Whittier Municipal Code Ch. 17.04 Definitions

This chapter provides definitions of the technical and other terms and phrases used in this title as a means of providing consistency in its interpretation. Where any definition in this chapter may conflict with definitions in other titles of the Whittier Municipal Code, these definitions shall prevail for the purposes of this code. If a word is not defined in this title or in other provisions of the municipal code, the most common dictionary definition is presumed to be correct.

(Ord. No. 3159, § 3(Exh. A), 11-12-24)

"Advisory agency" means a designated official, or an official body charged with the duty of making investigations and reports on the design and improvement of proposed divisions of real property, the imposing of requirements or conditions thereon, or having the authority to approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove maps.

"Certificate of compliance" means a determination made by the city indicating that a property complies with Government Code Section 66410 et seq (Subdivision Map Act)

"City" means the city of Whittier.

"City clerk" means the city clerk of the city.

"City council" means the city council of the city.

"City engineer" means the city engineer of the city.

"Director" means the director of community development, unless otherwise noted.

"Encroachment" means any physical obstruction other than a motor vehicle and includes any structure or object of any kind or character placed, without the authority of law, either on, in, under or over any public right-of-way or public property. "Authority of law" includes any applicable local, state, or federal law or regulation.

"Improvements" means any street work and utilities to be installed, or agreed to be installed, by the subdivider on the land to be used for public or private streets, highways, and easements, as are necessary for the general use of the lot owners in the subdivision and local neighborhood traffic and drainage needs as a condition precedent to the approval and acceptance of the final map thereof. Improvement also refers to any other improvements, the installation of which, either by the subdivider, by public agencies, by private utilities, or by any other entity, is necessary to ensure consistency with, or implementation of, the general plan or any applicable specific plan.

"Lot." See "parcel."

"Lot line adjustment" means an adjustment or relocation of a property line between two to four existing adjacent parcels that does not result in the creation of additional parcels.

"Map Act" or "Act." See "Subdivision Map Act."

"Monuments" means an object or mark employed by a surveyor to fix or to establish boundaries or land location.

"Parcel" or "lot" means:

1. A parcel of real property shown on a subdivision or plat map, required by the Subdivision Map Act or this title to be recorded before sale of parcels shown on the map or plat, at the time the map was recorded;

2. A parcel of real property that has been issued a certificate of compliance as provided by Government Code Section 66499.35 and Section 18.06.200 et seq. of this title; or

3. A parcel of real property not described in (1) or (2) of this definition, provided the parcel resulted from a separate conveyance or from a decree of a court of competent jurisdiction which was record before the requirement of the filing of the subdivision map by the Subdivision Map Act or this title.

"Parcel map" means the map described by Article 3, Chapter 2 of the Subdivision Map Act, which is required by this title to complete subdivision of four or fewer lots.

"Parcel merger" means a merger between two or more existing legal parcels, where the land taken from one parcel is added to an adjacent parcel.

"Public right-of-way" means all or any part of the entire width of a street, alley, sidewalk, lane, trail, flood-control channel, railroad line, owned or controlled by the federal, state, or local government, irrespective of the rights-of-way use.

"Reversion of acreage" means the recombining of land which was previously subdivided. The process may be used to nullify rights and/or obligations effected by a previous subdivision of the property, including vacation of streets.

"Subdivider" means a person, firm, corporation, partnership or association, a governmental agency, public entity or public utility, or the grantor to any such agency, entity, utility or subsidiary, who proposes to subdivide for him or herself or for others, except employees and consultants or such persons or entities acting in such capacity.

"Subdivision" means the division, by any subdivider, of any unit or units of improved or unimproved land, or any portion thereof, shown on the latest equalized Los Angeles County assessment roll as a unit or as contiguous units, for the purpose of sale, lease or financing, whether immediate or future. Property shall be considered as contiguous units, even if it is separated by roads, streets, utility easement or railroad rights-of-way.

"Subdivision Map Act" or "Map Act" or "Act" means Division 2, Title 7 of the California Government Code, commencing with Section 66410 as presently constituted, and any amendments thereto.

"Tentative map" means a map made for the purpose of showing the design and improvement of a proposed subdivision and the existing conditions in and around it.

"Tract map" means the process of subdividing real property into smaller lots. Typically, the tract map is used to create five or more residential lots.

"Vesting tentative map" means a map that is filed and processed in the same manner as a tentative map except as otherwise provided by this title or the Subdivision Map Act. At the time a vesting tentative map is filed it shall have the words "vesting tentative map" printed conspicuously on its face.

(Ord. No. 3159, § 3(Exh. A), 11-12-24)