Unless specifically defined in this section, words or phrases used in this chapter shall be interpreted to give them the meaning they have in common usage and to give this chapter its most reasonable application.
means a request for a review of the floodplain administrator’s interpretation of any provision of this chapter or a request for a variance.
means the planning and zoning commission of the city.
means a designated AO, AH, or VO zone on a community’s flood insurance rate map (FIRM) with a one percent or greater annual chance of flooding to an average depth of one to three feet, where a clearly defined channel does not exist, where the path of flooding is unpredictable and where velocity flow may be evident. Such flooding is characterized by ponding or sheet flow.
means the land inundated by the base flood.
means the flood having a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
means the water surface elevation resulting from the flood that has a 1% chance of equaling or exceeding that level in any given year.
means an integral and readily identifiable part of a flood protection system, without which the flood protection provided by the entire system would be compromised.
means any manmade change in improved and unimproved real estate, including, but not limited to, buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filing, grading, paving, excavation, drilling operations, or storage of equipment or materials.
means a nonbasement building built, in the case of a building in zones A1-30, AE, A, A99, AO, AH, B, C, X, and D, to have the top of the elevated floor, or in the case of a building in zones V1-30, VE, or V, to have the bottom of the lowest horizontal structure member of elevated floor elevated above the ground level by means of pilings, columns (posts and piers), or shear walls parallel to the flow of the water and adequately anchored so as not to impair the structural integrity of the building during a flood of up to the magnitude of the base flood. In the case of zones A1-30, AE, A, A99, AO, AH, B, C, X, D, the term “elevated building” also includes a building elevated by means of fill or solid foundation perimeter walls with openings sufficient to facilitate the unimpeded movement of floodwaters. In the case of zones V1-30, VE, or V, the term “elevated building” also includes a building otherwise meeting the definition of “elevated building,” even though the lower area is enclosed by means of breakaway walls if the breakaway walls meet the standards of section 60.3(e)(5) of the National Flood Insurance Program regulations.
means, for the purposes of determining rates, structures for which the start of construction commenced before the effective date of the initial FIRM (October 3, 1984). “Existing construction” may also be referred to as “existing structures.”
means a general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas from:
means an official map of community on which the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has delineated both the areas of special flood hazards and the risk premium zones applicable to the community.
is the official report provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The report contains flood profiles, water surface elevation of the base flood, as well as the flood boundary-floodway map.
means those physical, structural works for which funds have been authorized, appropriated and expended and which have been constructed specifically to modify flooding in order to reduce the extent of the areas within a community subject to a special flood hazard and the extent of the depths of associated flooding. Such a system typically includes hurricane tidal barriers, dams, reservoirs, levees or dikes. These specialized flood modifying works are those constructed in conformance with sound engineering standards.
means any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from any source (see the definition of “flooding”).
means 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 a designated height.
use means a use which cannot perform its intended purpose unless it is located or carried out in close proximity to water. The term includes only docking facilities and port facilities that are necessary for the loading and unloading of cargo or passengers, and ship building and ship repair facilities, but does not include long term storage or related manufacturing facilities.
means the highest natural elevation of the ground surface prior to construction next to the proposed walls of a structure.
means a manmade structure, usually an earthen embankment, designed and constructed in accordance with sound engineering practices to contain, control or divert the flow of water so as to provide protection from temporary flooding.
means a flood protection system which consists of a levee, or levees, and associated structures, such as closure and drainage devices, which are constructed and operated in accordance with sound engineering practices.
means the lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area, including basement and garage. An unfinished or flood-resistant enclosure, usable solely for parking of vehicles, building access or storage in an area other than a basement area, is not considered a building’s lowest floor; provided, that such enclosure is not built so as to render the structure in violation of the applicable nonelevation design requirement of section 60.3 of the National Flood Insurance Program regulations.
means 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 connected to the required utilities. For floodplain management purposes, the term “manufactured home” also includes park trailers, travel trailers and other similar vehicles placed on a site for greater than 180 consecutive days. For insurance purposes, the term “manufactured home” does not include park trailers, travel trailers and other similar vehicles.
means, for purposes of the National Flood Insurance Program, the North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) of 1988 or other datum, to which base flood elevations shown on a community’s flood insurance rate map are referenced.
means, for floodplain management purposes, structures for which the start of construction commenced on or after the effective date of a floodplain management regulation adopted by a community.
means a vehicle which is: (a) built on a single chassis; (b) 400 square feet or less when measured at the largest horizontal projection; (c) designed to be self-propelled or permanently towable by a light duty truck; and (d) designed primarily not for use as a permanent dwelling but as a temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal use.
(for other than new construction or substantial improvements under the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (Pub. L. 97-348)) includes substantial improvement and means that date the building permit was issued, provided the actual start of construction, repair, reconstruction, placement or other improvement was within 180 days of the permit date. 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 manufactured 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 basements, 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.
means a walled and roofed building, including a gas or liquid storage tank, which is principally above ground, as well as a manufactured home.
means any additions or improvement of a structure, the cumulative cost of which equals or exceeds 25 percent of the market value of the structure, or any repair or reconstruction which equals or exceeds 50 percent of the market value of the structure at the time the damage occurred. For the purpose of this definition, substantial improvement is considered to occur when the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor or other structural part of the building commences, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the structure. The term does not, however, include either any project for improvement of a structure to comply with existing state or local health, sanitary or safety code specifications which are solely necessary to assure safe living conditions, or any alteration of a structure listed in the National Register of Historic Places or a state inventory of historic places.
is a grant of relief to a person from the requirements of this chapter when specific enforcement would result in unnecessary hardship. A variance, therefore, permits construction or development in a manner otherwise prohibited by this chapter. (For full requirements, see section 60.6 of the National Flood Insurance Program regulations.)
means 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 section 60.3(b)(5), (c)(4), (c)(10), (d)(3), (e)(4), or (e)(5) of the National Flood Insurance Program regulations is presumed to be in violation until such time as that documentation is provided.
means the height, in relation to the North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) of 1988 (or other datum, where specified), of floods of various magnitudes and frequencies in the floodplains of coastal or riverine areas.
(Ordinance 1856, § I, 8-25-09; Ordinance 2209, § 1, 11-27-18)