5.03.030 Definitions generally.

For the purpose of this subchapter, unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions shall be used in the interpretation of this subchapter.

“Accessory dwelling unit” or “ADU” means an attached or detached residential dwelling unit that provides complete independent living facilities for one or more persons and is located on a lot with a proposed or existing primary residence. It shall include permanent living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation provisions on the same parcel where the single-family or multifamily dwelling is or will be situated. An accessory dwelling unit also includes the following:

1. An efficiency unit.

2. A manufactured home, as defined in Section 18007 of the Health and Safety Code.

“Accessory structure” means a structure that is accessory and incidental to a dwelling located on the same lot.

“Antennae sleeve flag” means a flag made out of fabric or plastic attached to a sleeve or tube which is placed over the antennae of an automobile as a means of drawing attention to the vehicle.

“Area of a sign” means the entire area within a single continuous perimeter enclosing the extreme limits of writing, representation, emblem, or any figure of similar character, together with any frame or other material or color forming an integral part of the display or used to differentiate such sign from the background against which it is placed; excluding the necessary support or uprights on which such sign is placed but including any sign tower. Where a sign has two or more faces, the area of all faces shall be included in determining the area of the

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sign, except that where two such faces are placed back to back and are at no point more than two feet from one another, the area of the sign shall be taken as the area of one face if the two faces are of equal area, or as the area of the larger face if the two faces are of unequal area.

“Attached to a building” means the sign is supported, in whole or in part, by a building.

“Balloon” means any object enlarged or inflated by less than five cubic feet of air or gases.

“Banner” means any sign constructed of fabric or sheeting that is mounted between two poles or attached to a structure by two or more edges and intended to be displayed for a limited time (less than 60 consecutive days).

“Bunting” means any woven fabric in single or multiple colors used for decoration.

“Changeable” means any sign, banner, bunting or inflatable that is used for a short-term sales promotion and not intended for permanent display.

“Commercial sign” means any sign with wording, logo or other representation that directly or indirectly names, advertises or calls attention to a product or service for purchase or sale, or to any business or organization that is engaged in, or plans to engage in, the sale or purchase of a product or service.

“Complete independent living facilities” means permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation on the same parcel as the single-family or multifamily dwelling is or will be situated.

“Conversion ADUs” for single-family properties mean ADUs created from the existing space within a proposed or existing primary home or the existing space of an accessory structure. For multi-family properties, conversion ADUs are created from non-livable portions of an existing structure (spaces not used for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, or sanitation).

“Cutout letter sign” means a fascia sign consisting of individual cutout letters separately attached to the building wall.

"Density bonus" means a density increase over the otherwise allowable maximum residential density granted pursuant to Government Code Section 65915 and this Code.

“Detached ADUs” means newly constructed ADUs located on the same property as an existing or proposed single-family or multi-family residence, fully detached from the primary residence. “Directly illuminated sign” means a sign designed to give forth artificial light directly (or through transparent or translucent material) from a source of light inside or on the sign.

“Efficiency kitchen” means a kitchen that includes all of the following:

1. A cooking facility with appliances.

2. A food preparation counter and storage cabinets that are of reasonable size in relation to the size of the JADU.

“Efficiency unit” has the same meaning as that defined in Section 17958.1 of the Health and

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Safety Code.

“Electronic submittal” means the submission of materials via electronic mail.

“Fascia sign” means a sign attached flush to the exterior wall of a building so that copy is meant to be viewed along sight lines perpendicular to the wall of the building.

“Flag string” means a series of cut pieces of cloth, plastic or other material strung together and mounted between two poles or attached to a structure by two or more edges and intended to be displayed for a limited time (less than 60 consecutive days).

“Freeway sign” means a highway in respect to which the owners of abutting lands have no right or easement of access to or from their abutting lands or in respect to which such owners have only a limited or restricted right or easement of access, the precise route for which has been determined and designated as a freeway by an authorized agency of the State or a political subdivision thereof. The term shall include the main traveled portion of the traffic way and all ramps and appurtenant land and structures.

“Height of a sign” means the vertical distance from the uppermost point used in measuring the area of a sign, as defined in Section) 5.03.030, to the ground immediately below such point or to the level of the upper surface of the nearest curb of a street, alley or highway (other than a structurally elevated roadway), whichever measurement permits the greater elevation of the sign.

