The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Addition (to an existing building) means any walled and roofed expansion to the perimeter of a building in which the addition is connected by a common loadbearing wall other than a firewall. Any walled and roofed addition which is connected by a firewall or is separated by independent perimeter loadbearing walls is new construction.

Appeal means a request for a review of the city's interpretation of any provision of this article or a request for a variance.

area of shallow flooding means a designated AO or VO zone on the city's flood insurance rate map (FIRM) with base flood depths from one to three feet where a clearly defined channel does not exist, where the path of flooding is unpredictable and indeterminate and where velocity flow may be evident.

area of special flood hazard means the land in the floodplain within the city subject to a one percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year.

base flood means the flood having a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.

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

Breakaway wall means a wall that is not part of the structural support of the building and is intended through its design and construction to collapse under specific lateral loading forces without causing damage to the elevated portion of the building or the supporting foundation system.

Building means any structure built for support, shelter or enclosure for any occupancy or storage.

coastal high hazard area means the area subject to high velocity waters caused by but not limited to hurricane wave wash. The area is designated on a FIRM as zone V1--30, VE or V.

Development means any manmade change to improved or unimproved real estate, including but not limited to buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavating, drilling operations or permanent storage of materials or equipment.

Elevated building means a nonbasement building built to have the lowest floor elevated above the ground level by means of fill, solid foundation perimeter walls, pilings, columns (posts or piers), shear walls or breakaway walls.

existing construction means any structure for which the start of construction commenced before the effective date of the ordinance from which this section is derived.

Existing manufactured home park or subdivision means 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 before the effective date of the ordinance from which this section is derived.

Expansion to an existing manufactured home park or subdivision means 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.

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

flood hazard boundary map (FHBM) means an official map of the city, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, where the boundaries of the areas of special flood hazard have been defined as zone A.

flood insurance rate map (FIRM) means an official map of the city on which the Federal Emergency Management Agency has delineated both the areas of special flood hazard and the risk premium zones applicable to the community.

flood insurance study means the official report provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The report contains flood profiles, as well as the flood boundary floodway map and the water surface elevation of the base flood.

floodway 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 one foot.

floor means the top surface of an enclosed area in a building, including basement, i.e., top of slab in concrete slab construction or top of wood flooring in wood frame construction. The term does not include the floor of a garage used solely for parking vehicles.

functionally dependent facility means a facility which cannot be used for its intended purpose, unless it is located or carried out in close proximity to water, such as a docking or port facility necessary for the loading and unloading of cargo or passengers, shipbuilding, ship repair or seafood processing facilities. The term does not include longterm storage, manufacture, sales or service facilities.

Highest adjacent grade means the highest natural elevation of the ground surface, prior to construction, next to the proposed walls of a building.

historic structure means any structure that is:

Lowest floor means the lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area (including basement). An unfinished or flood-resistant enclosure, used 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 is not built so as to render the structure in violation of the nonelevation design standards of this chapter.

mangrove stand means an assemblage of mangrove trees which is mostly low trees noted for a copious development of interlacing adventitious roots above the ground and which contains one or more of the following species: black mangrove (Avicennia nitida); red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle); white mangrove (Languncularia racemosa); and buttonwood (Conocarpus erecta).

manufactured home means a building, 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 also includes park trailers, travel trailers and similar transportable buildings placed on a site for 180 consecutive days or longer and intended to be improved property.

mean sea level means the average height of the sea for all stages of the tide. It is used as a reference for establishing various elevations within the floodplain. For purposes of this article, the term is synonymous with National Geodetic Vertical Datum (ngvd).

National Geodetic Vertical Datum (ngvd) means, as corrected in 1929, a vertical control used as a reference for establishing varying elevations within the floodplain.

new construction means any structure for which the start of construction commenced after the effective date of the ordinance from which this section is derived. The term also includes any subsequent improvements to such structure.

recreational vehicle means a vehicle which is:

Sand dunes means naturally occurring accumulations of sand in ridges or mounds landward of the beach.

Start of construction, for other than new construction or substantial improvements under the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (PL 97-348), includes substantial improvement and means the date the building permit was issued, provided the actual start of construction, repair, reconstruction or improvement was within 180 days of the permit date. The actual start means the first placement of permanent construction of a building, including manufactured home, on a site, such as the pouring of slabs or footings, installation of pipes, 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 walkways nor does it include excavation for a basement, 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 building. 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 affects the external dimensions of the building.

Structure means a walled and roofed building that is principally above ground, a manufactured home, a gas or liquid storage tank or other manmade facilities or infrastructure.

substantial damage means 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 percent of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.

substantial improvement means any combination of repairs, reconstruction, alteration, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvements to a building, taking place during a ten-year period, in which the cumulative cost equals or exceeds 50 percent of the market value of the building. The market value of the building is the appraised or assessed value of the building, less the land prior to the start of the initial repair or improvement, or, in the case of damage, the value of the building prior to the damage occurring. This term includes structures which have incurred "substantial damage," regardless of the actual repair work performed. 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 building. The term does not, however, include:

variance means a grant of relief from this article which permits construction in a manner otherwise provided by this article where specific enforcement would result in unnecessary hardships.