Article 2 — Definitions.

For the purposes of this Chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings stated below:

"Agriculture" or "agricultural" shall have the meaning set forth in Yolo County Code Section 8-2.307. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)

"Applicant" shall mean a person who files an application for a permit under this Chapter and who is either the owner of the site, a vendee of that person pursuant to a contract of sale for the site, or an authorized agent for either of those persons. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)

A "covered habitat mitigation project" is any project within the scope of that term as it is defined in Title 8, Chapter 2 of the Yolo County Code. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)

"Create" or "creation," in the context of a habitat project, shall mean to construct or otherwise introduce new habitat area, functions, and values by excavating, flooding, or otherwise altering land not currently or historically occupied by

such habitat. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)

"Deciding Authority" shall mean the public official(s) or County employee with authority to decide an application for a permit under this Chapter. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)

"Director" shall mean the Director of the Planning and Public Works Department, or his or her designee or successor in function. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)

"Enhance" or "enhancement," in the context of a habitat project, shall mean to rehabilitate a degraded or disturbed natural habitat area to bring back one or more functions or values that have been partially or completely lost due to natural causes or actions such as draining, grading, or other land uses and activities. Any project that changes the function or values of an existing habitat type so that it more closely resembles the natural (i.e., prior to disturbance by human activities) condition of a site shall be considered a habitat enhancement project for the purposes of this Ordinance. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)

"General Plan" shall mean the adopted General Plan of Yolo County, as may be amended from time to time. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)

"Grading" shall have the same meaning as in Appendix J of the California Building Code, 2007 edition, as may be amended from time to time. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)

"Habitat" shall mean the environmental factors that support one or more plant or wildlife species at a particular place or region, providing food, water, cover, and space needed for survival and reproduction. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)

"Person" shall mean an individual, firm, partnership, corporation, or local agency (as defined in Government Code Section 53090), their successors or assigns, or the agent of any of the foregoing, and shall include any applicant or permit holder under this Chapter.

"Preserve" or "preservation" means the permanent protection of ecologically important habitat resources through the implementation of appropriate legal and physical mechanisms, including but not limited to conservation easements. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)

"Project" shall mean the whole of any activity or activities undertaken in connection with creating, enhancing, restoring, or preserving habitat on a site, and shall be interpreted broadly to include all related activities. This includes, by way of example only and without limitation, activities such as pilot projects, conservation easement transactions, grading, tree or vegetation removal, and the creation, restoration, or enhancement of associated buffer areas. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)

"Restore" or "restoration," in the context of a habitat project, shall mean to restore lost habitat area, generally by excavating, flooding, and otherwise manipulating the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of a site with the goal of reestablishing the natural or historic habitat values and functions of that area. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)

"Site" shall mean all areas of real property that are within the boundaries of a proposed project, and may include more than one legal parcel. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)

"Substantial evidence" includes facts, a reasonable assumption predicated upon facts, or expert opinion supported by facts. Substantial evidence is not argument, speculation, unsubstantiated opinion or narrative, or evidence that is clearly inaccurate or erroneous. (§ 5, Ord. 1426, eff. February 28, 2013)