"Access"
means ingress and egress to and from premises. This also means access to public way and general road system.
"Access corridor"
means a vehicle circulation area in private ownership, including easements, tracts and driveways in common ownership, over which access is afforded to more than one lot, or which serves more than 30 dwelling units in a multifamily development. Driveways serving a group of less than 30 dwelling units in multifamily developments shall not be considered access corridors.
"Access (primary)"
means a principal entrance to a structure through which pedestrians enter during normal operating hours of the facility.
"Accessory building"
means a building which is subordinate to the main building, and is incidental to the use of the main building on the same lot and does not exceed one story or 12 feet in height.
"Accessory dwelling unit (ADU)"
means a subordinate, self-contained residential unit that is located on the same lot as, and is incidental to, a primary dwelling unit. An ADU provides complete independent living facilities, including permanent provisions for sleeping, cooking, sanitation, and living space. An ADU may be located within or attached to the primary dwelling, or within a detached structure on the same lot.
"Accessory living quarters"
means living quarters in an accessory building for the use of the occupant or persons employed on the premises, or for temporary use by guests of the occupant. Such quarters do not include an area for the preparation or storage of food and are not used as a separate dwelling unit.
"Accessory structure"
means a building or other structure that is subordinate to the principal building and is incidental to the use of the principal building on the same lot and does not exceed one story or 12 feet in height.
"Accessory use"
means a use that is clearly incidental and subordinate to the principal use on the same lot.
"Adult business"
means any business which sells, rents, displays, or provides adult stock in trade depicting, describing or relating to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas, or engages in or permits specified sexual activities on the premises, and which excludes any person by virtue of age from all or part of the premises. Adult businesses include, but are not limited to:
(1) 
Adult bathhouse;
(2) 
Adult bookstore in which 10 percent or more of the stock in trade is adult stock in trade;
(3) 
Adult cabaret which presents go-go dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators or similar entertainment;
(4) 
Adult massage parlor in which massage or touching of the human body is provided for a fee;
(5) 
Adult retail store in which 10 percent or more of the stock in trade is adult stock in trade;
(6) 
Adult sauna parlor;
(7) 
Adult theater, including a building, portion of a building, enclosure or drive-in theater which displays adult stock in trade;
(8) 
Adult video store in which 10 percent or more of the stock in trade is adult stock in trade.
"Adult family home"
means a residence licensed by the state of Washington where personal care, room and board are provided for more than one but not more than six adults who are not related by blood or marriage to the person or persons providing the services.
"Adult stock in trade"
means all books, pictures or other printed materials, products or equipment, prerecorded videotapes, discs, or similar material distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on matter depicting, describing or relating to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas where such material is generally available for rental, purchase, viewing, or use by patrons of the establishment, excluding material located in any storeroom or other portion of the premises not regularly open to patrons.
"Advertising vehicle"
means any vehicle or trailer on a public right-of-way or public property or on private property so as to be visible from a public right-of-way which has attached thereto, or located thereon, any sign or advertising device for the basic purpose of providing advertisement or products or directing people to a business activity located on the same property or nearby property or any other premises. The vehicle must be used primarily for the purpose of advertising, as opposed to serving some other function such as delivery of goods or services or transport.
"Air-supported structure"
means an air-supported or inflated object with or without cable supports and braces intended to attract attention to the location, event or promotion.
"Alley"
means a public or private way permanently reserved as a secondary means of access to abutting property. Alleys shall generally only serve utility vehicles, residents or employees of abutting properties.
"Alteration"
means a change or rearrangement of the structural parts of existing facilities or an enlargement by extending the side or increasing the height or depth or moving from one location to another. In buildings for businesses, commercial, industrial or similar uses, the installation or rearrangement of partitions affecting more than one-third of a single floor area shall be considered an alteration.
"Amortization period"
means the time within which a nonconforming sign must be made conforming.
"Animal clinic"
means an establishment that is under the direction of a veterinarian licensed by the state of Washington for medical services to small pet animals not including poisonous reptiles or farm animals and not requiring confinement or supervised care on the premises.
"Animal shelter"
means an establishment where stray, lost, abandoned or surrendered animals, mostly dogs and cats, and sometimes sick or wounded wildlife are kept and rehabilitated and may be sold or offered for adoption.
"Antenna"
means a wire or system of wires, rods, poles, or similar devices; or satellite dishes used for the transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves, external to or attached to the exterior of any building or antenna support structure.
"Antenna support structure"
means a structure or device specifically designed, constructed and/or erected for the purpose of attaching, mounting or otherwise affixing antennas at a height, altitude, or elevation.
"Apartment"
means any portion of a multifamily or mixed use building that is designed, built, rented, leased or offered to be occupied as an independent living unit with self-contained cooking facilities.
"Applicant"
means a person seeking development approval from the city.
"Appropriate provisions"
means the adequate and timely provision of public services and facilities to be utilized by the lots of a plat, including roads, access, potable water, sanitary waste, parks and open space, and playgrounds, consistent with level of service standards established by the city of Granite Falls comprehensive plan.
"Area or surface area of sign"
means the greatest area of a sign, visible from any one viewpoint, excluding the sign support structures, which do not form part of the sign proper or of the display. Surface area shall be measured as follows:
(1) 
The "surface area" of the sign is determined by the height times the width of a typical rectangular sign, or other appropriate mathematical computation of surface area, for nonrectangular signs.
(2) 
For identical multiple sided signs, only one face shall be included in the area calculation.
"Assisted senior living facility"
means a residential facility for elderly persons (ages 55 or older) who require assistance with daily tasks such as cooking, eating, bathing, housekeeping, dispensing of medicines, shopping, appointments and other tasks.
"Awning"
means a roof-like cover which projects from the wall of a building for the purpose of shielding the door, window or pedestrians from the elements.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 862 § 2, 2013; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 937 § 10 (Exh. I), 2017; Ord. 960 § 4 (Exh. C), 2018; Ord. 1020 § 1 (Att. A), 2022; Ord. 1069, 2025)
"Bed and breakfast"
means a single-family residence that provides overnight lodging and limited meal service for guests and which is limited to five guest rooms or less.
"Billboard"
means a sign that directs attention to a business, commodity, service or entertainment conducted, sold or offered at a location other than the premises on which the sign is located.
"Binding site plan"
means a drawing to a scale of no smaller than one inch to 100 feet which:
(1) 
Identifies and shows the areas and locations 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 city of Granite Falls; and
(3) 
Contains provisions making any development be in conformity with the site plan.
"Block"
means a group of continuous lots, tracts or parcels within well-defined and fixed boundaries.
"Boarding house"
means a rooming house with no more than five guest rooms operated for compensation in which meals (with or without lodging) are provided.
"Building"
means a structure having a roof for the shelter of persons or property exceeding 200 square feet of gross floor area.
"Building area" or "building site"
means an area within a lot upon which a building to accommodate the principal use of the lot could be practicably built, bound by the setbacks.
"Building coverage, maximum"
means the coverage of a lot with roofed structures.
"Building face"
means the outer surface of any building which is visible from any private or public street, highway or alley.
"Building, principal or main"
means the building which accommodates the principal use of a site or lot.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 862 § 3, 2013; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 937 § 10 (Exh. I), 2017; Ord. 1020 § 1 (Att. A), 2022)
"Canopy"
means a freestanding structure affording protection from the elements to persons or property thereunder.
