§ 42A-4. Terms defined.

Unless specifically defined below, words or phrases used in this document shall be interpreted so as to give them the same meaning as they have in common usage and so as to give this document its most reasonable application.

APPEAL

A request for a review of the local administrator's interpretation of any provision of this local law or a request for a variance.

BASEMENT

That portion of a building having its floor subgrade (below ground level) on all sides.

BUILDING

See "structure."

CELLAR

Has the same meaning as "basement."

CRAWL SPACE

An enclosed area beneath the lowest elevated floor, 18 inches or more in height, which is used to service the underside of the lowest elevated floor. The elevation of the floor of this enclosed area, which may be of soil, gravel, concrete or other material, must be equal to or above the lowest adjacent exterior grade. The enclosed crawl space area shall be properly vented to allow for the equalization of hydrostatic forces which would be experienced during periods of flooding.

DEVELOPMENT

Any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including but not limited to buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, paving, excavation or drilling operations or storage of equipment or materials.

EXISTING MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION

The preparation of additional sites by the construction of facilities for servicing the lots on which the manufactured 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) is complete before the effective date of the floodplain management regulations adopted by the 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 manufactured 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).

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

The federal agency that administers the National Flood Insurance Program.

FLOOD or FLOODING

A. 

A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas from:

(1) 

The overflow of inland or tidal waters;

(2) 

The unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source.

B. 

"Flood" or "flooding" also means the collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or other body of water as a result of erosion or undermining caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels or suddenly caused by an unusually high water level in a natural body of water, accompanied by a severe storm, or by an unanticipated force of nature, such as a flash flood or an abnormal tidal surge, or by some similarly unusual and unforeseeable event which results in flooding as defined in Subsection A(1) above.

FLOODPLAIN or FLOOD-PRONE AREA

Any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from any source (see definition of "flood").

FLOODPROOFING

Any combination of structural and nonstructural additions, changes, or adjustments to structures which reduces or eliminates flood damage to real estate or improved real property, water and sanitary facilities, structures and their contents.

HISTORIC STRUCTURE

Any structure that is:

A. 

Listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places (a listing maintained by the Department of the Interior) or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as meeting the requirements for individual listing on the National Register;

B. 

Certified or preliminary 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 with historic preservation programs 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 programs 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.

LOCAL ADMINISTRATOR

The person appointed by the community to administer and implement this local law by granting or denying development permits in accordance with its provisions. This person is often the Code Enforcement Officer, Building Inspector or employee of an engineering department.

MANUFACTURED HOME

A structure, transportable in one or more sections, which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities. The term does not include a recreational vehicle.

MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION

A parcel (or contiguous parcels) of land divided into two or more manufactured home lots for rent or sale.

PERSON

Includes any individual or group of individuals, corporation, partnership, association, or any other entity, including state and local governments and agencies.

START OF CONSTRUCTION

Includes substantial improvement and means the initiation, excluding planning and design, of any phase of a project, physical alteration of the property, and shall include land preparation, such as clearing, grading, and filling; installation of streets and/or walkways; excavation for a basement, footings, piers, or foundations or the erection of temporary forms. It also includes the placement and/or installation on the property of accessory buildings (garages, sheds), storage trailers, and building materials. For manufactured homes the "actual start" means affixing of the manufactured home to its permanent site.

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 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 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. The 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 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

B. 

Any alteration of an historic structure, provided that the alteration will not preclude the structure's continued designation as an historic structure.

VARIANCE

A grant of relief by a community from the terms of a floodplain management regulation.