Rock Island City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VI
DEFINITIONS
Accessory Building or Use:
Accessory Structure: A smaller in main floor area and subordinate structure detached but located on the same lot as the principal structure, the use of which is incidental and accessory to that of the principal structure.
Accessory Use: A structure or use that: (a) is clearly incidental to and customarily found in connection with a principal building or use; (b) is subordinate to and serves a principal building or a principal use; (c) is subordinate in area, extent, or purpose to the principal building or principal use serviced; (d) contributed to the comfort, convenience, or necessity of occupants, business, or industry in the principal building or principal use served; and (e) is located on the same lot as the principal building or use served.
Adjoining: To be separated by a common property line, lot line, or an alley; abutting, contiguous, or touching.
Adult Bookstore: An establishment for the sale, rental, or exchange of books, magazines, or other media, distinguished or characterized by primary emphasis on matter depicting, describing or relating to "Specific Sexual Activities" or "Specific Anatomical Areas" as defined below including instruments, devices or paraphernalia that are designed for use in connection with specified sexual activities. Adult bookstores do not include businesses which sell, rent, or exchange books, magazines, or other media as a sideline or adjunct to sales or rental of books, magazines, or video cassettes not relating to "Specific Sexual Activities" or "Specific Anatomical Area."
Specific Sexual Activities are defined as:
(1) Human genitals in a state of sexual stimulation or arousal;
(2) Acts of human masturbation, sexual intercourse or sodomy; and
(3) Fondling or other erotic touching of human genitals, pubic region, buttocks or female breasts.
Specific Anatomical Areas are defined as:
(1) Less than completely and opaquely covered human genitals, pubic region, buttock, and female breast below a point immediately above the top of the areola; and
(2) Human male genitals in a discernible turgid state, even if completely and opaquely covered.
Adult Mini-Motion Picture Theaters: An enclosed building with a capacity for less than fifty (50) persons, used for presenting materials distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on matter depicting, describing or relating to "Specific Anatomical Areas" or "Specific Sexual Activities" for observation by patrons therein.
Adult Motion Picture Theaters: An enclosed building with capacity of fifty (50) or more persons, used for presenting material distinguished or characterized by emphasis on matter depicting, describing or relating to "Specific Sexual Activities" or "Specific Anatomical Areas" for observation by patrons therein.
Adult Modeling and Entertainment Facility: An establishment having its primary activity the presentation of live models displaying lingerie, or otherwise presenting live, artistic modeling, with said modeling displaying the human body in a nude or semi-nude state, distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on "Specific Anatomical Areas" for observation by patrons therein.
Agricultural Implement Sales and Services: An agribusiness primarily engaged in the sale or rental of farm tools and implements, feed, grain, tack, animal care products, and farm supplies. This definition excludes the sale of large implements, such as tractors and combines, but includes food sales and farm machinery repair services that are accessory to the principal use.
Agriculture, Urban: The practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in and around a community by various means that reflect an urban context. Urban agriculture is also referred to as urban farming. Urban agriculture is differentiated from regular farming in that the former typically operates within an urbanized and built up environment, rather than on generally open and undeveloped land. Common practices include, but are not limited to, community gardens, roof gardens, composting, having urban chickens, and urban beekeeping.
Alley: A public right of way, which affords a secondary, means of vehicular access to the side or rear of premises that front on a nearby street.
Amusement Center: Any premises which contains four (4) or more coin or token operated devices played for a fee, such as pinball machines, foosball tables, pool tables and other similar entertainment or amusement devices.
Animal Hospital: An establishment for the care and treatment of the diseases and injuries of animals and where animals may be boarded only during their convalescence.
Apartment: A room or suite of rooms in a multi-unit structure, which is arranged, designed, used or intended to be used as a single housekeeping unit. Complete kitchen, bath and toilet facilities, permanently installed, must always be included for each apartment.