"Cattery"
means an establishment where adult cats are temporarily boarded for compensation, whether or not for training. An adult cat is of either sex, altered or unaltered, that has reached the age of six months.
"City"
means the city of Granite Falls, Washington.
"City council"
means the city council of Granite Falls.
"City designated official"
means the city designated official of the city of Granite Falls.
"Closed record appeal"
means an appeal to the city council based on the existing record.
"Commercial"
means property zoned and used for business purposes, such as a restaurant or an office building, as distinguished from residential, industrial, or agricultural property.
"Communication facility"
means an unstaffed facility for the transmission and/or reception of wireless communication services, usually consisting of antennas, equipment enclosures, transmission cables, and a support structure.
"Community development infrastructure"
means systems and facilities that support land use development including, but not limited to, sanitary sewer, domestic water, streets, stormwater, parks and open space, and other infrastructure or facilities for public use.
"Community facilities district" or "CFD"
means a district created under RCW 36.145.005 for purposes of financing community development infrastructure.
"Community garden"
means a parcel of land or portion thereof used for the cultivation of plants by multiple individuals or households, typically for personal consumption, donation, or community benefit rather than commercial sale. A community garden may include individual or shared garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses, tool sheds, composting areas, rainwater collection systems, fencing, and gathering areas.
"Community service event" or "civic event"
means an event (e.g., festival, parking, fun run, and/or meeting) sponsored by a private or public organization, and benefiting a nonprofit cause or governmental program, including but not limited to events sponsored by schools, religious, or civic fraternal organizations.
"Comprehensive plan"
means the Granite Falls comprehensive plan adopted in 2015, as amended.
"Concurrency"
means the requirement of the Growth Management Act that requires developments to pay for the impact(s) at the time or within six years of the impact(s).
"Conditional use"
means a use allowed in one or more zones as defined by this UDC, but which has peculiar characteristics such as: size, technological processes or equipment, location with reference to surroundings, streets, and existing improvements or demands upon public facilities, and therefore requires a special permit in order to assure proper control to make the use consistent and compatible with other existing or permissible uses in the same zone and mitigate adverse impacts of the use.
"Condominium"
means a type of real property ownership in projects composed of two or more dwelling units, offices, or other establishments that are individually owned and within which common building areas or land areas of the project are owned cooperatively in fixed percentages by the owners of the individual dwelling units or establishments. This type of development requires the preparation of a declaration of condominium under the provisions of the state Condominium Act, Chapter 64.34 RCW, and the formation of a legal homeowners' association to guide the financial and maintenance arrangements for the units within the development.
"Congregate care facility/retirement center"
means a residential facility designed for and occupied by at least one person per unit who is able to live independently and without 24-hour supervision; and providing centralized services for the residents including meals, recreation, housekeeping, laundry and transportation.
"Courtyard apartments"
means attached dwelling units arranged on two or three sides of a yard or court.
"Critical areas"
means areas of environmental sensitivity, which 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, as defined in Chapter 19.07 GFMC.
"Cul-de-sac"
means a short street intersecting with another street at one end and terminated by a vehicular turnaround at the other end.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 862 § 4, 2013; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 960 § 4 (Exh. C), 2018; Ord. 1069, 2025; Ord. 1070 § 2, 2026)
"Date of decision"
means the date on which final action occurs and from which the appeal period is calculated.
"Day care center (commercial)"
means an establishment licensed by the state of Washington, used to provide adult or child care services during part of the 24-hour day in a facility that is not the primary residence of the operator(s) and has six or more adults or children.
"Dedication"
means the deliberate appropriation of land or rights in land by its owner for any general and public use, reserving to the property owner no other rights than such as are compatible with the full exercise and enjoyment of the public use to which the property has been devoted. The intention to dedicate shall be evidenced by the owner by the presentment for filing of a final plat, short plat or other legal means that show the dedication thereon; and the acceptance by the public shall be evidenced by the approval of such document.
"Density"
means the number of permitted dwelling units allowed on each acre of net project area or fraction thereof rounded to the nearest whole number.
"Designated official"
means the city designated official assigned the responsibility by the city administrator for interpreting, implementing and enforcing the UDC.
"Detached"
means a type of building or dwelling unit surrounded on all sides by open space and not connected to other buildings or structures except for permitted accessory structures.
"Developer"
means a person or entity who owns or holds purchase options or other development control over property for which development activity is proposed.
"Development code"
means the unified development code (UDC), Chapters 19.01 through 19.10 GFMC.
"Display"
means the visual information shown on a sign, including the text, graphics, logo, pictures, lights and background.
"Display area"
means the greatest area of display meant to contain the text, graphics, pictures, lights and other background details to be viewed as signage. Display area shall be measured as the smallest rectangle placed around all that comprises the display area. On no sign shall the display area be less than 50 percent of the surface area of the sign.
(1) 
Display area includes only one face of a double-faced sign where the faces of the sign are parallel. If any face is offset from parallel or separated by more than two feet, such face shall be counted as a separate surface area.
(2) 
Display area of a spherical, cubical or polyhedral sign equals the sum of the surface area of all faces, divided by two.
"Display garden"
means a landscaped area designed primarily for public viewing, education, or aesthetic enjoyment, which may include ornamental plants, native vegetation, demonstration plantings, or themed gardens. Limited maintenance structures, interpretive signage, pedestrian pathways, and accessory features such as benches may be included. A display garden is not intended for the regular production of food for sale or distribution, though incidental harvesting for educational or demonstration purposes may occur.
"Dog day care"
means any commercial facility where four or more dogs are left by their owners during the daytime for periods of supervised social interaction in play groups with other dogs. Supervised social interaction occurs during the majority of the time the pets are at the facility.
"Drive-in restaurant"
means a food and beverage establishment that contains an outside service window and/or provision for food service to occupants of automobiles parked on the premises.
"Driveway"
means a vehicle entrance which serves a lot, structure or parking area.
"Driving surface"
means that portion of a street intended for vehicular travel or parking.
"Duplex"
means a building with two attached dwelling units with common separation walls joining the units, neither of which overlaps the other vertically.
"Dwelling unit"
means a building or portion thereof providing complete housekeeping facilities for one family. Dwelling unit does not include recreation vehicles or mobile homes. (See also definitions of "multifamily dwelling" and "single-family dwelling" in GFMC § 19.02.130 and § 19.02.190, respectively.)
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 862 § 5, 2013; Ord. 883 § 4, 2014; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 937 § 10 (Exh. I), 2017; Ord. 1020 § 1 (Att. A), 2022; Ord. 1069, 2025; Ord. 1070 § 2, 2026)
"Easement, access"
means a private access no less than 25 feet wide which provides vehicular access to a street from no more than four existing or potential lots.
"Eave line"
means the juncture of the roof and the perimeter of the wall of the structure.
"Educational institutions"
means facilities that provide instruction and training in a wide variety of subjects by specialized enterprises, such as schools, colleges, universities, and training centers.
"Emergency shelter, indoor"
means any facility that is constructed for the primary purpose of providing shelter for people experiencing homelessness in general or for specific populations of people experiencing homelessness consistent with RCW 36.70A.030(10). People may be granted admittance on a nightly or extended-stay basis. Emergency shelters may include day centers that do not provide overnight accommodations. Supportive services may or may not be provided in addition to the provision of shelter. Occupants may not be required to enter into a lease or occupancy agreement.
