The purpose of the ordinance codified in this title is classifying, regulating and restricting the locations of trades and industry and the location of buildings designed for specific uses; regulating and limiting the height and bulk of buildings hereafter erected or altered; regulating and limiting the intensity of the use of lot areas, and regulating and determining the area of yards, courts and other open spaces within and surrounding such buildings; establishing the boundaries of districts for such purposes; and prescribing penalties for the violation of its provisions.

(Editorially amended during 2004 codification; prior code § 182.1)

For the purpose of this title, certain terms and words are defined as follows:

Words used in the present tense include the future; words in the singular number include the plural number; words in the plural number include the singular number; the word "building" includes the word "structure".

"Block" means that property abutting on one side of a street between the two nearest intersecting streets, railroad right-of-ways or natural barriers.

"Building area" means the maximum horizontal projected area of a building and its accessory buildings, excluding open steps, terraces, and cornices projecting not more than thirty (30) inches.

"Depth of rear yard" means the mean horizontal distance between the rear line of the building and the center line of the alley, where an alley exists, otherwise the rear lot line.

"Depth of lot" means the mean horizontal distance between the front and rear lot lines.

"District" means a section of the village for which the regulations governing the height, area and use of buildings and premises are the same.

"Family" means any number of individuals living and cooking together on the premises as a single housekeeping unit.

"Height of building" means the vertical distance measured from the sidewalk level or its equivalent established grade opposite the middle of the front of the building to the highest point of the roof; to the deck line for mansard roofs and the mean height level (between eaves and ridges for gable and hip roofs). If a building is located upon a terrace or slope, the height shall be measured from the average ground level at the building wall.

"Height of court or yard" means the vertical distance from the lowest level of such court or yard to the highest point of any bounding wall.

"Length of outer court" means the mean horizontal distance between the open and closed ends of the court.

"Lot" means land occupied or to be occupied by one building and accessory building and uses and including the open spaces required under these regulations. A lot may be land so recorded on the records of the recorder of deeds of Cook County, Illinois.

"Lot lines" means the lines bounding a lot as defined herein.

"Nonconforming uses" means a building or premises occupied for a use that does not conform with the regulations of the district in which it is situated.

"Outer court" means an open unoccupied space on the same lot with a building exiting to and opening upon a street, alley or yard.

"Rear yard" means an open space (unoccupied except for accessory buildings) on the same lot with a building between the rear line of the building and the rear line of the lot, for the full width of the lot, except as modified by side yard restrictions.

"Setback" means the minimum horizontal distance between the street wall of the building and the street line.

"Side yard" means an open, unoccupied space on the same lot with a building between the building and the side line of the lot and extending from the front line to the rear yard.

"Single-family dwelling" means a detached building having accommodations for and customarily occupied by one family only, and including a private garage with living quarters therein.

"Street wall" means the main wall nearest to and facing a street, including sun-parlors, but not including bay windows nor ground story porches nor premises that are not closed in.

(Prior code § 182.2)

A.

In order to classify, regulate and restrict the locations of trades and industries, and the location of buildings designed for specific uses, to regulate and limit the height and bulk of buildings hereafter erected or altered, to regulate and limit the intensity of the use of lot areas, and to regulate and determine the area of yard, courts and other open spaces within and surrounding such building, the village is divided into eight classes of districts. The use, height and area regulations are uniform in each class of districts and the districts shall be known as:

B.

The boundaries of these districts are indicated upon the zoning map of the village, which official map is filed in the office of the village clerk. The zoning map of Melrose Park and all the notations, references and other matters shown thereon shall be a part of this title as if the notations, references and other matters set forth by the map were fully described herein; and that, except as hereinafter provided:

1.

No building shall be erected or altered, nor shall any building or premises be used for any purpose other than is permitted in the district in which such building or premises are located.

2.

No building shall be erected or altered to exceed in height the limit herein established for the district in which such building is located.

3.

No building shall be erected, nor shall any existing building be altered, enlarged or rebuilt, nor shall any open spaces surrounding any building be encroached upon or reduced in any manner, except in conformity with the area regulations hereby established for the district in which such building is located.

(Prior code § 182.3; Ord. No. 2321, § 5, 5-15-2020)