Accessory dwelling unit:An additional living unit, including separate kitchen, sleeping and bathroom facilities, attached or detached from the primary residential unit, on a single-family lot.

Active recreational uses:Leisure time activities, usually of a more formal nature and performed with others, often requiring equipment and taking place at prescribed places, sites or fields.

Adaptive reuse:The utilization of an older building which is no longer suited for its original purpose, but may be modified and reused for a different purpose such as housing. A common example is the conversion of older public school buildings to rental or condominium apartments.

Adequate public facilities:Facilities that have the capacity to serve development without decreasing levels of service below locally established minimums. (WAC 365-195-210)

Adit:An almost horizontal entrance to a mine.

Affordable housing:Residential housing that is rented or owned by a person or household whose monthly gross housing costs, including utilities other than telephone, do not exceed thirty (30%) percent of the household's gross monthly income. (WAC 365-195-210)

Agricultural Land:Land primarily devoted to the commercial production of horticultural, viticultural, floricultural, dairy, apiary, vegetable, or animal products or of berries, grain, hay, straw, turf and seed, Christmas trees not subject to the excise tax imposed by RCW 84.33.100 through 84.33.140, or livestock, and has long-term commercial significance for agricultural production (RCW 36.70A.030).

Annexation:The act of incorporating an area into the domain of a city.

Aquatic ecosystem:The complex of an ecological community growing or living in, or frequenting water and its environment and functioning as a unit in nature. Aquatic ecosystems specifically include, but are not limited to, surface and groundwater.

Aquifer:A body of rock, sediment, sand or gravel that is able to store and conduct significant quantities of groundwater.

Aquifer recharge areas:Areas where surface water is able to permeate the soil and is conducted to aquifers for storage.

Arterial roadways:A class of roadway serving major movements of traffic not served by freeways. Arterial roadways are functionally classed depending on the degree to which they serve through traffic.

Principal arterials are primarily for traffic movement and secondarily for access to abutting properties. Intersections are ordinarily at-grade with traffic control and geometric design features that expedite safe through traffic movement. This class of roadway tends to carry heavier traffic loads and therefore has four to seven lanes and extends for long distances (examples: 164th Street SW/SE and Airport Road SW).

Minor arterials offer a balance between through traffic movement and direct access to abutting properties. Intersections are at-grade with traffic control and geometric design features that emphasize movement of traffic over access to land. This class of roadway tends to carry substantial traffic loads on two to five lanes and extends for significant distances (examples: 180th Street SW and 228th Street SW).

Collector arterials serve to collect and distribute traffic from and to neighborhoods and commercial areas and connect it to minor and major arterials. This class of road provides direct access to land and features more driveways and lower speeds. Traffic loads are ordinarily lower than on principal and minor arterials, therefore these roadways tend to have two lanes. (examples: North Road and Lake Stevens Road).

Assisted housing:Owner-occupied or rental housing which is subject to restrictions on rents or sales prices as a result of one or more project based government subsidies. Assisted housing does not include holders of non-project based Section 8 Certificates.

Available public facilities:Means that facilities or services that are in place or that a financial commitment is in place to provide the facilities or services within a specified time. In the case of transportation, the specified time is six years from the time of development. (WAC 365-195-210)

Average daily traffic:The average number of vehicles passing a specified point on a roadway during a 24-hour period. This number can be averaged over several days or over an entire year.

Best management practices:Physical, structural, or managerial practices which have gained general acceptance for their ability to prevent or reduce environmental impacts.

Buffer:An area contiguous with a critical area that is required for the integrity, maintenance, function and stability of the critical area.

Candidate species:See Species classification.

Capital facilities:Public structures, improvements, pieces of equipment or other major assets, including land, that have a useful life of at least 10 years. Capital facilities are provided by and for public purposes and services. For the purposes of the Capital Facilities element, capital facilities are surface water management, solid waste disposal, law and justice, general government, parks and recreation, airport, transportation, education, fire protection, sanitary sewer and public water supply systems.

Capital improvement:Land, improvements to land, structures (including design, permitting and construction), initial furnishings and selected equipment.

Capital Improvement Program (CIP):A plan which matches the costs of capital improvements to anticipated revenues and a timeline. CIPs are usually prepared for six or more years, updated annually and coordinated with the comprehensive planning process.

Centers:A compact and centralized living, working, shopping and/or activity area. Centers include Manufacturing/Industrial Centers, Transit Pedestrian Villages, Urban Centers, and Urban Villages.

Certified local government:A local government that has been certified to carry out the purposes of the National Historic Preservation Act.

