(a)

Minimum lot area. Except as hereinafter provided, no building or structure shall be hereafter erected or located on a lot unless such lot conforms with the area regulations of the district in which it is located.

(1)

Lots of record or individually held prior to the passage of the ordinance from which this chapter is derived may be smaller in area than the figure prescribed.

(2)

If a subdivision to be served by a community sewage disposal system and designed for single-family dwellings contains at least five acres, 20 percent of the lots in the subdivision may be 20 percent smaller.

(3)

The minimum lot area for each dwelling unit shall be subject to approval by the county health officer.

(4)

After the effective date of any ordinance by which any area is first zoned for any district, no land in such district may be divided by the recordation of any map or by voluntary sale, contract or sale, or conveyance of any kind which creates a new parcel of land under separate ownership which consists of less than the minimum lot area required for the district of which such lot is a part. Provided, however, that a tolerance of ten percent shall be allowed as to this requirement when the parcel so created is irregular in shape.

(5)

The restrictions of this chapter pertaining to creating a parcel of land below a specified minimum size shall not apply to a division of land by succession, will, partition, proceedings, sale or execution or other division by operation of law.

(b)

Lot dimensions.

(1)

Every lot shall have a minimum frontage width not less than the required minimum lot width in the district under consideration, except that the minimum frontage width in an area zoned AG Agriculture District can be a minimum of 30 feet for a lot with a single-family dwelling unit that was in existence before the adoption of the ordinance from which this chapter is derived which became effective on February 1, 1974 and the lot which is created must otherwise conform to this chapter and to "AN ACT to revise the law in relation to plats, R.S. 1874, p. 771, approved March 21, 1874, eff. July 1, 1874." Curve lots and cul-de-sac lots shall conform to the particular district wherein provisions are set forth for said lots. Every lot shall also have a minimum width and depth not less than that prescribed in the district under consideration. Each dimension is minimum only. One on both shall be increased to attain the minimum lot area required.

(2)

Where a lot has a minimum width or depth less than that prescribed by this section, and said lot was of record under one ownership at the time that the area was first zoned whereby the lot became nonconforming, said lot may be used subject to all other property development standards of the district in which such lot is located.

(c)

Ground floor area. The ground floor area requirements for dwellings, as set forth in the districts, shall apply. Dwellings shall not be changed except in conformity with these regulations.

(d)

Building height. All buildings hereafter designed or erected and existing buildings which may be reconstructed, altered, moved, or enlarged shall comply with the height regulations and exceptions of the district in which they are located, with the addition of the following:

(1)

An agricultural structure may be erected or changed to any height necessary for its operation.

(2)

Concrete ready-mix plant, asphalt concrete batch plant, mineral extraction crushing equipment, grain elevators, spires, church steeples, chimneys, cooling towers, elevator bulkheads, fire towers, scenery lofts, stacks, tanks, water towers, transmission towers, utility poles, radio, TV, microwave towers, windmills and necessary mechanical appurtenances may be erected or changed to any height that is not prohibited by the law of the state.

(3)

Buildings may be erected or changed to a height not to exceed ten feet over that permitted in the district, provided that an additional side yard setback of one foot for each one foot that the building exceeds the district height limitations.

(e)

Yards.

(1)

In measuring a front yard or side yard adjoining a street, it shall be the perpendicular distance between the street and a line through the corner or face of said building closest to and drawn parallel with the street, excluding any architectural features.

(2)

The proposed street right-of-way as set forth by the county, comprehensive plan-thoroughfare plan shall be protected from encroachment. The proposed street right-of-way lines will be considered as the front line of lots and tracts bordering such street. Whenever 25 percent or more of the lots in a block are occupied by buildings, the existing street right-of-way line shall be considered as the proposed right-of-way.

(3)

Architectural features (cornice, eave, sill, canopy or similar feature) may extend or project into a required side yard not more than two inches for each one foot width of such side yard, and may extend or project into a required front or rear yard not more than 36 inches. Chimneys may project into any required yard not more than two feet, provided that the width of said side yard is not reduced to less than three feet thereby.

(4)

An open platform or landing which does not extend above the level of the first floor of the building may extend or project into any required front or side yard not more than four feet or into any required rear yard not more than 25 percent of the required rear yard depth.

(f)

Lot coverage. All buildings hereafter designed or erected and existing buildings which may be reconstructed, altered, moved or maintained, or enlarged, shall not exceed the maximum building coverage regulations of the district in which they may be located.

(g)

Off-street parking.

(1)

To reduce traffic problems and hazards by eliminating unnecessary on-street parking, every use of land must include on-premises parking sufficient for the needs normally generated by the use, as provided by this section. Parking spaces or bays contiguous to the street, required by subdivision or other ordinances, are in addition to and not in place of the spaces so required.

(2)

As used in this section:

Parking space—an area, not including any part of a street or an alley, designed or used for the temporary parking of a motor vehicle.

Parking area—a group of parking spaces, or an open area not including any part of a street or an alley, designed or used for the temporary parking of motor vehicles.

(3)

Parking spaces shall be as provided in the accompanying table.

(4)

Each of the parking spaces required by this section must be at least nine feet wide and 20 feet long, exclusive of passageways.

(5)

The parking spaces prescribed by this section for a business or an industrial use must be located on the premises or on a site, approved by the board, at least part of which is within 300 feet of the premises. However, parking spaces may not be located in the required front yard, except in commercial and industrial districts.

