Unless specifically defined below, words and phrases used in this chapter shall be interpreted so as to give this chapter its most reasonable application.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
A flood that, on the average, is likely to occur once every 100 years (i.e., that has 1% chance of occurring each year, although the flood may occur in any year).
A use or structure on the same lot with, and of a nature customarily incidental and subordinate to, the principal use or structure.
Any area of the building having its floor below ground level on all sides.
A combination of materials to form a permanent structure having walls and a roof. Included shall be all mobile homes and trailers to be used for human habitation.
A space which will remain totally dry during flooding; the structure is designed and constructed to prevent the passage of water and water vapor.
The construction, reconstruction, renovation, repair, extension, expansion, alteration, or relocation of a building or structure, including the placement of manufactured homes.
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.
A space which will remain dry during flooding, except for the passage of some water vapor or minor seepage; the structure is substantially impermeable to the passage of water.
A temporary inundation of normally dry land areas.
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.
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.
The designated area of a floodplain required to carry and discharge floodwaters of a given magnitude. For the purposes of this chapter, the floodway shall be capable of accommodating a flood of the 100-year magnitude.
Any structure that is:
Listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places (a listing 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;
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;
Individually listed on a state inventory of historic places in states with historic preservation programs which have been approved by the Secretary of the Interior; or
Individually listed on a local inventory of historic places in communities with historic preservation programs that have been certified either:
The floodplain area specifically identified in this chapter as being inundated by the 100-year flood.
Any of the following activities:
The improvement of one lot or two or more contiguous lots, tracts, or parcels of land for any purpose involving:
A group of two or more residential or nonresidential buildings, whether proposed initially or cumulatively, or a single nonresidential building on a lot or lots regardless of the number of occupants or tenure; or
The division or allocation of land or space, whether initially or cumulatively, between or among two or more existing or prospective occupants by means of, or for the purpose of streets, common areas, leaseholds, condominiums, building groups or other features.
A subdivision of land.
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 the applicable nonelevation design requirements of this chapter.
A transportable, single-family dwelling intended for permanent occupancy, office, or place of assembly, contained in one or more sections, built on a permanent chassis, which arrives at a site complete and ready for occupancy except for minor and incidental unpacking and assembly operations, and constructed so that it may be used with or without a permanent foundation. The term does include park trailers, travel trailers or other similar vehicles which are placed on a site for more than 180 consecutive days.
A parcel of land under single ownership which has been planned and improved for the placement of two or more manufactured homes for nontransient use.
The replacement of existing work with equivalent materials for the purpose of its routine maintenance and upkeep, but not including the cutting away of any wall, partition or portion thereof, the removal or cutting of any structural beam or bearing support, or the removal or change of any required means of egress, or rearrangement of parts of a structure affecting the exitway requirements; nor shall "minor repairs" include addition to, alteration of, replacement or relocation of any standpipe, water supply, sewer, drainage, drain leader, gas, soil, waste, vent or similar piping, electric wiring or mechanical or other work affecting public health or general safety.
Structures for which the start of construction commenced on or after October 7, 1981, and includes any subsequent improvements thereto.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Any wall, dam, wharf, embankment, levee, dike, pile abutment, projection, excavation, channel, rectification, culvert, building, fence, stockpile, refuse, fill, structure, or matter in, along, across, or projecting into any channel, watercourse, or flood-prone area:
An individual, partnership, public or private association or corporation, 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.
A vehicle which is:
Built on a single chassis;
Not more than 400 square feet, measured at the largest horizontal projections;
Designed to be self-propelled or permanently towable by a light-duty truck;
Not designed for use as a permanent dwelling but as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal use.
The 100-year-flood elevation plus a freeboard safety factor of 1 1/2 feet.
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.
Anything constructed or erected on the ground or attached to the ground, including, but not limited to, buildings, sheds, manufactured homes, and other similar items. This term includes any man-made object having an ascertainable stationary location on or in land or water, whether or not affixed to land.
The division or redivision of a lot, tract or parcel of land by any means into two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other division of land, including changes in existing lot lines for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of lease, transfer of ownership, or building, or lot development; provided, however, that the division of land for agricultural purposes into parcels of more than 10 acres, not involving any new street or easement of access, shall be exempted.
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.
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 which have incurred substantial damage, regardless of the actual repair work performed. The term does not, however, include either:
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 local code enforcement official and which are the minimum necessary to assure safe living conditions; or
Any alteration of an historic structure, provided that the alteration will not preclude the structure's continued designation as an historic structure.