Cluster development:A development design technique that concentrates buildings in specific areas on a site to allow the remaining land to be used for recreation, individual or jointly owned open space, and preservation of environmentally sensitive areas.

Commercial Forest Land:Land primarily devoted to growing trees for long term commercial timber production on land that can be economically and practically managed for such production, including Christmas trees, subject to the excise tax imposed under RCW 84.33.100 through 84.33.140, and that has long-term commercial significance. (RCW 36.70A.030)

Commute Trip Reduction (CTR):The use of measures which reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and the proportion of single-occupant vehicles (SOVs) for commuter travel, while promoting and marketing travel by alternative modes. See also Transportation Demand Management (TDM).

Comparison shopping:Shopping for items which are subject to longer term rather than daily consumption and which are available in locations near other similar businesses such as in city centers, malls, and strip commercial developments. Typical comparison goods include items such as clothing, furniture, appliances, general merchandise and many specialty items. These items are typically bought on multi-purpose trips that have several shopping objectives, and often are compared and priced from store to store.

Comprehensive floodplain management plan:A flood hazard reduction plan prepared by Snohomish County including comprehensive flood control management plans prepared pursuant to RCW 86.12 and RCW 86.26.

Comprehensive plan:A generalized coordinated land use policy statement of the governing body of a county or city adopted pursuant to the Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A.030). Snohomish County's comprehensive plan includes the General Policy Plan, the Future Land Use Map, several detailed UGA plans, the Rural/Resource Plan, and several functional plans such as the Capital Facilities Plan, the Transportation Element, and the Countywide Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Plan.

Concurrency:Means that adequate public improvements or strategies are in place at the time of development. For transportation improvements, concurrency means that a financial commitment is in place to complete the improvements or strategies within six years. (WAC 365-195-210)

Conditional use:A land use permitted by the county zoning code in a particular zone after review by the county hearing examiner and the granting of a conditional use permit which imposes specific performance standards needed to ensure that the use will be compatible with other permitted uses in the vicinity.

Congestion management:A process whereby multi-modal solutions to critical traffic congestion problems are identified, coordinated among affected jurisdictions and programmed for funding or implementation. Solutions are wide ranging and could involve physical improvements to the arterial network, traffic signalization, transit service enhancements, programs to reduce commuter travel, and travel information systems.

Connected village:The internal and external connections of the Center emphasize walking, bicycling and traveling by bus.

Conservation:The planned management of natural resources.

Conservation Easement:A non-possessory interest of a holder in real property imposing limitations or affirmative obligations in perpetuity on the use of real property, the purposes of which include retaining or protecting natural, scenic, or open-space values of real property, assuring its availability for agricultural, forest, recreational, or open-space use, protecting historic resources, maintaining or enhancing air or water quality, preserving the historical, architectural, archeological, or cultural aspects of real property.

Consistency:Means that no feature of a plan or regulation is incompatible with any other feature of a plan or regulation. (WAC 365-195-210)

Conversion Option Harvest Plan:A voluntary plan developed by the landowner and approved by the local government entity indicating the limits of timber harvest areas, road location and open space. (WAC 222-16-010)

Cottage housing:A development of detached dwellings which has the following characteristics:

Each unit is of a size and function suitable for a single person or very small family;

Each unit has the construction characteristics of a single-family house;

The density is typically 7 to 12 units per acre;

All units are located on a commonly owned piece of property;

The development is designed with a coherent concept and includes: shared usable open space, off-street parking, access within the site and from the site, amenities such as a multipurpose room, workshop, garden, and coordinated landscaping.

Countywide:All of incorporated and unincorporated Snohomish County.

Countywide planning policies:Written policy statements used solely for establishing a countywide framework from which county and city comprehensive plans are developed and adopted. (RCW 36.70A.210)

Critical areas:Includes the following areas and ecosystems: wetlands; areas with critical recharging effect on aquifers used for potable water; fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas; frequently flooded areas; and geologically hazardous areas. (RCW 36.70A.030)

Cultural resources:Includes sites, structures, objects, or remains, which convey historical, architectural or archaeological information of local, state or national significance. On occasion, communities give recognition to respected elders and artists as “cultural resources” for their role in passing on the collective culture of the community.

Cultural tourism:Tourism which focuses on cultural and historical sites and activities.

Density:The number of families, persons, or housing units per acre or square mile.

