This Chapter shall be known as the "Lanark Zoning Ordinance", may be cited as such and will be referred to herein as "this Chapter".

   The basic purpose of this Chapter is to insure public health, safety and general welfare in accordance with the adopted development goals, plans, and policies as stated in the Proposed Comprehensive Plan, Lanark, Illinois toward this end, this Chapter shall divide the geographic area within its jurisdiction into use districts and shall establish regulations pertaining to the location, erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration and use of structures and land within said area.

   The geographic jurisdiction of this Chapter shall be the entire area within the corporate limits of the City and the area extending one and one-half (1 1/2) miles beyond such corporate limits.

   This Chapter is enacted in pursuance of the authority granted by "An Act to revise and codify the laws relating to cities, villages and incorporated towns and to repeal acts and parts of acts therein named", approved May 29, 1961, as amended.

   A.    In their interpretation, the provisions of this Chapter shall be held to be the minimum requirement for the promotion of public health, safety and general welfare.

   B.    This Chapter is not intended to abrogate any easement, covenants, or other private agreement; provided, that where the regulations of this Chapter are more restrictive or impose higher standards of requirements than such private agreement, the regulations of this Chapter shall govern.

   Except as hereinafter provided:

   A.    No building or land within the geographic jurisdiction of this Chapter shall hereafter be used or occupied and no building or part thereof shall be erected, moved or altered unless in conformity with the regulations herein specified.

   B.    No part of a yard or other open space required about any building for the purpose of complying with the provisions of this Chapter shall be included as a part of a yard or other open space similarly required for another building.

   If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this Chapter is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Chapter.

   Nothing contained within this Chapter shall have any control over the type or location of any poles, towers, wires, cables, conduits, vaults, laterals or any other similar distributing equipment of a public utility as defined in "An Act Concerning Public Utilities" enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Illinois.

   This Chapter shall be effective on and after November 26, 1973.