Chapter 15.08

DEFINITIONS

Sections:

The Sierra County Code is current through Ordinance 1146, passed June 2, 2026.

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The word “used” includes the words “arranged,” “designed,” or “intended to be used”; the word “construct” includes the words “erect,” “reconstruct,” “alter,” “move in,” and “move upon.” “Zone” shall also mean “district” and “district” shall also mean “zone.”

“Accessory dwelling unit” or “ADU” means a residential structure as defined in California Government Code Section 65852.2(j)(1).

“Agricultural crop” means any annual field product grown and harvested for human consumption in its natural or processed condition.

“Agricultural irrigation conveyance system” means an artificial ditch, channel, or other manmade feature serving as a water conveyance for agricultural irrigation purposes as recognized by the applicable watermaster in the geographical areas covered by an existing surface water decree or other surface water decree that may be in effect or where no surface water decree exists, as recognized by a field inspection by the Planning Department and consultation with the applicable watermaster and/or the California Department of Water Resources.

“Agriculture” means the art and science of large scale cultivation of the ground, including harvesting of crops and rearing and managing livestock; tillage; husbandry; farming; horticulture; and forestry; the art and science of the production of plants useful to man.

The Sierra County Code is current through Ordinance 1146, passed June 2, 2026.

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“Airport” means an area maintained for the landing, takeoff, storage, repair, and/or shelter of aircraft and so designated by the state of California, Division of Aeronautics and Sierra County.

“Airport airspace” means the space lying above and adjacent to an airport.

“Airport approach zone” means a portion of the airspace, the lower limit being a fan-shaped inclined plane, longitudinally centered on the extended runway centerline and located at each end of the primary surface. The slope and horizontal dimensions of the approach zone will vary based on the type of approach available and/or type planned for that runway. The inner end width is that of the primary surface.

“Airport clear zone” means a rectangular horizontal area located at each end of the primary surface, longitudinally centered on the runway centerline, and extending outward along centerline for a distance of 1,000 feet. The width of the clear zone is that required for the primary surface.

“Airport conical zone” means a portion of the airspace, the lower limit extending outward and upward from the periphery of the lower limit of the horizontal zone at a slope of twenty to one (20:1) horizontal to vertical ratio for a horizontal distance of 4,000 feet.

“Airport glideslope” means the path of flight followed by an aircraft when approaching a runway. This path is aligned above the extended runway centerline and varies in slope according to the type of approach available and/ or planned for that runway.

“Airport hazard” means any structure or natural feature or use of land which obstructs the required airspace for the flight of aircraft in landing or taking off at an airport.

“Airport horizontal zone” means a portion of the airspace, the lower limit being an oval-shaped horizontal plane 150 feet above the established airport elevation. The perimeter of the horizontal zone is determined by swinging arcs of a specified radii from the center of each end of the primary surface and connecting the adjacent arcs with lines tangent to the arcs. The radius of the arcs varies according to the type of approach available or planned for that runway.

“Airport landing area” means the area in and adjacent to the airport for the landing, taxiing, maneuvering, or takeoff of aircraft.

“Airport noninstrument approach zone” means an area having a width of 250 feet at a point 200 feet beyond each end of the runway, widening thereafter uniformly to a width of 2,250 feet at a distance of 10,200 feet beyond each end of the runway, its centerline being the continuation of the centerline of the runway.

“Airport primary surface” means a rectangular surface longitudinally centered on and extending 200 feet beyond both ends of an airport runway. The elevation of the primary surface is the nearest point on the runway centerline. The width of the primary surface will vary according to the type of approach available and/or type planned for that runway.

“Airport transitional zone” means a portion of the airspace, the lower limit being an inclined plane, extending outward and upward from the primary surface and lower limits of the approach surface at right angles to the

The Sierra County Code is current through Ordinance 1146, passed June 2, 2026.

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runway centerline. The transitional zone also includes that airspace from the runway centerline extended, at a slope of 7:1, until it intersects with the lower limit of the horizontal zone.

“Apartment” means a room, or suite of two or more rooms, which is designated for, intended for, or occupied by one family doing its cooking therein, and containing its own toilet and bathing facilities. (Ord. 1117, eff. 1/1/23)

“Base flood elevation (BFE)” means the elevation that indicates the water surface elevation resulting from a flood that has a one percent chance of equaling or exceeding that level in any given year.

