This Title shall be known, cited and referred to as the Zoning Title of the City of Dixon, Illinois. This Title shall become effective on December 16, 1996. (Ord. 1973, 1-6-1997)

This Title is adopted for the following purposes:

   (A)   To promote and protect the public health, safety, morals, comfort, and general welfare of the people.

   (B)   To divide the City into zones or districts restricting and regulating therein the location, erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration and use of buildings, structures and land for residence, business and manufacturing and other specified uses.

   (C)   To provide adequate light, air, privacy and convenience of access to property.

   (D)   To regulate the intensity of use of lot areas, and to determine the area of open spaces surrounding buildings necessary to provide adequate light and air, and to protect the public health.

   (E)   To establish building lines and the location of buildings designed for residential, business, manufacturing or other uses with such areas.

   (F)   To fix reasonable standards to which buildings or structures shall conform therein.

   (G)   To prohibit uses, buildings or structures incompatible with the character of development or intended uses within specified zoning districts.

   (H)   To prevent additions to, or alteration or remodeling of, existing buildings or structures in such a way as to avoid the restrictions and limitations imposed hereunder.

   (I)   To limit congestion in the public streets and protect the public health, safety, convenience and general welfare by providing for the off-street parking of motor vehicles and the loading and unloading of commercial vehicles.

   (J)   To protect against fire, explosion, noxious fumes and other hazards in the interest of the public health, safety, morals, comfort and general welfare.

   (K)   To prevent the overcrowding of land and undue concentration of structures, so far as is possible and appropriate in each district, by regulating the use and bulk of buildings in relation to the land surrounding them.

   (L)   To conserve the taxable value of land and buildings throughout the City.

   (M)   To provide for the elimination of nonconforming uses of land, buildings and structures which are adversely affecting the character and value of desirable development in each district.

   (N)   To define and limit the powers and duties of the administrative officers and bodies as provided herein.

   (O)   To protect the character and the stability of the residential, business, public open space, manufacturing and other areas within the City and to promote the orderly and beneficial development of such areas, all in accordance with the Dixon Comprehensive Plan. (Ord. 1973, 1-6-1997)

   (A)   This Title shall apply to all property in the City of Dixon, including that owned by other municipal corporations and government bodies.

   (B)   Except as otherwise provided by this Title, no building, structure, or land shall be used or occupied, and no building, structure, or part thereof shall be erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved, enlarged, or structurally altered, unless it conforms with the provisions of this Title governing the zoning district in which it is located. No lot of record which did not exist as of the effective date of this Title shall be created, by subdivision or otherwise, which does not conform to the requirements of this Title for the zoning district in which the land is located. (Ord. 1973, 1-6-1997)

   (A)   The Comprehensive Plan shall be advisory only and, in and of itself, shall not be construed or interpreted as regulating or controlling the use of any private property and it is not the intent of the City that owners of private property should rely on recommendations in the Master Plan being translated into presently effective regulations. The decision as to whether and when particular elements of the Comprehensive Plan will be implemented in regulatory ordinances is reserved for the City Council to make from time to time taking into account, among other factors, the type of development that is contemplated and the timing of such development in the context of the best advantage of the City as a whole. (Ord. 1973, 1-6-1997)