§ 17.10.010. Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

"Annual capacity statement" means the statement issued by the county each year indicating the available capacity of transportation facilities or services.

"Building permit" means that authorization for the commencement of construction or land alteration without need for further application and approval.

"Capital facilities chapter" means that chapter of the Thurston County comprehensive plan which evaluates the need for public facilities as identified in the other comprehensive plan elements and as defined in the applicable definition of each type of public facility, which estimates the cost of improvements for which the local government has fiscal responsibility, which analyzes the fiscal capability of the local government to finance and construct improvements, which adopts financial policies to guide the funding or improvement, and which schedules the funding and construction of improvements in a manner necessary to ensure that capital improvements are provided when required based on needs identified in the other comprehensive plan chapters.

"Change of use," means a modification to an existing building or site to accommodate a more intensive use will be subject to concurrency determination for the new increase in traffic only.

"Comprehensive Plan" means the Thurston County Comprehensive Plan adopted by Resolution No. 10896 on April 17, 1995, including any joint comprehensive plan adopted by the county with any city or town, as amended.

"Concurrency" means the provision for assuring that improvements or strategies to accommodate the impacts of development are in place at the time of development or that a guaranteed financial commitment is in place to complete the improvements or strategies within six years so the levels of service for transportation facilities do not fall below the level of service standards adopted in the comprehensive plan due to the impacts of new development.

"Concurrency approval" means the official determination by the county that a development permit (except single-family lots in plats already approved for concurrency) will not result in the reduction of the level of service standards set forth in the Thurston County Comprehensive Plan for transportation facilities and services.

"Concurrency determination" means a technical study of the impacts on the road system, including forecasted level of service, of a proposed land use development using current data and analytical techniques that may include a comprehensive traffic impact study based on the Concurrency Management Manual.

"Concurrency Management Manual" means a manual outlining the administrative actions necessary to implement the concurrency management system.

"Concurrency management system" means the procedures and processes utilized by the county to determine that development permits, site plan review approvals, or preliminary plat approvals, when issued, will not result in the reduction of the level of service standards as set forth in the Thurston County Comprehensive Plan.

"Conditions of approval," as they apply to concurrency evaluations, means those conditions necessary to ensure that the proposed development as identified in the preliminary development plan will not cause an impact to transportation facilities in such a way as to lower the level of service standard to an unacceptable level. The conditions of approval shall be part of the approved preliminary development permit and are binding upon the approval of a final development permit.

"Development" means any construction, reconstruction or any use of real property which requires review and approval of a development permit.

"Development permit" means any land use permit which must be approved by Thurston County prior to the development of land.

"Level of service (LOS)" means a measure describing the operational conditions or degree of service provided by existing and proposed transportation facilities, based on quantitative standards for measurement.

"Peak hour" means the hour-long time period in the afternoon when traffic volumes are highest, usually a one-hour period between four p.m. and six p.m.

"Preliminary development permit" means the development permit that grants preliminary approval of an application to develop land. An example is preliminary approval of a subdivision.

"Pro-rata share" means the fair and equitable cost obligation assigned to a proposed development which is attributable to the peak hour motor vehicle trips generated by the development on the affected transportation facilities as calculated by the county.

"Reserve capacity" means the available capacity of a roadway in motor vehicles per hour based upon adopted level of service.

(Ord. 10897 § 1 (part), 1995)