§ 115-9. Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

DEVELOPMENT

Any man-made change to real estate, including but not limited to construction or reconstruction of buildings, installing manufactured homes or travel trailers, installing utilities, construction of roads or bridges, erection of levees, walls, or fences, drilling, mining, filling, dredging, and storage of materials.

FLOOD

A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas from overflow of inland or tidal waves, or the unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source.

FLOODPLAIN or FLOOD-PRONE AREA

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

MANUFACTURED HOME

A structure, transportable in one or more sections, which is built on a permanent chassis and is designated for use with or without a permanent foundation when attached to the required utilities.

NEW CONSTRUCTION

For the purposes of determining insurance rates, structures for which the "start of construction" commenced on or after the effective date of an initial FIRM or after December 31, 1974, whichever is later, and includes any subsequent improvements to such structures. For floodplain management purposes, "new construction" means structures for which the start of construction commenced on or after the effective date of a floodplain management regulation adopted by a community and includes any subsequent improvements to such structures.

PERSON

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

SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA

The land in the floodplain within a community subject to a one-percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year. The area may be designated as "Zone A" on the FHBM. After detailed ratemaking has been completed in preparation for publication of the Flood Insurance Rate Map, Zone A usually is refined into Zones A, AO, AH, Al-30, AE, A99, AR, AR/A1-30, AR/AE, AR/AO, AR/AH, AR/A, VO, or V1-30, VE, or V. For purposes of these regulations, the term "special flood hazard area" is synonymous in meaning with the phrase "area of special flood hazard."

STRUCTURE

For floodplain management purposes, a walled and roofed building, including gas or liquid storage tanks, that is principally aboveground. The term includes recreational vehicles and travel trailers on site for more than 180 days.

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 a) before the improvement or repair is started, or b) if the structure has been damaged and is being restored, before the damage occurred. For the purposes 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 regardless of the actual work preformed. The term does not, however, include either 1) 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 2) any alteration of a "historic structure," provided that the alteration will not preclude the structure's continued designation as a "historic structure."