“Bedroom” means a room within an existing residence that contains a minimum of 70 square feet and that meets all requirements of the California Residential Code per the California Building Standards Code, Title 24, Part 2.5 including all life safety provisions (smoke alarms, compliant method of egress, etc.).

“Best management practice (BMP)” means generally accepted grading, erosion control and other construction trade processes and procedures which have proven themselves over time for large numbers of people, and been demonstrated repeatedly to be both efficient and effective.

“Block” means that property abutting on one side of a street and lying between the two nearest intersecting or intercepting streets or nearest intersecting or intercepting streets and railroad right-of-way, unsubdivided acreage, water course, or body of water.

“Boarder” means a person, other than a family member or guest, who pays for and eats his meals with a family other than his own.

“Building” means any structure having a permanent foundation, a roof supported by columns or walls and used for the enclosure of persons, animals or chattels, but not including a trailer, mobilehome, or tent.

“Building, accessory” means a detached subordinate building, the use of which is customarily associated with, but subordinate and incidental to, the primary use of the main building, or potential main building.

“Building, accessory, attached” means an accessory building attached to the main building by a breezeway and/or common wall. To be considered attached by a breezeway, the accessory building shall not be located more than 20 feet from the main building. The breezeway shall have a covering and be attached to a part of the accessory and main building.

“Building site” means a parcel of land occupied or intended to be occupied by one main building, and buildings and uses customarily accessory or incidental thereto, including such open spaces as are provided or are intended to be used in connection therewith or are required by the regulations for the district wherein such parcel is located.

“Bulk storage” means storage in tanks or containers, each of which is larger than 200 gallons capacity.

The Sierra County Code is current through Ordinance 1146, passed June 2, 2026.

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“Business supply” means a wholesale or retail commercial enterprise whose primary activity is the stocking and supplying of materials, machines, and products which are essential to the operation of other business or service enterprises in the nearby area. (Ord. 1117, eff. 1/1/23)

“Campground” means land or premises which are used or intended to be used, let or rented for occupancy by campers traveling by automobile or otherwise, or for occupancy by tents or similar quarters.

“Community area” is used interchangeably with and refers to both “community core” and “community influence” areas as mapped in the land use diagrams in the Sierra County general plan.

“Convalescent home” means a building used primarily for the rooming or boarding of any aged or convalescent persons, whether ambulatory or nonambulatory, for which a license is required by a county, state or federal agency.

“Deleterious” means injurious or harmful to health or well being by virtue of being in excess of, or contrary to, established statutes or legislated limits or customary regional norms.

“Distributorship” means a wholesale commercial enterprise whose primary activity is the distribution on a regular basis, by franchise or otherwise, of produce or products to retail outlets whose primary activity is the sale thereof.

“Diversion” means the intentional redirection of water from a stream or other body of water into a canal, pipe, or other conduit.

“Drainage way” means an artificial channel or ditch in which surface waters collect or flow as a result of rain or melting snow but which is empty at other times.

“Drive-in restaurant, store or theater” means any such activity or service which is (primarily) offered to customers or clients by their driving onto the premises and being serviced while remaining in their vehicle.

“Dwelling” means:

1. Any building or portion thereof, used exclusively for residential purposes but excluding hotels, motels, clubs, boarding or rooming houses, fraternity or sorority houses, institutions or mobilehomes.

2. Single-family – a building designed and/or used to house not more than one family.

3. Two-family – a building designed and/or used to house not more than two families, living independently of each other.

The Sierra County Code is current through Ordinance 1146, passed June 2, 2026.

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4. Multiple – a building designed and/or used to house three or more families, living independently of each other.

“Dwelling unit” means a building or portion thereof designed and/or used to house not more than one family.

“Emergency shelter” shall mean housing with minimal supportive services for homeless persons that is limited to occupancy of six months or less by a homeless person, where no individual or household may be denied emergency shelter because of an inability to pay.

“Family” means one person living alone, or two or more persons related by blood, marriage or legal adoption, or a group not exceeding four persons living as a single, nonprofit housekeeping unit.

“Flood” means any temporary rise in stream flow or water surface level that is the direct or indirect result of the passage of storm waters in a watercourse, and in a volume that causes significant adverse effects on any improvements located in the floodplain.

“Flood, design” means the flood of a certain volume which is determined to recur at a given interval of time, normally 100 years, and against which protection of all public and private improvements is deemed necessary for the public safety and general welfare.

“Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)” means the official map of a community on which FEMA has delineated both the special hazard areas and the risk premium zones applicable to the community.

