Mount Carroll City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 10
SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS
§ 12-10-1 APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS.
The following regulations shall apply to all zoning districts unless specifically stated otherwise. Determination of potential or actual noncompliance with such special regulations shall be made by the City Council or its duly appointed agent.
(1974 Code, § 9-11-1) (Ord. 501, passed 10-24-1967)
§ 12-10-2 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
(A) Residual features. No activity or operation shall be established or maintained which by reason of its nature or manner of operation will cause the emission of noise, odor, toxic or noxious fumes, smoke, dust and particulate matter in such concentrations as to be detrimental to or endanger the public health, welfare, comfort and safety or cause injury to property or business.
(B) Glare.
(1) Any lighting used to illuminate any off-street parking or sign shall be arranged so as to deflect light away from any adjoining residential property or from the public streets.
(2) Direct or sky-reflected glare, whether from floodlights or from high temperature processes such as combustion or welding, shall not be directed into any adjoining property.
(C) Explosives. No activities involving the storage, utilization or manufacture of materials, goods or products which could decompose by detonation shall be permitted except such as are specifically licensed by the City Council.
(D) Vibration. No activity or operation shall cause earth vibrations perceptible beyond the limits of the lot upon which the operation is located.
(E) Activity within enclosed buildings. All fabrication, manufacturing, processing or production shall be undertaken within completely enclosed buildings.
(F) Screening. Where outdoor storage of materials, goods and products exists within the industry district, such storage shall be effectively screened from adjacent residential districts and public streets by a solid fence, compact hedge or similar opaque landscaped element. Such screening shall not extend within 15 feet of any street or driveway. The screening shall be placed along property lines or, in the case of screening along a street, 15 feet from the street right-of-way or adjacent property line with landscaping between the screening and the pavement. A louvered fence shall be considered “solid” if it blocks vision.
(G) Refuse. All waste material, debris, refuse or garbage disposed of through the public sanitary sewerage system shall be kept in an enclosed building or properly contained in a closed container designed for such purpose. The owner of vacant land shall be responsible for keeping such land free of refuse.
(H) Landscaping. In all but the C-2 and I Zoning Districts, all developed uses shall provide a landscaped yard along all streets. Such yard shall be kept clear of all structures and storage except off-street parking. Such yard shall be at least eight feet in depth along all streets, measured from the street right-of- way. Except for driveways, the yard shall extend the entire frontage of the lot and along both streets in the case of a corner lot.
(I) Drainage. No land shall be developed and no use shall be permitted that results in water runoff, flooding or erosion on adjacent properties. Such runoff shall be properly channeled into a storm drain, watercourse, ponding area or other public facilities.
(J) Construction within floodplain. No structure shall be permitted on any land that is subject to flooding, except for park or recreation structures such as picnic tables, shelters and barbecue pits.
(1974 Code, § 9-11-2) (Ord. 501, passed 10-24-1967)
§ 12-10-3 OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
(A) Minimum number of parking spaces required.
(1) None required in C-2 District (to be provided in common area);
(2) Dwellings: one per unit;
(3) Churches, auditoriums, mortuaries and other similar places of assembly: one per every four seats;
(4) Sanitariums, convalescent homes, rest homes, nursing homes: one per every six beds;
(5) Retail commerce other than in C-2 District:
(a) Restaurants: one per every three seats; and
(b) Other retail: one per every 100 square feet of retail floor space but in no case less than one and one-half (gross parking area) to one (gross building floor area).
(6) Service commerce other than in C-2 District:
(a) Motels: one per unit;
(b) Personal and professional offices: one per every 150 square feet of office space; and
(c) Other service commerce: one per every 200 square feet of gross floor space.
(7) Industrial including wholesale: one per every two persons of maximum employment during any work period; and
(8) Shimer Square Mixed-Use District: parking spaces shall be made available, at no less than the minimum size set forth in division (B) below, generally consistent with the Shimer Square Community Campus Redevelopment Plan, dated as of January 2020, prepared by Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation and submitted to the city. There is no minimum number of spaces required; provided, that substantial deviations from such plan shall be treated as a special use, requiring approval of the City Council pursuant to § 12-3-6 of this code.
(B) Minimum size of parking space.
