The following rules of construction shall apply unless inconsistent with the obvious meaning in the context of the provision:
A. 
Tense. Words used in the present tense shall include the future tense.
B. 
Number. Words use in the singular shall include the plural, and words used in the plural shall include the singular.
C. 
Shall, May. The word "shall" is mandatory. The word "may" is permissive.
D. 
Gender. Terms in masculine, feminine and neuter gender shall be interchangeable. Use of genders shall not affect the intent of any provision.
E. 
Headings. In the event that there is any conflict or inconsistency between the heading of a chapter, section, or paragraph of this title, and the content thereof, the said heading shall not affect the scope, meaning or intent of the content.
F. 
The definition of any word or phrase not listed in this chapter shall be as defined from one of the following sources which are incorporated herein by reference. Said sources shall be utilized by finding the desired definition from source (F)(1), but if it is not available there, then source (F)(2) may be used in descending order. The sources are as follows:
1. 
Any city of Centralia resolution, ordinance, code, or regulation; or
2. 
Any chapter of RCW Title 58, Boundaries and Plats (where applicable); or
3. 
The dictionary definition.
(Ord. 2158 § 1 (part), 2005)
As used in this title, the following words and phrases shall mean:
A. 
"Access"
means the right to cross between public and private property, allowing pedestrians and vehicles to enter and leave the property.
B. 
"Alley"
means a public right-of-way primarily designed to serve as a secondary means of access to the side or rear of those properties whose principal frontage is on some other street.
C. 
"As-built drawings or plans"
means revised construction plans in accordance with all approved field changes reflecting the improvements on the site as they actually exist.
D. 
"Binding site plan"
as defined in RCW 58.17.020 means a drawing to a scale specified by local ordinance which: (1) identifies and shows the areas and location of all streets, roads, improvements, utilities, open spaces, and any other matters specified by local regulations; (2) contains inscriptions or attachments setting forth such appropriate limitations and conditions for the use of the land as are established by the Centralia city council; and (3) contains provisions making any development be in conformity with the site plan. For the purposes of this title, a "binding site plan" also means a survey together with a developer agreement which, when approved and recorded as required by this title, provides a method of land division for the purpose of sale or lease of property including condominiums.
E. 
"Block"
means a group of lots, tracts, or parcels within well-defined and fixed boundaries.
F. 
"Boundary line adjustment"
means a division of land for the purpose of alteration by minor adjustment of boundary lines, between platted or unplatted lots or parcels or both, which does not create an additional lot, tract, parcel, building site, or division, nor creates any lot, tract, parcel, building site, or division which contains insufficient area or dimension to meet the minimum requirements for width or area for a building site. Boundary line adjustments are to be used to consolidate lots and resolve minor boundary line problems between two parcels of land, such as discrepancies found as a result of a boundary survey. Boundary line changes that alter the underlying plat pattern such as changing the general direction of lot lines or lot access are not boundary line adjustments.
G. 
"City"
means the city of Centralia, Lewis County, Washington.
H. 
"Closed record appeal"
means an administrative appeal on the record to the Lewis County superior court or city council of Centralia following an open record hearing on a project permit application when the appeal is on the record with no new evidence allowed to be submitted.
I. 
"Comprehensive plan"
means the city of Centralia comprehensive plan update adopted on December 8, 1998, together with all future amendments and supplements hereafter adopted by the Centralia city council.
J. 
"Condominium"
means a building or group of buildings in which dwelling units are owned individually and common areas and facilities are owned in common as provided by state statute.
K. 
"Contiguous"
means next to, abutting, or touching, and having a boundary, or portion thereof, that is coterminous.
L. 
"Covenant"
means a clause in a contract; a promise; an agreement contained in a deed for the performance or nonperformance of certain acts or the use or nonuse of property.
M. 
"Cul-de-sac"
means a street closed at one end by a circular area of sufficient size for convenient reversal of traffic movement.
N. 
"Dedication"
means the deliberate appropriation of land by an owner for any general and public use, reserving to himself no other rights than such as are compatible with the full exercise and enjoyment of the public uses to which the property has been devoted. The intention to dedicate shall be evidenced by the owner by the presentment for filing of a short plat or final plat showing the dedication thereon; and, the acceptance of such plat for filing by the city council. "Dedication" means the appropriation of land by its owner for public use which has been accepted for such use by authorized officials on behalf of the public.
O. 
"Director"
means the director of community development or his/her designee.
P. 
"Division of land"
means a transaction or action, not otherwise exempt or provided for under the provisions of this title, which alters or affects the size, shape or legal description of any part of a parcel as defined in this chapter.
Q. 
