Words used in the present tense shall include the future. The singular shall include the plural, and the plural the singular. Reference to one gender shall be deemed to include the other. The words "shall" or "must" is intended to be and shall be deemed mandatory.
Where not defined in this Part 7, definitions of terms adopted in the Municipalities Planning Code,[1] the Second Class Township Code,[2] the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code,[3] Chapter 145, Zoning, Chapter 116, Stormwater Management, and the Public and Private Improvements Code (PPIC)[4] shall govern.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
[2]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 65101 et seq.
[3]
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 7210.101 et seq.
[4]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 29, Part 2, Public and Private Improvements.
The following words and phrases when used in this Part 7 shall have the meanings given to them in this article unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
A AREA
The areas identified as Zone A in the FIS (Flood Insurance Study) which are subject to inundation by the one-percent-annual-chance flood event determined using approximate methodologies. Because detailed hydraulic analyses have not been performed, no base blood elevations (BFEs) are shown.
AE AREA
The areas identified as Zones AE and A1-30 in the FIS which are subject to inundation by the one-percent-annual-chance flood event determined by detailed methods and have base flow elevations (BFEs) shown. There are three AE Areas, including, as defined herein, the Floodway Area, the AE Area Adjacent to Floodway, and the AE Area Without Floodway.
[Amended 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10]
AE AREA ADJACENT TO FLOODWAY
Those areas identified as an AE Zone on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA for which base flood elevations have been provided and a floodway has been delineated.
[Added 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10]
AE AREA WITHOUT FLOODWAY
Those areas identified as an AE Zone on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA for which base flood elevations have been provided but no floodway has been determined.
[Added 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10]
AO AND AH AREA
Areas subject to inundation by one-percent-annual-chance shallow flooding where average depths are between one and three feet.
[Added 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10]
BASE FLOOD
A flood which has a one-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year (also called the "one-hundred-year flood" or "one-percent annual chance flood").
[Amended 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10]
BASE FLOOD ELEVATION (BFE)
The elevation shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for Zones AE, AH, A1-30 that indicates the water surface elevation resulting from a flood that has a one-percent or greater chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
BASEMENT
Any area of the building having its floor below ground level on all sides.
BUILDING CODE OFFICIAL
The building code official employed or retained by the Township to administer and enforce the Construction Code, including any inspectors and designees.
COASTAL A ZONE
An area within a special flood hazard area, landward of a coastal high hazard area (V Zone) or landward of a shoreline without a mapped coastal high hazard area, in which the principal source(s) of flooding are astronomical tides and storm surges, and in which, during base flood conditions, the potential exists for breaking waves with heights greater than or equal to 1.5 feet. The inland limit of the Coastal A Zone may be delineated on FIRMs as the Limit of Moderate Wave Action (LiMWA).
[Added 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10]
COASTAL HIGH-HAZARD AREA
An area of special flood hazard extending from offshore to the inland limit of a primary frontal dune along an open coast and any other area subject to high velocity wave action from storms. Coastal high hazard areas also are referred to as "V Zones" and are designated on FIRMs as Zones V, VE or V1-30.
[Added 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10]
CUMULATIVE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE
Flood related damages sustained by a structure on two separate occasions during a ten-year period for which the cost of repairs at the time of each such flood event, on average, equals or exceeds 25% of the market value of the structure before the damages occurred.
[Added 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10]
DEVELOPMENT
Any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including but not limited to the construction, reconstruction, renovation, repair, expansion, or alteration of buildings or other structures; the placement of manufactured homes; streets, and other paving; utilities; filling, grading and excavation; mining; dredging; drilling operations; storage of equipment or materials; and the subdivision of land.
EXISTING MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION
A manufactured home park or subdivision for which the construction of facilities for servicing the lots on which the manufactured homes are to be affixed (including, at a minimum, the installation of utilities, the construction of streets, and either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads) is completed before the effective date of the floodplain management regulations adopted by a community.
EXPANSION TO AN EXISTING MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION
The preparation of additional sites by the construction of facilities for servicing the lots on which the manufacturing homes are to be affixed (including the installation of utilities, the construction of streets, and either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads).