"Emergency shelter, outdoor"
means a facility that provides shelter in temporary structures for people experiencing homelessness in general or for specific populations of people experiencing homelessness. "Temporary structure" means not affixed to land permanently including tents, vehicles, or other structures not regulated under the building code. People may be granted admittance on a nightly or extended-stay basis. Occupants may not be required to enter into a lease or occupancy agreement.
"Erect"
means to build, construct, attach, place, affix, raise, assemble, create, paint, draw or in any other way bring into being or establish.
"Essential public facility (EPF)"
means those facilities that are typically difficult to site, such as airports, state education facilities and state or regional transportation facilities as defined in RCW 47.06.140, regional transit authority facilities as defined in RCW 81.112.020, state and local correctional facilities, solid waste handling facilities, and inpatient facilities including substance abuse facilities, mental health facilities, group homes, and secure community transition facilities as defined in RCW 71.09.020. The term "essential public facility" includes, but is not necessarily limited to, all facilities referenced in RCW 36.70A.200, all facilities enumerated on the list maintained by the State Office of Financial Management pursuant to RCW 36.70A.200(4), and all facilities categorized as essential public facilities in this title.
"Essential public facility, local"
means an essential public facility owned, operated, or sponsored by the city of Granite Falls, a special purpose district, Snohomish County (for facilities that do not provide service to the county-wide population), or another unit of local government. An EPF is "sponsored" by a local government when it will be owned or operated by a nongovernmental entity pursuant to a contract with the local government to provide the EPF.
"Essential public facility, regional"
means an EPF that is owned, operated, or sponsored by Snohomish County or a regional agency whose boundaries encompass the city and which serves a substantial portion of the county-wide population or a geographic area that is greater than the county. An EPF is "sponsored" by the county or a regional agency when it will be owned or operated by a nongovernmental entity pursuant to a contract with the county or regional agency to provide the EPF.
"Essential public facility, state"
means an EPF that is owned, operated, or sponsored by the state of Washington, including any department or agency thereof. An EPF is "sponsored" by the state when it will be owned or operated by a nongovernmental entity pursuant to a contract with the state to provide the EPF.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1069, 2025)
"Facade"
means the exterior wall face of a building, extending from the ground to the top of the parapet or eaves, but not including any portion of the roof. Each side of a building (i.e., each architectural elevation) is considered one facade.
"Family"
means:
(1) 
Individuals consisting of two or more persons related by genetics, adoption or marriage, or a group of five or fewer persons who are not related by genetics, adoption or marriage, and none of whom are wards of the court, unless such wards are related by genetics, adoption, or marriage to all of the members of such group living in a dwelling unit.
(2) 
The term "family" shall include:
(a) 
State licensed adult family homes required to be recognized as residential use pursuant to RCW 70.128.175;
(b) 
State licensed foster family homes and group care facilities as defined in RCW 74.15.180, subject to subsection (3) of this definition;
(c) 
Group homes for the disabled required to be accommodated as residential uses pursuant to the Fair Housing Act amendments as the same exists or is hereafter amended.
(3) 
The term "family" shall exclude individuals residing in halfway houses, crisis residential centers as defined in RCW 74.15.020(3)(g), group homes licensed for juvenile offenders, or other facilities, whether or not licensed by the state, where individuals are incarcerated or otherwise required to reside pursuant to a court order under the supervision of paid staff and personnel.
"Family day care"
means a facility licensed by the state of Washington located in the family abode of a person or persons for regularly scheduled care of six or fewer adults or children, for periods less than 24 hours in any given day.
"Festoon(s)"
means a strip or string of balloons, flags or lights, which includes clusters of balloons, flags or lights, connected on at least one end to a fixed or movable object such as a vehicle.
"Final decision"
means the final action by the designated official, planning commission, hearing examiner or city council.
"Final plat"
means the final drawing of the subdivision and dedication prepared for filing for record with the Snohomish County auditor office, and containing all elements and requirements set forth in this title.
"Floor area"
means the sum of the gross horizontal area of the floor or floors of all the buildings on a building site, measured from the exterior faces of the exterior walls, including elevator shafts and stairwells on each floor and all areas having a ceiling height of seven feet or more; but excluding all parking and loading spaces inside the building, unroofed areas, roofed areas open on two or more sides, areas having a ceiling height of less than seven feet, and basements used exclusively for storage or housing of fixed mechanical equipment or central heating or cooling equipment.
"Floor area ratio"
means the ratio of building floor area to the area of the lot upon which the building is located.
"Foster home"
means a home licensed and regulated by the state of Washington and classified by the state as a foster home, providing care and guidance for not more than three unrelated juveniles.
Front Lot Line.
See definition of "street lot line" in GFMC § 19.02.190.
"Frontage"
means the linear distance of property along a street or highway, excluding alleys.
"Frontage, building"
means that part of a building or structure considered to be the face of a building with a principal access to a business or businesses.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 862 § 6, 2013; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1020 § 1 (Att. A), 2022)
"Garage, parking or commercial"
means a building used for storage, repair or servicing of motor vehicles as a commercial use.
"Garage, private"
means an accessory building or space within the principal building used for storage of vehicles.
"Gasoline service station"
means an establishment that sells motor vehicle fuels, lubricants, and auto accessories, and may include vehicle washing and servicing, not including painting, bodywork or major engine repair.
"Grade"
means the surface of the ground.
"Grade (existing)"
means the elevation of the ground or site prior to any work being done or any changes being made to the ground or site.
"Grade (ground level)"
means the finished level of the street (or parking lot) closest to the sign to which reference is made. In cases where the property on which the sign is located is lower than the immediately adjacent street level, the ground level shall be considered the street level as measured from the street centerline, so as to facilitate visibility of signage.
"Grade plane"
means a reference plane representing the average of finished ground level adjoining the building at exterior walls. Where the finished ground level slopes away from the exterior walls, the reference plane shall be established by the lowest point within the area between the building and the lot line or, where the lot line is more than six feet (1,829 mm) from the building, between the building and a point six feet (1,829 mm) from the building.
"Greenbelt"
means an area of vegetation, either native stock or replanted, in public or private ownership lying outside and adjacent to the right-of-way line of streets or along real property lines. Greenbelts are intended to visually and physically screen and separate land uses or activities from each other.
"Grooming services"
means a service that provides hygienic care (such as pet cleaning) and/or aesthetic services (such as cat and dog grooming). Grooming is the process by which a dog's or cat's physical appearance is enhanced and kept according to breed standards for competitive breed showing, for other types of competition, like creative grooming or pet tuning contests, or just to their owners' taste.
"Ground cover"
means small plants that grow close to the ground.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 862 § 7, 2013; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 937 § 10 (Exh. I), 2017; Ord. 960 § 4 (Exh. C), 2018)
"Hard surface coverage"
means all impervious surfaces (asphalt, concrete pavement, compacted gravel areas, buildings, driveways, parking lots, sidewalks, etc.) and permeable surfaces like pervious pavements, or vegetated roofs. Walkways/pathways five feet in width or less are less are excluded from the total calculation.
"Hazardous waste"
means all dangerous and extremely hazardous waste as defined in RCW 70.105.010(15), or its successor, except for moderate risk waste as set forth in RCW 70.105.010(17), or its successor.