"Easement"
is a grant of one or more of the property rights by the property owner for use by the public, a corporation, or another person, government agency, public utility company or other entity.
R. 
"Final plat"
is a precise final drawing of a subdivision and dedications which conforms to the approved preliminary plat, meets all conditions of the preliminary approval and meets the requirements of the Lewis County auditor for recording.
S. 
"Improvements"
means street grading or graveling, permanent street and corner monuments, street pavement, curbs and sidewalks, pedestrian ways, water mains, storm and sanitary sewers, street lights, and other required or necessary facilities.
T. 
"Lot"
means a tract, plot, or portion of a subdivision or other parcel of land intended as a unit for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of transfer of ownership, or possession, or for development.
U. 
"Lot area"
means the total horizontal area within the boundary lines of a lot, excluding any street right-of-way or access easement. For those lots created after June 10, 2003, the enaction of Ordinance No. 2106, the area within the access portion of a flag lot does not count toward the minimum lot area.
V. 
"Lot consolidation"
means a process used for the purpose of consolidating boundary lines between platted or unplatted lots or both, which does not create any additional lots, tracts, parcels, or sites, and combines them into one building site.
W. 
"Lot, flag"
means a lot not meeting minimum frontage requirements and where access to the public road is by a private easement or driveway.
X. 
"Lot width"
is the distance between the side lot lines measured at right angles to the line establishing the lot depth at a point midway between the front lot line and the rear lot line. Any area used as an access easement shall be excluded from the computation of the lot width.
Y. 
"Monument"
means an object used to permanently mark a surveyed location. The size, shape and design of the monument are to be in accordance with standards specified in Chapter 58.09 RCW, the Survey Recording Act.
Z. 
"Net buildable area"
means the area of a parcel of land, less the area devoted to streets, roads, or alleys, whether public or private.
AA. 
"Open record hearing"
means a hearing, conducted by the hearing examiner or planning commission, that creates the city's record through testimony and submission of evidence and information, under the procedures prescribed herein. An open record hearing may be held on an appeal, to be known as an "open record appeal hearing," if no open record predecision hearing has been held on the project permit.
BB. 
"Park/recreation area"
means that portion of a site which is reserved for parks and playgrounds or other recreational purposes. Park/recreation areas do not include land occupied by structures, roads, road rights-of-way or parking areas or the yards or lots of residential units. Recreational uses may contain impervious surfaces.
CC. 
"Person"
means an individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, syndicate, or any other legal entity, including a trustee, receiver, assignee, or representative thereof.
DD. 
"Plat"
means a map or representation of a subdivision or short subdivision showing thereon the division of a tract or parcel of land into lots, blocks, streets and alleys or other divisions and dedications.
EE. 
"Preliminary plat"
means a neat and approximate drawing of a proposed subdivision or short subdivision showing the general layout of streets and alleys, lots, blocks, and other elements of a subdivision which shall be the basis for the approval or disapproval of the general layout of a subdivision.
FF. 
"Right-of-way"
means a strip of land occupied or intended to be occupied by a street, alley, crosswalk, railroad, electric transmission line, oil or gas pipeline, water main, sanitary or storm sewer main, shade trees, or other special use. The usage of the term "right-of-way" for land platting purposes shall mean that every right-of-way hereafter established and shown on a final plat is to be separate and distinct from the lots or parcels adjoining such right-of-way and not included within the dimensions or areas of such lots or parcels. Rights-of-way intended for streets, alleys, crosswalks, water mains, sanitary sewers, storm drains, shade trees, or any other use involving maintenance by a public agency shall be dedicated to public use by the maker of the plat on which such right-of-way is established.
GG. 
"Short plat"
means the map of representation of a short subdivision which conforms to the requirements of this title.
HH. 
"Short subdivision"
is the division or redivision of land into nine or fewer lots, tracts, parcels, sites or divisions for the purpose of sale, lease, or transfer of ownership.
II. 
"Street improvements"
means sidewalks, gutters, public storm sewers, street lights, public street grading or graveling, and public street pavement.
JJ. 
"Subdivider"
means any person, firm or corporation who subdivides or develops any land deemed to be either a subdivision or short subdivision as herein defined.
KK. 
"Subdivision"
means the division or redivision of land into five or more lots, tracts, parcels, sites, or divisions for the purposes of sale, lease, or transfer of ownership.
LL. 
"Title certificate"
means a title report or plat certificate issued by a title insurance company certifying the ownership, deed restrictions, covenants, etc., of the land being subdivided.
(Ord. 2158 § 1 (part), 2005; Ord. 2174 § 1, 2006; Ord. 2210 § 1, 2008)