Development regulations:Any controls placed on development or land use activities by the county including, but not limited to, zoning ordinances, subdivision ordinances, and binding site plan ordinances. (RCW 36.70A.030)

Development Right:The quantified right to improve a parcel of property measured in residential dwelling units or square footage of commercial, light industrial or office space based on the zoning classification of the parcel.

Drift:A horizontal passage underground which follows a vein of mineral resources.

Ecosystem:The complex of an ecological community and its environment functioning as a unit in nature.

Ecosystem rehabilitation industries:Businesses such as wetland plant nurseries and wetland and stream restoration companies that re-establish natural environmental conditions where there has been degradation.

Endangered species:See Species classification.

Environmental impact statement (EIS):A document intended to provide impartial discussion of significant environmental impacts which may result from a proposed development project or programmatic action. The purpose of the EIS document is to provide the government decision makers with information to be considered prior to determining a project's acceptability.

Erosion:The removal and loss of soil by the action of water, ice, or wind.

Erosion hazard areas:Areas containing soils which, according to the US Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service's Soil Classification System, may experience severe to very severe erosion.

Essential public facilities:Facilities that are typically difficult to site, such as airports, state education facilities, and state or regional transportation facilities, state and local correctional facilities, solid waste handling facilities, and in-patient facilities including substance abuse facilities, mental health facilities and group homes. (RCW 36.70A.200)

Extremely low-income:A household whose income does not exceed thirty percent of the county median income.

Facilities:The physical structure or structures in which a service is provided.

Fair housing:Access to housing unhindered by discrimination based on race or color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, sexual orientation or handicap.

Fair share housing:The concept that affordable and special needs housing should be proportionately distributed within the county, rather than concentrated in a few locations. An allocation methodology and guidelines were accepted by Snohomish County Tomorrow in January, 1994.

FAR Part 150:Federal regulation governing the process of conducting a noise exposure and land use compatibility study establishing existing and future noise contours and a list of feasible noise abatement alternatives.

Fire flow:The amount of water volume needed to provide fire suppression. Adequate fire flows are based on industry standards, typically measured in gallons per minute.

Fiscal impact:The fiscal costs and constraints of implementing policies or regulations.

Fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas:Areas identified as being of critical importance to the maintenance of fish, wildlife, and plant species, including: areas with which endangered, threatened, and sensitive species have a primary association; habitats and species of local importance; commercial and recreational shellfish area; kelp and eelgrass beds, herring and smelt spawning areas; naturally occurring ponds under twenty acres and their submerged aquatic beds that provide fish or wildlife habitat; waters of the state; lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers planted with game fish by a governmental or tribal entity, or private organization; state natural area preserves and natural resource conservation areas. (WAC 365-190-080)

Floodplain:Land adjoining a river, stream, watercourse, ocean, bay or lake having a one percent chance of being inundated in any given year with flood waters resulting from the overflow of inland or tidal waters and/or the unusual and rapid accumulation of surface runoff from any source.

Frequently flooded areas:See Floodplain.

Geologically hazardous areas:Areas that because of their susceptibility to erosion, sliding, earthquake, or other geological events, are not suited to the siting of commercial, residential, or industrial development consistent with public health and safety concerns. (RCW 36.70A.030)

Goal:A general condition, ideal situation or achievement that reflects societal values or broad public purposes.

Greenbelt:A predominantly open area that may be cultivated or maintained in a natural state surrounding development or used to separate land uses.

Gross housing costs:Rent and utility costs for renters and principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and homeowner's association fees (if applicable) for homeowners.

Groundwater:All water that is located below the surface, more specifically subsurface water below the water table.

Groundwater recharge:The process of absorption and addition of water to a layer of soil, rock, or sediment.

Group housing:Group living arrangements for people with special needs such as developmental disabilities or mental illness.

Growth management coordinating committee (GMCC):A committee which consists of elected officials, planning commission members and citizens who are appointed by the county and a city to review comprehensive plans for unincorporated urban growth areas and to make recommendations to the county and city planning commissions.

Growth phasing overlay:An overlay designation on the Future Land Use Map that delineates areas of inconsistency between the underlying GPP land use designations and the land use designations of the existing subarea comprehensive plans along the UGA boundaries for the purposes of Policy LU 2.A.7.

Hazardous waste:All dangerous and extremely hazardous waste, including substances composed of both radioactive and hazardous components.

Headway:Frequency of service in terms of minutes between arriving vehicles.

High capacity transit:Any transit technology that carry high volumes of passengers quickly and efficiently, and preferably on exclusive or semi-exclusive rights-of-way, such as bus rapid transit, light rail, commuter rail, and passenger-only ferries.

