It is the purpose of this Article II of this Chapter 14:1 to define words, terms and phrases contained in this Chapter 14:1.
In the interpretation of this Chapter 14:1, the provisions and rules of this section shall be observed and applied, except when the context clearly requires otherwise:
A. 
Words used or defined in one tense or form shall include other tenses and derivative forms.
B. 
Words in the singular number shall include the plural number, and words in the plural number shall include the singular number.
C. 
The masculine gender shall include the feminine, and the feminine gender shall include the masculine.
D. 
The word "shall" is mandatory.
E. 
The word "may" is permissive.
F. 
In case of any difference of meaning or implication between the text of this Chapter 14:1 and any caption, illustration or table, the text shall control.
G. 
The words "include" and "including" mean include or including by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.
When used in this Chapter 14:1, the following terms shall have the meanings herein ascribed to them.
AFFORESTATION
The establishment of a tree crop on an area from which it has always or very long been absent, or the planting of open areas that are not presently in forest cover.
AGRICULTURAL EASEMENT
A nonpossessory interest in land which restricts the conversion of use of the land, preventing nonagricultural uses.
AGRICULTURE
A. 
All methods of production and management of livestock, crops, vegetation and soil.
B. 
Includes, but is not limited to:
(1) 
The related activities of tillage, fertilization, pest control, harvesting and marketing; and
(2) 
The activities of feeding, housing, and maintaining of animals, such as cattle, dairy cows, sheep, hogs, and poultry and handling their by-products.
ANADROMOUS FISH
Fish that travel upstream (from their primary habitat in the ocean) to fresh water in order to spawn.
AQUACULTURE
A. 
The farming or culturing of finfish, shellfish, other aquatic plants or animals, or both, in lakes, streams, inlets, estuaries, and other natural or artificial water bodies or impoundments.
B. 
Includes:
(1) 
The hatching, cultivating, planting, feeding, raising, and harvesting of aquatic plants and animals and the maintenance and construction of necessary equipment, buildings, and growing areas; and
(2) 
Cultivation methods including, but not limited to, seed or larvae development and grow-out facilities, fish pens, shellfish rafts, racks and longlines, seaweed floats, and the culture of clams and oysters on tidelands and subtidal areas.
C. 
"Aquaculture" does not include related activities such as wholesale and retail sales, processing, and product storage facilities.
BARREN LAND
Unmanaged land having sparse vegetation.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPs)
A. 
Conservation practices or systems of practices and management measures that control soil loss and reduce water quality degradation caused by nutrients, animal waste, toxic substances, and sediment.
B. 
Agricultural best management practices (BMPs) include, but are not limited to, strip cropping, terracing, contour stripping, grass waterways, animal waste structures, ponds, minimal tillage, grass and naturally vegetated filter strips, and proper nutrient application measures.
BOARD
The Board of Appeals of Queen Anne's County.
BUFFER
(Spelled with a capital “B”) a naturally vegetated area or vegetated area established or managed to protect aquatic, wetland shoreline, and terrestrial environments from man-made disturbances. In the Critical Area District, the minimum Buffer is a continuous area located immediately landward of tidal waters (measured from the mean high water line), tributary streams in the critical area, and tidal wetlands and has a minimum width of 100 feet. The Buffer shall be expanded beyond the minimum depth to include certain sensitive areas as per requirements established in this Chapter 14:1.
BUFFER EXEMPTION AREA (BEA)
Specifically designated portions of the critical area Buffer that are exempted from certain requirements for Buffers because the pattern of residential, industrial, commercial, or recreational development present as of December 1, 1985, prevents the Buffer from fulfilling its intended purposes.
BUFFER MANAGEMENT PLAN
A plan designed for the management of the Buffer tailored for an individual lot or subdivision. It may include, among other things, planting plans, vegetation management and/or provisions for access to the water.
