§ 156.02. DEFINITIONS.

For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.

BASEMENT. Any area of a structure, including crawl spaces, having its floor or base subgrade (below ground level) on all four sides, regardless of the depth of excavation below ground level.

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.

FLOOD FRINGE. The portion of the floodplain outside the floodway, also referred to as FLOODWAY FRINGE in the Flood Insurance Study for Dakota County Minnesota and Incorporated Areas. For the purposes of this chapter, the FLOOD FRINGE area shall include those areas designated as Zone AE on the city's FIRM panels adopted in this chapter that are at or below the 100-year-flood elevation (i.e., the base flood level), but above the ordinary high water level as defined in M.S. § 103G.005, subd. 14.

FLOODPLAIN. Any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from any source (see FLOOD). FLOODPLAIN shall consist of the Zone AE areas delineated on the city’s FIRM.

FLOOD-PROOFING. Any combination of structural and non-structural 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.

FLOODWAY. The bed of and portions of the floodplain for a wetland, lake, or watercourse channel which are reasonably required to carry or store the regional flood discharge. For the purposes of this chapter, the FLOODWAY area shall include those areas designated as Zone AE on the city's FIRM panels adopted in this chapter that are at or below the ordinary high water level as defined in M.S. § 103G.005, subd. 14.

LOWEST FLOOR. The LOWEST FLOOR of the lowest enclosed area (including basement).

MANUFACTURED HOME. A structure, transportable in one or more sections, built on a permanent chassis and 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 Flood Insurance Rate Map (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 these floodplain management regulations, and includes any subsequent improvements to such structures as regulated herein.

PERSON. Any individual, corporation, partnership, association, or any other entity, including state and local governments and agencies

RECREATIONAL VEHICLE(for floodplain areas only). A vehicle built on a single chassis, 400 square feet or less in area, when measured at the largest horizontal projection, designed to be self-propelled or permanently towable by a light duty truck, and designed primarily not for use as a permanent dwelling, but as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal use. For the purposes of this chapter, the term RECREATIONAL VEHICLE shall be synonymous with the term TRAVEL TRAILER/TRAVEL VEHICLE.

REGIONAL FLOOD. A flood that is representative of large floods known to have occurred generally in Minnesota, and reasonably characteristic of what can be expected to occur on an average frequency in the magnitude of the 100-year-recurrence interval. REGIONAL FLOOD is synonymous with the term BASE FLOOD used in a Flood Insurance Study.

REGULATORY FLOOD PROTECTION ELEVATION. An elevation no lower than one foot above the elevation of the regional flood, plus any increases in flood elevation caused by encroachments on the floodplain that result from designation of a floodway.

STRUCTURE. Anything constructed or erected on the ground, or attached in or to the ground, including but not limited to: buildings, sheds, gazebos or pavilions, manufactured homes and recreational vehicles not meeting the exemption criteria set forth elsewhere in this chapter.

SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. Damage of any origin sustained by a structure, where 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. All repairs, reconstructions or improvements of a structure within a two-year period, 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 performed. 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.

(Ord. 710, passed 3-14-02; Am. Ord. 927, passed 10-27-11)