Spokane Municipal Code

Title 17A Administration

Chapter 17A.020 Definitions

1. Facade.

All the wall planes of a structure as seen from one side or view. For example, the front facade of a building would include all of the wall area that would be shown on the front elevation of the building plans.

2. Facade Easement.

A use interest, as opposed to an ownership interest, in the property of another. The easement is granted by the owner to the City or County and restricts the owner’s exercise of the general and natural rights of the property on which the easement lies. The purpose of the easement is the continued preservation of significant exterior features of a structure.

3. Facility and Service Provider.

The department, district, or agency responsible for providing the specific concurrency facility.

4. Factory-built Structure.

1. “Factory-built housing” is any structure designed primarily for human occupancy, other than a mobile home, the structure or any room of which is either entirely or substantially prefabricated or assembled at a place other than a building site.]

2. “Factory-built commercial structure” is a structure designed or used for human habitation or human occupancy for industrial, educational, assembly, professional, or commercial purposes, the structure or any room of which is either entirely or substantially prefabricated or assembled at a place other than a building site.

5. Fair Market Value.

The open market bid price for conducting the work, using the equipment and facilities, and purchase of the goods, services, and materials necessary to accomplish the development. This would normally equate to the cost of hiring a contractor to undertake the development from start to finish, including the cost of labor, materials, equipment and facility usage, transportation and contractor overhead, and profit. The fair market value of the development shall include the fair market value of any donated, contributed, or found labor, equipment, or materials.

6. Fascia Sign.

See SMC 17C.240.015.

7. Feasible (Shoreline Master Program).

1. 1. For the purpose of the shoreline master program, means that an action, such as a development project, mitigation, or preservation requirement, meets all of the following conditions:

1. The action can be accomplished with technologies and methods that have been used in the past in similar circumstances, or studies or tests have demonstrated in similar circumstances that such approaches are currently available and likely to achieve the intended results;

2. The action provides a reasonable likelihood of achieving its intended purpose; and

3. The action does not physically preclude achieving the project’s primary intended legal use.

1. 2. In cases where these guidelines require certain actions, unless they are infeasible, the burden of proving infeasibility is on the applicant.

1. 3. In determining an action’s infeasibility, the reviewing agency may weigh the action’s relative public costs and public benefits, considered in the short- and long-term time frames.

8. Feature.

To give special prominence to.

1. Feeder Bluff.

Or “erosional bluff” means any bluff (or cliff) experiencing periodic erosion from waves, sliding, or slumping, and/or whose eroded sand or gravel material is naturally transported (littoral drift) via a driftway to an accretion shoreform; these natural sources of beach material are limited and vital for the long-term stability of driftways and accretion shoreforms.

10. Fill.

The addition of soil, sand, rock, gravel, sediment, earth retaining structure, or other material to an area waterward of the ordinary high-water mark in wetlands, or on shorelands in a manner that raises the elevation or creates dry land.

11. Financial Guarantee.

A secure method, in a form and in an amount both of which are acceptable to the city attorney, providing for and securing to the City the actual construction and installation of any improvements required in connection with plat and/or building permit approval within a period specified by the City, and/or securing to the City the successful operation of the improvements for two years after the City’s final inspection and acceptance of such improvements. There are two types of financial guarantees under chapter 17D.020 SMC, Financial Guarantees: Performance guarantee and performance/warranty retainer.

12. Fish Habitat.

A complex of physical, chemical, and biological conditions that provide the life-supporting and reproductive needs of a species or life stage of fish. Although the habitat requirements of a species depend on its age and activity, the basic components of fish habitat in rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, estuaries, marine waters, and near-shore areas include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Clean water and appropriate temperatures for spawning, rearing, and holding.

2. Adequate water depth and velocity for migrating, spawning, rearing, and holding, including off-channel habitat.

3. Abundance of bank and in-stream structures to provide hiding and resting areas and stabilize stream banks and beds.

4. Appropriate substrates for spawning and embryonic development. For stream- and lake-dwelling fishes, substrates range from sands and gravel to rooted vegetation or submerged rocks and logs. Generally, substrates must be relatively stable and free of silts or fine sand.

5. Presence of riparian vegetation as defined in this program. Riparian vegetation creates a transition zone, which provides shade and food sources of aquatic and terrestrial insects for fish.

6. Unimpeded passage (i.e., due to suitable gradient and lack of barriers) for upstream and downstream migrating juveniles and adults.

13. Flag.

See SMC 17C.240.015.

14. Float.

A floating platform similar to a dock that is anchored or attached to pilings.

15. Flood Insurance Rate Map or FIRM.

The official map on which the Federal Insurance Administration has delineated both the areas of special flood hazards and the risk premium zones applicable to the City.

