§ 131E-6. Definitions.

§ 131E‑6. Definitions.

As used in this Part, unless otherwise specified:

(1)        "City", as defined in G.S. 160A‑1(2), meansa municipal corporation organized under the laws of this State for the bettergovernment of the people within its jurisdiction and having the powers, duties,privileges, and immunities conferred by law on cities, towns, and villages. Theterm "city" does not include counties or municipal corporationsorganized for a special purpose under any statute or law.  The word "city"is interchangeable with the words "town" and "village" andshall mean any city as defined in this subdivision without regard to theterminology employed in charters, local acts, other portions of the GeneralStatutes, or local customary usage.

(2)        "Community general hospital" means a short‑termnonfederal hospital that provides diagnostic and therapeutic services topatients for a variety of medical conditions, both surgical and nonsurgical,such services being available for use primarily by residents of the community inwhich it is located.

(3)        "Corporation, foreign or domestic, authorized to dobusiness in North Carolina" means a corporation for profit or having acapital stock which is created and organized under Chapter 55 of the GeneralStatutes or any other general or special act of this State, or a foreigncorporation which has procured a certificate of authority to transact businessin this State pursuant to Article 10 of Chapter 55 of the General Statutes.

(4)        "Hospital facility" means any one or morebuildings, structures, additions, extensions, improvements or other facilities,whether or not located on the same site or sites, machinery, equipment,furnishings or other real or personal property suitable for health care ormedical care; and includes, without limitation, general hospitals; chronicdisease, maternity, mental, tuberculosis and other specialized hospitals;nursing homes, including skilled nursing facilities and intermediate carefacilities; adult care homes for the aged and disabled; public health centerfacilities; housing or quarters for local public health departments; facilitiesfor intensive care and self‑care; clinics and outpatient facilities;clinical, pathological and other laboratories; health care research facilities;laundries; residences and training facilities for nurses, interns, physiciansand other staff members; food preparation and food service facilities;administrative buildings, central service and other administrative facilities;communication, computer and other electronic facilities; fire‑fightingfacilities; pharmaceutical and recreational facilities; storage space; X ray,laser, radiotherapy and other apparatus and equipment; dispensaries; utilities;vehicular parking lots and garages; office facilities for hospital staff membersand physicians; and such other health and hospital facilities customarily underthe jurisdiction of or provided by hospitals, or any combination of theforegoing, with all necessary, convenient or related interests in land,machinery, apparatus, appliances, equipment, furnishings, appurtenances, sitepreparation, landscaping, and physical amenities.

(4a)      "Hospital land" means air and ground rights to realproperty held either in fee or by lease by a municipality, with all easements,rights‑of‑way, appurtenances, landscaping, and physical amenitiessuch as utilities, parking lots, and garages, but excluding other improvementsto land described in subsection (4) of this section and G.S. 131E‑16(15).

(5)        "Municipality" means any county, city, or otherpolitical subdivision of this State, or any hospital district created underPart C of this Article.

(6)        "Nonprofit association" or "nonprofitcorporation" means any association or corporation from which no part ofthe net earnings inures or may lawfully inure to the benefit of a privateshareholder or individual. (1983, c. 775, s. 1; 1997‑233, s. 1.)