CLEAR-CUTTING
The removal of the entire stand of trees in one cutting with tree reproduction obtained by natural seeding from adjacent stands or from trees that were cut, from advanced regeneration or stump sprouts, or from planting of seeds or seedlings by man.
CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT
A residential development in which dwelling units are concentrated in a selected area or selected areas of the development tract so as to provide natural habitat or other open space uses on the remainder.
COLONIAL NESTING WATER BIRDS
Herons, egrets, terns, and glossy ibis. For purposes of nesting, these birds congregate (that is, colonize) in relatively few areas, at which time, the regional populations of these species are highly susceptible to local disturbances.
COMMERCIAL HARVESTING
A commercial operation that would alter the existing composition or profile, or both, of a forest, including all commercial cutting operations done by companies and private individuals for economic gain.
COMMISSIONERS
The Queen Anne's County Board of Commissioners.
COMMON AREA
A. 
Any open space, private road, or other land, structure, or improvement which is designed or reserved for the common use or benefit of the owners of two or more lots.
B. 
"Common area" does not include any public road or other land, structure, or improvement owned by the County or the State of Maryland or any other governmental agency.
COMMUNITY PIER
A. 
Boat docking facilities associated with subdivisions and similar residential areas, and with condominium, apartment, and other multiple-family dwelling units.
B. 
"Community pier" does not include private piers and commercial marinas.
CONSERVATION EASEMENT
A nonpossessory interest in land that restricts the manner in which the land may be developed in an effort to conserve natural resources for future use.
COUNTY
Queen Anne's County, Maryland.
COVENANT
A written undertaking by an owner which is required by this Chapter 14:1 or imposed by the Planning Commission in accordance with authorization contained in this Chapter 14:1.
COVENANTOR
A. 
A person who owns legal or equitable title to any land which is affected in any manner by a covenant.
B. 
Includes a person who holds any mortgage, deed of trust or other lien, or encumbrance on any such land.
COVER CROP
The establishment of a vegetative cover to protect soils from erosion and to restrict pollutants from entering the waterways. Cover crops can be dense, planted crops of grasses or legumes, or crop residues, such as corn, wheat, or soybean stubble, which maximize infiltration and prevent runoff from reaching erosive velocities.
CRITICAL AREA
A. 
All lands and waters within Queen Anne's County as defined in § 8-1807 of the Natural Resources Article, Annotated Code of Maryland.
B. 
Includes:
(1) 
All waters of and lands under the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries to the head of tide as indicated on the state wetlands maps, and all state and private wetlands designated under Title 9 of the Natural Resources Article, Annotated Code of Maryland;
(2) 
All land and water areas within 1,000 feet beyond the landward boundaries of state or private wetlands and the heads of tides designated under Title 9 of the Natural Resources Article, Annotated Code of Maryland; and
(3) 
Modification to these areas through inclusions or exclusions proposed by Queen Anne's County and approved by the Critical Area Commission as specified in § 8-1807 of the Natural Resources Article, Annotated Code of Maryland.
CRITICAL AREA COMMISSION
The Maryland Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Commission.
DENSITY
The number of dwelling units per acre of gross area of a development tract, unless otherwise specified.
DEVELOPED WOODLANDS
Those areas of one acre or more in size which predominantly contain trees and natural vegetation and which also include residential, commercial, or industrial structures and uses.
DEVELOPMENT AREA
A. 
General descriptive designations that characterize the types and intensity of land use in existence on December 1, 1985, and as may be permitted under growth allocation at a later date.
B. 
The three types of development areas are intensely developed area (IDA), limited development area (LDA), and resource conservation area (RCA).
DEVELOPMENT OR DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
Any construction, modification, extension or expansion of buildings or structures; placement of fill or dumping; storage of materials; land excavation; land clearing; land improvement; or any combination thereof, including the subdivision of land or action that results in construction, modification, extension or expansion of buildings or structures; placement of fill or dumping; storage of materials; land excavation; land clearing; land improvement; or any combination thereof, including the subdivision of land.