16. Flood Insurance Study (FIS).

The official report provided by the Federal Insurance Administration that includes flood profiles, the Flood Boundary-Floodway Map, and the water surface elevation of the base flood.

17. Flood or Flooding.

1. 1. A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas from:

1. 1. 1. The overflow of inland waters;

1. 1. 2. The unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff of surface waters from any source; or

1. 1. 3.  Mudslides or mudflows, which are proximately caused by flooding as defined in section (1)(b) of this definition and are akin to a river of liquid and flowing mud on the surfaces of normally dry land areas, as when earth is carried by a current of water and deposited along the path of the current.

1. 2. The collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or other body of water as a result of erosion or undermining caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels or suddenly caused by an unusually high water level in a natural body of water, accompanied by a severe storm, or by an unanticipated force of nature, such as flash flood or an abnormal tidal surge, or by some similarly unusual and unforeseeable event which results in flooding as defined in section (1)(a) of this definition.

18. Flood Elevation Study.

An examination, evaluation and determination of flood hazards and, if appropriate, corresponding water surface elevations, or an examination, evaluation and determination of mudslide or mudflow, and/or flood-related erosion hazards. Also known as a Flood Insurance Study (FIS).

19. Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM).

The official map of a community, on which the Federal Insurance Administrator has delineated both the special hazard areas and the risk premium zones applicable to the community. A FIRM that has been made available digitally is called a Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM).

20. Floodplain or Flood Prone Area.

Any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from any source. See "Flood or Flooding."

21. Floodplain administrator.

The community official designated by title to administer and enforce the floodplain management regulations.

5. Floodway.

1. 1. As identified in the Shoreline Master Program, the area that either:

1. 1. 1. The floodway is the area that either

1. has been established in federal emergency management agency flood insurance rate maps or floodway maps; or

2. consists of those portions of a river valley lying streamward from the outer limits of a watercourse upon which flood waters are carried during periods of flooding that occur with reasonable regularity, although not necessarily annually, said floodway being identified, under normal condition, by changes in surface soil conditions or changes in types or quality of vegetative ground cover condition, topography, or other indicators of flooding that occurs with reasonable regularity, although not necessarily annually.

1. 1. 2. Regardless of the method used to identify the floodway, the floodway shall not include those lands that can reasonably be expected to be protected from flood waters by flood control devices maintained by or maintained under license from the federal government, the state, or a political subdivision of the state.

1. 2. For floodplain management purposes, the floodway is the channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than a designated height. Also referred to as "Regulatory Floodway.”

23. Floor Area.

The total floor area of the portion of a building that is above ground. Floor area is measured from the exterior faces of a building or structure. Floor area does not include the following:

1. Areas where the elevation of the floor is four feet or more below the lowest elevation of an adjacent right-of way.

2. Roof area, including roof top parking.

3. Roof top mechanical equipment.

4. Attic area with a ceiling height less than six feet nine inches.

5. Porches, exterior balconies, or other similar areas, unless they are enclosed by walls that are more than forty-two inches in height, for fifty percent or more of their perimeter; and

6. In residential zones, FAR does not include mechanical structures, uncovered horizontal structures, covered accessory structures, attached accessory structures (without living space), detached accessory structures (without living space).

10. Flood Proofing.

Any combination of structural and nonstructural additions, changes, or adjustments to structures which reduce or eliminate risk of flood damage to real estate or improved real property, water and sanitary facilities, structures, and their contents.  Flood proofed structures are those that have the structural integrity and design to be impervious to floodwater below the Base Flood Elevation.

25. Floor Area Ratio (FAR).

The amount of floor area in relation to the amount of site area, expressed in square feet. For example, a floor area ratio of two to one means two square feet of floor area for every one square foot of site area.

26. Focused Growth Area.

Includes mixed-use district centers, neighborhood centers, and employment centers.

27. Frame Effect.

A visual effect on an electronic message sign applied to a single frame to transition from one message to the next. This term shall include, but not be limited to scrolling, fade, and dissolve. This term shall not include flashing.

28. Freestanding Sign.

See SMC 17C.240.015.

29. Frontage.

The full length of a plot of land or a building measured alongside the road on to which the plot or building fronts. In the case of contiguous buildings individual frontages are usually measured to the middle of any party wall.

30. Functionally Dependent Water-Use.

A use that cannot perform its intended purpose unless it is located or carried out in close proximity to water. The term includes only docking facilities, port facilities that are necessary for the loading and unloading of cargo or passengers, and ship building and ship repair facilities, and does not include long term storage or related manufacturing facilities.

Date Passed: Monday, October 25, 2021

Effective Date: Thursday, December 2, 2021

ORD C36117 Section 4