“Flood zone” means a geographical area shown on a flood hazard boundary map or a Flood Insurance Rate Map that reflects the severity or type of flooding in the area: Zone A = an area inundated by 100-year flooding for which no BFEs have been established; Zone AO = an area inundated by 100-year flooding (usually shallow) for which average depths have been determined ranging from one to three feet; and Zone AE = an area inundated by 100-year flooding for which BFEs have been determined.

“Floodplain” means the flat or low-lying area adjacent to a stream or watercourse which is subject to flooding or overflow with the passage of a design flood.

“Flume” means an artificial channel or trough for conducting water.

“Forest product” means any perennial crop, natural or cultivated, which is grown or nurtured primarily for its fiber or for use for other than food.

The Sierra County Code is current through Ordinance 1146, passed June 2, 2026.

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“Garage” means an accessory building intended and used for the storage or parking of private motor vehicles.

“Golf course” means the area provided for the playing of golf, whether regulation, short, or practice fairway, together with related club houses, locker rooms, maintenance facilities and concessions for commercial sales and merchandise normally related to golfing.

“Grade” means the elevation on the finished ground located within five feet of the exterior wall of a building, of the lowest point of entry to the building.

“Groundwater transport facility” means a pipeline, canal, or other manmade conduit that can be used to transport water from the immediate area of a natural groundwater basin.

“Guest house” means detached living quarters of a permanent type of construction, clearly subordinate and incidental to the main building on the same building site, and not to be separately rented, let or leased, whether compensation be direct or indirect.

“Height” means the vertical distance from the main ground level or lowest floor of a structure to the highest point on any structure.

“High water line” means the line found by examining the bed and banks and ascertaining where the presence and action of water are so common and usual, and so long continued in all ordinary years, as to mark upon the soil of the bed a character distinct from that of the banks evidenced by: a clear natural line impressed on the bank, shelving, changes in the character of soil, destruction of terrestrial vegetation, or the presence of litter and debris.

“Hospital” means a building used for the accommodation and treatment of sick, injured, or infirm persons, including clinics and sanitariums.

“Hotel” means a building occupied as a temporary residence of individuals, lodged with or without meals, and where there are generally no provisions for cooking in any unit.

“Hotel, resort” means a hotel with accessory recreational components as well as service uses designed primarily for the convenience and enjoyment of guests, and generally containing separated guest rooms.

The Sierra County Code is current through Ordinance 1146, passed June 2, 2026.

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“Junk yard” means the use of more than 200 square feet of the area of any parcel, lot, or contiguous lots, for storage, abandonment of or sale of junk, scrap material or similar waste, including the dismantling, demolition or abandonment of automobiles, other vehicles, machinery or parts. Junk yard does not include areas for the storage of machinery, materials and equipment which are accessory to a permitted primary use.

“Lake” means an expanse of water entirely surrounded by land and unconnected to the sea except by rivers or streams.

“Loading space” means an off-street space or berth on the same lot with a building, or contiguous to a group of buildings, for the temporary parking of vehicles while handling merchandise or materials.

“Local contact person” means a person available by telephone on a 24-hour basis for short-term rental management, special events venues, campgrounds, and similar local land uses subject to permit or entitlement. This local contact person shall be able to be physically on site of the short-term rental or venue within 30 minutes and have full access as well as authority to manage and possess decision-making authority for the facility. A property owner, agent or professional property management company that meets the availability and response requirements may serve as the local contact person.

“Lot” means a parcel of land on record in the county under one ownership used or capable of being used under the regulations of this title and including both the building site and all required yards and other open spaces as defined herein, and having a frontage of not less than 40 feet.

“Lot, panhandle” means a lot, the main body of which is remote from the abutting access street with the sole access being by means of a driveway which is also a part of the lot. (Ord. 1117, eff. 1/1/23)

“Meadow,” as used in this title, shall refer to “wet meadows” occurring away from water courses, relying on high groundwater or springs for water. Nothing herein shall require a formal delineation to establish existence of a wetland.

The Sierra County Code is current through Ordinance 1146, passed June 2, 2026.

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“Mobilehome” means a vehicle other than a motor vehicle which is designed and used for a human habitation, for carrying persons and property on its own structure, and which is equipped with running water, a kitchen and a toilet for sewage disposal.

“Mobilehome park” means a parcel of land under one ownership which has been planned and improved for the placement of mobilehomes and trailers for nontransient use.

