A. Agricultural Lands - lands that are not already characterized by urban growth and are of long-term commercial significance for the commercial production of horticultural, viticultural, floricultural, dairy, apiary, vegetable, or animal products, or of berries, grain, hay, straw, turf, seed, livestock, and Christmas trees not subject to excise tax.

B. Aquifer Recharge Areas - areas which serve as critical groundwater recharge areas and which are highly vulnerable to contamination from intensive land uses within these areas.

C. Building Setback Line - means the distance beyond which the footprint or foundation of the building or structure shall not extend.

D. City - means the City of Moses Lake, Washington, a municipal corporation.

E. Contaminant - means any chemical, physical, biological, or radiological material that is not naturally occurring and is introduced into the environment by human action, accident, or negligence.

F. Commercial Significance, Long-Term - means the growing capacity, productivity, and soil composition of the land for long-term commercial production, in consideration with the land’s proximity to population areas, and the possibility of more intense use of the land.

G. Critical Areas - an area or combination of areas which include wetlands, aquifer recharge areas, frequently flooded areas, geologically hazardous areas, and fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas

H. Data Maps - means a series of maps that are maintained by the Community Development Department for the purpose of graphically depicting the boundaries of resource lands and critical areas.

I. Erosion Hazard Areas - areas which are vulnerable to erosion due to natural characteristics including vegetative cover, soil texture, slope gradient, or which have been induced by human activity. Areas which have been rated as severe or very severe for building site development on slopes by the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service Soil Survey for Grant County (Jan. 1984) are included within this definition.

J. Fish and Wildlife Habitat Areas - areas which, in a natural state, serve as an important habitat for locally important species, including, but not limited to, riparian ecosystems, naturally occurring ponds under twenty (20) acres; or areas in which rare, threatened, or endangered species have a primary association.

K. Frequently Flooded Areas - areas within the City of Moses Lake which are determined to be at risk of having one percent (1%) or greater chance of experiencing a flood in any one (1) year, with those areas defined and identified on the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Maps for the City of Moses Lake.

L. Geologically Hazardous Areas - areas designated within the City of Moses Lake which are not suited for siting commercial, residential, or industrial development because of their susceptibility to erosion, sliding, earthquake, or other geological events. These areas shall include erosion hazard areas, landslide hazard areas, and seismic hazard areas.

M. Habitat Management Plan - means a report prepared by a qualified wildlife biologist for the management of fish and wildlife habitat areas.

N. Hazardous Substance - means any material that exhibits any of the characteristics or criteria of hazardous waste, inclusive of waste oil and petroleum products, and which further meets the definitions of “hazardous waste” pursuant to WAC 173-303.

O. Hillsides - geologic features with slopes of fifteen percent (15%) or greater.

P. Landslide Hazard Areas - areas which are susceptible to risk of mass movement due to a combination of geologic, topographic, and hydrologic factors.

Q. Mineral Lands - lands that are not already characterized by urban growth and are of long-term commercial significance for the extraction of aggregate and mine resources, including sand, gravel, and valuable metallic substances.

R. Seismic Hazard Areas - areas which are susceptible to severe damage from earthquakes as a result of ground shaking, slope failure, settlement, or soil liquefaction.

S. Species of Local Importance - means a species of animal which are of local concern due to their population status or their sensitivity to habitat manipulation. This term also includes game species.

T. Slope - means an inclined ground surface, the inclination of which is expressed as a ratio or percentage. The percentage is determined by the following formula:

V (Vertical Distance)/H (Horizontal Distance) x 100 = Slope %

U. Wildlife Biologist - means a person having a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology, wildlife science, wildlife ecology, wildlife management, or zoology. (Ord. 2481, 6/23/09; Ord. 2134, 11/11/03; Ord. 1951, 5/9/00; Ord. 1532, 1992)