DOCUMENTED BREEDING BIRD AREA
A forested area where the occurrence of interior dwelling birds, during the breeding season, has been demonstrated as a result of on-site surveys using standard biological survey techniques.
DRAINAGEWAY
A minor watercourse that is defined either by soil type or by the presence of intermittent or perennial streams or topography that indicates a swale where surface sheet flows join, including the land, except where areas are designated as floodplain, on either side of and within 50 feet of the center line of any intermittent or perennial stream shown on the U.S. Geological Service's 7 1/2 minute quadrangle sheets covering the unincorporated areas of Queen Anne's County.
ECOSYSTEM
A more or less self-contained biological community, together with the physical environment in which the community's organisms occur.
EMERGENCY SERVICES
Fire, rescue, ambulance, and police services, including related structures and activities.
ENDANGERED SPECIES
Any species of fish, wildlife, or plants which have been designated as such by regulation by the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources. Designation occurs when the continued existence of these species as viable components of the state's resources are determined to be in jeopardy. This includes any species determined to be endangered species pursuant to the federal Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq., as amended.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
A comprehensive report that describes the natural features and characteristics of a proposed development site, the changes that will occur as the result of proposed development activities on the site, the anticipated environmental impacts and consequences of the proposed development, and mitigation measures to be taken to minimize undesirable impacts to the environment.
ESSENTIAL SERVICE
Any utility facility needed to provide basic services, such as water, sewer, telephone, and cable television, to the individual users.
EXCESS STORMWATER RUNOFF
All increases in stormwater resulting from:
A. 
An increase in the imperviousness of the site, including all additions to buildings, roads, and parking lots;
B. 
Changes in permeability caused by compaction during construction or modifications in contours, including the filling or drainage of small depression areas;
C. 
Alteration of drainageways, or regrading of slopes;
D. 
Destruction of forest; or
E. 
Installation of collection systems to intercept street flows or to replace swales or other drainageways.
FISHERIES ACTIVITIES
Commercial water-dependent fisheries facilities including structures for the packing, processing, canning, or freezing of finfish, crustaceans, mollusks, and amphibians and reptiles and also including related activities, such as wholesale and retail sales, product storage facilities, crabshedding, off-loading docks, shellfish culture operations, and shore-based facilities necessary for aquaculture operations.
FOREST
A. 
A biological community dominated by trees and other woody plants covering a land area of one acre or more.
B. 
"Forest" includes forests that have been cut but not cleared.
FOREST INTERIOR DWELLING BIRDS
Species of birds which require relatively large forested tracts in order to breed successfully (for example, various species of flycatchers, warblers, vireos, and woodpeckers).
FOREST MANAGEMENT
The protection, manipulation, and utilization of the forest to provide multiple benefits, such as timber harvesting, wildlife habitat, etc.
FOREST PRACTICE
The alteration of the forest either through tree removal or replacement in order to improve the timber, wildlife, recreational, or water quality values.
GRANDFATHERED
The status accorded certain properties and development activities that are of record prior to the date of adoption of this Chapter 14:1 or provisions of this Chapter 14:1.
GROWTH ALLOCATION
An area of land calculated as 5% of total resource conservation area designated land within the critical area (excluding tidal wetlands and federally owned land), that the County Commissioners may convert to more intensely developed areas.
HABITAT PROTECTION AREAS
Threatened and endangered species habitat, plant and wildlife habitats, anadromous fish spawning propagation waters and species in need of conservation habitat, as defined in the Queen Anne's County Critical Area Program. When not otherwise indicated by the text, habitat protection areas also include the critical area Buffer.
HEAVY INDUSTRY
A land use category that includes manufacturing and extraction activities, a significant part of which may be conducted outdoors.
HIGHLY ERODIBLE SOIL
Soil with a slope greater than 15% or those soils with a K value greater than 0.35 with slopes greater than 5%.