Apartment/Dormitory: A multi-unit dwelling for which each dwelling unit contains fewer than ten (10) occupants whether related or unrelated. Each unit shall have two (2) exits and a common area of not less than three hundred (300) square feet, which may include cooking and dining facilities and shall be subject to relevant codes or regulations for behavior by students and others in effect at such educational facility which are enforced by resident personnel of such educational facility.
Automobile Repair - Major: A business that provides services in major reconditioning of worn or damaged motor vehicles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATV), recreational vehicles, towing and collision service, including body, frame, or fender straightening or repair, painting of motor vehicles, interior (upholstery, dashboard, etc.) reconstruction and/or repairs, and restoration services. A major vehicle repair business may also include minor vehicle repair services.
Automobile Repair - Minor: A business that provides services in minor repairs to motor vehicles, motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles (ATV) vehicles, including, but not limited to, repair or replacement of cooling, electrical, fuel and exhaust systems, brake adjustments, relining, and repairs, wheel servicing, alignment, and balancing, repair and replacement of shock absorbers, engine rebuilding, and replacement or adjustment of mufflers and tail pipes, hoses, belts, light bulbs, fuses, windshield wipers/wiper blades, grease retainers, wheel bearings, and the like. Any type of vehicle repair services for recreational vehicles or vehicles over one-half (1-1/2) tons capacity is a major vehicle repair business and does not qualify as minor repair under this definition regardless of the level of repair service.
Automobile Sales: The use of any building or portion thereof, or other premises or portion thereof, for the display, sale, rental, or lease of new motor vehicles, or used motor vehicles as an ancillary use of a zoning lot, and any warranty repair work and other repair service conducted as an accessory use.
Automobile Service Station: Buildings and premises where gasoline, oil, grease, batteries, tires, and automobile accessories may be supplied and dispensed at retail, and where in addition the following services may be rendered and sales made, and no other:
(1) Sale and servicing of spark plugs, batteries, distributors and distributor parts;
(2) Tire servicing and repair, but no recapping or regrooving;
(3) Replacement of mufflers and tail pipes, water hose, fan belts, brake fluid, light bulbs, fuses, floor mats, seat covers, windshield wipers and wiper blades, grease retainers, wheel bearings, mirrors, and the like;
(4) Radiator cleaning and flushing;
(5) Washing and polishing where no mechanical conveyor, blower, or steam cleaning device is employed provided that no more than one single car bay of the service station shall be equipped with washing equipment; and provided that the lot on which the washing equipment is to be located shall be sufficient to provide on-site waiting storage for a total number of vehicles equal to the number capable of being processed during one-half (1/2) hour; and provided that a drip area shall be provided where vehicles can be dried, located such that water will be confined to the site and will not run onto any street or alley so as to cause a hazard.
(6) Greasing and lubrication;
(7) Providing and repairing fuel pumps and lines;
(8) Minor servicing and repair of carburetors;
(9) Emergency wiring repairs;
(10) Adjusting and repairing brakes;
(11) Minor motor adjustments not involving removal of the head or crankcase or racing the motor;
(12) Sale of cold drinks, packaged foods, tobacco, and similar convenience goods for filling station customers, as accessory and incidental to principal operation;
(13) Provision of road maps and other informational material to customers and provision of restroom facilities.
It shall be unlawful to provide major mechanical and bodywork, straightening of body parts, painting, welding, storage of automobiles, trucks or trailers not in operating condition, or other work involving noise, glare, fumes, smoke or other such characteristics. An automobile service station is not a repair garage, a body shop, a car wash, an automobile wrecking yard or junkyard, nor a storage place for rental trailers.
Automobile Wrecking Yard: Any place where two (2) or more inoperable vehicles, or parts thereof, are stored in the open, and are not being restored to operation, or any land, building or structure used for wrecking or storing of such motor vehicles or parts thereof, including any used farm vehicles, farm machinery, construction equipment, recreation vehicles, or parts thereof, stored in the open and not being restored to operating condition; and including the commercial salvaging of any other goods, articles or merchandise. Two (2) or more unregistered and/or abandoned vehicles stored in the open shall be prima facie evidence of an automobile wrecking yard.