"Hazardous waste storage"
means the holding of hazardous waste for a temporary period as regulated by the state dangerous waste regulations, Chapter 173-303 WAC, or its successor.
"Hazardous waste treatment"
means the physical, chemical, or biological processing of hazardous waste for the purpose of rendering these wastes nondangerous or less dangerous, safer for transport, amenable for storage, or reduced in volume, as regulated by the state dangerous waste regulations, Chapter 173-030 WAC, or its successor.
"Hazardous waste treatment and storage facility on site"
means storage and treatment facilities which treat and store hazardous wastes generated on the same property.
"Health care facility"
means a building designed and used for the provision of human health care services.
"Hearing examiner"
means the official appointed by the mayor to adjudicate land use decisions as set forth in this code.
"Heavy equipment"
means any powered machinery, vehicle, or device designed primarily for construction, earthmoving, or industrial operations, including but not limited to bulldozers, excavators, cranes, graders, loaders, dump trucks, and similar equipment, which, due to size, weight, or function, may produce significant noise, vibration, or traffic impacts, and is not generally intended for routine residential or small-scale commercial use.
"Hedge"
means a fence or boundary formed by a dense row of shrubs or low trees.
"Height, building"
means the vertical distance from grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface.
"Height of sign"
means the vertical distance from the grade to the highest point of a sign or any vertical projection thereof, including its supporting columns, or the vertical distance from the relative grade in the immediate vicinity.
"Holographic display"
means any display that creates a three-dimensional image through projection.
"Home occupation"
means an economic enterprise to make a product or perform a service that is conducted or operated within a residential dwelling unit, or building accessory to a residential dwelling unit, by the resident occupant or owner, and which use shall be clearly incidental and secondary to the residential use of the dwelling unit, including the use of the dwelling unit as a business address in a directory or as a business mailing address.
"Hospital"
means an institution that provides 24-hour-per-day care for the diagnosis, treatment, care and curing of individuals suffering from illness, injury or any condition requiring medical, obstetric, surgical, or psychiatric care; and other related uses customarily incidental thereto.
"Hotel"
means any building containing six or more guest rooms where lodging, with or without meals, is provided for compensation.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 862 § 8, 2013; Ord. 904 § 24, 2015; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 937 § 10 (Exh. I), 2017; Ord. 960 § 4 (Exh. C), 2018; Ord. 1069, 2025; Ord. 1070 § 2, 2026)
"Impervious surface"
means paved, gravel, or compacted surfaces, including roofs that prevent or retard the percolation of water into the underlying soil relative to the native soil in the immediate area of the site.
"Impound yard"
means a site used for the storage of impounded vehicles on a temporary basis (less than 90 days).
"Inflatable object"
means any inflatable object larger than three feet in diameter, such as a blimp, large balloon, or inflatable sport equipment, used to attract attention to a business, special event or activity.
"Interior alterations"
means construction activities that do not modify the exiting site layout or the building footprint.
"Interior lot"
means a lot fronting on only one street (also see "lot" in GFMC § 19.02.120).
"Interior parking lot landscaping"
means a landscaped area abutting pavement on at least three sides within a parking lot.
"Interior side yard"
means the side yard adjacent to another building site.
"Irregular lot"
means a lot which is shaped so that application of setback requirements is difficult. Examples include a lot with a shape which is not close to rectangular, or a lot with no readily identifiable rear lot line.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 862 § 9, 2013; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1069, 2025)
Reserved.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016)
"Kennel"
means a structure or lot on which four or more domestic animals at least four months of age are kept.
"Kitchen"
means any room used or intended or designed to be used for cooking or preparation of food.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016)
"Landscape"
means site or development area characterized by plantings, screens, buffers, and other features intended to provide aesthetic or functional relief.
"Level of service (LOS)"
means an established minimum capacity of capital facilities or services provided by capital facilities that must be provided per unit of demand or other appropriate measure of need.
"Light equipment"
means any machinery, vehicle, or device used for maintenance, landscaping, construction, or other operational purposes that is smaller in scale, weight, or impact than heavy equipment, including but not limited to small tractors, skid-steer loaders, compact excavators, and similar tools, and which is generally suitable for residential, commercial, or small-scale industrial use without significant impacts to surrounding properties.
"Lighting"
means the illumination of structures and/or buildings and signs.
"Line, property"
means the line defining the extent of a lot in a given direction.
"Line, setback"
means a line beyond which, toward a property line, no structure may extend or be placed except as permitted by the regulations of this title.
"Live/work units"
means built spaces that function as both work spaces and residences, allowing for workers to live and work in the same location.
"Lot"
means a fractional part of divided lands having fixed boundaries, being of sufficient area and dimension to meet minimum zoning requirements for width and area. A lot may be a lot of record, more than one lot of record or portion of a lot of record. The term shall not include tracts.
"Lot area"
means the total horizontal area within the boundary lines of a lot, excluding any street right-of-way or access easement.
"Lot, corner"
means a lot which has frontage on two or more streets where the streets meet.
"Lot coverage"
means the total ground coverage of all buildings or structures on a site measured from the outside of external walls or support members.
"Lot depth"
means the length of the lot measured on a line approximately perpendicular to the fronting street and midway between the side lot lines of the lot.
"Lot line"
means any line enclosing the lot area.
"Lot line adjustment"
means the adjustment of a boundary line between existing lots which results in no more lots than existed before the adjustment.
"Lot line, front"
means the line separating any lot or parcel of land from a street right-of-way. On a through lot, the line abutting the street providing primary access to the lot.
"Lot line, rear"
means a lot line or lines which are opposite and most distant from the front lot line.
"Lot line, side"
means any lot line that is not a street or rear lot line.
"Lot of record"
means an area or parcel of land as shown on an officially recorded plat or subdivision, or a lot that is otherwise legally created prior to August 12, 1981, the effective date of the Granite Falls Municipal Code (GFMC).
"Lot, parent"
means the initial lot from which unit lots are subdivided.
"Lot, through"
means a lot fronting on two streets that is not a corner lot.
"Lot, unit"
means one of the individual lots created by the subdivision of a parent lot pursuant to GFMC § 19.05.310.
"Lot width"
means 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.
"Low income"
means as defined by the U.S. Bureau of Census and included in the Granite Falls comprehensive plan, housing element, pages HO-10 and HO-11.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1020 § 1 (Att. A), 2022; Ord. 1069, 2025; Ord. 1070 § 2, 2026)
Main Building.
See "building, principal or main" in GFMC § 19.02.020.
"Maintained"
means in good, unbroken, clean or working condition, with a minimum of tears or rips, or faded paint or lettering, and securely attached or affixed to the supporting structure.
"Maintenance"
means the work of keeping something in a suitable condition such as repair would accomplish.
"Manufactured home"
means a single-family dwelling built according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development Manufactured Construction and Safety Standards Act, which is a national, preemptive building code. A manufactured home also includes plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems; is built on permanent chassis, and can be transported in one or more sections with each section at least eight feet wide and 40 feet long when transported; or when installed on the site is 320 square feet or greater. The term "manufactured home" does not include "recreational vehicles."
"Manufactured or mobile home park"
means a residential development in which the land is owned, operated, and maintained as a commercial business and the individual manufactured homes are either leased or are located on leased sites.
