4.105 Definitions.
As used in Sections 4.110 to 4.1205, unless explicitly defined otherwise within the Code paragraph, the following words and phrases shall mean:
(1) Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU): A detached or attached dwelling unit that is additional and auxiliary to an existing single-family dwelling, and is on the same tax lot. An ADU cannot exceed 900 square feet or more than half the square footage of the SFR, whichever is less.
(2) Commission: The board of the Medford Water Commission of the City, its authorized agents or employees.
(3) Currently Developed Area (CDA): All parcels within the City limits except those parcels greater than one acre which were undeveloped on August 4, 1983, as defined by the following Medford Land Use Inventory Codes: 8100, intensive agriculture; 8200, non-intensive agriculture; and 9000, undeveloped or vacant land. Such parcels are identified on a list filed in the office of the City Recorder prior to passage of Ordinance No. 4940.
(4) Customer: An individual, firm, corporation, or governmental agency residing, operating or owning property within the City of Medford.
(5) Detention System: A facility (such as a pond, vault, pipe, etc.) in which surface and stormwater are temporarily stored.
(6) Developed Property: Any man-made change to improved or unimproved real property including but not limited to buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations.
(7) Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU): An area which is estimated to place approximately equal demand on the City’s storm drainage system as a parcel containing one single-family dwelling unit. One (1) ERU shall be equal to 3,730 square feet of impervious surface.
(8) Extra Strength Sewer Service: Industrial, commercial or hospital industrial wastes discharged into the sewer system containing a total of more than sixty (60) pounds of Biochemical Oxygen Demand, or Suspended Solids in any one (1) day and having an average strength in excess of 300 parts per million (ppm) of Biochemical Oxygen Demand, or Suspended Solids.
(9) Home Based Business: Business conducted entirely from a residential premise (home, garage or other outbuilding) regardless of the nature of the business.
(10) Impervious Surface: Surface areas which either prevent or retard the absorption of water into the surface of the soil, or cause water to run off the surface in greater quantities or at an increased rate of flow compared to the natural condition of the property before development. Asphalt, concrete and roofing materials are examples of impervious materials. Gravel surfaces used for vehicular traffic are also considered impervious.
(11) Improved Premises: Any area which has been altered such that the runoff from the site is greater than that which historically occurred prior to development. Such a condition shall be determined by the City Engineer.
(12) NAICS Manual: North American Industry Classification System, 2002 edition. Published by Executive Office of the President – Office of Management and Budget.
(13) Non-Profit: Refers to charitable organizations that are tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(14) Non-Residential Service: Service to any structure not used primarily for residential purposes. Specific Non-Residential use definitions include the following:
(a) Automotive: Any facility whose primary business is providing parts or service to maintain vehicles. This includes, but is not limited to parts stores or service facilities; gasoline stations and vehicle washes (both self-service and full-service). Automotive dealerships and auto rental agencies are categorized under “Low Impact Retail”.
(b) Bank: Any facility whose primary business is the custody, loan, exchange or issue of money for the extension of credit, and for facilitating the transmission of funds. The facility may have walk-in or drive-through customers.
(c) Day Care Center: Facility whose primary purpose is providing care for children normally during daytime hours. Excludes day cares operated out of homes.
(d) Food Service: Any establishment with its own entrance whose primary business is the sale of prepared food or beverage to walk-in or drive-through customers. Includes, but is not limited to bakeries, donut shops, coffee kiosks, fast food, restaurants and bars. Excludes services whose primary business is video lottery or gaming.
(e) Fraternal Organization: A club or other association having a limited membership and devoted to professional, religious, charitable or social activities.
(f) Government Facility: Facilities used primarily in the administration of city, county, state or federal government, including but not limited to office buildings, post offices, jails, libraries, military bases, maintenance yards and some social service programs.
(g) Health Service: Facilities that provide medical or dental care including doctor’s offices, clinics, urgent care facilities, hospitals, surgical centers, physical therapy, counseling, nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Also includes animal veterinary care.
(h) Industrial Service: Premises wherein the manufacturing, processing and storing of a product is performed. Industrial use is further defined as follows:
(i) Light Industrial: Free-standing facilities whose primary activities are engaged in construction contracting, wholesale, as well as mail order houses, utility maintenance facilities, taxi, towing or armored car service and heavy equipment sales.
