Section 79-E:2 - Definitions In this chapter:
I. "Historic structure" means a building that is listed on or determined eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places or the state register of historic places.II.(a) "Qualifying structure" means a building located in a district officially designated in a municipality's master plan, or by zoning ordinance, as a downtown, town center, central business district, or village center, or, where no such designation has been made, in a geographic area which, as a result of its compact development patterns and uses, is identified by the governing body as the downtown, town center, or village center for purposes of this chapter.(b) Qualifying structure shall also mean: (1) Historic structures in a municipality whose preservation and reuse would conserve the embodied energy in existing building stock.(2) A one or 2-family home or an attached multi-family home with not more than 4 units located in a residential property revitalization zone designated under RSA 79-E:4-b and which is at least 40 years old.(c) Cities or towns may further limit "qualifying structure" according to the procedure in RSA 79-E:3 as meaning only a structure located within such districts that meet certain age, occupancy, condition, size, or other similar criteria consistent with local economic conditions, community character, and local planning and development goals.(d) Cities or towns may further modify "qualifying structure" to include buildings that have been destroyed by fire or act of nature, including where such destruction occurred within 15 years prior to the adoption of the provisions of this chapter by the city or town.(e) In a city or town that has adopted the provisions of RSA 79-E:4-a, "qualifying structure" also means potentially impacted structures identified by the municipality within the coastal resilience incentive zone established under RSA 79-E:4-a.(f) In a city or town that has adopted the provisions of RSA 79-E:4-c, "qualifying structure" also means a housing unit or units constructed in a housing opportunity zone established under RSA 79-E:4-c.(g) In a city or town that has adopted the provisions of RSA 79-E:4-d, "qualifying structure" also means a building or structure being used for office use, in whole or in part, if such use is converted to residential use, in whole or in part, in an office conversion zone established under RSA 79-E:4-d. Nothing in this section shall affect the governing or legislative body's existing consultation process with the planning board.III. "Replacement" means the demolition or removal of a qualifying structure and the construction of a new structure on the same lot.IV. "Substantial rehabilitation" means rehabilitation of a qualifying structure which costs at least 15 percent of the pre-rehabilitation assessed valuation or at least $75,000, whichever is less. In addition, in the case of historic structures, substantial rehabilitation means devoting a portion of the total cost, in the amount of at least 10 percent of the pre-rehabilitation assessed valuation or at least $5,000, whichever is less, to energy efficiency in accordance with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. Cities or towns may further limit "substantial rehabilitation" according to the procedure in RSA 79-E:3 as meaning rehabilitation which costs a percentage greater than 15 percent of pre-rehabilitation assessed valuation or an amount greater than $75,000 based on local economic conditions, community character, and local planning and development goals.V. "Tax increment finance district" means any district established in accordance with the provisions of RSA 162-K.VI. "Tax relief" means: (a) For a qualifying structure, that for a period of time determined by a local governing body in accordance with this chapter, the property tax on a qualifying structure shall not increase as a result of the substantial rehabilitation thereof or conversion from office, industrial, or commercial use to residential use.(b) For the replacement of a qualifying structure, that for a period of time determined by a local governing body in accordance with this chapter, the property tax on a replacement structure shall not exceed the property tax on the replaced qualifying structure as a result of the replacement thereof.(c) For a qualifying structure which is a building destroyed by fire or act of nature, that for a period of time determined by a local governing body in accordance with this chapter, the property tax on such qualifying structure shall not exceed the tax on the assessed value of the structure that would have existed had the structure not been destroyed.VII. "Tax relief period" means the finite period of time during which the tax relief will be effective, as determined by a local governing body pursuant to RSA 79-E:5.Amended by 2024, 370:10, eff. 7/1/2024.Amended by 2024, 370:8, eff. 7/1/2024.Amended by 2021 , 200: §I-2, eff. 10/9/2021and I-4eff. 4/1/2022.Amended by 2021 , 81: 1, eff. 4/1/2022 (did not take effect).Amended by 2017 , 203: 2, eff. 9/3/2017.Amended by 2013 , 78: 2, eff. 4/1/2013.Amended by 2011 , 237: 1, §2eff. 7/5/2011. 2006, 167:1, eff. April 1, 2006. 2009, 200:5-7, eff. July 15, 2009. 2010, 329:1, 2, eff. July 20, 2010.