(a) Borrow pit. "Borrow pit" means any place or premises where dirt, soil, sand, gravel or other material is removed, by excavation or otherwise, below the grade of surrounding land, for any purpose other than that necessary and incidental to grading or to building construction or operation on the premises.
(b) Channel. "Channel" means a natural or artificial watercourse of perceptible extent, with a bed and banks to confine and conduct flowing water continuously or periodically.
(c) Flood plain. "Flood plain" means that land, including the floodway fringe and the floodway, subject to inundation by the regional flood.
(d) Flood protection elevation. "Flood protection elevation" means the elevation to which uses regulated by this Zoning Code are required to be elevated or floodproofed.
(e) Flood, regional. "Flood, regional" means a large flood which has previously occurred or which may be expected to occur on a particular stream because of its physical characteristics. The regional flood generally has an average frequency of the 100-year recurrence interval flood.
(f) Floodway. "Floodway" means that portion of the flood plain, including the channel, which is required to convey the regional flood waters. Floods of more frequent recurrence are usually contained completely within the floodway.
(g) Floodway fringe. "Floodway fringe" means that portion of the flood plain, excluding the floodway, where development may be allowed under certain restrictions. The floodway fringe is delineated by floods having an average frequency of the 500-year recurrence interval flood.
(h) Grade. "Grade" means the average level of the finished surface of the ground adjacent to the exterior walls of a building or structure.
(i) Natural feature. "Natural feature" means an existing component of the landscape maintained as a part of the natural environment and having ecological value in contributing beneficially to air quality, erosion control, groundwater recharge, noise abatement, visual amenities, the natural diversity of plant and animal species, human recreation, reduction of climatic stress and energy costs.
(j) Nature preserve. "Nature preserve" means an area designated for the preservation of natural, ecological or scenic resources.
(k) Reach. "Reach" is a hydraulic engineering term to describe longitudinal segments of a stream or river. A reach will generally include the segment of the flood hazard area where flood heights are influenced by a human-made or natural obstruction. In an urban area, the segment of a stream or river between two consecutive bridge crossings would typically constitute a reach.
(l) Wetland. "Wetland" means an area that is inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances does support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas. The three criteria that must exist on a site for an area to be designated a wetland are hydric soils, hydrophytic vegetation and wetland hydrology.
(Ord. 11-O-1, passed 2-23-2011)