(a) Unless specifically defined below, words and phrases used in this chapter shall be interpreted so as to give this chapter its most reasonable application.
(b) As used in this chapter:
(1) "Accessory use or structure" means a use or structure on the same lot with, and of a nature customarily incidental and subordinate to, the principal use or structure.
(2) "Building" means a combination of materials to form a permanent structure having walls and a roof, including mobile homes and trailers to be used for human habitation.
(3) "Completely dry space" means a space which will remain totally dry during flooding because the structure is designed and constructed to prevent the passage of water and water vapor.
(4) "Construction" means the construction, reconstruction, renovation, repair, extension, expansion, alteration or relocation of a building or structure, including the placement of mobile homes.
(5) "Development" means any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including, but not limited to, buildings or other structures, the placement of mobile homes, streets and other paving and utilities, and filling, grading, excavating, mining, dredging or drilling operations.
(6) "Essentially dry space" means a space which will remain dry during flooding, except for the passage of some water vapor or minor seepage, because the structure is substantially impermeable to the passage of water.
(7) "Flood" means a temporary inundation of normally dry land areas.
(8) "Flood-fringe area" means that portion of the flood plain outside of the floodway area.
(9) "Flood plain" means the same as "flood-prone area."
(10) "Flood-prone area" means a relatively flat or low land area which is subject to partial or complete inundation from an adjoining or nearby stream, river or watercourse and/or any area subject to unusual and rapid accumulation of surface waters from any source.
(11) "Floodproofing" means any combination of structural and nonstructural additions, changes or adjustments to structures which reduce or eliminate flood damage to real estate or improved real property, water and sanitary facilities, structures and their contents.
(12) "Floodway area" means the channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas required to carry and discharge a flood of the 100-year magnitude.
(13) "Land development" means the improvement of one lot or two or more contiguous lots, tracts or parcels of land for any purpose involving a group of two or more buildings or involving the division or allocation of land or space between or among two or more existing or prospective occupants by means of, or for the purpose of, streets, common areas, leaseholds, condominiums, building groups or other features; or a subdivision of land.
(14) "Minor repair" means the replacement of existing work with equivalent materials for the purpose of its routine maintenance and upkeep, but not including any addition, change or modification in construction, exit facilities or permanent fixtures or equipment.
(15) "Mobile home" means a transportable, single-family dwelling intended for a permanent occupancy, office or place of assembly, contained in one or more sections, built on a permanent chassis, which arrives at a site complete and ready for occupancy, except for minor and incidental unpacking and assembly operations, and constructed so that it may be used with or without a permanent foundation. The term does not include recreational vehicles or travel trailers.
(16) "Mobile home park" means a parcel of land under single ownership which has been planned and improved for the placement of two or more mobile homes for nontransient use.
(17) "Obstruction" means any wall, dam, wharf, embankment, levee, dike, pile abutment, projection, excavation, channel, rectification, culvert, building fence, stockpile, refuse, fill, structure or matter in, along, across or projecting into any channel watercourse or flood-prone area, which may impede, retard or change the direction of the flow of water, either in itself or by catching or collecting debris carried by such water, or is placed where the flow of the water might carry the same downstream to the damage of life and property.
(18) "One-hundred year flood" means a flood that, on the average, is likely to occur once every 100 years (i.e. that has a one percent chance of occurring each year, although the flood may occur in any year).
(19) "Regulatory flood elevation" means the 100-year flood elevation, plus a freeboard safety factor of one and one-half feet.
(20) "Structure" means anything constructed or erected on the ground or attached to the ground, including, but not limited to, buildings, sheds, mobile homes and other similar items.
(21) "Subdivision" means the division or redivision of a lot, tract or parcel of land by any means into two or more lots, tracts or parcels, or other divisions of land, including changes in existing lot lines, for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of lease, transfer of ownership or building or lot development, provided that the division of land for agricultural purposes into parcels of more than ten acres, not involving any new street or easement of access, shall be exempted.
(Ord. 784. Passed 7-11-77.)