High occupancy vehicle (HOV):A vehicle containing more than a single occupant such as an automobile with several passengers (carpool), a bus, vanpool, or a train. An HOV lane is a road lane dedicated for use of HOVs and transit vehicles only.

Home occupation:Any activity carried out for gain by a resident, conducted as an accessory use in the resident's dwelling unit.

Homestead parcel:A parcel of land within an agricultural area, having reduced lot area and lot width requirements.

Household:All persons who occupy a housing unit that is intended as separate living quarters and having direct access from the outside of the building or through a common hall. The occupants may be a single family, one person living alone, two or more families living together, or any group of related or unrelated persons who share living arrangements.

Housing need:Exists when a household whose income is less than 95 percent of county median household income and pays more than 30 percent of its gross income for gross housing costs.

Housing relocation assistance program:Financial assistance provided to households displaced from their homes as a result of a public or, in some cases, private development project.

Hydrogeologic:Pertaining to subsurface water and water-bearing rock or sediment layers.

Hydroponic farming:Growing plants in nutrient solutions.

Impact Fee:Charges levied by the county against new developments for a pro-rata share of the capital costs of facilities necessitated by the development. The Growth Management Act authorizes imposition of impact fees on new development and sets the conditions under which they may be imposed.

Implementation measure:Regulatory and nonregulatory measures used to carry out the plan.

Infill:Development of housing or other buildings on vacant sites in already developed areas.

Infrastructure:Facilities and services needed to sustain the functioning of an urban area.

Land assembly:The combining of two or more adjoining lots into one large tract, usually done to allow construction of larger buildings than could otherwise have been built on the individual smaller lots.

Land banks:Acquisition of land for the purpose of reserving it for specified future uses. The land bank concept can include management of existing publicly owned lands, with designated reservations or restrictions for future uses.

Landslide hazard areas:Areas potentially subject to risk of mass movement due to a combination of geologic, topographic, and hydrologic factors.

Leap frog development:Development that occurs beyond the location of existing infrastructure and creates scattered urban developments within traditionally low density areas.

Level of service (LOS):A measure of public service or capital facility supply that frequently relates to a unit of public demand and is used to establish needs or targets for facility planning purposes (example: 1 courtroom per 25,000 population). Levels of service can vary between urban and rural areas.

Liquefaction:The act or process of liquefying, particularly soils taking on the characteristics of liquids due to seismic shaking.

Load factor:The ratio or percentage of a transit vehicle's seat capacity being used.

Local improvement district:A quasi-governmental organization formed by landowners to finance and construct a variety of physical infrastructure improvements beneficial to the landowners.

Local road:A class of roadway with the primary function of providing access to abutting properties. Traffic control is usually limited with slow speeds and numerous driveways. This roadway class typically carries low traffic loads and usually has one or two paved or gravel lanes. (examples: 156th Street SW and 103rd Street SE).

Local Transit Service:Transit service designed to connect local neighborhoods with higher levels of transit service such as regional express bus, higher frequency corridor based transit, or light rail. Local transit service typically has headways of thirty minutes or less.

Long-term commercial significance:Includes the growing capacity, productivity, and soil composition of the land for long-term commercial production, in consideration with the land's proximity to population areas, and the possibility of more intense uses of the land. (RCW 36.70A.030)

Lot size averaging:A design technique which allows one or more lots in a residential subdivision to be undersized by a specified percentage, provided that some lots in the same development are oversized and environmentally sensitive areas are set aside in native growth protection areas.

Low-income:A household whose income is between 50 percent and 80 percent of the county median income.

Main Street Program:A comprehensive program of urban renewal which focuses on the downtown core of a community, encouraging cooperation among business owners, preservation of historic buildings and architectural elements, and compatible design of new building elements.

Major public or private developments:Development on land of 4 acres or more that exceeds a combined gross floor area of 40,000 square feet.

Manufactured housing:Factory-assembled structures intended solely for human habitation, installed on a permanent foundation with running gear removed, and connected to utilities on an individual building site.

Master planned resort:A self-contained and fully integrated planned unit development, in a setting of significant natural amenities, with primary focus on destination resort facilities consisting of short-term visitor accommodations associated with a range of developed on-site indoor and outdoor recreation facilities.(WAC 395-195-210)

Median income:The income level that divides the income distribution into two equal parts, one having incomes above the median and the other having incomes below the median. For households and families, the median income is based on the distribution of the total number of units including those with no income.

Middle income:A household whose income is between 96% and 120% of the county median income.

