25.180.030 Definitions.
For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall be used:
“Decorative rock” shall include washed river rock, fractured basalt, lava rock (for residential properties only) and similar rock. Decorative rock shall not include crushed surfacing rock, maintenance rock or any other rock identified in Section 9-03 Standard Specifications for Road, Bridge and Municipal Construction 2006, M41-10, prepared by the Washington State Department of Transportation.
“Garden” means a planting bed where seasonal flowers, vegetables, herbs, and/or fruit are cultivated.
“Landscape” shall include, but not be limited to, live vegetation and ornamental forms of stone and mulch, but shall exclude pavement and impervious surfaces.
“Landscape area” means those individual or collective portions of the lot devoted to landscape. A developer or property owner may receive credit toward the required landscape area for pedestrian walks or ways when such walks or ways are decorative and/or textured in character and are designed as a complementary part of the landscape area. No more than 25 percent of the landscaped area can be treated with decorative pedestrian ways and be included in the overall calculations for landscaped area.
“Live vegetation” means healthy nursery stock consisting of shrubs, trees, ground cover or lawn. Live vegetation does not include weeds, bark or other mulches, ornamental stone or artificial plants.
“Lot” means the area within the property lines of the parcel or group of parcels upon which the proposed construction or improvements will occur, including all accessory or incidental use areas.
“Outdoor storage” means all materials, equipment, merchandise or objects kept or placed on the lot, or not within an enclosed structure, for preservation or later use or disposal; it is not intended, however, to include the following exceptions:
(a) Those objects customarily stored outside an enclosed structure due to their size and due to their being of such character as to not readily deteriorate when exposed to the elements, such as automobiles, mobile homes, boats and other vehicles, farm machinery, irrigation and heavy construction equipment, and those objects which are themselves enclosures; provided, however, that said objects are being kept primarily for immediate sale or rental to others.
(b) Neat and orderly outdoor displays of items or objects for immediate sale when such displays are incidental or accessory to an established commercial principal activity conducted from an enclosed structure; and further provided, that the area consumed by said displays does not exceed an amount equal to 10 percent of the net lot area.
“Xeriscape” means a landscape design technique that minimizes water consumption by using some or all of the following techniques:
(a) Using low water-demand or drought-resistant plants which are adaptable to the climatic, topographic, and hydrologic characteristics of a site;
(b) Reducing turf areas or using turf materials that have low water demand;
(c) Using mulches in planting areas to cover soil and save moisture;
(d) Using efficient irrigation layouts that zone plants according to their specific watering needs;
(e) Minimizing evaporation of water;
(f) Performing regular maintenance to maintain water-conserving characteristics. [Ord. 3763 §10, 2006; Code 1970 § 25.75.030.]