HISTORIC WATERFOWL STAGING AND CONCENTRATION AREA
An area of open water and adjacent marshes where waterfowl gather during migration and throughout the winter season. These areas are historic in the sense that their location is common knowledge and because these areas have been used regularly during recent times.
HYDRIC SOIL
Soil that is wet frequently enough to periodically produce anaerobic conditions, thereby influencing the species composition or growth, or both, of plants on the soil.
HYDROPHYTIC VEGETATION
Those plants cited in Vascular Plant Species Occurring in Maryland Wetlands (Dawson, F., et al, 1985) which are described as growing in water or on a substrate that is at least periodically deficient in oxygen as a result of excessive water content (plants typically found in water habitats).[1]
INTENSELY DEVELOPED AREA
An area of at least 20 adjacent acres except as provided in § 14:1-76D(5)(a) and (b) or the entire upland portion of the critical area within the boundary of a municipality, whichever is less, where residential, commercial, institutional, and/or industrial developed land uses predominate, and where relatively little natural habitat occurs. An intensely developed area shall have at least one of the following features as of December 1, 1985:
[Amended 1-28-2014 by Ord. No. 13-16]
A. 
Housing density equal to or greater than four dwelling units per acre;
B. 
Industrial, institutional, or commercial uses are concentrated in the area; or
C. 
Public sewer and water collection and distribution systems are currently serving the area and housing density is greater than three dwelling units per acre.
K VALUE
The soils erodibility factor in the universal soil loss equation. It is a quantitative value that is experimentally determined.
LAND CLEARING
Any activity that removes the vegetative ground cover.
LAND-BASED AQUACULTURE
The raising of fish or shellfish in any natural or man-made, enclosed or impounded, water body.
LANDFORM
Features of the earth's surface created by natural causes.
LIMITED DEVELOPMENT AREA
An area which is currently developed in low- or moderate-intensity uses which contains areas of natural plant and animal habitats, and in which the quality of runoff has not been substantially altered or impaired. A limited development area shall have at least one of the following features as of December 1, 1985:
A. 
Housing density ranging from one dwelling unit per five acres up to four dwelling units per acre;
B. 
Areas not dominated by agriculture, wetland, forest, barren land, surface water, or open space;
C. 
Areas having public sewer or public water, or both; or
D. 
Areas meeting the definition of intensely developed areas above, less than 20 acres in size.
LOT COVERAGE
The percentage of a total lot or parcel that is:
[Added 7-12-2011 by Ord. No. 11-01]
A. 
Occupied by a structure, accessory structure, parking area, driveway, walkway or roadway; or
B. 
Covered with gravel, stone, shale, impermeable decking, a paver, permeable pavement, or any man-made material.
C. 
Lot coverage does not include:
(1) 
A fence or wall that is less than one (1) foot in width that has not been constructed with a footer.
(2) 
A walkway in the Buffer or expanded Buffer, including a stairway, that provides direct access to a community or private pier;
(3) 
A wood mulch pathway; or
(4) 
A deck with gaps to allow water to pass freely.
(a) 
Impermeable decks: Lot coverage includes the ground area covered or occupied by an impermeable deck, even when that deck does not directly touch the ground surface.
(b) 
Stairways: Lot coverage does not include walkways or stairways in the Buffer that provide direct access to a community or private pier; all other stairs or walkways are considered lot coverage.
(5) 
Stormwater management and erosion control measures: Lot coverage does not include these practices when they are approved only for the specific purpose of performing stormwater management or erosion control.
LOT OWNER
A. 
A person, including a covenantor, who, at any time when the identity of a lot owner is to be determined for purposes of this Chapter 14:1 or any covenant, is the owner of any lot within a subject area.
B. 
"Lot owner" does not include a mortgagee, the holder of any other security interest in the property, the County, or any governmental agency.
MARINA
A. 
Any facility for the mooring, berthing, storing, or securing of watercraft.
B. 