“Historic resource” means structures and sites which have one or more of the following characteristics:

1. A reminder of past years, events, and persons important in local, state, or national history;

2. An example of a once common structure with a design that specifically relates to its now rare or nonexistent first use or business;

3. A unique or irreplaceable asset to the Town or a neighborhood, which asset enriches human life and/or serves an educational benefit by providing future generations examples of the physical surroundings of the past;

4. An example essential to maintaining the overall historic character of a larger area;

5. A structure having architectural significance. A structure determined to have architectural significance shall be one which is valuable as an example of:

   • a. Architectural design that is attributable to a historic period;

   • b. A commonly identified architectural style or method of construction;

   • c. Architectural design that is unusual, beautiful or ingenious; d. A notable work of a major builder or designer;

   • e. Unusual quality of workmanship;

   • f. Unusual use of construction materials.

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“Impact Fee” has the same meaning as the term “fee,” as defined in subdivision (b) of Government Code Section 66000, except that it also includes fees specified in Section 66477. “Impact Fee” does not include any connection fee or capacity charge by a local agency, special district, or water corporation.

“Indirectly illuminated sign” means a sign illuminated with a light directed primarily toward it and so shielded that no direct rays from the light are visible elsewhere than on the parcel where the sign is located. If not effectively so shielded, such sign shall be deemed to be a directly illuminated sign.

“Inflatable” means any shaped object enlarged or inflated by more than five cubic feet of air or gases.

“Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit” or “JADU” means a residential unit that is no more than 500 square feet of interior livable space in size and contained entirely within an existing singlefamily residence. A JADU may include separate sanitation facilities or may share sanitation facilities with the existing structure.

“Large family day care home” means a home licensed by the State Department of Social Services or designee pursuant to state law that provides family child care for up to 12 children, or for up to 14 children including children under the age of 10 who reside at the home or are the children of an assistant childcare provider, for periods of less than 24 hours a day while the parents or guardians are away.

“Livable space” means a space in a dwelling intended for human habitation, including living, sleeping, eating, cooking, or sanitation.

“Living area” means the interior habitable area of a dwelling unit, including basements and attics, but does not include a garage or any accessory structure.

“Low barrier navigation centers” means a housing or shelter in which a resident who is homeless or at risk of homelessness may live temporarily while waiting to move into permanent housing.

“Master sign program” means a plan indicating the location, size and type of signs for an entire property or series of properties.

“Monument sign” means a sign the bottom edge of which lies on the ground. A wood supported or wood framed sign which, to avoid soil contact, retains a clearance from the ground of no more than six inch clearance.

“Non-commercial sign” means any sign that is not a commercial sign.

“Non-conforming zoning condition” means a physical improvement on a property that does not conform with current zoning standards.

“Non-illuminated sign” means a sign which is not artificially illuminated, either directly or indirectly.

“Objective design standards” means those that involve no personal or subjective judgement by a public official and are uniformly verifiable by reference to an external and uniform benchmark or criterion available and knowable by both the development applicant and public

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official prior to submittal.

“Off-site sign” means a sign which directs attention to a business, commodity, industry or other activity which is sold, offered or conducted elsewhere than on the premises where the sign is located, or which is sold, offered or conducted on such premises only incidentally if at all.

“On-site sign” means a sign which directs attention to a business, commodity, service, industry or other activity which is sold, offered, or conducted, other than incidentally, on the premises upon which such sign is located or to which it is affixed. Where a number of commodities with different brand names or symbols are sold on the premises, up to 1/3 of the area of an onsite sign, up to 25 square feet, may be devoted to the advertising of one or more of those commodities by brand name or symbol as an accessory function of the on-site sign, and provided also that any limits which may be imposed by this Code on the area of individual signs and the area of all signs on the property are not exceeded. On-site signs shall also include signs which present a non-commercial message.

“Outdoor decorations” means, pennants, banners, streamers, ribbons or similar displays used to create a festive atmosphere.

“Passageway” means a pathway that is unobstructed clear to the sky and extends from a street to one entrance of the ADU or JADU.

“Permitting Agency” means any entity involved in reviewing a permit for an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit and for which there is no substitute, including, but not limited to, applicable planning departments, building departments, utilities, and special districts.

“Pole sign” means a sign, no part of which is supported by a building. The sign support shall consist of a pole or sign tower. Regulations for pole signs shall not apply to monument signs.

“Projection” means the horizontal distance by which the farthest point used in measuring the area of a sign, as defined in section 5.30.030. extends beyond a street property line or a building setback line. A sign placed flat against the wall of a building parallel to a street or alley shall not be deemed to project for purposes of this definition. A sign on an awning or canopy shall be deemed to project to the extent that such sign extends beyond a street property line or a building setback line.

“Prominent display vehicles” means vehicles positioned on platforms, scissor ramps, in a showroom or area of high street visibility in order to attract customers.