FLOOD
A temporary inundation of normally dry land areas.
FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP (FIRM)
The official map on which the Federal Emergency Management Agency has delineated both the areas of special flood hazards and the risk premium zones applicable to the community.
FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY (FIS)
The official report provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that includes flood profiles, the Flood Insurance Rate Map, the Flood Boundary and Floodway Map, and the water surface elevation of the base flood.
FLOODPLAIN AREA
A relatively flat or low land area which is subject to partial or complete inundation from an adjoining or nearby stream, river, or watercourse, and/or any area subject to the unusual and rapid accumulation of surface waters from any source.
FLOODPROOFING
Any combination of structural and nonstructural additions, changes, or adjustments to structures which reduce or eliminate flood damage to real estate or improved real property, water and sanitary facilities, structures and their contents.
FLOODWAY
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 one foot.
FLOODWAY AREA (AE AREA WITH FLOODWAY)
The area identified as floodway in the FIS which represents the channel of a watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation by more than one foot at any point. Shall also include floodway areas that have been identified in other available studies or sources of information for those AE Areas where no floodway has been identified in the FIS.
HIGHEST ADJACENT GRADE
The highest natural elevation of the ground surface prior to construction next to the proposed walls of a structure.
HISTORIC STRUCTURES
Any structure that is:
A. 
Listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places (maintained by the Department of Interior) or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as meeting the requirements for individual listing on the National Register;
B. 
Certified or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as contributing to the historical significance of a registered historic district or a district preliminarily determined by the Secretary to qualify as a registered historic district;
C. 
Individually listed on a state inventory of historic places in states which have been approved by the Secretary of the Interior; or
D. 
Individually listed on a local inventory of historic places in communities with historic preservation that have been certified either:
(1) 
By an approved state program as determined by the Secretary of the Interior; or
(2) 
Directly by the Secretary of the Interior in states without approved programs.
IBC/IRC
The International Building Code and the International Residential Code, as adopted by the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act,[1] and as amended and updated.
LIMIT OF MODERATE WAVE ACTION (LiMWA)
Inland limit of the area affected by waves greater than 1.5 feet during the base blood. Base flood conditions between the VE Zone and the LiMWA will be similar to, but less severe than, those in the VE Zone.
[Added 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10]
LOWEST FLOOR
The lowest floor of the lowest fully enclosed area (including basement). An unfinished, flood-resistant partially enclosed area, used solely for parking of vehicles, building access and incidental storage, in an area other than a basement area, is not considered the lowest floor of a building, provided that such space is not designed and built so that the structure is in violation of applicable nonelevation design requirements of this Part 7.
MANUFACTURED HOME
A structure, transportable in one or more sections, which is built on a permanent chassis, and is designed for use with or without a permanent foundation when attached to the required utilities. The term includes park trailers, travel trailers, recreational and other similar vehicles which are placed on a site for more than 180 consecutive days. This definition only applies to this Part 7.
MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION
A parcel (or contiguous parcels) of land divided into two or more manufactured home lots for rent or sale. This definition only applies to this Part 7.[2]
NEW CONSTRUCTION
Structures for which the start of construction commenced on or after the effective start date of this floodplain management ordinance and includes any subsequent improvements to such structures. Any construction started after April 16, 1979, and before the effective start date of this floodplain management ordinance is subject to the ordinance in effect at the time the permit was issued, provided the start of construction was within 180 days of permit issuance.
NEW MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION
A manufactured home park or subdivision for which the construction of facilities for servicing the lots on which the manufactured homes are to be affixed (including, at a minimum, the installation of utilities, the construction of streets, and either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads) is completed on or after the effective date of floodplain management regulations adopted by a community.
PA DCED
The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
PERSON
An individual, partnership, public or private association or corporation, limited liability company, firm, trust, estate, municipality, governmental unit, public utility or any other legal entity whatsoever which is recognized by law as the subject of rights and duties.
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE
A vehicle which is:
A. 
Built on a single chassis;
B. 
Not more than 400 square feet, measured at the largest horizontal projections;
C. 