"Marquee"
means a permanent roof-like structure projecting horizontally from and attached to a building, affording protection from the elements to persons and property thereunder.
"Medical or dental office/clinic"
means a commercial use in which health care services for humans are provided on an outpatient basis, including but not limited to offices for doctors, dentists, chiropractors, and other health care practitioners.
"Message"
means a set of sequential displays that conveys related information about a product, service or company in an electronic sign.
"Microbreweries and brew pubs"
means an establishment which manufactures beer or cider beverages on site and may sell products manufactured on site for on-premises and off-premises consumption.
"Mini-storage"/"mini-warehouse"
means a building or group of buildings consisting of individual storage units not exceeding 400 square feet per storage unit that are leased or owned for the storage of business and household goods or contractor's supplies. These facilities shall not be used for any wholesale or retail operations.
"Mini-warehouse"
means a facility consisting of separate storage units which are rented to customers having exclusive and independent access to their respective units for storage of residential or commercial-oriented goods. This definition excludes storage of bulk goods for resale or assembly and establishments offering the sale of bulk goods to the general public.
"Mitigation contribution"
means a cash donation or other valuable consideration offered by the applicant in lieu of: (1) a required dedication of land for public park, recreation, open space, public facilities, or schools; or (2) road improvements needed to maintain adopted levels of service or to ameliorate identified impacts and accepted on the public's behalf as a condition of approval of a subdivision, plat or binding site plan. Voluntary contributions may be accepted by the city.
"Mobile food truck"
means a licensed and operable motor vehicle used to serve, vend, or provide ready to eat food or nonalcoholic beverages for human consumption from an approved and assigned fixed location.
"Mobile food vendor"
means any business operator or vendor who conducts business from a motor vehicle upon public streets or private property, referred to in this chapter as "vendor."
"Mobile home"
means a vehicle bearing the "mobile home" insignia of the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
"Monument sign"
means a ground-mounted, fixed sign having a low profile with no open space between the ground and the sign and having a base structure constructed of masonry, wood, or materials similar in appearance.
"Motel"
means a building containing units which are used as individual sleeping units having their own private toilet facilities and sometimes their own kitchen facilities, designed primarily for the accommodation of transient automobile travelers. Accommodations for recreational vehicles are not included.
"Multifamily dwelling unit"
means a building containing three or more dwelling units, or units when above a ground-floor commercial use. The term includes triplexes, fourplexes, apartments, condominiums and the like. It does not include townhouses, boarding houses, motels or hotels.
"Multiple building complex"
means a group of structures housing more than one type of retail business, office, commercial or manufacturing venture and generally under one ownership and control.
"Multiple occupancy building"
means a single structure housing more than one type of retail business, office, commercial or manufacturing venture.
"Mural"
means a large painting or decoration, either painted directly on the wall, or prepared separately and attached to the wall.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 862 § 10, 2013; Ord. 883 § 4, 2014; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 937 § 10 (Exh. I), 2017; Ord. 960 § 4 (Exh. C), 2018; Ord. 974 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1020 § 1 (Att. A), 2022; Ord. 1069, 2025; Ord. 1070 § 2, 2026)
"Net land area"
means land area excluding critical areas and their buffers, roads, rights-of-way, and dedications including, but not limited to, access easements.
"Net project area"
means the gross area of a development site less the following:
(1) 
Areas located within designated floodplains;
(2) 
Nontransferable critical areas, including but not limited to stream channels, as defined in Chapter 19.07 GFMC;
(3) 
Utility easements 30 feet in width or greater;
(4) 
Land dedicated or otherwise reserved for publicly owned community facilities;
(5) 
Rights-of-way, private roads, access easements, and panhandle areas; provided, that in lieu of a specific deduction under this subsection, an applicant may elect to apply a flat 20 percent reduction of the gross project area to account for rights-of-way, private roads, access easements, and panhandles; and
(6) 
Tracts or easements containing stormwater detention facilities, except where such facilities are located underground and are usable for recreational use.
"Noncommercial public service sign"
means noncommercial signs devoted to religious, charitable, cultural, governmental or educational messages.
"Nonconforming lot"
means a lawfully established lot which does not conform to the provisions of the development code.
"Nonconforming structure"
means a lawfully erected structure which does not conform to the provisions of the development code.
"Nonconforming use"
means a lawfully established use which does not conform to the provisions of the development code.
"Nonprofit organization"
means an organization incorporated under provisions of the Federal Tax Code 501(c)(3).
"Nonresponsiveness"
means that an applicant is not making demonstrable progress on providing additional requested information to the city, or that there is no ongoing communication from the applicant to the city on the applicant's ability or willingness to provide the additional information.
"Nursing or convalescent home"
means an establishment which provides full-time care for three or more chronically ill or infirm persons. Such care shall not include surgical, obstetrical or acute illness services.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 862 § 11, 2013; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1069, 2025; Ord. 1070 § 2, 2026)
"Office"
means a building or separately defined space within a building used for business. The use of an office does not include on-premises sales or manufacture of goods.
"Open record public hearing" or "public hearing"
means a hearing, conducted by a single hearing body or officer authorized by the city to conduct such hearings, that creates the city's record through testimony and submission of evidence and information, under procedures prescribed by the city by ordinance or resolution. An open record public hearing may be held prior to the city's decision on a project permit to be known as an "open record pre-decision hearing." An open record public hearing may be held on an appeal, to be known as an "open record appeal hearing," if no open record pre-decision hearing has been held on the project permit.
"Open space"
means land area not covered by buildings, roads, driveways and parking areas, or outdoor storage areas, including, but not limited to, landscape areas, gardens, woodlands, walkways, courtyards, or lawns and outdoor recreation areas. Except as otherwise provided by this UDC, open space includes setback areas that meet the requirements defined in this UDC.
"Open space, active"
means an open area with a suitable surface and slope for recreation, and it includes features that support recreational use. Passive open spaces, as well as environmentally sensitive areas and their buffers, are not considered active open space.
(1) 
Active open space areas may feature, but are not limited to, the following amenities:
(a) 
Golf course;
(b) 
Swimming pool;
(c) 
Basketball, tennis, pickleball, or similar courts or half-courts;
(d) 
Skateboard facilities;
(e) 
Baseball, football, soccer, or similar fields;
(f) 
Disc golf;
(g) 
Horseshoes, bocce, or similar lawn games;
(h) 
Volleyball or similar net sports;
(i) 
Tot lot with playground equipment (soft surface); or
(j) 
Other similar amenities as determined by the designated official.
"Open space, passive"
means an open space area that is not suited for active recreation but can be used for low-intensity activities like walking, hiking, biking, picnicking, or nature viewing, or it may be left in a natural or landscaped condition.
"Ordinary high water mark"
means the mark found by examining the bed and banks of a stream or lake and ascertaining where the presence and action of water are so common and long maintained in ordinary years as to mark upon the soil a vegetative character distinct from that of the abutting upland. In any area where the ordinary high water mark cannot be found, the line of mean high water shall substitute. In any area where neither can be found, the top of the channel bank shall substitute. In braided channels and alluvial fans, the ordinary high water mark or line of mean high water shall be measured so as to include the entire stream feature.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1069, 2025; Ord. 1070 § 2, 2026)
"Parapet"
means that portion of a building wall and/or facade which extends above the eave line of the building.
