“Applicant” means a person, corporation, or organization that files an application for a land use or development permit with the city: either the owner of the land in question, or the authorized agent of such a person.

“Aquifer recharge protection area (ARPA)” means a portion of a development site comprised of native or equivalent vegetation in which existing vegetation, topography and supporting soils are free of development, uses or activities detrimental to the aquifer recharge of the total site area.

“Arborist” means an individual engaged in the profession of arboriculture who, through experience, education, and related training, possesses the competence to provide for or supervise the management of trees and other woody plants. Must be concurrently an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist to perform any role required of a Certified Arborist.

“Arborist, ISA Certified” means an arborist holding a current International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist credential.

“Arborist, Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ)” means an arborist who has successfully completed the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) TRAQ training course and assessment and holds a valid ISA TRAQ credential.

“Clearing” means the destruction and removal of vegetation by manual, mechanical, or chemical methods.

“Defensible space” means an area either natural or person-made where material capable of causing a fire to spread has been treated, cleared, reduced, or changed to act as a barrier between an advancing wildfire and the loss to life, property, or resources. In practice, “defensible space” is defined as an area a minimum of 30 feet around a habitable structure that is cleared of flammable brush or vegetation.

“Invasive/exotic species” means opportunistic plant species (either native or non-native) that colonize disturbed ecosystems and may come to dominate the plant community in ways that are seen by us as reducing the values provided by the previous plant community.

“Ladder fuels” means fuels which provide vertical continuity between strata, thereby allowing fire to carry from surface fuels into the crowns of trees or shrubs with relative ease. Ladder fuels help initiate and assure the continuation of crowning.

“Land disturbing activity” means any activity that results in a change in the existing soil cover (both vegetative and nonvegetative) and/or the existing soil topography. Land disturbing activities include, but are not limited to, clearing, grading, filling and excavation. Compaction that is associated with stabilization of structures and road construction shall also be considered a land disturbing activity. Vegetation maintenance practices are not considered land disturbing activity. Stormwater facility maintenance is not considered land disturbing activity if conducted according to established standards and procedures.

“Low impact development (LID)” means a stormwater and land use management strategy that strives to mimic predisturbance hydrologic processes of infiltration, filtration, storage, evaporation and transpiration by emphasizing conservation, use of on-site natural features, site planning, and distributed stormwater management practices that are integrated into a project design.

“Low impact development best management practices (LID BMPs)” means distributed stormwater management practices, integrated into a project design, that emphasize predisturbance hydrologic processes of infiltration, filtration, storage, evaporation and transpiration. LID BMPs include, but are not limited to: bioretention, rain gardens, permeable pavements, roof downspout controls, dispersion, improvements to soil quality and depth, minimal excavation foundations, vegetated roofs, and water reuse.

“Significant tree” means: (1) a live evergreen tree 10 inches in diameter or greater, measured four and one-half feet above existing grade; or (2) a live deciduous tree 12 inches in diameter or greater, measured four and one-half feet above existing grade; or (3) in the Mixed Use Town Center and High School Road zoning districts, any live tree eight inches in diameter or greater, measured four and one-half feet above existing grade; or (4) any live trees located within a required critical area or critical area buffer as defined in Chapter 16.20 BIMC.

“Vegetation” means plant matter, including trees, shrubs and ground cover. (Ord. 2021-07 § 2 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 2018-19 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018)