Plumas County Municipal Code Art. 3 Definitions

The words and phrases set forth in this article and used in this chapter shall be defined as set forth in this article and by common usage and context, except as specifically defined in this title.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Accessory building" shall mean any building used as an accessory to residential, commercial, recreational, industrial, or educational purposes as defined in the California Building Code, 1989 Amendments, Chapter 11, Group M, Division 1 Occupancy that requires a building permit.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"ADT" (average daily traffic) shall mean the number of vehicle trips on a road per twenty-four (24) hours averaged over a period of days. Unless otherwise stated, the period shall be the peak month.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Agriculture" shall mean the planting, raising, harvesting and production of agricultural, horticultural, aquaculture and forestry crops; the breeding, raising, husbandry of, pasturing, grazing, and small scale slaughter and processing of livestock; the breeding, raising, harvesting and production of bees, fish, poultry and other fowl; and the associated support services and value added services, such as agritourism, necessary for the economic viability of agriculture.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Base" shall mean a layer of specified material of required thickness placed immediately above the subbase, upon which the pavement or surfacing is to be placed.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Basement material" shall mean the material in excavation or embankment upon which the lowest layer of subbase, base, pavement, surfacing or other specified layer is to be placed.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Building" shall mean any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use of occupancy that is defined in the California Building Code, 1989 Amendments, Chapter 11, except Group M, Division 1, Occupancy. For the purposes of this subchapter, building includes mobile homes and manufactured homes, churches and day care facilities.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Clearing" shall mean the removal of objectionable materials from that portion of the right-of-way to be used for construction.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Commercial Area" shall mean an area identified in the General Plan as Commercial.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Cul-de-sac" shall mean a road open at one end only, with provisions for turning around at the unopen end.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Culvert" shall mean any structure, other than a bridge, which provides an opening under a roadway for drainage or other purposes.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Community" shall mean an area designated as a "community" in the General Plan. Communities are places where some public infrastructure and services are available. Few commercial services are present and these services generally are of the type, size, and scale that serve local residents. Representative areas include Taylorsville, Crescent Mills, Cromberg, Sloat, Beckwourth, Chilcoot, and La Porte.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Cut" shall mean an excavation of soil or rock required in order that the roadbed meet the required or desired standards of width, location, grade and curvature.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Day" shall mean, unless otherwise designated, calendar day.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Dead-end-road" shall mean a road that has only one point of vehicular access to a State highway or major thoroughfare; and shall include looped roads and cul-de-sacs which have only one point of access, immediately or ultimately, to a State highway or major thoroughfare.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Defensible space" shall mean the area within the perimeter of a parcel, development, neighborhood or community where basic wildland fire protection practices and measures are implemented, providing the key point of defense from an approaching wildfire or defense against encroaching wildfires or escaping structure fires. The perimeter as used in this subchapter is the area encompassing the parcel or parcels proposed for construction and/or development, excluding the physical structure itself. The area is characterized by the establishment and maintenance of emergency vehicle access, emergency water reserves, street names and building identification, and fuel modification measures.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Development" shall mean lot creation, condominium projects, or utilization of commercial, multi-family residential, or industrial parcels.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Driveway" shall mean a vehicular access that serves no more than two buildings, with no more than three (3) dwellings on a single parcel, with any number of accessory buildings.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Engineer" shall mean the Public Works Director acting either directly or through properly authorized agents, such agents acting within the scope of the particular duties delegated to them.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Exception" shall mean an alternative to the specified standard requested by the applicant that may be necessary due to health, safety, environmental conditions, physical site limitations or other limiting conditions such as recorded historical sites that provide mitigation of the problem.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Fill" shall mean rock, soil or gravel, or a mixture, placed so as to raise the roadbed above the natural land surface in order that the roadbed may be secure, or to meet the required or desired standards of width, location, grade or curvature.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Fire valve" shall mean hydrant.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Fuel modification area" shall mean an area where the volume of flammable vegetation has been reduced, providing reduced fire intensity and duration.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Grading plane" shall mean the surface of the basement material upon which the lowest layer of subbase, base, pavement, surfacing, or other specified layer, is placed. "Grading plane" shall be interchangeable with subgrade.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Greenbelt" shall mean a facility or land use, designed for a use other than fire protection, which will slow or resist the spread of a wildfire. Includes parking lots, irrigated or landscaped areas, golf courses, parks, playgrounds, maintained vineyards, orchards or annual crops that do not cure in the field.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Hammerhead turnaround" shall mean a roadway that provides a "T" shaped three (3) point turnaround space for emergency equipment, being no narrower than the road that serves it.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Hydrant" shall mean a valved connection on a water supply or storage system having at least one two and one-half (2-1/2") inch outlet with male American National Fire Hose Screw Threads used to supply fire apparatus and hoses with water.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Industrial Area" shall mean an area identified in the General Plan as Industrial.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Major arterial" shall mean a road that has a key role in providing high mobility of inter-regional and intra-regional travel. Efforts are made to minimize access points in order to aid through travel flow.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Major collector" shall mean a road that generally serves the more important intra-county travel corridors and traffic generators not served by major or minor arterials.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Major thoroughfare" shall mean all arterials and major collector roads.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Multiple-Family Residential Area" shall mean an area identified in the General Plan as a Multiple-Family Residential Area.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Occupancy" shall mean the purpose for which a building, or part thereof, is used or intended to be used.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"One-way road" shall mean a roadway a minimum of one traffic lane width designed for traffic flow in one direction only.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Pavement" shall mean asphalt surfacing placed on the traveled way or shoulders.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Planned roadway alignment" shall mean an approximate location of future roadways or improvements, or both, including widening of existing roadways, as they are specifically designated in Appendix II of the General Plan.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Plans" shall mean the official maps, project plans, and standard plans, profiles, typical cross sections, general cross sections, working drawings, and supplemental drawings, or reproductions thereof, approved by the Engineer, which show the location, character, dimensions and details of the work to be performed.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Precise planned road" shall mean a County Road other than a major thoroughfare.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Prime coat" shall mean an even application of liquid asphalt applied to the base material prior to placement of asphalt surfacing.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Recreation Area" shall mean an area identified in the General Plan as Resort and Recreation Lands.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Resource Transportation Route" shall mean a road that provides primary access to Timber and Mining Resource Lands.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Right-of-way" shall mean the whole right-of-way or area which is reserved for and secured for use in constructing the roadway and its appurtenances. "Right-of-way" shall be interchangeable with road.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Roads, streets and private lanes" shall mean vehicular access to more than one parcel; access to any industrial or commercial occupancy; or vehicular access to a single parcel with more than two (2) buildings or more than four (4) or more dwelling units.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Roadbed" shall mean that portion of the roadway which is graded, upon which the pavement or surface and shoulders are to be constructed. Its outer limits are the inner faces of curbs or the intersection of the graded surface with the side slopes. A divided road is considered to consist of two (2) roadbeds if there is a median area of undisturbed land between them.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Roadway" shall mean any surface designed, improved, or ordinarily used for vehicle travel including bridges, culverts, and other appurtenant structures which supplement the roadway bed or shoulders.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Rural place" shall mean an area defined as a "rural place" in the General Plan. Rural Places are defined as having little to no public infrastructure and services. If commercial services are present they tend to be small and often seasonal. Rural places may also consist of a grouping of homes. Representative areas include Johnsville, Blairsden, Twain and Greenhorn Ranch.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Rural Residential Area" shall mean an area identified in the General Plan as a Rural Residential Area.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Same practical effect" shall mean an exception or alternative with the capability of applying accepted wildland fire suppression strategies and tactics, and provisions for fire fighter safety, including:

(a) Access for emergency wildland fire equipment;

(b) Safe civilian evacuation;

(c) Signing that avoids delays in emergency equipment response;

(d) Available and accessible water to effectively attack wildfire or defend a structure from wildfire; and

(e) Fuel modification sufficient for civilian and fire fighter safety.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Seal coat" shall mean an application of bituminous binder sprayed on the surface of the paving course.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Secondary Suburban Residential Area" shall mean an area identified in the General Plan as a Secondary Suburban Residential Area.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Shoulder" shall mean that portion of the completed roadbed between the edge of the traveled way and the side slopes.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Side slope" shall mean the inclined surfaces of both cuts and fills required to meet the approved specifications for construction of the roadbed.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Specifications" shall mean the directions, provisions and requirements contained in this chapter.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Subbase" shall mean a layer of specified material of required thickness between a base and the basement material.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Subdivision" shall mean subdivision as defined in Section 66424 of the Government Code.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Subgrade" shall mean that portion of the roadbed on which the pavement, surfacing, base, subbase, or a layer of any other material is placed. "Subgrade" shall be interchangeable with grading plane.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Substructure" shall mean all that part of the bridge below the bridge seats, tops of piers, or haunches of rigid frames or below the spring lines of arches. Back walls and parapets of abutments and wing walls of bridges shall be considered as parts of the substructure.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Suburban Residential Area" shall mean an area identified in the General Plan as a Suburban Residential Area.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Superstructure" shall mean all that part of the bridge above the bridge seats, tops of piers, haunches of rigid frames, or above the spring lines of arches.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Surfacing" shall mean the uppermost layer of material placed on the traveled way or shoulders. "Surfacing" shall include pavement and rock.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Town" shall mean an area designated as a "town" in the General Plan. Towns are places where the highest complement of public infrastructure and services are available or can be made available. Such services consist of water service, community sewer service, maintained year-round roads, fire, police and emergency medical services. In addition, towns serve as both the commercial and public services hubs for both local residences as well as surrounding communities. Representative areas include Chester, Greenville, Quincy/East Quincy and Graeagle.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Traffic lane" shall mean that portion of a roadway that provides a single line of vehicle travel.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Traveled way" shall mean that portion of the roadbed for the movement of vehicles, exclusive of shoulders and auxiliary lanes.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"T turnaround" shall mean a "T" shaped three (3) point turnaround space.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Turnaround" shall mean a roadway, unobstructed by parking, which allows for a safe opposite change of direction to emergency equipment. Design of such area may be a hammerhead/T or terminus bulb.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Turnout" shall mean a widening in a roadway to allow vehicles to pass.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

"Vertical clearance" shall mean the minimum specified height of a bridge or overhead projection above the roadway.

(§ 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)