"Park"
means a site designed or developed for recreational use by the public including, but not limited to:
(1) 
Indoor facilities such as:
(a) 
Gymnasium;
(b) 
Swimming pool; or
(c) 
Activity center; and
(2) 
Outdoor facilities such as:
(a) 
Playfield;
(b) 
Fishing area;
(c) 
Picnic and related outdoor activity areas; and
(3) 
Areas and trails for:
(a) 
Hikers;
(b) 
Equestrians;
(c) 
Bicyclists; or
(d) 
Off-road recreational vehicle users.
"Parking facilities"
means a land area or building used for the storage of four or more vehicles excluding parking areas for single-family residences. Parking facilities exclude wrecking yards, impound lots and lots used for the storage of damaged vehicles.
"Parking space"
means an area accessible to vehicles and used exclusively or principally for temporary vehicle parking.
"Party of record"
means any person who has testified at a hearing or has submitted a written statement related to a development action and who provides the city with a complete address.
"Permanent supportive housing,"
as defined in RCW 36.70A.030, means subsidized, leased housing with no limit on length of stay that prioritizes people who need comprehensive support services to retain tenancy and utilizes admissions practices designed to use lower barriers to entry than would be typical for other subsidized or unsubsidized rental housing, especially related to rental history, criminal history, and personal behaviors. Permanent supportive housing is paired with on-site or off-site voluntary services designed to support a person living with a complex and disabling behavioral health or physical health condition who was experiencing homelessness or was at imminent risk of homelessness prior to moving into housing to retain their housing and be a successful tenant in a housing arrangement, improve the resident's health status, and connect the resident of the housing with community-based health care, treatment, or employment services. Permanent supportive housing is subject to all of the rights and responsibilities defined in Chapter 59.18 RCW.
"Person"
means any person, firm, business, corporation, partnership or other association or organization, marital community, municipal corporation, or governmental agency.
"Personal service"
means businesses engaged in providing care of the corporeal person or his apparel, not including healthcare.
"Pet store" or "pet shop"
means a retail business which sells different kinds of animals and/or a variety of animal supplies and pet accessories. Pet stores may also provide grooming services, tips on training and behavior, as well as advice on pet nutrition.
"Place of worship"
means a church, synagogue, temple, or other place of religious worship.
"Planned action"
means a significant development proposal as defined in RCW 43.21C.031, as amended.
"Planned residential development"
means a flexible method of land development which accomplishes the purposes of Chapter 19.05 GFMC.
"Planning commission"
means the planning commission of the city of Granite Falls.
"Plat"
means a map or representation of a subdivision, showing thereon the division of a tract or parcel of land into lots, blocks, streets and alleys or other divisions and dedications.
"Porte cochere"
means a covering structure projecting horizontally from and attached to a building, affording protection from the elements; typically used for loading and unloading of vehicles.
"Preliminary plat"
means a neat and approximate drawing of a proposed subdivision showing the general layout of streets and alleys, lots, blocks, and other elements of a subdivision consistent with the requirements of the GFMC. The preliminary plat shall be the basis for the approval or disapproval of the general layout of a subdivision.
"Preschool"
means an establishment providing exclusively educational programs for prekindergarten or preschool children (ages two through five), but excluding day care center as defined under GFMC § 19.02.040 and family day care as defined under GFMC § 19.02.060.
"Primary or principal use"
means the predominant use (60 percent of usable floor area and/or land area) to which all other uses are secondary. Does not apply to the residential units located above a principal use in a commercial zone.
"Private parking"
means parking facilities for the noncommercial use of the occupant and guests of the occupant.
"Project"
means a proposal for development.
"Project permit" or "project permit application"
means any land use or environmental permit or license required from the city for a project action, including but not limited to building permits or other construction permits, subdivisions, binding site plans, planned unit developments, conditional use permits, site plan review, permits or approvals required by the city's critical areas ordinance, but excluding permits for wireless communication facilities and the adoption or amendment of a comprehensive plan, subarea plan, zoning map amendment, or development regulations except as otherwise specifically included in this section, and administrative approvals that are categorically exempt from environmental review or for which environmental review has already been completed.
"Property buffer"
means a greenbelt of varying width located on private property intended to serve as a tree preservation area and/or to separate contiguous developments. The property buffer may be a separate tract or an easement across property and shall be clearly depicted on the face of a plat or binding site plan.
"Property line"
means a portion of the boundary of a parcel of land dividing it from other abutting parcels.
"Public facilities and utilities"
means land or structures owned by or operated for the benefit of the public use and necessity, including, but not limited to, public facilities defined in RCW 36.70A.030, as amended, and private utilities serving the public.
"Public hearing"
means an open record hearing at which evidence is presented and testimony is taken.
"Public improvement"
means any structure, utility, roadway or sidewalk for use by the public, required as a condition of development approval.
"Public meeting"
means an informal meeting, hearing, workshop, or other public gathering of people to obtain comments from the public or other agencies on a proposed project permit prior to the city's decision. A public meeting may include, but is not limited to, a scoping meeting on a draft environmental impact statement. A public meeting does not include an open record hearing. The proceedings at a public meeting may be recorded and a report or recommendation may be included in the city's project permit application file.
"Public open space"
means any publicly owned land, including, but not limited to, parks, playgrounds, waterways, and trails.
"Public safety facility"
means land or structures owned by or operated for the safety and benefit of the public use and necessity, including, but not limited to, fire and police protection services.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 862 § 12, 2013; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 960 § 4 (Exh. C), 2018; Ord. 974 § 2, 2019; Ord. 1020 § 1 (Att. A), 2022; Ord. 1069, 2025)
Reserved.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016)
"Reader board"
means a sign or part of a sign on which the letters are replaceable by manual means such as changing magnetic letters on a signboard.
"Recreational facilities"
means facilities for recreational use such as swimming pools, athletic clubs, tennis courts, ball fields, play fields, picnic shelters, benches, walking trails, and the like.
"Recreational vehicle"
means a wheeled vehicle designed for recreational, camping, or travel uses that either has its own mode of power or is mounted on or drawn by another vehicle, including, but not limited to, travel trailer, park trailer, multiuse vehicle camping trailer, truck camper, motor home, and fifth wheel.
"Recreational vehicle park (RV park)"
means a place where people with recreational vehicles can stay overnight, or longer, in allotted spaces. An RV park may also include facilities for tent camping.
"Remodel, exterior"
means any renovation, upgrading, or otherwise changing the exterior of a building, including repainting.
"Repair"
means to paint, clean or replace damaged parts of a sign, or to improve its structural strength, but not in a manner that would change the size, shape or location.
"Retail, sales"
means the process of selling consumer goods and/or services to customers through multiple channels of distribution to earn a profit.
"Right-of-way"
means the land owned by a public agency and used or planned to be used as a public thoroughfare.
"Roadway buffer/cutting preserve"
means a greenbelt lying outside and adjacent to the right-of-way line of collector and arterial roadways. Roadway buffers/cutting preserves shall be separate, designated tracts and depicted on the face of a plat or official site plan as required by the city as a condition of approval.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 862 § 13, 2013; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1020 § 1 (Att. A), 2022)
"Screen, screening"
means a continuous fence, hedge or combination of both which obscures vision through 80 percent or more of the screen area, not including drives or walkways.