Mine hazard area:Those areas underlain by, or adjacent to, areas affected by mine workings such as adits, gangways, tunnels, drifts or air shafts.

Minerals:Includes gravel, sand, rock, coal and valuable metals.

Mineral Lands:Lands primarily devoted to extraction of minerals or that have known or potential long-term commercial significance for the extraction of minerals. (RCW 36.70A.030)

Moderate income:A household whose income is between 81 percent and 95 percent of the county median income.

Monitored species:See Species classification.

Multifamily use:A structure or portion of a structure containing three or more dwelling units.

Multi-modal:Two or more modes or methods of transportation. Examples of transportation modes include bicycling, driving an automobile, walking, bus transit or rail.

Native growth protection areas:Areas to be left in a substantially natural state, where clearing, grading, filling, building construction or placement, or road construction may not occur. Some fencing, construction and vegetation removal may be permitted.

Natural resource:Naturally occurring components of the earth’s surface, such as timber, soils, water, or a mineral deposit, which have potential for human use and enjoyment.

Natural Resource Lands:Lands useful for agriculture, forestry or mineral extraction or lands which have long-term commercial significance for these land uses.

Net density:Refers to the density of development excluding roads, critical areas and required buffers, drainage detention/retention areas, biofilter swales and areas required for public use.

New fully contained community:A development proposed outside of existing designated UGAs that is characterized by urban densities, uses and services and meets the criteria of RCW 36.70A.350. (WAC 365-195-210)

No Burn Zone:Areas officially designated by the Puget Sound Air Pollution Control Agency where outdoor burning is prohibited.

Non-commercial mineral extraction:Excavations or grading used for forest or farm road construction or maintenance on-site or on contiguous lands and not covered by the Surface Mine Reclamation Act (RCW 78.44).

Nonmotorized transportation facilities:There are three classes of bikeways/walkways that can make up a safe system of nonmotorized transportation facilities. These are:

Non-point source pollution:Pollution that cannot be traced to specific discharge points, including road runoff, agricultural runoff and disposal of household chemicals.

Normal Forest Practice:A Forest Practice, as defined by WAC 222.16.010, conducted on any portion of a landowner’s property, assuming that the forest practices would be allowed on that portion of the property by the forest practices rules and regulations regardless of the adjacent land use. A Forest Practice is any activity conducted on or directly pertaining to forest land and relating to growing, harvesting, or processing timber, including but not limited to: road and trail construction, harvesting, precommercial thinning, reforestation, fertilization, prevention and suppression of diseases and insects, salvage of trees, and brush control (WAC 222.16.010).

Objective:A desired result of public action that is specific, measurable, and leads to the achievement of a goal.

Open space corridor:A linear land use feature that may contain various types of uses that are characterized in the aggregate by the pre-eminence of natural or man-altered landscape features and a minimal amount of buildings and other man-made above-grade structures. Open space corridors may contain any of the land use categories enumerated in Policy LU 10.A.1.

Park-and-ride:A system in which commuters individually drive to a common location, park their vehicles, and continue travel to their final destination via public transit.

Peak period traffic:The higher than average portion of daily vehicular traffic that occurs during distinct times of day. Peaks in daily traffic volumes usually occur during the morning (6:30-9:30 a.m.) and evening (3:30-6:30 p.m.) commuter periods. The one hour peaks during these three hour periods are referred to as a.m. or p.m. peak hour traffic.

Pedestrian oriented:Development designs that encourage walking by providing site amenities for pedestrians. Pedestrian oriented environments reduce auto dependence and may encourage the use of public transportation.

Planned residential development (PRD):A design technique which allows a land area to be planned and developed as a single entity containing one or more residential clusters or complexes which can include a wide range of compatible housing types. Appropriate small scale commercial, public or quasi-public uses may be included if such uses are primarily for the benefit of the residential development and the surrounding community. A residential density bonus is allowed in exchange for dedication of a minimum amount of passive and active open space for the use and enjoyment of the development's residents.

Policy:Action-oriented procedure, activity or decision-making that defines the process by which an objective is achieved.

Point source pollution:Pollution that can be traced to a specific discharge source.

Potable water:Water suitable for drinking.

Preferential assessment:A reduced property tax rate for natural resource lands which is based on current use.

Priority species:Wildlife species of concern to the state Department of Wildlife due to their population status and their sensitivity to habitat alteration. Priority species include those which are listed, or are candidates for listing, by the state as endangered, threatened or sensitive. Uncommon species, including monitored species and some game and non-game species, that are considered to be vulnerable to habitat loss or change or to urbanizing influences are also identified as priority. Priority species lists and maps are maintained by the state Department of Wildlife.

