Caliper. The diameter of a tree trunk measured at six inches above ground level for trees up to four inches in diameter and 12 inches above ground for larger diameter trees.

Capital Impact Fee. A fee imposed on new development or redevelopment by the City in order to fund the cost of providing new or expanded capital facilities required to serve that development or redevelopment.

Caretaker’s Residence. An accessory dwelling unit located on the premises of another principal use for the occupancy of a caretaker, security guard, or other person charged with oversight or protection of the principal use.

Carport. A structure sheltering one or more parking spaces, unenclosed on one or more sides, and not meeting the definition of a residential garage.

Catering Service. An establishment whose principal business is to prepare food on-site, then to transport and serve the food off-site. This use includes a commercial kitchen. No business consumption of food or beverages is permitted on the premises.

Cemetery. Property used for the interring of dead humans or animals.

Centerlines, Streets and Alleys. A line drawn along the center of a street or alley that is parallel to and equidistant from each edge of the street or alley right-of-way.

Certificate of Occupancy. The document issued by the chief building official prior to the occupation or use of a building or structure that certifies the building or structure is in conformance with the provisions of the building code and any other laws enforced by the City Code Enforcement Division.

CFR Part 77 Surfaces (or 14 CFR Part 77 Surfaces). Imaginary surfaces in the vicinity or an airport as established by the Federal Aviation Administration Regulations, part 77, “Objects Affecting Navigable Airspace,” U.S. Department of Transportation, FAA, January 1975, as amended, for commercial and military airports for the purpose of controlling heights of objects in the airport vicinity, as codified at 14 CFR 77.28, incorporated into this UDO by this reference.

Change of Use. Any use that substantially differs from the previous use of a building or land.

Chief Building Official. That person in the Building Division designated to make decisions regarding compliance of applications with the UDO and other adopted City codes and regulations.

Christmas Tree Sales. A temporary retail sales operation, generally conducted wholly outside, that offers for sale Christmas trees and related holiday items, such as wreaths and tree stands.

Circulation. Systems, structures, and physical improvements for the movement of people, goods, water, air, sewage, or power, by such means as streets, highways, railways, waterways, towers, airways, pipes, and conduits and the handling of people and goods by such means as terminals, stations, warehouses, and other storage buildings or transshipment points.

Civic or Cultural Facility. Museums, art galleries, botanical or zoological gardens, libraries, visitor centers, and similar establishments that document and present natural, historic, scientific, or cultural interests; as well as facilities for the performance or presentation of theater arts, dance, drama, and similar cultural pursuits to the general public. This use does not include an art studio or workshop, a sexually oriented business, or a public safety facility.

Clear Zone (CZ). An area at the immediate end of each airport runway, which area is 3,000 feet wide by 3,000 feet long.

Club, Lodge, and Service Organization. Affiliations with a selective membership whose members have voting control over significant aspects of the group's operations, and that do not charge daily or weekly dues or entry fees or admit persons into the premises based upon application fees.

Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.). The codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal government.

Commercial Message. A message that is primarily concerned with the marketplace of goods and services, or the economic interests of the speaker and/or the audience, or that proposes a commercial transaction.

Commercial Vehicle. Any vehicle used or designed to be used for business, commercial, or industrial purposes and licensed as a commercial vehicle, including but not limited to a bus, tow truck, dump truck, tank truck, garbage truck, panel truck, stake bed truck, hoist truck, step van, semi-tractor, semi-trailer, commercial tree trimming equipment, construction equipment, or any nonrecreational trailer.

Compatible or Compatibility. Characteristics of uses, activities, designs, or facilities that allow them to be located near each other without creating significant adverse visual, functional, or operational impacts on each other. Determinations of compatibility include considerations of the height, scale, mass, or bulk of structures; levels of activity discernible outside a structure; levels of pedestrian, bicycle, or vehicle traffic; levels of site circulation, site access, or parking activity; landscaping, lighting, noise, odor, architectural features, and building materials. Compatibility does not require that two uses, activities, or designs be identical or substantially the same.

Composite Wood. The composite materials made of wood fiber and/or wood flour and thermoplastics, with a minimum of a 20-year manufacturer’s warranty, and of a color integral to the fence material so as to not require painting.

Comprehensive Plan. The long-range Comprehensive Plan for the City adopted by City Council, including all amendments adopted by City Council.

Conditional Use. A use that may be permitted if found to be compatible with adjacent uses and would not change the character of the neighborhood.

Condominium. A form of organizing and owning real estate ownership as recognized in Colorado Revised Statutes §§ 38-33-101 et seq., and as regulated by the State of Colorado.

Congregate Living Facility. Any building or portion of a building that contains facilities for living, sleeping and sanitation that comply with the standards set forth in the code, and may include facilities for eating, cooking, counseling, or training.  Congregate living facilities can include any entity protected under the Fair Housing Act, but do not include jails, halfway houses, hospitals, hotels or boarding houses.

Construction. Any site preparation, assembly, erection, substantial repair, alteration, or similar action, but excluding demolition, for or of public or private rights-of-way, structures, utilities, or similar property. On a historic site or in a historic district construction means the erection of any improvements on any parcel of land.

Construction Protection Devices and Measures. Temporary structural measures such as fencing, tape lines, and berms, installed prior to construction to minimize tree damage and permanent structural measures such as retaining walls and aeration devices designed to protect the tree throughout its lifetime.

Contaminated Site. Contaminated sites contain substances above, in, or under the land that are actually or potentially hazardous to health or the environment. Areas with a long history of industrial production known as brownfields are also included in this definition. Many such sites may be affected by their former uses such as associated construction materials, mining, industry, use of chemicals, oil spills, and waste disposal.

Contextual Site Plan. A plan for the development of land approved by the City before the Effective Date pursuant to the provisions of the Aurora Zoning Code applicable to the former E-470 and/or Northeast Plains zone districts. Approved Contextual Site Plans are treated as approved Site Plans or Final Subdivision Plats in this UDO, depending on whether they were approved as zoning or subdivision actions.

Continuing Care Retirement. A community for care of the elderly that has common facilities and provides licensed intermediate and skilled nursing facilities for its residents, as well as other supportive services. This use generally incudes a variety of housing types and provides a variety of levels of assistance and care so that its residents may obtain higher levels of care and service as they age without having to move to another residential care facility.

Corner Commercial Use. An art studio or workshop, office, personal service, restaurant, or retail sales use in a structure located at a specific type of street intersections in the MU-OA zone district.

Courtyard. An unoccupied open space, other than a yard, on the same lot with a building and that is bordered on two or more sides by the building.

Cul-de-Sac. A street with one end open for the public vehicular and pedestrian access and the other end terminating in a vehicular turnaround.

Cultural Heritage Site. A parcel with improvements, such as a building, structure, or object, that lacks sufficient integrity to warrant landmark designation, but still possesses historical, architectural, cultural, or archeological significance. An age of 50 years or more is typical but not required if a site is of exceptional significance to the community.

Crematorium. A facility containing furnaces for the reduction of dead bodies to ashes by fire.

Curb Cut. A cut in the curbline of a street provided for the passage of vehicles.

Curbside Landscape. The landscape portion of a street or drive lane right-of-way located between the back of curb and face of sidewalk or walk where street trees or other plant material is installed. (Ord. No. 2020-37 § 39, 10-05-2020; Ord. No. 2019-49 § 1, 08-19-2019)