Tributary Area : The area of the floor, wall, roof, or other surface that is supported by the element. The tributary area is generally a rectangle formed by one-half the distance to the adjacent element in each applicable direction
Coastal Construction Manual: Principles and Practices of Planning, Sitting, Designing, Constructing, and Maintaining Residential Buildings in Coastal Areas (Fourth Edition), Glossary, FEMA P-55 / Volume II, Washington, DC, USA 2011. http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-15 10-20490-1986/fema55_volii_combined_rev.pdf, (CoaStormEmr - Amer) {887}