(6)

Some parking areas must conform to the location requirements prescribed in section 56-688 In addition, a parking area for a business or industrial use must be paved with a permanent all weather, dust-free paving material.

(7)

A group of business or industrial uses may provide a joint parking area if the number of spaces in the area at least equals the aggregate of the spaces required for the several uses.

(8)

A church or temple that requires a parking area at times when nearby uses do not need their parking facilities may, by agreement approved by the board, use those facilities instead of providing its own.

(9)

Parking requirements may be waived by the board for uses in a block in which 50 percent or more of the area is occupied, at the time the ordinance from which this chapter is derived is passed, by business or industrial structures.

(10)

Residential off-street parking requirements shall not be met in the front yard.

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Parking Requirements

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(h)

Outdoor advertising.

(1)

General provisions. Signs, billboards, and advertising structures may be erected and maintained in the districts where such use is permitted after having secured approval of the location, size and design of said sign, billboard or advertising structure subject to the following conditions:

a.

Signs may be painted upon the surface of a building; provided, however, that when such sign is so located as to face a residential district the sign and the method of lighting the sign, if any, shall be approved by the board.

b.

Vertical signs.

1.

Any projecting wall sign with its advertising surface at or approximately at right angle to a wall facing a street shall be deemed to be a vertical sign and shall not exceed 18 inches in thickness. Any V-shaped projecting sign shall also be deemed to be a vertical sign, and shall not exceed 18 inches in thickness at its farthest projection from the building, nor four feet in thickness at the face of the building. Thickness for the purpose of this requirement is the distance between the two faces of the sign.

2.

When the bottom of a sign is eight feet and less than ten feet above the ground, the projection over the property line abutting the street line shall not exceed one foot.

3.

When the bottom of the sign is ten feet and less than 12 feet above the ground, the projection shall not exceed two feet six inches.

4.

When the bottom of the sign is 12 feet and less than 14 feet above the ground, the projection shall not exceed three feet.

5.

When the bottom of the sign is 14 feet and less than 16 feet above the ground, the projection shall not exceed four feet.

6.

When the bottom of the sign is 16 feet or more above the ground, the projection shall not exceed five feet.

7.

No sign shall exceed five feet four inches in height above the parapet wall, except that such sign may return over the roof not to exceed ten feet measured from the edge of the sign.

c.

Flat signs.

1.

Signs painted or mounted on the face, side or rear of a building shall not exceed a total amount of two times the area permitted for vertical signs. Not more than 150 square feet of total sign area shall be permitted on any one building wall.

2.

Signs may be placed on the outer faces of a marquee if they are made a part thereof and do not exceed the building codes limitations on marquees. No sign shall be hung from the underside of a marquee unless it meets the minimum height limitations applicable to a marquee. No signs shall be placed on the roof of a marquee. All wall or projecting signs placed above a marquee shall comply with the requirements for such signs as if no marquee existed.

d.

They shall conform with the regulations for signs and advertising structures for the district in which they are located.

e.

No sign shall endanger the health and safety of operators of motor vehicles on the streets or highways through the use of motion, sound or other mechanical devices. Blinkers, flashing, unusual lighting or other means of animation which cause distractions shall not be permitted on any sign. All signs in or adjacent to "R" districts shall be nonflashing and nonanimated.

f.

All signs shall meet the height and setback requirements of the district in which they are located.

g.

The area of a sign shall be calculated by multiplying its maximum vertical dimension by its maximum horizontal dimension. Whenever the area of any sign is limited by this division a double faced sign may be erected having the allowed sign area on each side of the sign; provided, the maximum dimension between the two faces of the double faced sign shall not exceed 24 inches or ten percent of the maximum dimension of the face of the sign whichever is the lesser.

(2)

Special provisions - areas of state and local jurisdiction. Signs and advertising structures may be erected and maintained, throughout the county, subject to regulations as outlined by this chapter and the following provisions:

a.

Outdoor advertising along federal-aid primary and interstate highways shall be erected and maintained in accordance with the provisions of the Highway Advertising Control Act of 1971, 225 ILCS 440/1 et seq. All lands within the jurisdiction of this "act" shall be administered by the state department of transportation, however, an improvement location permit, as provided by this chapter, will be required. Said permit shall be issued by the zoning administrator.

b.

Within the incorporated boundaries of all communities under the jurisdiction of this chapter all signs and advertising structures shall be subject to the requirements of this chapter.

(i)

Loading.

(1)

As used in this section, the term "loading berth" means an off-street, off-alley area designed or used to load goods on, or unload goods from, vehicles.

(2)

Business uses, except those that do not receive or transport goods in quantity by truck delivery, shall be provided with loading berths (which, if open, shall be paved with a hard or dustproof surface), as shown in the following table:

(3)

Loading berths.

a.

Each of the following uses for which special uses are provided by article X of this chapter, shall be provided with loading berths, as shown in the following table. Loading berths must not face on the bordering street and must be at least as far from the nearest residential use as the number of feet shown.

Special Uses - Loading Berths

b.

For the following uses, loading berths, if any, must be at least as far from the nearest residential use as the number of feet respectively shown by the following table:

(4)

Industrial uses shall be provided with loading berths, as shown in the following table:

(5)

Each loading berth prescribed by this section must provide at least a 12-foot by 45-foot loading space, with a 14-foot height clearance.

(Ord. of 12-4-1973, § 23.0; Res. of 10-11-1983; Res. of 9-11-1984)