successful manner within a reasonable period of time, taking into account economic, environmental, social, legal and technological factors.

90. Preservation: Restoration or protection from deterioration of features having environmental, cultural, historic, or other resource value.

91. Primary or Predominant Use: The prevailing use of the land.

92. Prime Soils: Soils classified by the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service as Class I or Class II.

93. Productive Agricultural Land: Land currently used or capable of being used for the production of food, fiber or plant materials.

94. Public Services: Infrastructure, including roads, sanitary sewers, storm drains and water mains and social services, including police, fire, health, schools, transit, recreation and libraries.

95. Redevelopment Project: An activity undertaken by a Redevelopment Agency set up under state law to revitalize blighted areas as defined by the Health and Safety Code.

96. Responsible Agency: As defined by the State CEQA guidelines, the term Responsible Agency includes all public agencies other than the lead agency which have discretionary approval power over a project.

97. Ridgeline: A line connecting the highest points along a ridge, and separating drainage basins or small scale drainage systems from one another.

98. Right of Way: The strip of land required to build certain transportation and public use facilities, such as roadways, railways, and public utility lines.

99. Riparian: Associated with or dependent upon a river, stream or other water body.

100. Riparian Corridor: In general, the area occupied by rivers or streams and related plant and animal communities. As used in the Open Space Element, the areas occupied by rivers or streams designated on Figures OS-5a through OS-5i and related plant and animal communities.

101. Rural: A comprehensive term contrasting to urban. Those areas not intended for urban development.

102. Scenic Corridor: As designated on Figure OS-2 of the Open Space Element, a strip of land of high visual quality along a certain roadway.

103. Scenic Highway: Those roadways in Sonoma County that have been so designated by the State of California.

104. Scenic Landscape Unit: A landscape of special scenic importance in Sonoma County which provides important visual relief from urban densities.

105. Secondary Use: As used in the General Plan land use categories, a use permitted within a special land use category based on its compatibility with the primary or predominant use therein.

106. Septic System: A sewage treatment system that includes a settling tank through which liquid sewage flows and in which solid sewage settles and is decomposed by bacteria in the presence of oxygen. Septic systems are often used for individual home waste disposal where an urban sewer systems is not available.

107. Setbacks: The distance a building or use must be withdrawn from a road right-of-way, watercourse, parcel boundary or other designated feature .

108. Side Friction: The movement of vehicles outside of the main flow of traffic which may interrupt the efficient flow of traffic such as parking and entering or leaving driveways.

109. Significant and/or Substantial: Important, weighty, distinctive.

110. Special Districts: Districts established under state law and through LAFCO in order to provide special services, such as water and sewer, street lighting and other services, to the residents within the boundaries of the district.

111. Specific Plan: Consistent with the State of California Government Code Section 65450 et. seq, a specific plan is a tool for detailed design and implementation of a defined portion of the area covered by a general plan. A specific plan may include all detailed regulations, conditions, design standards, programs, financing mechanisms and/or proposed legislation which may be necessary or convenient for the systematic implementation of any general plan element(s).

112. Specimen Tree: Means a tree which has departed in some respect from the standard characteristic of the species and has developed a character of shape, size, or branch structure that gives it special interest.

113. Sphere of Influence: The probable ultimate physical limits and service area of a local government jurisdiction.

114. Traffic Analysis Zones: A statistical geographical unit for information related to traffic generation and transportation modeling.

115. Transit: The conveyance of persons from one place to another on a public transportation system.

116. Transportation: The conveyance of goods and people from one place to another.

117. Unincorporated Community: Areas within the county's jurisdiction that have some or all urban services that support urban level densities. These areas are shown on Figure LU-2.

118. Urban: Contrasting with rural, pertaining to uses of land typically occurring within cities, such as high density residential, commercial, and industrial uses.

119. Urban Development: Development occurring within urban land use categories (urban residential, commercial, industrial and public/quasi public categories within urban service areas.).

120. Urban Expansion Area: The land located between the existing city limits and the urban service boundary.

121. Urban Fringe: An area adjacent to or in proximity to and outside of an urban service boundary.

122. Urban Services: The full range of public services and infrastructures including sewer, water, police and fire protection, roads and transit etc.

123. Urban Service Boundary: A designated limit to the urban development of the cities and unincorporated communities of the County.

124. Vegetation Removal: The cutting, breaking, burning or uprooting of vegetation or the application of herbicide to vegetation, or the covering over of vegetation with earth or the compacting of the soil under, around or over said vegetation. For the purposes of this definition, vegetation means all natural, non cultivated growth of plant life including the root system, the stem, trunk,crown or branches or leaves or blades.

125. Viable: Capable of success or continued effectiveness. For land uses, having the apparent physical characteristics necessary to accomplish the use.

126. Viewshed: The area visible from a defined observation point.

127. Zoning District: A designated section of the County for which prescribed land use requirements and building and development standards are uniform.