§ 26-197. Definitions.

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:

Base flood means the flood having a one percent probability of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. The base flood is also known as the 100-year flood. The base flood elevation at any location is as defined in this Article.

Base flood elevation (BFE) means the elevation in relation to mean sea level of the crest of the base flood.

Building means a structure that is principally above ground and is enclosed by walls and a roof including manufactured homes and prefabricated buildings. The term "building" also includes recreational vehicles and travel trailers to be installed on a site for more than 180 days.

Development means any manmade change to real estate including, but not necessarily limited to:

(1)

Construction, reconstruction, or placement of a building, or any addition to a building, exceeding 70 square feet in floor area;

(2)

Substantial improvement of an existing building;

(3)

Installation of a manufactured home on a site, preparing a site for a manufactured home or installing a travel trailer on a site for more than 180 days;

(4)

Installation of utilities, construction of roads, bridges, culverts, or similar projects;

(5)

Construction or erection of levees, dams, walls, or fences;

(6)

Drilling, mining, filling, dredging, grading, excavating, paving, or other alterations of the ground surface;

(7)

Storage of materials including the placement of gas and liquid storage tanks; and

(8)

Channel modifications or any other activity that might change the direction, height, or velocity of floodwaters or surface waters.

The term "development" does not include maintenance of existing buildings and facilities; resurfacing roads; or gardening, plowing, and similar practices that do not involve filling, grading, or construction of levees.

FEMA means the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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

Flood fringe means that portion of the floodplain outside of the regulatory floodway.

Flood insurance rate map means a map prepared by FEMA that depicts the floodplain or SFHA within a community. The map includes insurance rate zones and may or may not depict floodways and show base elevations.

Flood protection elevation or FPE means the elevation of the base flood plus one foot of freeboard at any given location in the floodplain.

Floodplain and special flood hazard area (SFHA) mean and are synonymous with those lands within the jurisdiction of the Village, that are subject to inundation by the base flood. The floodplains of the Village are generally identified as such on the Flood Insurance Rate Map of the Village prepared by FEMA and dated November 2, 1983. The terms "floodplain" and "SFHA" also mean the floodplains of those parts of the unincorporated County that are within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the Village or that may be annexed into the Village that are generally identified as such on the flood insurance rate map prepared for the County by FEMA and dated June 1, 1983.

Floodproofing means any combination of structural or nonstructural additions, changes, or adjustments to structures which reduce or eliminate flood damage to real estate, property and their contents.

Floodproofing certificate means a form published by FEMA that is used to certify that a building has been designed and constructed to be structurally dry and floodproofed to the flood protection elevation.

Floodway means that portion of the floodplain required to store and convey the base flood. The floodway for the floodplains of the Illinois River, an Unnamed Tributary to Kickapoo Creek, Kickapoo Creek, LaMarsh Creek, and an Unnamed Tributary B Creek shall be as delineated on the floodway map prepared by FEMA and dated November 2, 1983. The floodways for each of the remaining floodplains of the Village shall be according to the best data available from federal, State, or other sources.

IDNR/OWR means the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Water Resources.

Manufactured home means a structure transportable in one or more sections, that is built on a permanent chassis and is designed to be used with or without a permanent foundation when connected to required utilities.

NFIP means the National Flood Insurance Program.

SFHA. See the term "Floodplain."

Substantial improvement.

(1)

The term "substantial improvement" means any repair, reconstruction, or improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50 percent 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.

(2)

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.

(3)

The term "substantial improvement" does not, however, include either:

a.

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 ensure safe living conditions; or

b.

Any alteration of a structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places or the State Register of Historic Places.

Travel trailer or recreational vehicle means a vehicle that is:

(1)

Built on a single chassis;

(2)

Four hundred square feet or less in size;

(3)

Designed to be self-propelled or permanently towable by a light-duty truck; and

(4)

Designed primarily not for use as a permanent dwelling but as temporary living quarters.

(Ord. No. 1253, § 2, 7-13-2000)