Definitions

Most land use definitions are found in AMC 21.35.020.B.  Other definitions sections in Title 21 are:

• Administrative variance  definitions are found in AMC 21.15.012.D.
• Public Facility  is defined in AMC 21.15.015.H.
• Public facility landscape review terms are defined in AMC 21.15.025.E.
• Transition and buffering definitions are found in AMC 21.45.200.B.
• Floodplain  definitions are found in AMC 21.60.030.
• Airport Height Zone definitions are found in AMC 21.65.020.
• Stormwater is defined in AMC 21.67.010.
• Mobile Home Park definitions are found in AMC 21.70.010.
• Platting definitions are found in AMC 21.75.035.B.
• Utility distribution definitions are found in AMC 21.90.040.

Some subsections include definitions, and define a term only within that subsection  For example, AMC 21.40.030.E.2 defines "excessive" only for the R-1 and R-1A districts.

If a term is not defined in Title 21, we look to other sources for guidance, including:

• other sections of the municipal code   
• the minutes of Assembly meetings where the ordinance was discussed.
• other codes (such as the building code) that have been adopted in Title 23    
• reference works (such as "The Illustrated Book of Development Definitions")    
• dictionaries

If you use the online version of the code, try searching on the code section listed above (for example, "21.35.020") for more information.  Please note that recent amendments may not have been published yet.  Land Use Enforcement will be happy to verify the current code language for you.