Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes > Chapter 160D > Article 11 - Building Code Enforcement

• Administrative hearing: A proceeding to gather facts needed to make an administrative decision. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-102
• Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Building or buildings: Includes other structures. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-1101
• City: As defined in N. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-102
• Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Comprehensive plan: A comprehensive plan that has been officially adopted by the governing board pursuant to N. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-102
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Determination: A written, final, and binding order, requirement, or determination regarding an administrative decision. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-102
• Developer: A person, including a governmental agency or redevelopment authority, who undertakes any development and who is the landowner of the property to be developed or who has been authorized by the landowner to undertake development on that property. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-102
• Development: Any of the following:

  a. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-102

• Development regulation: A unified development ordinance, zoning regulation, subdivision regulation, erosion and sedimentation control regulation, floodplain or flood damage prevention regulation, mountain ridge protection regulation, stormwater control regulation, wireless telecommunication facility regulation, historic preservation or landmark regulation, housing code, State Building Code enforcement, or any other regulation adopted pursuant to this Chapter, or a local act or charter that regulates land use or development. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-102
• Dwelling: Any building, structure, manufactured home, or mobile home, or part thereof, used and occupied for human habitation or intended to be so used, and includes any outhouses and appurtenances belonging thereto or usually enjoyed therewith. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-102
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
• Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. ^{Source: OCC}
• Governing board: The city council or board of county commissioners. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-102
• Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
• in writing: may be construed to include printing, engraving, lithographing, and any other mode of representing words and letters: Provided, that in all cases where a written signature is required by law, the same shall be in a proper handwriting, or in a proper mark. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
• Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Legislative hearing: A hearing to solicit public comment on a proposed legislative decision. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-102
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Local government: Includes a federally recognized Indian tribe, and, as to such tribe, includes lands held in trust for the tribe. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-1101
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Person: An individual, partnership, firm, association, joint venture, public or private corporation, trust, estate, commission, board, public or private institution, utility, cooperative, interstate body, the State of North Carolina and its agencies and political subdivisions, or other legal entity. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-102
• Property: All real property subject to land-use regulation by a local government. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-102
• Public officer: Includes the officer or officers who are authorized by regulations adopted hereunder to exercise the powers prescribed by the regulations and by this Article. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-1101
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• seal: shall be construed to include an impression of such official seal, made upon the paper alone, as well as an impression made by means of a wafer or of wax affixed thereto. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
• state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
• Subdivision: The division of land for the purpose of sale or development as specified in N. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-102
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Zoning regulation: A zoning regulation authorized by Article 7 of this Chapter. See North Carolina General Statutes 160D-102