(ii) Heavy Industrial: Establishments engaged in the transformation of materials or substances into new products. Also includes warehouses, mini-warehouses or storage units and furniture stores.
(i) Office: A building or suite whose primary function is the conducting of an organization’s or a professional person’s business that typically provides a wide variety of services. Includes professional schools that do not grant academic degrees or diplomas, such as a trade school.
(j) Recreation: Generally includes all amusement, entertainment, fitness, parks, cemeteries, fraternal organization facilities and community centers. Entertainment includes theaters, movie complexes and gaming facilities. Hotels and motels are also included in this category.
(k) Religious: A building or structure whose principal use is for worship and in which the incidental use for school purposes is less than 12 hours per week. Includes churches, mosques, synagogues, etc. Schools operating more than 12 hours per week are defined in (14)(m), Schools
(l) Retail: Facilities specializing in the sale of groceries or products to consumers. Excludes wholesale or automotive parts/service. Retail is further defined as follows:
(i) Low Impact: Includes retail, auto dealerships and rental car agencies, except those classified as “High Impact” or “Convenience Market”.
(ii) High Impact: Includes grocery stores, pharmacies and video rental stores. Excludes convenience or mini-markets.
(iii) Convenience Market: Mini-markets that sell limited food, newspapers, magazines, tobacco and/or alcohol. May have up to two gasoline pumps.
(m) School: Any building or group of buildings used for instructional purposes more than 12 hours per week, involving assemblage for instruction, education or recreation. Schools may be public or private. Professional schools that do not normally grant an academic degree or diploma shall be included in the “Office” category.
(n) Transportation: Includes airports, park-n-ride, bus terminals and freight/shipping facilities where goods are transferred between trucks and other transportation mode, such as a truck terminal.
(15) Open Drainageway: A natural or man-made path, ditch or channel on the land surface which has the specific function of transmitting natural stream water or storm runoff water.
(16) Pass-by Trip: An intermediate stop on the way from an origin to a primary trip destination without a route diversion.
(17) Recreational Vehicle Dumping Station: A facility connected to the sewage collection system and accepts liquid wastes dumped from holding tanks of recreational vehicles such as travel trailers, motor homes and campers regardless of whether the wastes are accepted by the dumping station operator with or without charge.
(18) Residential Service: Service to any structure used primarily for residential purposes. Residential use is further defined as follows:
(a) Single-Family Residential Service: Service to one structure that provides complete single-family living facilities in which the occupant normally cooks meals, eats, sleeps and carries on the household operations incident to domestic life. Detached single family residences, unit ownership (such as townhouses, pad lots, etc.), and condominiums, etc. are included in this definition.
(b) Multi-Family Residential Service: Service to a structure(s) which consists of two or more separate living facilities in which the occupants normally cook meals, eat, sleep and carry on the household operations incident to domestic life. Also includes a single-family residential structure with an ADU, whether attached or detached. Excludes commercial transient housing such as hotel and motel suites.
(c) Mobile Home Parks: An area under unified ownership or management in which manufactured homes are situated and used for human habitation; or in which four or more spaces are improved, designed or offered for such use. A space is the individual location having a sewer hookup for each dwelling. Units within a mobile home park shall be treated as multi-family for utility fees unless otherwise specified.
(d) Congregate Living: Independent living developments that provide centralized amenities such as dining, housekeeping, transportation and organized social/recreational activities. May provide limited medical and retail support services.
(19) Responsible Party: The person paying the City utility charges or the person (s) having the right to occupy the property if there is no water service to the property. If the City is not able to identify the responsible party, the owner of record shall be the responsible party.
(20) Retention System: A system which is intended to retain and infiltrate surface water either partially or completely to groundwater.
(21) Runoff Control: Any means approved by the City Engineer by which the peak rate and volume of storm runoff from developed land surfaces is reduced to its predeveloped state for storms up to the 25-year event.
(22) Trip Generation: The average number of weekday vehicle trips as determined by the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE) by reference to the 8th edition of the ITE manual.
(23) Water System: All or any part of the public water system owned and operated by the Medford Water Commission, including all service lines to and including the water meters.