§ 6-72. 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:

Beach or shore means the zone of unconsolidated material that extends landward from the mean low water line to the place where there is marked change in material or physiographic form, or to the line of permanent vegetation, usually the effective limit of storm waves. "Beach" is alternatively termed "shore".

Breakaway wall or frangible wall means a partition independent of supporting structural members that will withstand design wind forces, but will fail under hydrostatic, wave, and runup forces associated with the design storm surge. Under such conditions, the wall shall fail in a manner such that is breaks up into components that will minimize the potential for damage to life or adjacent property.

Building support structure means any structure which supports floor, wall or column loads, and transmits them to the foundation. The term shall include beams, grade beams, or joists, and includes the lowest horizontal structural member exclusive of piles, columns, or footings.

Coastal barrier islands means geological features which are completely surrounded by marine waters that front upon the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and are composed of quartz sands, clays, limestones, oolites, rock, coral, coquina, sediment, or other material including soil disposal, which features lie above the line of mean high water. Mainland areas which were separated from the mainland by artificial channelization for the purpose of assisting marine commerce shall not be considered coastal barrier islands.

Coastal building zone means the land area one thousand five hundred (1,500) feet landward of the coastal construction control line established pursuant to F.S. § 161.053. On coastal barrier islands, the "coastal building zone" is defined as the area five thousand (5,000) feet landward from the coastal construction control line or the entire island whichever is less. On barrier islands for which no coastal construction control line has been established the "coastal building zone" is the area five thousand (5,000) feet landward from the mean high water line of the entire island, whichever is less.

Column action means the potential elastic instability in piles or columns resulting in axial or lateral bending of the member due to compressive stress.

Construction means the carrying out of any building, clearing, filling, or excavation or the making of any material change in the size or use of any structure or the appearance of any land. When appropriate to the context, "construction" refers to the act of construction or the result of construction.

Dune means a mound or ridge of loose sediments, usually sand-sized, lying landward of the beach, and deposited by natural or artificial means.

Major structure includes but is not limited to residential buildings including mobile homes, commercial, institutional, industrial, and other construction having the potential for substantial impact on coastal zones.

Mean high water line means the intersection of the tidal plane of mean high water with the shore. Mean high water is the average height of high waters over a nineteen-year period. (See F.S. § 177.27(15)).

Minor structure includes but is not limited to pile-supported, elevated dune and beach walkover structures; beach access ramps and walkways; stairways; pile-supported elevated viewing platforms, gazebos, and boardwalks; lifeguard support stands; public and private bathhouses; sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, shuffleboard courts, tennis courts, handball courts, racquetball courts, and other uncovered paved areas; earth retaining walls; sand fences, privacy fences, ornamental walls, ornamental garden structures, aviaries, and other ornamental construction. It shall be a characteristic of minor structures that they are considered to be expendable under design wind, wave, and storm forces.

NGVD means National Geodetic Vertical Datum, which a geodetic datum established by the National Ocean Service and frequently referred to as the 1929 Mean Sea Level Datum.

Nonhabitable major structure includes but is not limited to swimming pools; parking garages, pipelines; piers; canals, lakes, ditches, drainage structures, and other water retention structures; water and sewage treatment plants; electrical power plants, transmission and distribution lines, transformer pads, vaults, and substations; roads, bridges, streets, and highways; underground storage tanks; communications buildings and towers; flagpoles and signs over fifteen (15) feet in height.

(Ord. No. 147, Art. III, § 1.1, 2-3-86)