In this chapter:
(1) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of the General Land Office.
(2) “Construction” means causing or carrying out any building, bulkheading, filling, clearing, excavation, or any substantial improvement to land or the size of any structure.
(3) “Department” means the Parks and Wildlife Department.
(4) “Land office” means the General Land Office.
(4-a) “Launch” and “space flight activities” have the meanings assigned by Section 100A.001, Civil Practice and Remedies Code.
(5) “Line of vegetation” means the extreme seaward boundary of natural vegetation which spreads continuously inland.
(6) “Littoral owner” means the owner of land adjacent to the shore and includes a lessee, licensee, or anyone acting under the littoral owner’s authority.
(7) “Local government” means a municipality, county, or any other political subdivision of the state.
(7-a) “Meteorological event” means atmospheric conditions or phenomena resulting in avulsion, erosion, accretion, or other impacts to the shoreline that alter the location of the line of vegetation.
(8) “Public beach” means any beach area, whether publicly or privately owned, extending inland from the line of mean low tide to the line of vegetation bordering on the Gulf of Mexico to which the public has acquired the right of use or easement to or over the area by prescription, dedication, presumption, or has retained a right by virtue of continuous right in the public since time immemorial, as recognized in law and custom. This definition does not include a beach that is not accessible by a public road or public ferry as provided in § 61.021 of this code.