"Scrolling"
means the vertical movement of a static message or display on an electronic sign.
"Searchlight"
means any device emitting a strong beam of light not normally associated with the daily operation or outdoor lighting of the business or location, used to attract attention to the site.
"Secondary use"
means a use, subordinate (less than 40 percent of the usable building floor and/or land area) to the primary use, which may exist only when a primary use is existing on the same lot.
"Semipublic body"
means any organization operating as a nonprofit activity and serving a public purpose or service that includes, without limitation, such organizations as noncommercial clubs, lodges, theater groups, recreational and neighborhood associations, cultural activities and schools.
"Service provider"
means the city or other government or special district that owns, operates, and provides public facilities and services such as water, sewer, or public education.
"Setback"
means the minimum distance required by this UDC for buildings to be set back from the front, side or rear lot lines, rights-of-way or access easements.
"Setback area"
means the lot area between the lot lines and the setback lines.
"Setback line"
means a line which is parallel to a lot line or access easement located at the distance required by the setback.
"Shed"
means an accessory structure, with or without a permanent foundation, without plumbing, used for storage and located in an area or side yard, generally less than 200 square feet in area.
"Short plat"
means the map or representation of a short subdivision.
"Sight distance"
means the clear sight triangles at any intersection or access point connection to allow a driver stopped on an approach to depart from the minor road or access point and enter or cross the major road. The "triangle" is defined by the line-of-sight from a vehicle stopped on a minor road to a vehicle approaching on the major road and back to the intersection. This area, along the intersection approach legs and across their included corners, must be clear of obstructions that might block a driver's view of potentially conflicting vehicles. The vertex, or decision point, of the sight triangle on the minor road or access point shall be 15 feet from the edge of the major road traveled way. The edge of the traveled way shall be the outside edge of the travel lane. Bicycle lanes, walkways or paved shoulders are not included.
"Sign"
means any one or collection of letters, figures, designs, symbols, trademarks, or devices, including artificial representations of stock in trade, which acts as a communication, or is used to attract attention to any activity, service, place, subject, person, firm, corporation or business, but does not include actual unpriced stock in trade on display and available for sale.
"Sign, address"
means any sign of a noncommercial nature stating the address of the structure upon which said sign is located.
"Sign, awning"
means any sign erected upon or against an awning.
"Sign, banner"
means a sign of nonpermanent nature constructed of nonrigid materials.
"Sign, building-mounted"
means a single- or multiple-faced sign of a permanent nature, made of rigid material, attached to or painted upon the wall/facade of a building or the face of a marquee in such a manner that the wall/facade becomes the supporting structure.
"Sign, cabinet"
generally means an internally illuminated sign in which a removable sign face (typically with translucent graphics) is enclosed on all edges by a metal cabinet. A cabinet sign may be multisided.
"Sign, canopy"
means any sign erected upon or against a canopy.
"Sign, changeable message"
means any sign capable of changing the message by means of manual methods.
"Sign, construction"
means an informational sign which identifies the architects, engineers, contractors and other individuals or firms involved with the construction of a building, which is erected during the construction period.
"Sign, directory"
means a sign listing the tenants or occupants of a building or group of buildings and that may indicate their respective professions or business activities.
"Sign, electronic"
means a sign containing a display that can be changed by electrical, electronic or computerized process, not including video signs.
"Sign face"
means each side of a freestanding sign or the visible side of a wall sign. The sign face includes all of the sign except support structures.
"Sign, flashing"
means a sign or a portion thereof which changes light intensity or switches on and off in a constant, random or irregular pattern or contains motion or the optical illusion of motion by use of electrical energy.
"Sign, freestanding"
means a sign permanently mounted into the ground, supported by poles, pylons, braces or a solid base and not attached to any building. Freestanding signs include those signs otherwise known as "pedestal signs," "pole signs," "pylon signs," and "monument signs."
"Sign, illegal"
means any sign which was never legally permitted and does not comply with the requirements of this code within the city limits, as they now or hereafter exist.
"Sign, informational"
means small signs, not exceeding three square feet in surface area, of a noncommercial nature, and not announcing the name of the business or use, intended primarily for the convenience of the public. Included are signs designating restrooms, address numbers, hours of operation, entrances to buildings, directions, help wanted, public telephone, parking directions and the like.
"Sign, legal nonconforming"
means any sign erected prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this UDC pursuant to a city sign permit, not meeting the parameters of this chapter.
"Sign, marquee"
means any sign that forms part of or is integrated into a marquee and that does not extend above the height or beyond the limits of such marquee, also considered an extension of a building mounted sign.
"Sign, monument"
means a ground-mounted, freestanding sign where the base is attached to the ground as a wide base of solid construction, and no part of the sign is wider than the base.
"Sign, mural"
means a mural, as described in GFMC § 19.02.130, containing signage as described in this section.
"Sign, off-premises"
means a sign which displays a message relating to a use of property or sale of goods or services at a location other than that on which the sign is located.
"Sign, on-premises"
means a sign which displays a message that is directly related to the use of the property on which it is located. Including those freestanding signs approved under a master sign site plan.
"Sign, parapet"
means any sign erected upon the parapet of a building, not to exceed the height of said parapet.
"Sign, political"
means a sign advertising a candidate or candidates for public elective office, or a political party, or signs urging a particular vote on a public issue decided by ballot.
"Sign, portable"
means a sign which has no permanent attachment to a building or the ground, including A-frame signs, sandwich board signs, pole attachments, and signs mounted on a mobile base, but not including real estate open house and political signs or portable reader board signs as prohibited.
"Sign(s), primary"
means all permitted monument/freestanding and building-mounted signs.
"Sign, projecting"
means a sign other than a wall sign which projects from and is supported by a wall of a building or structure.
"Sign, real estate"
means a sign that pertains to the sale or lease of the premises, or a portion of the premises on which the sign is located.
"Sign, roof"
means any sign erected above a roof, parapet, canopy, porte cochere of a building or structure, including a sign affixed to any structure erected upon a roof, including a structure housing building equipment.
"Sign, snipe"
means an off-premises sign which is tacked, nailed, posted, pasted, glued or otherwise attached to trees, poles, stakes, fences, utility poles or to other objects, not applicable to the present use of the premises or structure upon which the sign is located.
"Sign, subdivision"
means a sign used to identify a land development of a residential nature.
"Sign, suspended"
means a sign hanging down from a marquee, awning, canopy or porte cochere that would exist without the sign.
"Sign, temporary"
means a nonpermanent sign intended for use for a limited period of time. Types of temporary signs are: construction, banner, inflatable, real estate and political signs.
"Sign, trailer"
means a sign which is attached to a trailer or has been constructed as a trailer for the purpose of being towed by a motor vehicle, whether operable or not.
"Sign, video"
means video devices such as televisions, computer monitors, flat panel displays, plasma screens, and similar video electronics used as signage.
"Sign, wall"
means a single-faced sign of a permanent nature, made of rigid material, attached to or painted upon the wall/facade of a building or the face of a marquee in such a manner that the wall/facade becomes the supporting structure and forms the background surface of the sign and does not project more than 18 inches from such wall/facade.
"Sign, window"
means all signs located inside and affixed to or within three feet of a window of a building, whether temporary or permanent, lighted or unlighted, including electronic signs, which may be viewed from the exterior of the building. The term does not include merchandise located within three feet of a window.
