Terms Used In Washington Code > Chapter 36.70 - Planning enabling act

• Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Approval by motion: is a means by which a board, through other than by ordinance, approves and records recognition of a comprehensive plan or amendments thereto. See Washington Code 36.70.020
• Board: means the board of county commissioners. See Washington Code 36.70.020
• Commission: means a county or regional planning commission. See Washington Code 36.70.020
• Commissioners: means members of a county or regional planning commission. See Washington Code 36.70.020
• Comprehensive plan: means the policies and proposals approved and recommended by the planning agency or initiated by the board and approved by motion by the board (a) as a beginning step in planning for the physical development of the county; (b) as the means for coordinating county programs and services; (c) as a source of reference to aid in developing, correlating, and coordinating official regulations and controls; and (d) as a means for promoting the general welfare. See Washington Code 36.70.020
• Conditional use: means a use listed among those classified in any given zone but permitted to locate only after review by the board of adjustment, or zoning adjustor if there be such, and the granting of a conditional use permit imposing such performance standards as will make the use compatible with other permitted uses in the same vicinity and zone and assure against imposing excessive demands upon public utilities, provided the county ordinances specify the standards and criteria that shall be applied. See Washington Code 36.70.020
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• county commissioners: when used in this title or any other provision of law shall include the governmental authority empowered to so act under the provisions of a charter adopted by any county of the state. See Washington Code 36.32.005
• Department: means a planning department organized and functioning as any other department in any county. See Washington Code 36.70.020
• Element: means one of the various categories of subjects, each of which constitutes a component part of the comprehensive plan. See Washington Code 36.70.020
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Ex officio member: means a member of the commission who serves by virtue of his or her official position as head of a department specified in the ordinance creating the commission. See Washington Code 36.70.020
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Official controls: means legislatively defined and enacted policies, standards, precise detailed maps and other criteria, all of which control the physical development of a county or any part thereof or any detail thereof, and are the means of translating into regulations and ordinances all or any part of the general objectives of the comprehensive plan. See Washington Code 36.70.020
• ordinance: is synonymous with the term "resolution" as representing a legislative enactment by a board of county commissioners. See Washington Code 36.70.020
• person: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080
• Planning agency: means (a) a planning commission, together with its staff members, employees and consultants, or (b) a department organized and functioning as any other department in any county government together with its planning commission. See Washington Code 36.70.020
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• solar energy system: means any device or combination of devices or elements which rely upon direct sunlight as an energy source, including but not limited to any substance or device which collects sunlight for use in: