Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
APPEAL A request for the review of the Township Engineer's interpretation of any provision of this section or a request for a variance from the Planning Board.
CHANNEL The bed and banks of the watercourses located within the boundaries of the Township of Mantua which convey the normal flow of said watercourses most of the time.
DESIGN FLOOD The relative size or magnitude of a flood, expressed as a design discharge in cubic feet per second, which is developed from hydrologic criteria, represents a major flood of reasonable expectancy, reflects both flood experience and flood potential and is the basis of the delineation of the floodway and the flood hazard area and of the water surface elevations thereof.
DESIGN FLOOD PROFILE The elevations of the water surface of the floodway design flood and the flood hazard area design flood.
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 or drilling operations located within the flood hazard area.
FLOOD ELEVATION DETERMINATION A determination of the water surface elevations of the design flood, i.e., the flood level that has a one-percent or greater chance of occurrence in any given year.
FLOOD-HAZARD AREA Land in the floodplain subject to a one-percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year.
FLOOD or FLOODING A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry areas from inland or tidal waters; and the unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff of surface water from any source.
FLOODPLAIN The relatively flat area adjoining a water channel which has been or may be covered by floodwater of the channel.
FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS State or local regulations, in any combination thereof, which provide standards for the purpose of flood damage prevention and reduction.
FLOODWAY The river or other watercourse and the adjacent land area that must be reserved in order to discharge the design flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than 0.2 foot.
HABITABLE FLOOR For floodplain management purposes, any floor, including the basement, usable for living purposes, which includes working, sleeping, eating, cooking or recreation, or a combination thereof. A floor used only for storage purposes is not a habitable floor.
NEW CONSTRUCTION Structures for which the start of construction commenced on or after the effective date of this chapter.
STRUCTURE For floodplain management purposes, a walled or roofed building, including a gas or liquid storage tank, that is principally above ground. For insurance purposes, "structure" means a walled and roofed building, other than a gas or liquid storage tank, that is principally above ground and affixed to a permanent site. For the latter purpose, the term includes a building while in the course of construction, alteration or repair, but does not include building materials or supplies intended for use in such construction, alteration or repair, unless such material or supplies are within an enclosed building on the premises.
SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT Any repair, reconstruction or improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure either before the improvement or repair is started or, if the structure has been damaged and is being restored, before the damage occurred. For the purpose of this definition, "substantial improvement" is considered to occur when the first alteration of any wall, floor or other structural part of the floor commences, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the structure. The term does not, however, include either:
(a) Any project for improvement of a structure to comply with existing state or local health, sanitary or safety code specifications which is solely necessary to assure safe living conditions; or
(b) Any alteration of a structure listed on the National Historic Register of Historic Places or the State Inventory of Historic Places.
VARIANCE A grant of relief by the Planning Board from the requirements of this section permitting construction in a manner otherwise prohibited by this section because the literal enforcement would result in unnecessary hardship.