"Marina" does not include a community pier or other noncommercial boat-docking or storage facility.
MEAN HIGH WATER LINE
The average level of high tides at a given location.
NATURAL FEATURES
Components and processes present in or produced by nature, including, but not limited to, soil types, geology, slopes, vegetation, surface water, drainage patterns, aquifers, recharge areas, climate, floodplains, aquatic life, and wildlife.
NATURAL HERITAGE AREA
Any communities of plants or animals which are considered to be among the best statewide examples of their kind, and are designated by regulation by the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources.
NATURAL VEGETATION
The plant communities that develop in the absence of human activities.
NATURE-DOMINATED
A condition where landform or biological communities, or both, have developed by natural processes in the absence of human intervention.
NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION
Pollution generated by diffuse land use activities rather than from an identifiable or discrete facility. It is conveyed to waterways through natural processes, such as rainfall, storm runoff, or groundwater seepage rather than by deliberate discharge. Non-point source pollution is not generally corrected by end-of-pipe treatment, but rather by changes in land management practices.
NONRENEWABLE RESOURCES
Resources that are not naturally regenerated or renewed.
NONWATER-DEPENDENT PROJECT
[Added 5-14-2024 by Ord. No. 24-01]
A. 
A temporary or permanent structure that, by reason of its intrinsic nature, use, or operation, does not require location in, on, or over state or private wetlands.
B. 
Nonwater-dependent project includes:
(1) 
A dwelling unit on a pier;
(2) 
A restaurant, a shop, an office, or any other commercial building or use on a pier;
(3) 
A temporary or permanent roof or covering on a pier;
(4) 
A pier used to support nonwater-dependent use; and
C. 
Nonwater-dependent project does not include:
(1) 
A fuel pump or other fuel-dispensing equipment on a pier;
(2) 
A sanitary sewage pump or other wastewater removal equipment on a pier; or
(3) 
An office on a pier for managing marina operations, including monitoring vessel traffic, registering vessels, providing docking services, and housing electrical or emergency equipment related to marina operations.
D. 
Notwithstanding § 18:1-44C a nonwater-dependent project is permitted in the IDA.
OFFSET
A structure or action that compensates for undesirable impacts.
OPEN SPACE
Undeveloped land used primarily for resource protection or recreational purposes. Land and water areas retained for use as active or passive recreation areas in an essentially undeveloped state or land areas retained in natural cover, agricultural, or commercial forestry use.
OVERBURDEN
The strata or material in its natural state, before its removal by surface mining, overlying a mineral deposit, or in between mineral deposits.
PERSON
Includes individuals, firms, corporations, associations, trusts, and any other similar entities.
PHYSIOGRAPHIC FEATURES
The soils, topography, land slope and aspect, and local climate that influence the form and species composition of plant communities.
PIER
[Added 5-14-2024 by Ord. No. 24-01]
A. 
Any pier, wharf, dock, walkway, bulkhead, breakwater, piles or other similar structure.
B. 
Does not include any structure on pilings or stilts that was originally constructed beyond the landward boundaries of state or private wetlands.
PLANNING COMMISSION
The Queen Anne's County Planning Commission.
PLANNING DIRECTOR
The Planning Director of Queen Anne's County.
PORT
A facility or area established or designated by the state or local jurisdictions for purposes of waterborne commerce.
PRIVATE HARVESTING
The cutting and removal of trees for personal use.
PROJECT APPROVAL
A. 
The approval of development and redevelopment, other than development and redevelopment by a state or local government agency, in the Chesapeake Bay critical area by the appropriate local approval authority.
B. 
Includes approval of subdivision plats and site plans; inclusion of areas within floating zones; and issuance of variances, special exceptions, and conditional use permits.
C. 
"Project approval" does not include building permits.