"Significant tree"
means a healthy evergreen or deciduous tree, 10 inches in diameter or greater as a single trunk, measured four feet above existing grade. Alders and cottonwoods are not considered significant trees at any size.
"Single-family dwelling"
means a building containing only one dwelling unit.
"Single occupancy building"
means a commercial or industrial building or structure with one major enterprise. A building is classified as "single occupancy" only if:
(1) 
It has only one occupant;
(2) 
It has no wall in common with another building; and
(3) 
It has no part of its roof in common with another building.
"Site plan"
means a scale drawing which shows the areas and locations of all buildings, streets, roads, improvements, easements, utilities, open spaces and other principal development features for a specific parcel of property.
"Site plan, binding"
means a site plan reviewed and approved pursuant to this UDC, containing the inscriptions or attachments setting forth the limitations and conditions of use for a specific parcel of property and meeting the requirements of the Snohomish County auditor for recording.
"Social or civic organization facility"
means a facility used for social or civic purposes, operated by a nonprofit or government organization.
"Specialized instruction school"
means an establishment engaged in providing specialized instruction in a designed field of study, rather than a full range of courses in unrelated areas; including, but not limited to:
(1) 
Art;
(2) 
Dance;
(3) 
Music;
(4) 
Cooking;
(5) 
Driving;
(6) 
Pet obedience training;
(7) 
Sports and recreational related activities.
"Stock in trade"
means any item or goods that: (1) is produced, purchased, processed, finished or fabricated as part of a home occupation; or (2) is incorporated into any such item; or (3) is used to make, manufacture, produce, process, finish or fabricate any such item; or (4) is intended for resale on site; provided, that it does not include samples.
"Street"
means a public or private thoroughfare which provides the principal means of pedestrian and vehicle access through neighborhoods and communities and to abutting properties, which has been dedicated or deeded to the public for public use.
"Street frontage"
means the length along a street upon which a structure, business, or lot is abutting or fronts.
"Street lot line"
means the lot line or lines along the edge of a street.
"Street tree"
means a tree approved by the city designated official located in or within five feet of a street right-of-way.
"Structure"
means a combination of materials constructed and erected permanently in or on the ground or attached to something having a permanent location on the ground, not including utility poles and related ground or pad mounted equipment, residential fences less than six feet high, retaining walls, rockeries and other similar improvements of a minor character less than three feet high.
"Subdivision"
means a division of land into five or more lots, tracts or other divisions. Subdivision includes re-subdivisions of previously subdivided land.
"Subdivision code"
means Chapters 19.04D and 19.05 GFMC.
"Subdivision, short"
means a division of land into four or fewer lots or tracts.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 862 § 14, 2013; Ord. 883 § 5, 2014; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1020 § 1 (Att. A), 2022; Ord. 1069, 2025)
"Tandem parking space"
means a parking space that is only accessed by passing through another parking space from a street, lane, drive aisle or driveway.
"Temporary building or structure"
means a building or structure not having or requiring permanent attachment to the ground or to other structures which have no required attachment to the ground.
Through Lot.
See "lot, through" in GFMC § 19.02.120.
"Townhouse"
means a multiple dwelling unit constructed in a row of at least three such units and meeting the following criteria: (1) no dwelling unit overlapping another vertically; (2) common side walls joining units from foundation to roof; and (3) not more than six dwelling units in one structure.
"Tract"
means a portion of a subdivision having fixed boundaries, not including lot.
"Trade, transportation and warehousing"
means a land use primarily engaged in the buying, selling, storage, or distribution of goods, or the movement of goods and people, including wholesale and retail trade, transportation services, warehousing, and distribution facilities, but excluding heavy industrial processing or manufacturing and outdoor storage.
"Transitional housing,"
as defined in RCW 84.36.043, means a project that provides housing and supportive services to homeless persons or families for up to two years and that has as its purpose facilitating the movement of homeless persons and families into independent living.
"Traveling"
means the horizontal, side-to-side movement of a static or dynamic message or display on an electronic sign.
"Triplex"
means a building with three attached dwelling units with common separation walls joining the units, none of which overlaps another vertically.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 862 § 15, 2013; Ord. 883 § 6, 2014; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 937 § 10 (Exh. I), 2017; Ord. 1069, 2025; Ord. 1070 § 2, 2026)
"Use"
means the activity or function carried out on an area of land, or in a building or structure located thereon. Any use comprising the sole or main use of the site is considered the primary use of the site. Any use subordinate or incidental to the primary use on a site is considered an accessory or secondary use.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016)
"Variance"
means a grant of permission by the appropriate authority that authorizes the recipient to do that which, according to the strict letter of this UDC, could not otherwise legally be done.
"Vegetative screen"
means a planted buffer that is opaque to a height of six feet minimum, accomplished through any combination of solid row(s) of evergreen trees or shrubs; the same on an earthen berm; and/or fencing. Ground surfaces of the planting area are to be 75 percent covered with ground cover plants within three years of installation.
"Vehicle"
means a device capable of being moved upon a public highway and in, upon, or by which any persons or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway, including mopeds, excepting devices moved by human or animal power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
"Vocational school"
means an establishment offering training in a skill or trade to be pursued as a career including apprenticeship training.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016)
"Walkway"
means a hard-surfaced portion of a street, right-of-way, trail or easement intended for pedestrian use.
"Warehousing"
means the storage of bulk goods for resale or assembly, excluding establishments offering the sale of bulk goods to the general public.
"Watercourse"
means the course or route followed by waters draining from the land, formed by nature or man and consisting of a bed, banks, sides and associated wetlands and headwaters. A watercourse shall receive surface and subsurface drainage waters and shall flow with some regularity, but not necessarily continuously, naturally and normally, in draining from higher to lower lands. The watercourse shall terminate at the point of discharge into a larger receiving body such as a lake. Watercourses shall include sloughs, streams, creeks, rivers and associated wetlands.
"Wetland" or "wetlands"
means 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 or those wetlands created after July 1, 1990, that were unintentionally created by the construction of a road, street or highway. Wetlands may include those artificial wetlands intentionally created to mitigate conversion of wetlands.
"Wholesale"
means to sell items to other businesses rather than to individual customers.
"Wireless communications facility"
means any unstaffed facility for the transmission and/or reception of radio frequency signals through electromagnetic energy, usually consisting of an equipment shelter or cabinet and a support tower or other structure used to attach transmission and reception devices.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016)
Reserved.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016)
"Yard"
means the lot area between lot lines and the building area.
"Yard, front"
means the area between the front property line through which primary access is taken and the building setback line.
"Yard, rear"
means the area between the rear lot line and the building area extending the full width of the lot.
"Yard, side"
means the side setback area between the side lot lines and the building area, extending the full length of the building area. On corner lots the side yard is that which is opposite from the front yard, except when a corner lot is also a through lot, then the side yard shall be the area along the interior side lot line.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016)
"Zone, zone district"
means a defined area of the city within which the use of land is regulated and certain uses permitted and other uses excluded as set forth in this UDC.
"Zoning code"
means this UDC.
"Zoning map amendment"
means a change to a land's designation on the city's zoning map that alters the boundaries of a zoning district.
(Ord. 740 § 1 (Exh. A), 2007; Ord. 905 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1069, 2025)