This title, including the zoning map made a part of this title by reference, shall be known and may be cited and referred to as the "Palos Hills Zoning Ordinance."

(Ord. 280 § 1.01, 1968.)

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, manufacturing and other specified uses;

C.

To protect the character and the stability of the residential, business and manufacturing areas within the city and to promote the orderly and beneficial development of such areas;

D.

To provide adequate light, air, privacy and convenience of access to property;

E.

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;

F.

To establish building lines and the location of buildings designed for residential, business and manufacturing, or other uses within such areas;

G.

To fix reasonable standards to which buildings or structures shall conform therein;

H.

To prohibit uses, building or structures incompatible with the character of development or intended uses within specified zoning districts;

I.

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 under this title;

J.

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;

K.

To protect against fire, explosion, noxious fumes and other hazards in the interest of the public health, safety, comfort and general welfare;

L.

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;

M.

To conserve the taxable value of land and buildings throughout the city;

N.

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

O.

To define and limit the powers and duties of the administrative officers and bodies as provided in this title;

P.

And to prescribe the penalties for the violation of the provisions of this title or any amendments thereto.

(Ord. 280 § 2.00, 1968.)

A.

Minimum Requirements. The provisions of this title shall be held to be the minimum requirements for the promotion of the public health, safety, morals and welfare.

B.

Relationship with Other Laws. Where the conditions imposed by any provision in this title upon the use of land or buildings or upon the bulk of buildings are either more restrictive or less restrictive than comparable conditions imposed by any other provision of this title or any other law, ordinance, resolution, rule or regulation of any kind, the regulations which are more restrictive (or which impose higher standards or requirements) shall govern.

C.

Effects of Existing Agreements. This title is not intended to abrogate any easement, covenant, or any other private agreement provided that where the regulations of the ordinance are more restrictive (or impose higher standards or requirements) than such easements, covenants or other private agreements, the requirements in this title shall govern.

(Ord. 280 § 4.01, 1968.)

Except as may otherwise be provided, all buildings erected after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this title, all uses of land or buildings established hereafter, all structural alterations or relocation of existing buildings occurring hereafter, and all enlargements of or additions to existing uses occurring hereafter shall be subject to all regulations in this title which are applicable to the zoning districts in which such buildings, uses or land are located.

(Ord. 280 § 4.03(1), 1968.)

Any lawful building, structure or use existing at the time of the enactment of the ordinance codified in this title may be continued, even though such building, structure or use does not conform to the provisions in this title for the district in which it is located, and whenever a district is changed hereafter, the then existing lawful use may be continued, subject to the provisions of Chapter 17.40.

(Ord. 280 § 4.03(2), 1968.)

Where a building permit for a building or structure has been issued in accordance with law prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this title, and provided that construction is begun within ninety (90) days of such effective date and diligently prosecuted to completion, said building or structure may be completed in accordance with the approved plans on the basis of which the building permit was issued, and further may upon completion be occupied under a certificate of occupancy by the use for which originally designated, subject thereafter to the provisions of Chapter 17.40.

(Ord. 280 § 4.03(3), 1968.)