PUBLIC UTILITIES
Uses or structures for the public purpose of power transmission and distribution (but not power generation); fuel transmission and distribution (but not manufacturing or storage); water treatment and distribution; sewage collection and treatment; telephone service facilities (but not utility truck terminal facilities); radio and television facilities (not including broadcasting studios); and rail or highway rights-of-way (not including stations or terminals).
PUBLIC WATER-ORIENTED RECREATION
Shore-dependent recreation facilities or activities provided by public agencies which are available to the general public.
RECLAMATION
The reasonable rehabilitation of disturbed land for useful purposes, and the protection of the natural resources of adjacent areas, including water bodies.
RECORDER
The Queen Anne's County Clerk of the Circuit Court.
REDEVELOPMENT
The process of developing land that is or has been developed.
REFORESTATION
The establishment of a forest through artificial reproduction or natural regeneration.
RENEWABLE RESOURCE
A resource that can renew or replace itself and, therefore, with proper management, can be harvested indefinitely.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AREA
An area characterized by nature-dominated environments (that is, wetlands, forests, abandoned fields) and resource-utilization activities (that is, agriculture, forestry, fisheries activities, or aquaculture). A resource conservation area shall have at least one of the following features as of December 1, 1985:
A. 
Density is less than one dwelling unit per five acres; or
B. 
Dominant land use is in agriculture, wetland, forest, barren land, surface water, or open space.
RIPARIAN HABITAT
A habitat that is strongly influenced by water and which occurs adjacent to streams, shorelines, and wetlands.
SEASONALLY FLOODED WATER REGIME
A condition where surface water is present for extended periods, especially early in the growing season, and when surface water is absent, the water table is often near the land surface.
SELECTION
The removal of single, scattered, mature trees or other trees from uneven-aged stands by frequent and periodic cutting operations.
SHORE EROSION CONTROL MEASURES
Any of a number of structural and nonstructural methods or techniques for controlling the erosion of shoreline areas. More specifically the term refers to:
A. 
Nonstructural: creation of an intertidal marsh fringe channelward of the existing bank by one of the following methods:
(1) 
Vegetation: planting an existing shore with a wide band of vegetation;
(2) 
Bank sloping/vegetation: sloping and planting a nonwooded bank to manage tidal water contact, using structures to contain sloped materials if necessary; and
(3) 
Contained beach: filling along shore with sandy materials, grading, and containing the new beach to eliminate tidal water contact with the bank.
B. 
Structural:
(1) 
Revetment: facing laid on a sloping shore to reduce wave energy and contain shore materials;
(2) 
Bulkhead: excluded due to adverse impacts to the near-shore marine environment, except in the following special cases:
(a) 
Where erosion impact is severe and high bluffs and/or dense woodland preclude land access, bulkheads can be installed by shallow-draft barge and pile driver; and
(b) 
In narrow, man-made lagoons for activities that require frequent interchange between boats and land.
SIGNIFICANT SHORELINE EROSION
An annual rate of erosion of two feet or greater.
SOIL CONSERVATION AND WATER QUALITY PLAN
A land use plan for a farm that shows a farmer how to make the best possible use of the farmer's soil and water resources while protecting and conserving those resources for the future. It is a document containing a map and related plans that indicate:
A. 
How the landowner plans to treat a farm unit;
B. 
Which best management practices the land owner plans to install to treat undesirable conditions; and
C. 
The schedule for applying best management practices.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Personal or business social engagement or activities conducted at a bed-and-breakfast, single-family residence, or on a farm where guests assemble for parties, wedding events, reunions, birthday celebrations, or similar uses for compensation, during which food and beverages may be served to guests and music and other entertainment is provided to guests. This definition shall not include places of worship.
[Added 8-13-2013 by Ord. No. 13-02]
SPECIES IN NEED OF CONSERVATION
Those fish and wildlife whose continued existence as part of the state's resources are in question and which may be designated by regulation by the Secretary of Natural Resources as in need of conservation pursuant to the requirements of §§ 10-2A-06 and 4-2A-03 of the Natural Resources Article, Annotated Code of Maryland.