“Proposed dwelling” means a dwelling that is the subject of a permit application and that meets the requirements for permitting.

“Public transit” means a location, including, but not limited to, a bus stop or train station, where the public may access buses, trains, subways, and other forms of transportation that charge set fares, run on fixed routes, and are available to the public.

“Roof sign” means a sign extending in whole or in part beyond the roof line of a building, or erected or painted on or over the roof covering any portion of a building, whether supported on the roof or on an independent structural frame or sign tower, or located on the side or roof of a penthouse, roof tank, roof shed, elevator housing or other roof structure.

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“Sale or lease sign” means a sign which serves only to communicate the availability for sale, lease or rental the lot or building on which it is placed, or some part thereof.

“Shopping center” means a group of stores and shops on a single parcel or contiguous parcels of land which holds itself out as a central retail market.

“Sign” means any structure, part thereof, or device or inscription which is located upon, attached to, or painted, projected or represented on any land or right-of-way, or on the outside of any building or structure, including an awning, canopy, marquee or similar appendage, or affixed to the glass on the outside or inside of a window so as to be seen from the outside of the building, and which displays or includes any numeral, letter, word, model, banner, emblem, insignia, symbol, device, light, trademark or other representation used as, or in the nature of, any announcement, advertisement, attention-arrester, direction, warning or designation, by or of any person, firm, group, organization, place, commodity, product, service, business, profession, enterprise or industry. A “sign” is composed of those elements included in the area of the sign as defined in section 5.30.030 of this Code, and in addition the supports, uprights and framework of the display. Except in the case of off-site signs, two or more faces shall be deemed to be a single sign if such faces are contiguous on the same plane, or are placed back-to- back to form a single structure and are at no point more than two feet from one another.

“Sign field” means the background to which the sign message is contrasted.

“Signpermit” means a permit issued pursuant to section 5.30.340 to permit applicable signs.

“Sign program” means a Master Plan describing overall sign design, lettering, sign placement, materials and size standards for signs on a development site.

“Sign tower” means a tower, whether attached to a building, free-standing, or an integral part of a building, which has a sign attached thereto.

“Single Room Occupancy (SRO)” means a form of housing that is typically aimed at residents with low or minimal incomes who rent small, furnished single rooms with a bed, chair, and sometimes a small desk. SRO units are rented out as permanent residence and/or primary residence to individuals, within a multi-tenant building where tenants share a kitchen, toilets or bathrooms.

“Small residential rooftop solar energy system” means a solar energy system that meets all of the following: (1) is no larger than 10 kilowatts alternating current nameplate rating or 30 kilowatts thermal; (2) conforms to all applicable State fire, structural, electrical, and other building codes as adopted or amended by the Town, and all State and local Health and Safety standards as adopted or amended by the Town; (3) is installed on a single or duplex family dwelling; and (4) the panel or module array does not exceed the maximum legal building height as defined by the Town.

“Solar energy system” means a solar energy system as defined in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 801.5 of the Civil Code, as such section or subdivision may be amended, renumbered, or re-designated from time to time.

“Specific, adverse impact” means a significant, quantifiable, direct, and unavoidable impact, based on objective, identified, and written public health or safety standards, policies, or conditions as they existed on the date the application was deemed complete.

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“Street property line” means, for purposes of the Signs subchapter only, any line separating private property from either a street or an alley.

“Supportive housing” is a combination of housing and services intended as a cost-effective way to help people live more stable, productive lives.

“Tandem parking” means that two or more automobiles are parked on a driveway or in any other location on a lot, lined up behind one another.

“Temporary non-commercial sign” means a temporary sign with a non-commercial message.

“Temporary sign” means any sign, banner, pennant, valance, or advertising display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wall board, or other light materials, with or without frames, that is not designed or intended to be placed permanently.

“Temporary signage” means any sign, banner, bunting, balloon, or outdoor decoration to be displayed for a period of three days or less.

“Under canopy sign” means a sign attached under a canopy or soffit of a building so located as to be viewed by pedestrians using the sidewalk fronting the premises.

“Vehicle price sign” means any sign painted or affixed to the inside or outside of window of a vehicle advertising the price or features only.

“Wind sign” means any sign composed of two or more banners, flags, or other objects, mounted serially and fastened in such a manner as to move upon being subjected to pressure by wind or breeze.

“Window sign” means any sign painted or affixed to the inside or outside of a building window.

[History: formerly § 5.302; ORD. 234, 3/14/79; ORD. 638, 12/14/05; Urgency ORD. 813, 12/14/22; ORD. 818, 2/14/24; ORD. 2026-829]