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In addition to those definitions contained within WAC 197-11-700 through 197-11-799, when used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context indicates otherwise:

Agricultural Land. "Agricultural land" is primarily devoted to the commercial production of horticultural, viticultural, floricultural, dairy, apiary, vegetable, or animal products or of berries, grain, hay, straw, turf, seed, and Christmas trees not subject to the excise tax that has long-term commercial significance for agricultural production.

1. "Prime farmland soil" means land that has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops and is available for these uses (the land could be cropland pastureland, rangeland, forest land, or other land but not urban built-up land or water). It has the soil quality growing season and moisture supply needed to economically produce sustained high yields of crops when treated and managed, including water management, according to acceptable farming methods. In general, prime farmlands have an adequate and dependable water supply from precipitation and/or irrigation, a favorable temperature and growing season, acceptable alkalinity or acidity, acceptable salt and sodium content, and few or no rocks. They are permeable to water and air. Prime farmlands are not excessively eroded or saturated with water for long periods of time, and either do not flood frequently during the growing season or are protected from flooding.

2. "Unique farmland soil" means land other than prime farmland that is used for the production of specific high value food and fiber crops. It has the special combination of soil quality, location, growing season, and moisture supply needed to economically produce sustained high quality and/or high yields of a specific crop when treated and managed according to acceptable farming methods.

3. "Additional farmland of local importance" means land, in addition to prime and unique farmlands, that is of local importance for the production of food, fiber, forage and oilseed crops. Generally, additional farmlands of local importance include those that are nearly prime farmland and that economically produce high yields of crops when treated and managed according to acceptable farming methods. Some may produce as high a yield as prime farmlands if conditions are favorable. Additional farmland of local importance may also include areas of commercial, aquaculture and mariculture which include sea vegetable farming, commercial clam and oyster grounds, salmon net pen sites and oyster and mussel raft lease areas provided they function only as aquaculture or mariculture operations.

Note: See Part 605.05, National Soils Handbook, United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service.

"City" means the city of Aberdeen.

"Critical areas" include the following areas and ecosystems:

1. Wetlands;

2. Areas with a critical recharging effect on aquifers used for potable water;

3. Fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas;

4. Frequently flooded areas; and

5. Geologically hazardous areas.

"Department" means any division, subdivision or organizational unit of the city established by charter or ordinance.

"Early notice" means the city’s response to an applicant stating whether it considers issuance of a determination of significance likely for the applicant’s proposal (mitigated determination of nonsignificance (DNS) procedures).

"Erosion hazard areas" means those areas containing soils which, according to the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service Soil Classification system, may experience severe to very severe erosion.

"Forest land" means land primarily useful for growing trees, including Christmas trees subject to the excise tax imposed under RCW 84.33.10084.33.140, for commercial purposes, and that has long-term commercial significance for growing trees commercially.

"Frequently flooded areas" means lands in the floodplain subject to a one percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year. These areas include, but are not limited to, streams, rivers, lakes, coastal areas, wetlands, and the like.

"Geologically hazardous areas" means areas that, because of their susceptibility to erosion, sliding, earthquake, or other geological events, are not suited to siting commercial, residential or industrial development consistent with public health or safety concerns.

"Habitats of local importance" include a seasonal range or habitat element with which a given species has a primary association, and which, if altered, may reduce the likelihood that the species will maintain and reproduce over the long term. These might include areas of high relative density or species richness, breeding habitat, winter range, and movement corridors. These might also include habitats that are of limited availability or high vulnerability to alteration, such as cliffs, talus, and wetlands.

"Landslide hazard areas" means areas potentially subject to risk of mass movement due to combination of geologic, topographic, and hydrologic factors.

"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 land.

"Mine hazard areas" means those areas directly underlain by, adjacent to, or affected by mine workings such as adits, tunnels, drifts, or air shafts.

"Mineral resource lands" means lands primarily devoted to the extraction of minerals or that have known or potential long-term commercial significance for the extraction of minerals.

"Minerals" include gravel, sand, and valuable metallic substances.

"Public facilities" include 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.

"Public services" include fire protection and suppression, law enforcement, public health, education, recreation, environmental protection, and other governmental services.

"Recharge areas for aquifers" means areas with a critical recharging effect on aquifers used for portable water are areas where an aquifer that is a source of drinking water is vulnerable to contamination that would affect the certifiable potability of the water.

"Resource lands" means agricultural, forest and mineral resource lands which have long-term commercial significance.

"SEPA Rules" means WAC Chapter 197-11 adopted by the Department of Ecology.

"Seismic hazard areas" means areas subject to severe risk of damage as a result of earthquake induced ground shaking, slope failure, settlement, or soil liquefaction.

"Species of local importance" means those species that are of local concern due to their population status or their sensitivity to habitat manipulation or that are game species.

"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 of 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.

"Volcanic hazard areas" include areas subject to pyroclastic flows, lava flows, and inundation by debris flows mudflows, or related flooding resulting from volcanic activity.

"Wetland" or "wetlands" mean 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, marshes, bogs, 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 or city.

(Prior code § 1.92.030)