Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 780 CMR - STATE BOARD OF BUILDING REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS › Chapter 16 - Structural Design › Section 1612 - FLOOD LOADS › Subsection 1612.2 - Definitions

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
The following words and terms shall, for the purposes of
				  this section, have the meanings shown herein.
BASE FLOOD.
The flood having a 1-percent chance
				  of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
BASE FLOOD ELEVATION.
The elevation of the
base flood
, including wave height, relative to the National
				  Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD), North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) or other
				  datum specified on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM).
BASEMENT.
The portion of a building having its
				  floor subgrade (below ground level) on all sides.
This definition of "Basement" is limited in application to
				  the provisions of Section 1612 (see "Basement" in Section 502.1).
DESIGN FLOOD.
The flood associated with the
				  greater of the following two areas:
1.
				Area with a flood plain subject to a 1-percent or greater chance of flooding in
				any year; or
2. Area designated as
				a
flood hazard area
on a community's flood hazard map, or
				otherwise legally designated.
DESIGN FLOOD ELEVATION.
The elevation of the
				  "
design flood
," including wave height, relative to the datum
				  specified on the community's legally designated flood hazard map. In areas
				  designated as Zone AO, the design flood elevation shall be the elevation of the
				  highest existing grade of the building's perimeter plus the depth number (in
				  feet) specified on the flood hazard map. In areas designated as Zone AO where a
				  depth number is not specified on the map, the depth number shall be taken as
				  being equal to 2 feet (610 mm).
DRY FLOODPROOFING.
A combination of design
				  modifications that results in a building or structure, including the attendant
				  utility and sanitary facilities, being water tight with walls substantially
				  impermeable to the passage of water and with structural components having the
				  capacity to resist loads as identified in ASCE 7.
EXISTING CONSTRUCTION.
Any buildings and
				  structures for which the "start of construction" commenced before the effective
				  date of the community's first flood plain management code, ordinance or
				  standard. "Existing construction" is also referred to as "existing
				  structures."
EXISTING STRUCTURE.
See "Existing
				  construction."
FLOOD or FLOODING.
A general and temporary
				  condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land from:
1. The overflow of inland or tidal
				waters.
2. The unusual and rapid
				accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source.
FLOOD DAMAGE-RESISTANT MATERIALS.
Any
				  construction material capable of withstanding direct and prolonged contact with
				  floodwaters without sustaining any damage that requires more than cosmetic
				  repair.
FLOOD HAZARD AREA.
The greater of the following
				  two areas:
1. The area within a flood
				plain subject to a 1-percent or greater chance of flooding in any
				year.
2. The area designated as a
flood hazard area
on a community's flood hazard map, or
				otherwise legally designated.
FLOOD HAZARD AREA SUBJECT TO HIGH-VELOCITY WAVE
				  ACTION.
Area within the
flood hazard area
that is
				  subject to high-velocity wave action, and shown on a Flood Insurance Rate Map
				  (FIRM) or other flood hazard map as Zone V, VO, VE or V1-30.
FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP (FIRM).
An official
				  map of a community on which the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has
				  delineated both the special flood hazard areas and the risk premium zones
				  applicable to the community.
FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY.
The official report
				  provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency containing the Flood
				  Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), the Flood Boundary and Floodway Map (FBFM), the
				  water surface elevation of the
base flood
and supporting
				  technical data.
FLOODWAY.
The channel of the river, creek 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 a designated height.
LOWEST FLOOR.
The floor of the lowest enclosed
				  area, including basement, but excluding any unfinished or flood-resistant
				  enclosure, usable solely for vehicle parking, building access or limited
				  storage provided that such enclosure is not built so as to render the structure
				  in violation of this section.
SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA.
The land area
				  subject to flood hazards and shown on a Flood Insurance Rate Map or other flood
				  hazard map as Zone A, AE, A1-30, A99, AR, AO, AH, V, VO, VE or V1-30.
START OF CONSTRUCTION.
The date of issuance for
				  new construction and substantial improvements to existing structures, provided
				  the actual start of construction, repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation,
addition
, placement or other improvement is within 180 days
				  after the date of issuance. The actual start of construction means the first
				  placement of permanent construction of a building (including a manufactured
				  home) on a site, such as the pouring of a slab or footings, installation of
				  pilings or construction of columns.
Permanent construction does not include land preparation
				  (such as clearing, excavation, grading or filling), the installation of streets
				  or walkways, excavation for a basement, footings, piers or foundations, the
				  erection of temporary forms or the installation 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.
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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.
Any repair,
				  reconstruction, rehabilitation,
addition
or improvement of a
				  building or structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50 percent of the
				  market value of the structure before the improvement or repair is started. If
				  the structure has sustained substantial damage, any repairs are considered
				  substantial improvement regardless of the actual repair work performed. The
				  term does not, however, include either:
1. Any project for improvement of a building
				required to correct existing health, sanitary or safety code violations
				identified by the
building official
and that are the minimum
				necessary to assure safe living conditions.
2. Any
alteration
of a
				historic structure provided that the
alteration
will not
				preclude the structure's continued designation as a historic
				structure.