18E.20.070 Substantial Improvement and Substantial Damage.
A. Substantial Improvement. Substantial improvement is the repair, reconstruction, addition, rehabilitation, replacement, or other improvement of a structure taking place during a period of five years, the cumulative cost of which equals or whereby the current valuation for the work exceeds 50 percent of the current valuation of the existing structure.
1. The Building Official shall determine the current valuation per Title 17C PCC.
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. Substantial improvement does not, however, include either:
a. Any project for improvement of a structure to correct existing violations of State or local health, sanitary, or safety code specifications which have been identified by the local code enforcement official and which are the minimum necessary to assure safe living conditions; or
b. Any alteration of a structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places or a State Inventory of Historic Places.
B. Substantial Damage. A structure is considered substantially damaged when the current valuation for the work of reconstructing or restoring a structure to its before damage condition exceeds 50 percent of the current valuation of the existing structure.
1. Damage to a structure may be sustained through any origin such as but not limited to earthquakes, fire, explosion, flood, landslides, or other calamity.
2. The Building Official shall determine the current permit valuation per Title 17C PCC.