Public facilities:Includes streets, roads, highways, sidewalks, street and road lighting systems, traffic signals, domestic water systems, storm and sanitary sewer systems, parks and recreational facilities and schools. (RCW 36.70A.030)

Public realm:Those areas of a Center (whether publicly or privately owned) to which the public has access for formal and/or informal cultural events and recreation activities such as walking, sitting, games and observing wildlife. Examples include parks, public squares or plazas, children's play areas, trails and other publicly accessible open spaces. The public realm does not include streets, sidewalks, rights-of-ways, parking areas, or structures.

Public services:Includes fire protection and suppression, law enforcement, public health, education, recreation, environmental protection and other governmental services. (RCW 36.70A.030)

Public water system:Any system of water supply intended or used for human consumption or other domestic uses, including source, treatment, storage, transmission, and distribution facilities where water is being furnished to any community, collection, or number of individuals, but excluding a water system serving one single family residence.

Purchase of development rights (PDR):The one-time purchase of the right to develop resource lands for non-resource purposes. PDR is implemented through a deed restriction.

Receiving area:An area that has been zoned as a TDR receiving area pursuant to chapter 30.35A SCC: or designated a receiving area by interlocal agreement, development agreement, or code amendment.

Receiving site:A site located within a receiving area that meets the requirements of chapter 30.35A SCC for participation in the TDR program.

Recreational land:Means land so designated under RCW 36.70A.170(1) and that, immediately prior to this designation, was designated as agricultural land of long-term significance under RCW 36.70A.170. Recreational land must have playing fields and supporting facilities existing before July 1, 2004, for sports played on grass playing fields.

Regional service:A governmental service established by agreement among local governments that delineates the government entity or entities responsible for the service provision and allows for that delivery to extend over jurisdictional boundaries.

Regional significance:This term describes growth planning issues and impacts which extend beyond the boundaries of an individual municipal government and require coordinated, multi-jurisdictional supported planning solutions.

Resource management area:The tract of land in an FTA cluster subdivision that is not proposed for use as a residential lot, roads, utilities, open space or other uses associated with the residential development.

Resource protection area:An area along the boundaries of designated forest lands in which structures may not be located. Resource protection areas need to be recorded in a manner required by law for covenants running with the land and are considered in calculating the assessed value of the property on which they are located.

Ridesharing:Any type of travel where more than one rider occupies or “shares” the same vehicle, such as a carpool, vanpool, or transit vehicle.

Right-of-way:Land owned by a government or an easement over the land of another, used for roads, ditches, electrical transmission lines, pipelines, or public facilities.

Riparian:Means of, or pertaining to, the banks of rivers, streams or lakes.

Rural cluster subdivision:A form of development for single-family residential subdivisions in the rural portions of the county that permits a substantial reduction in lot area and bulk requirements, provided that the remaining undeveloped areas are devoted to open space for the purpose of preserving resource lands and environmentally sensitive features. A residential density bonus is allowed in exchange for dedication of additional open space area.

Rural infrastructure:Facilities and services needed to sustain permanent settlement of rural land areas.

Rural land:All land located outside of UGAs and not designated as agricultural or forest lands of long-term commercial significance with existing or planned rural services and facilities such as domestic water systems (generally systems without fire flow), rural fire and police protection services and transit services along major arterial routes. New rural residential developments have a maximum net density as determined by the rural residential designations on the Future Land Use Map and by their implementing zones and development regulations designed to maintain rural character.

Rural/resource plan:An element of the growth management plan which establishes specific development patterns for rural lands and refines resource land designations and conservation measures. The plan will help implement the rural and resource lands policies of the General Policy Plan by focusing upon selected geographic and topical areas.

Rural resource transition:Lands with natural resource values which are located between designated natural resource and rural residential lands.

Rural/urban transition area:Means the areas designated Rural Residential-5 or Rural Residential and covered by the Rural/Urban Transition Area overlay designation of the comprehensive plan. The purpose of the Rural/Urban Transition Area is to reserve a potential supply of land for future incorporation into the UGA.

Sanitary sewer:Those sewers which carry waterborne wastes from household, industrial and commercial users from the point of origin to the treatment plants for treatment and disposal.

Scenic resources:Features of the natural and man-made environment, and their associated viewpoints and sightlines, that are or could be especially prominent and visually accessible to the general public. Such features may include selected forested areas, water bodies and shorelines, mountains and hillsides, wetlands or other wildlife habitat areas, pastoral settings, man-made structures, geological features, or other elements of the visual environment that enjoy prominence by virtue of special characteristics and/or location.