Designed to be self-propelled or permanently towable by a light-duty truck;
D. 
Designed for use as temporary living quarters for recreational, camp, travel or like use.
REGULATORY FLOOD ELEVATIONS
The base flood elevation (BFE) plus a freeboard safety factor of 1 1/2 feet.[3]
SHALLOW FLOODING AREA
The areas identified as Zones AO and AH in the FIS. These areas are subject to inundation by one-percent-annual-chance shallow flooding where average depths are between one foot and three feet.
SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA (SFHA)
An area in the floodplain subject to a one-percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year. It is shown on the FIRM as Zone A, AO, A1-A30, AE, A99, AH, V, VE, or V1-30.
[Amended 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10]
SPECIAL PERMIT
A special approval which is required for hospitals, nursing homes, jails, and new manufactured home parks and subdivisions and substantial improvements to such existing parks, when such development is located in all or a designated portion of a floodplain.
START OF CONSTRUCTION
Includes substantial improvement and other proposed new development and means the date the permit was issued, provided the actual start of construction, repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, placement, or other improvement was within 180 days from the date of the permit and shall be completed within 12 months after the date of issuance of the permit unless a time extension is granted, in writing, by the Floodplain Administrator. The "actual start" means either the first placement of permanent construction of a structure on a site, such as the pouring of slab or footings, the installation of piles, the construction of columns, or any work beyond the stage of excavation; or the placement of a manufacture home on a foundation. Permanent construction does not include land preparation, such as clearing, grading, and filling; nor does it include the installation of streets and/or walkways; nor does it include excavation for a basement, footings, piers, or foundations or the erection of temporary forms; nor does it include the installation on the property of accessory buildings, such as garages or sheds not occupied as dwelling units or not part of the main structure. For a substantial improvement, the actual start of construction means the first, alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor, or other structural part of a building, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the building.
STRUCTURE
A walled and roofed building, including a gas or liquid storage tank that is principally above ground, as well as a manufactured home.
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE
Damage from any cause sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the structure to its before-damaged condition would equal or exceed 50% or more of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.
SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT
Any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure before the "start of construction" of the improvement. This term includes structures that have incurred "substantial damage or cumulative substantial damage, regardless of the actual repair work performed. The term does not, however include either:
[Amended 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10]
A. 
Any project for improvement of a structure to correct existing violations of state or local health, sanitary, or safety code specifications which have been identified by the Township's code enforcement official and which are the minimum necessary to ensure safe living conditions; or
B. 
Historic structures undergoing repair or rehabilitation that would constitute a "substantial improvement" as defined in this chapter, must comply with all ordinance requirements that do not preclude the structure's continued designation as an historic structure. Documentation that a specific ordinance requirement will cause removal of the structure from the National Register of Historic Places or the State Inventory of Historic Places must be obtained from the Secretary of the Interior or the State Historic Preservation Officer. Any exemption from ordinance requirements will be the minimum necessary to preserve the historic character and design of the structure.
UNIFORM CONSTRUCTION CODE (UCC)
The statewide construction code as adopted by Millcreek Township. For coordination purposes, references to the UCC and to codes adopted by the Department of Labor and Industry are made specifically to various sections of the IRC and the IBC.
V AREA
Those areas identified as a V Zone on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA and for those which no base flood elevations have been provided.
[Added 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10]
VIOLATION
The failure of a structure or other development to be fully compliant with the community's floodplain management regulations. A structure or other development without the elevation certificate, other certifications, or other evidence of compliance required in 44 CFR 60.3(b)(5), (c)(4), (c)(10), (d)(3), (e)(2), (e)(4), or (e)(5) is presumed to be in violation until such time as that documentation is provided.
ZONE VE AND ZONE V1-30
Special flood hazard areas subject to inundation by the one-percent-annual-chance (one-hundred-year) flood and subject to high velocity wave action.
[Added 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 7210.101 et seq.
[2]
Editor’s Note: The definition of “minor repair,” which immediately followed this definition, was repealed 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10.
[3]
Editor’s Note: The definition of “repetitive loss,” which immediately followed this definition, was repealed 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10.