Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have
the meanings indicated:
APPEAL
A request for a review of the Construction Official's interpretation
of any provision of this chapter or a request for a variance from
the Board of Adjustment.
AREA OF SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD
Land in the City of North Wildwood with a 1% chance (one
chance in 100) or greater of flooding in any given year, as designated
on the most recent FIRM by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
as Zone A1-30 or V1-30.
BASE FLOOD ELEVATION
A determination of the water surface elevations of the flood
level, above sea level, that has a 1% or greater chance of occurrence
in any given year, as designated on the most recent FIRM by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency.
BASEMENT
Any area of the building having its floor subgrade (below
ground level) on all sides.
BEACH
Gently sloping unvegetated areas of sand that extend landward
from the mean high water line of the Atlantic Ocean and Hereford Inlet
to either:
(a)
The vegetation line connecting the most seaward naturally occurring
perennial plants with other such plants;
(b)
A man-made structure generally parallel to the Atlantic Ocean
or Hereford Inlet, such as a retaining structure, seawall, bulkhead,
revetment, road, or boardwalk, except that sandy areas that extend
fully under or landward of an elevated boardwalk are considered to
be beaches; or
(c)
The seaward edge of the dunes.
BREAKAWAY WALL
A wall or partition, whether solid or lattice, and whether
constructed of concrete, masonry, wood, metal, plastic, or other suitable
building material, that is not part of the structural support of the
building and is intended, through its design and construction, to
collapse or break away under specific lateral loading forces, such
as abnormally high tides or wave action, without causing damage to
the elevated portion of the building or its supporting foundation
system.
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 or
seismic sources.
DEVELOPMENT
Any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate,
including but not limited to buildings or other structures, mining,
dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation, drilling operations
or storage of equipment or materials.
DUNES
A formation of vegetated or drifting, wind-blown sand, either
deposited by the waves and wind or man-made, that lies generally parallel
to and landward of the beach, extending landward to the foot of the
most inland dune slope.
ELEVATED BUILDING
A nonbasement building built in the case of a building in
an area of special flood hazard to have the top of the elevated floor
or in the case of a building in a coastal high-hazard area to have
the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member of the elevated
floor elevated above the ground level by means of piling, 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 up to the magnitude of the base flood.
In an area of special flood hazard, 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 areas of coastal high hazard, "elevated buildings"
also includes a building otherwise meeting the definition of elevated
building even though the lower area is enclosed by means of breakaway
walls.
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 City of North Wildwood. The
most recent map is dated January 6, 1983.
FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY
The official report provided in which the Federal Insurance
Administration has provided flood profiles, as well as the Flood Boundary/Floodway
Map and the water surface elevation of the base flood.
FLOOD or FLOODING
A general and temporary condition of partial or complete
inundation of normally dry land areas from:
(a)
The overflow of tidal waters; or
(b)
The unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff of surface waters
from any source.
FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS
Zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, building codes,
health regulations, special purpose ordinances (such as a floodplain
ordinance, grading ordinance and erosion control ordinance), and other
applications of police power. The term describes such state or local
regulations, in any combination thereof, which provide standards for
the purpose of flood damage prevention and reduction.
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.
FREEBOARD
A factor of safety usually expressed in feet above the base
flood elevation. Freeboard tends to compensate for the many unknown
factors that could contribute to flood heights greater than the base
flood elevation.
HISTORIC STRUCTURE
Any structure that is:
(a)
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;
(b)
Certified or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the
interior as contributing to the historical significance of a registered
historic district preliminarily determined by the Secretary to qualify
as a registered historic district;
(c)
Individually listed on a state inventory of historic places
approved by the Secretary of the Interior; or
(d)
Individually listed on a local inventory of historic places:
[1]
Approved by a state program as authorized by the Secretary of
the Interior; or
[2]
Directly approved by the Secretary of the Interior.
LOWEST FLOOR
The lowest level of the lowest enclosed area, including basement.
An unfinished or flood-resistant enclosure, usable solely for parking
of vehicles, building access, or storage in an area other than a basement,
is not considered a building's lowest floor, provided that such enclosure
complies with the applicable construction standards of this section.
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 "manufactured home" does not include a recreation vehicle.
NEW CONSTRUCTION
Structures for which the start of construction commenced
on or after 1971, the effective date of a predecessor Floodplain Management
Ordinance adopted by the City of North Wildwood.
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 the floodplain management regulations adopted by the municipality.
PRIMARY FRONTAL DUNE
A continuous or nearly continuous mound or ridge of sand
with relatively steep seaward and landward slopes immediately landward
and adjacent to the beach and subject to erosion and overtopping from
high tides and waves during major coastal storms. The inland limit
of the primary frontal dune occurs at the point where there is a distinct
change from the relatively steep slope to a relatively mild slope.
RECREATION VEHICLE
A vehicle which is built on a single chassis; 400 square
feet or less when measured at the largest horizontal projections;
designed to be self-propelled or permanently towable by a light-duty
truck; and designed primarily not for use as a permanent dwelling
but as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel
or seasonal use.
SAND DUNES
Naturally occurring accumulations of sand in ridges or mounds
landward of the beach.
START OF CONSTRUCTION
Includes substantial improvements and means the date the
building permit was issued, provided the actual start of construction,
repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, 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 a 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 a basement,
footings or 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 effects the external dimensions of the building.
STRUCTURE
For the purpose of this section, a walled and roofed building,
a manufactured home, or a gas or liquid storage tank, that is principally
above ground.
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE
Damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the
cost of restoring the structure to its before damaged condition would
equal or exceed 50% of the market value of the structure before the
damage occurred.
SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT
Any combination of repairs, reconstruction, rehabilitation,
addition, or other improvement of a structure taking place during
the life of the structure, the cumulative 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:
(a)
Any project or 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
(b)
Any alteration of a structure listed on the National Register
of Historic Places or the State Register of Historic Places.
VARIANCE
A grant of relief from the requirements of this section which
permits construction in a manner otherwise prohibited by this section
because a literal enforcement would result in unnecessary hardship.