SPOIL PILE
The overburden and reject materials as piled or deposited during surface mining.
STEEP SLOPES
Slopes of fifteen-percent or greater incline.
SUBJECT AREA
An area which is restricted or otherwise affected by a covenant. If an area restricted or otherwise affected by a covenant is a common area, "subject area" includes both the common area and all other land within the site plan, subdivision, or zoning approval which has any rights or duties with respect to the common area.
THINNING
A forest practice used to accelerate tree growth of quality trees in the shortest interval of time.
THREATENED SPECIES
Any species of fish, wildlife, or plants designated as such by regulation by the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources which appear likely, within the foreseeable future, to become endangered, including any species of wildlife or plant determined to be threatened species pursuant to the federal Endangered Species Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq., as amended.
TIDAL WETLANDS
State wetlands that are defined as any land under the navigable waters of the state below the mean high water line, affected by the regular rise and fall of tide, and private wetlands defined as any land not considered state wetlands bordering or lying beneath tidal waters, that is subject to regular or periodic tidal action and supports aquatic growth. Private wetlands include wetlands transferred by the state by a valid grant, lease, patent, or grant confirmed by Article 5 of the Declaration of Rights of the Constitution to the extent of the interest transferred. The term "regular or periodic tidal action" means the rise and fall of the sea produced by the attraction of the sun and moon uninfluenced by the wind or any other circumstance.
TIMBER HARVEST PLAN
A plan designed to detail the commercial harvesting by cutting and removing of tree stems from a site for commercial purposes. These plans shall be prepared by a registered forester or landscape architect.
TOPOGRAPHY
The existing configuration of the earth's surface, including the relative relief, elevations, and position of land features.
TRANSITIONAL HABITAT
A plant community whose species are adapted to the diverse and varying environmental conditions that occur along the boundary that separates aquatic and terrestrial areas.
TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES
Anything that is built, installed, or established to provide a means of transport from one place to another.
TREE
A woody perennial plant having a single, usually elongated, main stem, generally with few or no branches on its lower part; a perennial shrub or herb of arborescent form.
TRIBUTARY STREAMS.
Perennial and intermittent streams in the critical area that are so noted on the most recent U.S. Geological Survey 7 1/2 minute topographic quadrangle maps (scale 1:24,000) or on more detailed maps or studies at the discretion of Queen Anne's County.
UTILITY TRANSMISSION FACILITIES
Fixed structures that convey or distribute resources, wastes, or both, including, but not limited to, electric lines, water conduits, and sewer lines.
WASH PLANT
A facility where sand and gravel is washed during processing.
WATER-BASED AQUACULTURE
The raising of fish and shellfish in any natural, open, free-flowing water body.
WATER-DEPENDENT FACILITY
A. 
A structure or work associated with industrial, maritime, recreational, educational, or fisheries activities that requires location at or near the shoreline within the required critical area Buffer.
B. 
An activity is water-dependent if it cannot exist outside the Buffer and is dependent on water by reason of the intrinsic nature of its operation. These activities include, but are not limited to, ports, the intake and outfall structures of power plants, water-use industries, marinas, and other public water-oriented recreation areas and fisheries activities.
C. 
"Water-dependent facility" does not include an individual pier that is:
(1) 
Installed or maintained by riparian landowners; and
(2) 
Not part of a subdivision that provides community piers.
WATERFOWL
Birds which frequent and often swim in water, nest and raise their young near water, and derive at least part of their food from aquatic plants and animals.
WATER-USE INDUSTRY
An industry that requires location near the shoreline because it utilizes surface waters for cooling or other internal purposes.
WILDLIFE CORRIDOR
A strip of land having vegetation that provides habitat and a safe passageway for wildlife.
[1]
Editor's Note: The definition of "impervious coverage," which immediately followed this definition, was repealed 7-12-2011 by Ord. No. 11-01. See now the definition of "lot coverage."