Seismic hazard areas:Areas subject to severe risk of damage as a result of earthquake failure, settlement, or soil liquefaction.

Sending area:Land designated as a TDR sending area on the future land use map and located within a zone used to implement the sending area designation, as indicated on the official zoning map through the suffix “SA.”: or designated a sending area by interlocal agreement, development agreement, or code amendment.

Sending site:A site that is located within a TDR sending area and meets the requirements of SCC 30.35A.030 for participation in the TDR program.

Sense of place:The successful interaction of design elements - i.e., buildings, street furniture, graphics, interiors, and landscape - resulting in an environment that is coordinated and attracts people on a conscious and subconscious level.

Sensitive species:See Species classification.

Shoreline management master program:A comprehensive management program prepared by the county consisting of goals, policies and regulations and being used for review of permit applications for development along shorelines.

Snohomish County Tomorrow:A planning forum of the county, its cities and towns, and Tribal governments that provides coordination on planning issues involving the county and other jurisdictions to meet the requirements of the GMA for coordination and consistency among local comprehensive plans.

Sole source aquifer:An EPA designated area that provides 50 percent or more of its drinking water from a definite aquifer, and contamination of the aquifer would pose a significant hazard to public health, and there are no economically feasible alternative sources of drinking water.

Solid waste:A general term for discarded materials destined for disposal, but not discharged to a sewer or to the atmosphere.

SNONET:A public/private community interactive multi-media network linking Snohomish County citizens, business, education, government and non-profit organizations. SNONET is designed to provide citizens, employees, teachers and students with information and service access, conferencing opportunities, personal development, and educational instruction.

Special needs housing:Affordable housing for persons that require special assistance or supportive care to subsist or achieve independent living, including but not limited to, persons that are frail elderly, developmentally disabled, chronically mentally ill, physically handicapped, homeless, persons participating in substance abuse programs, persons with AIDS, and youth at risk.

Specialty agriculture/farming:Includes uses such as specialty animal, vegetable and fruit farms, nursery and turf operations, greenhouse and hydroponic farming, and related farm product processing, retail, and equipment repair in Upland Commercial Farmlands or rural areas.

Species classification:State listed species defined below are all native to the state of Washington.

Stables:A structure or facility which accommodates horses or other large livestock for boarding and/or breeding purposes and does not include riding academies. Stables are permitted in all designated agricultural and rural lands. The training of horses is also permitted in conjunction with stables as long as the training is limited to the horses being boarded on site.

Stormwater:Water that is generated by rainfall and is often routed into drain systems in order to prevent flooding.

Strip commercial:An automobile oriented linear commercial development pattern with high volume traffic generating uses, vehicular entrances for each use, a visually cluttered appearance, and no internal pedestrian circulation system.

Surface waters:Streams, rivers, ponds, lakes or other waters designated as “waters of the state” by the Washington Department of Natural Resources in WAC 222-16-030.

Taking:The appropriation by government of private land for which compensation must be paid.

Tax increment financing:A method of paying for public improvements needed to support private development or redevelopment projects. It is implemented by establishing a tax increment district, which is a geographic area within which growth in property tax revenue that results from new development is used to finance public improvements in the district.

Threatened species:See Species classification.

Transfer of development rights (TDR):The process established by chapter 30.35A SCC for transferring certified development rights from a sending site to a receiving site. “TDR” is sometimes used as an adjective to denote relation to the TDR program, as in “TDR certificates,” “TDR program,” “TDR receiving area,” and “TDR sending area.”

Transit center:A dedicated transit facility located outside of the public right-of-way where several transit routes converge. A transit center is designed to accommodate several buses at once to permit users easy transfer between transit routes.

Transit oriented:An emphasis primarily on access to public transportation, and often incorporating features that encourage pedestrian activity and transit ridership.

Transit Pedestrian Village:The area within designated Urban Centers that surrounds an existing or planned high capacity transit station. Transit Pedestrian Villages feature uses that enhance and support the high capacity transit station. Emphasis shall be placed on a compact walkable area that is integrated with multiple modes of transportation.

Transportation centers:Facilities providing connections between various modes of travel, particularly transit, serving different origins/destinations or routes. Examples of transportation centers are the current ferry terminals, Everett's proposed downtown transit center or high-capacity transit stations along I-5.

