§ 25-2. Definitions.

The following words shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them, unless the context requires otherwise:

"Advisory agency" means one of the following:

(1)

For subdivisions for which five (5) or more parcels are proposed to be created, the planning commission;

(2)

For all subdivisions other than those for which the planning commission is the advisory agency, the project review and advisory committee.

"Arboreal value" means mathematical evaluation of the arboreal component of a site for the purposes of establishing a plan for tree preservation.

"Certified arborist" means any person who has current certificate from the International Society of Arboriculture.

"Damage to a protected tree" means significant injury to the root system or other parts of a tree including burning, application of toxic substances, damaging through contact with equipment or machinery or compacting the soil within the drip line, changing the natural grade, interfering with the normal water requirements of the tree, trenching or excavating within the drip line, or removing more than one-third of the live wood.

"d.b.h. (diameter at breast height)" means trunk diameter measured at four and one-half feet above the ground. For trees which are multi-stemmed at this height, measurement includes the circumference of two (2) or more trunks which if combined are equal to or greater than the minimum size stipulated.

"Design" means:

(1)

Street alignments, grades and widths;

(2)

Drainage and sanitary facilities and utilities, including alignments and grades thereof;

(3)

Location and size of all required easements and rights-of-way;

(4)

Fire roads and firebreaks;

(5)

Lot size and configuration;

(6)

Traffic access;

(7)

Grading;

(8)

Land to be dedicated for park or recreational purposes;

(9)

Such other specific requirements in the plan and configuration of the entire subdivision as may be necessary or convenient to insure conformity to or implementation of the general plan.

"Development area" is defined as that area necessary to accommodate the primary building (or dwelling), parking and vehicular areas, activity area immediately around the dwelling, and in some instances, the area necessary for the septic tank.

"Development permit" means discretionary permit or approval including, but not limited to; subdivisions, use permits, precise development plans, lot line adjustments, variances, design review and zoning permits. Ministerial building permits not accompanied by any other type of discretionary review or approval are exempt from this definition.

"Drip line" means the area identified by extending a vertical line from the outermost portion of the limb canopy to the ground with its axis parallel to the trunk.

"Improvement" refers to such 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, ways 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 such other specific improvements or types of improvements, the installation of which, either by subdivider, by public agencies, by private utilities, by any other entity approved by the local agency or by a combination thereof, is necessary or convenient to insure the conformity to or implementation of the general plan required by Article 5 (commencing with Section 65300) of Chapter 3 of Division 1 of this title, or any specific plan adopted pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 65450) of Chapter 3 of Division 1 of this title.

"Lot line adjustment" is defined as a minor realignment of boundary lines between two (2) or more existing legal parcels, where the land taken from one (1) parcel is added to an adjacent parcel.

"Lower level decision maker" means the planning director, the project review and advisory committee, or the planning commission, as appropriate.

"Protected perimeter" means the tree dripline.

"Protected tree" means Big Leaf Maple Acer macrophyllum , Black Oak Quercus Kelloggii , Blue Oak Quercus Douglassi , Coast Live Oak Quercus agrifolia , Interior Live Oak Quercus Wislizenii , Madrone Arbutus Menziesii , Oracle Oak Quercus morehus , Oregon Oak Quercus Garryana , Redwood Sequoia sempervirens , Valley Oak Quercus lobata , California Bay Umbellularia California , and their hybrids.

"Protected tree of special significance" means Quercus lobata Valley Oak.

"Subdivider" means a person, firm, corporation, partnership or association who proposes to divide, divides or causes to be divided real property into a subdivision for himself or for others.

"Subdivision" means the division of any improved or unimproved land, shown on the latest equalized county assessment roll as a unit or as contiguous units, for the purpose of sale, lease, financing, conveyance, transfer or any other purpose, 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 includes a condominium project or common interest development, as defined in Section 1351 of the Civil Code or a community apartment project, as defined in Section 11004 of the Business and Professions Code. Any conveyance of land to a governmental agency, public entity or public utility shall not be considered a division of land for purposes of computing the number of parcels.

"Tree" means a healthy, living, large woody plant which ordinarily has a central trunk and at maturity exceeds a height of fourteen feet (14′).

(Ord. No. 5900, §§ I, II, 9-14-2010; Ord. No. 5725 § 3, 2007; Ord. No. 5537 § 1(a), 2004; Ord. No. 4399 § 1, 1991: Ord. No. 4014, 1989; Ord. No. 3624; Ord. No. 2510 § 1; Ord. No. 2217 § 1; Ord. No. 1875 § 1.)