(1) Two hundred fifty square feet of standing and maneuvering space; and
(2) Fractional spaces over one-half count as one space.
(C) Location of parking spaces.
(1) Spaces for dwelling: on the same lot as the dwelling unit;
(2) Spaces for commercial uses not in the C-2 District or for public or semipublic uses: within 300 feet of the main entrance of the building served;
(3) Spaces for industrial uses: within 800 feet of the main entrance of the building being served;
(4) No off-street parking spaces to be located within five feet of any street right-of-way; and
(5) See division (A)(8) above.
(D) Surfacing and drainage. Off-street parking areas and access ways other than those for one- and two-family dwellings shall be surfaced with a durable material to control dust, and shall be graded so as to dispose of all surface water.
(E) Screening. All open off-street parking areas having more than six parking spaces shall be effectively screened by a compact hedge or a similar landscaped element along all sides which adjoin or are directly across a street or alley from a property in a residence district.
(1974 Code, § 9-11-3) (Ord. 501, passed 10-24-1967: Ord. 2020-10-9, passed 10-13-2020)
§ 12-10-4 OFF-STREET LOADING REQUIREMENTS.
(A) Minimum number of off-street loading spaces required. An adequate number of off-street loading spaces shall be provided for all structures which require the receipt and distribution of materials or merchandise by trucks or similar vehicles so as to assure unrestricted movement of both pedestrians and motor vehicles throughout the active areas of the city.
(B) Minimum size of off-street loading berths.
(1) Width: ten feet;
(2) Length: 25 feet; and
(3) Vertical clearance: 14 feet.
(C) Location of off-street loading berths. No closer than 25 feet from the intersection of two street rights-of-way.
(D) Surfacing and drainage. Off-street loading berths and access ways shall be hard surfaced to control dust and shall be graded to dispose of all surface water.
(1974 Code, § 9-11-4) (Ord. 501, passed 10-24-1967)
§ 12-10-5 SIGNS.
(A) Prohibited signs. The following signs shall be prohibited within the city:
(1) Signs, that by reason of position, shape or color, would interfere with the proper functioning of a traffic sign or signal;
(2) Signs that resemble any official marker erected by a governmental agency or that display the words “Stop” or “Danger”;
(3) Flashing signs;
(4) Signs or sign structures that obstruct any window, door, fire escape, stairway or opening intended to provide light, air, ingress or egress for any building or structure. Signs painted on windows and doors are excepted;
(5) Billboards; and
(6) Roof signs.
(B) Miscellaneous requirements.
(1) The owner, lessee or manager of any ground sign or the owner of the land on which the same is located, shall keep grass or weeds and other growth cut, and debris and rubbish cleaned up and removed from the lot on which the sign is located.
(2) Any sign or sign structure which may be, or may hereafter become rotted, unsafe or unsightly shall be repaired or removed by the licensee, owner or manager of the property upon which the sign stands upon written notice of the Zoning Officer or police officer.
(1974 Code, § 9-11-5) (Ord. 501, passed 10-24-1967)
§ 12-10-6 MOBILE HOMES.
(A) All mobile homes within the city shall be located within a duly permitted, designed and maintained mobile home court according to regulations of this title and to laws and regulations of the state.
(B) The location of such mobile home court should be at the periphery of a residential neighborhood and should be directly accessible from a collector or arterial street as defined in § 12-2-2. The minimum size of a mobile home court shall be two acres.
(C) The placement of mobile homes within mobile home courts shall comply with yard requirements of the zoning district within which such court is located.
(1974 Code, § 9-11-6) (Ord. 501, passed 10-24-1967)
§ 12-10-7 DWELLING; MINIMUM SIZE.
The minimum gross floor area for a dwelling located within the Shimer Square Mixed-Use Zoning District shall be 415 square feet. In all other applicable zoning districts, the minimum gross floor area shall be 950 square feet.
(1974 Code, § 9-11-7) (Ord. 501, passed 10-24-1967; Ord. 2020-10-9, passed 10-13-2020)
§ 12-10-8 DWELLING BELOW GROUND LEVEL.
No interior space below ground level shall be occupied for dwelling purposes unless such space is part of a structure having at least one full story above ground level and having its exterior portion in a structurally finished state.
(1974 Code, § 9-11-8) (Ord. 501, passed 10-24-1967)