Transportation demand management strategies (TDM):Strategies aimed at changing travel behavior rather than expanding the transportation network to meet travel demand. Such strategies can include the promotion of work hour changes, ridesharing options, parking policies, and telecommuting.

Transportation service areas (TSA):TSAs are subareas of the county with boundaries drawn to include transportation facilities primarily serving that TSA. Needed roadway and other transportation improvements needed are identified and prioritized for each TSA.

Upper income:A household whose income is greater than 120% of the county median income.

Urban governmental services:Those governmental services historically and typically delivered by cities include the storm and sanitary sewer systems, domestic water systems, street cleaning services, fire and police protection services, public transit services, and other public utilities associated with urban areas and normally not associated with rural areas.

Urban Center:An area with a mix of high-density residential, office and retail uses with public and community facilities and pedestrian connections located along an existing or planned high capacity transit route.

Urban growth:Growth that makes intensive use of land for the location of buildings, structures, and impermeable surfaces to such a degree as to be incompatible with the primary use of such land for the production of food, other agricultural products or fiber, or the extraction of mineral resources. When allowed to spread over wide areas, urban growth typically requires urban governmental services. “Characterized by urban growth” refers to land having urban growth located on it, or to land located in relationship to an area with urban growth on it as to be appropriate for urban growth. (RCW 36.70A.030)

Urban Growth Areas (UGAs):Areas designated by the county after consultation with cities, where urban growth will be encouraged and supported by public facilities and services. The urban growth areas include areas and densities sufficient to permit the urban growth that is projected to occur in the county for a 20 year period. Urban growth refers to growth that makes intensive use of land for the location of buildings, structures, and impermeable surfaces to such a degree as to be incompatible with the primary use of such land for the production of food, other agricultural products or fiber, or the extraction of mineral resources.

Urban growth boundaries:The boundary or line marking the limit between the UGAs and rural or resource land areas.

Urban land:All land located within UGAs such as residential and employment land; land for public facilities and utilities; and critical areas, open space and greenbelts with existing or planned urban services and facilities such as storm and sanitary sewer system, domestic water systems, street cleaning services, fire and police protection services, and public transit services. New urban residential developments have a minimum net density of 4 dwelling units per acre, except in UGAs adjacent to cities without sanitary sewers. Densities for residential or non-residential developments are higher in specific plan designations or centers.

Urban reserve area:An area outside of and adjacent to an urban growth area that may have potential for future employment and mixed land use and designation as an urban growth area.

Urban Village:A neighborhood scale mixed-use area with a mix of retail and office uses, public and community facilities, and high-density residential developments. Pedestrian orientation includes circulation, scale and convenience with connections between neighborhoods, communities and other centers. Urban Villages serve several neighborhoods within a radius of about two miles.

Utilities:Enterprises or facilities serving the public by means of an integrated system of collection, transmission, distribution, and processing facilities through more or less permanent physical connections between the plant of the serving entity and the premises of the customer. Included are systems for the delivery of natural gas, electricity, telecommunications services, water, and for the disposal of sewage.

Very low-income:A household whose income does not exceed 50% of the county median income.

Watershed:The region drained by or contributing water to a stream, lake or other body of water.

Watershed management plan:A detailed analysis adopted by the county council for a drainage basin pursuant to Title 25 SCC which compares the capabilities and needs for runoff accommodation due to various combination of development, land use, structural and nonstructural management alternatives. The plan recommends the form, location and extent of quantity and quality control measures which would satisfy legal constraints, water quality standards, and community standards, and identifies the institutional and funding requirements for plan implementation.

Wellhead protection area:The surface and subsurface area surrounding a well or wellfield that supplies a public water system through which contaminants are likely to pass and eventually reach the water well or wellfield.

Wetland:Areas that are inundated or saturated by surface water 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, bogs, marshes, and similar areas.

Wetlands do not include those artificial wetlands intentionally created from nonwetland sites, including, but not limited to irrigation and drainage ditches, grass-lined swales, canals, detention facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, farm ponds, and landscape amenities. However, wetlands may include those artificial wetlands intentionally created from nonwetland areas created to mitigate conversion of wetlands, if permitted by the county.

Wildlife habitat:Predominantly undisturbed areas of natural vegetation and/or aquatic systems used by, and necessary for the survival of wildlife.

Zero lot line:Subdivision technique that allows for the placement of a structure on the side yard property line.

Zoning:The process by which the county legally controls the use of property and physical configuration of development upon tracts of land within its jurisdiction. Zoning is an exercise of the police power and must be enacted for the protection of public health, safety and welfare.