“Motel” means a group of two or more accommodations, guest rooms or apartments with automobile storage space serving accommodations provided in connection therewith, which group is designed and used primarily for the accommodation of transient auto travelers.

“Natural groundwater basin” means the geographic area underlain by an aquifer, including recharge and discharge areas.

“Nonconforming building” means a building structure, or portion thereof, which does not conform to the regulations of this title, for the district in which it is situated and which lawfully existed at the time of the adoption of this title.

“Nonconforming use” means a building or parcel occupied by a use that does not conform to the regulations as to use for the district in which it is situated.

“Obstruction” means any building or other structure, tree or other object of natural growth, fence or wall which projects within the limits of an area prescribed to be free of obstacles.

“Parking space” means a permanently maintained space on a lot or parcel, suitable for the parking of one automobile, including necessary maneuvering space.

“Pasture, irrigated” means pastureland receiving 18 inches or more of irrigation water per growing season, at least 25 percent of which is received after July 15th.

“Pond” means a body of water smaller than a lake, sometimes artificially formed, but not under jurisdiction of the state of California.

“Potable water” means water of a quality that meets State Health Department drinking water standards.

The Sierra County Code is current through Ordinance 1146, passed June 2, 2026.

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“Professional office” means an establishment for professional, executive and administrative offices, including those of accountants, lawyers, doctors, dentists, architects, engineers, drafting offices, insurance agents, real estate agents, and other occupations which are of similar character to those enumerated.

“Reservoir” means an artificial lake or pond designed for the storage, regulation, and control of water, and under license issued by the state of California.

“Riparian area (zone)” means the area adjacent to a river, stream, lake, pond, reservoir, or wetland that is influenced by the hydrology of the associated water resource and supports riparian vegetation, which includes trees and other woody vegetation with a differing density, diversity, and productivity relative to nearby uplands.

“Roomer” means an individual who rents or otherwise occupies for pay a room in the dwelling of a family other than his own.

“School” means an institution of learning, private or public, which offers instruction in the several branches of learning required to be taught in the public school of the state of California.

“Second dwelling unit” is either a detached or attached dwelling unit which provides complete independent living facilities for one or more persons. It shall include permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation on the same parcel or parcels as the primary unit is situated.

“Short-term rental” means transient occupancy of and/or short-term rental of an existing single-family residence for short-term vacation lodging for a period of time less than 30 consecutive days as may be advertised or offered by a property owner, or by residential management service, or on a property management website. “Short-term rental” does not include those exemptions identified in SCC 15.10.060(C).

“Sign” means anything whatsoever placed, erected, constructed, posted, painted, printed, tacked, nailed, glued, stuck, carved or otherwise fastened, affixed or made visible for out-of-door informational or advertising purpose in any manner whatsoever, on the ground or on any tree, wall, bush, rock, post, fence, building structure, or thing whatsoever. For the purpose of this title, the gross surface area of both sides of a double-faced sign shall be used in determining the advertising area.

The Sierra County Code is current through Ordinance 1146, passed June 2, 2026.

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“Sign, advertising” means any sign other than a nameplate, directional or informational sign and being remotely located off the premises where the product or service is available. Such a sign shall not include any pennants, banners, whirligigs, flags, sparklers, horns, sirens, or other similar visual or noise-making attractors.

“Sign, directional” means any sign which gives directions to a community or public place. Such a sign shall not include any pennants, banners, visual or noise-making attractors.

“Signs, illuminated” means any sign which is lighted internally or by an outside light source for night-time visibility but not including any flashing, nervous, rotating, “traveler” or moving lights or messages.

“Signs, informational” means any sign located on the premises or within 100 feet therefrom, which is confined to identifying the operator and the name of the product, service, or facility, together with trademark or copyright, available on the premises. Such a sign shall not include any pennants, banners, whirligigs, flags, sparklers, horns, sirens, or other similar visual or noise-making attractors.

“Spring” means a concentrated discharge of groundwater coming out at the surface as flowing water.

“Story” means the portion of a building included between the upper surface of any floor and the upper surface of the floor next above, except that the topmost story shall be that portion of a building included between the upper surface of the topmost floor and the ceiling or roof above.

“Stream (creek)” is a general term for a body of flowing water. Streams may be classified as follows:

1. Perennial. A water course that has water in its channel at all times and flows continuously.

2. Intermittent. A seasonal watercourse that has water in its channel for most of the year and which flows only when it receives water from springs or from some surface source such as melting snow.

3. Ephemeral. A watercourse that carries only surface runoff and flows during and immediately after periods of precipitation and whose channel is at all times above the water table.

“Stream” does not include roadside ditches or artificial drainage ways constructed or maintained for site drainage, road drainage or other like purposes.

“Street” means a public thoroughfare 40 feet or more in width which affords a primary means of access to abutting property.

“Structure” means any object constructed, erected, or installed in any area including structures, buildings, travel trailers, mobilehomes, tents, fences, towers, smoke stacks, and utility lines.

“Supportive housing” means housing with no limit on length of stay, that is occupied by the target population and that is linked to on-site or off-site services that assist the supportive housing resident in retaining the housing, improving his or her health status, and maximizing his or her ability to live and, when possible, work in the community.

“Swale” means a depression or low-lying area of land, natural or artificial, that tends to collect water and may be moist or marshy. (Ord. 1117, eff. 1/1/23)

The Sierra County Code is current through Ordinance 1146, passed June 2, 2026.

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“Tail race” means the race, flume or channel leading away from a waterwheel, hydroelectric facility or other like device.

“Target population” means persons with low incomes who have one or more disabilities, including mental illness, HIV or AIDS, substance abuse, or other chronic health condition, or individuals eligible for services provided pursuant to the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (California Welfare and Institutions Code, Division 4.5 (commencing with Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 4500)) and may include, among other populations, adults, emancipated minors, families with children, elderly persons, young adults aging out of the foster care system, individuals exiting from institutional settings, veterans, and homeless people.

“Trailer” means a vehicle other than a motor vehicle or mobilehome which is designed and used for human habitation and which may be moved upon a public highway without a special permit or chauffeur’s license as provided in the California Vehicle Code.

“Transient occupancy tax” means county tax imposed for any short-term rental or lodging as defined by SCC 5.20.010.

“Transitional housing” means rental housing operated under program requirements that call for the termination of assistance and recirculation of the assisted unit to another eligible program recipient at some predetermined point in time, which shall be no less than six months from the beginning of the assistance. (Ord. 1117, eff. 1/1/23)

“Use” means the purpose for which land or premises or a building thereon is designed, arranged, or intended, or for which it is or may be occupied or maintained.

“Use, accessory” means a use customarily associated with, but subordinate and incidental to, the principal use of a lot or a building located on the same lot.

“Utility distribution facility” means any improvement used for the distribution or conveyance of utilities used by the public, such as water storage tanks and reservoirs, pumping and boosting stations, treatment plants; electrical substations, boosters, and conversion stations, gas storage tanks, communications equipment buildings; radio transmitter towers and stations; and microwave stations, but not including electrical distribution lines or pipes, valves, or transformers.

The Sierra County Code is current through Ordinance 1146, passed June 2, 2026.

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“Warehousing” means the activity of storing or holding wares, goods and supplies before being distributed to retailers or intermediaries between manufacture and sale to wholesale or retail outlets.

“Wetland” means an area that is inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, fens and similar areas.

“Width, required” means the average width of lot, except that the minimum frontage shall not be less than 30 percent of the required width.

“Yard” means an open space on the same lot or parcel used with the building, extending from the building to the nearest lot line.

1. Front – a yard lying between the main building and the front line and extending across the full width of the lot or parcel; provided, that if any official plan line has been established for the street upon which the building site faces, then such measurement shall be taken from such official plan line to the nearest line of the building.

2. Side – a yard lying between the side lot line and the main building and extending from the front yard line to the rear yard line.

3. Rear – a yard lying between the main building and the rear line and extending across the full width of the lot or parcel.

   • a. On a corner lot, yards abutting streets shall be considered as front yards.

   • b. On through lots, either end lot line may be considered the front line, in which case the minimum rear yard shall not be less than the required front yard in the district in which such lot is located.

Where yards are required by this title, they shall be open and unobstructed from the ground to the sky (except as provided in this title).

The Sierra County Code is current through Ordinance 1146, passed June 2, 2026.

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(Ord. 1070, eff. 5/19/16; Ord. 1042, eff. 10/17/12; Ord. 1021, eff. 6/3/10; Ord. 781, eff. 1/18/92; Ord. 698, eff. 5/28/ 85; Ord. 496, eff. 4/14/77; Ord. 423, eff. 7/7/74; Ord. 409, eff. 7/5/73; Prior code § 86101. Formerly 15.08.010 – 15.08.690)