Balcony: Is an outside deck located at least on the second floor or any higher floor of a dwelling building, and can be cantilevered or supported on piers.
Bed and Breakfast: Shall mean an operator-occupied residence providing accommodations for a charge to the public with no more than five guest rooms for rent, in operation for more than ten nights in a twelve-month period. Breakfast may be provided to the guests only. Bed and Breakfast establishments shall not include motels, hotels, boarding houses, or food service establishments. "Operator" shall mean the owner of the bed and breakfast establishment, or the owner's agent, who is required to reside in the bed and breakfast establishment or on contiguous property.
Boarding House: An establishment with lodging for compensation offering accommodations for short-term transients or extended periods of time. Meals may or may not be provided (also referred to as Boarding House, Rooming House, Lodging House, Lodging Room, does not include Bed and Breakfast or Short-Term Rental uses).
Book/Stationery Store: An establishment dealing in books, printed materials and stationery supplies, which is not an adult bookstore.
Building: Any permanently anchored structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy. When a building is divided into separate parts by unpierced walls, each part shall be deemed a separate building (see structure).
Building, Completely Enclosed: A building separated on all sides from the adjacent open space, or from other buildings or other structures, by a permanent roof and by exterior walls or party walls, pierced only by windows and normal entrance or exit doors.
Building, Height of: The vertical distance above a reference datum measured to the highest point of the coping of a flat roof or to the deck line of a mansard roof or to peak a pitched or hipped roof. The reference datum shall be selected by either of the following, whichever yields a greater height of building:
(1) The elevation of the highest adjoining sidewalk or ground surface within a five-foot (5') horizontal distance of the exterior wall of the building when such sidewalk or ground surface is not more than ten feet (10') above lowest grade.
(2) An elevation ten feet (10') higher than the lowest grade when the sidewalk or ground surface described in Item 1 above is more than ten feet above lowest grade.
(3) The height of a stepped or terraced building is the maximum of any segment of the building.
Building, Structure: Anything constructed or erected with a fixed location on the ground or attached to something having a fixed location on the ground. Structures include, but not limited to: buildings, walls, swimming pools, signs and fences.
Building Set-back Line: See "Setback."
Bulk Storage: Means the storage of flammable or combustible liquid in an above ground tank that is not for dispensing purposes. If an above ground tank is used for any bulk storage purposes, it is classified as a "bulk storage tank" for the remainder of the calendar year in which it was so used.
Campground: Temporary or permanent buildings, tents, or other structures established or maintained as a temporary living quarter, operated continuously for a period of five days or more for recreation, religious, education, or vacation purposes.
Cannabis: Any species of the family Cannabaceae including but not limited to Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis used for recreational, medicinal, or industrial purposes. This term shall refer to marijuana, hashish, and other substances that are identified as including any parts of the plant, whether growing or not; the seeds thereof, the resin extracted from any part of the plant; and any compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the plant, its seeds, or resin, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and all other naturally produced cannabinol derivatives, whether produced directly or indirectly by extraction or independently by chemical synthesis or by a combination of extraction and chemical synthesis; however, "cannabis" does not include the mature stalks of the plant, fiber produced from the stalks, oil or cake made from the seeds of the plant, any other compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the mature stalks (except the resin extracted from it), fiber, oil or cake, or the sterilized seed of the plant that is incapable of germination. "Cannabis" does not include industrial hemp as defined and authorized under the Illinois Industrial Hemp Act. "Cannabis" also means concentrate and cannabis-infused products.
Cannabidiol (CBD): A chemical derived from cannabis that is used primarily for medical purposes. CBD has less pronounced psychoactive effects than THC.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): A chemical derived from cannabis that is used primarily for recreational purposes. THC is the principal psychoactive chemical in cannabis.
Cannabis Business Establishment: An adult-use cannabis cultivation center, consumption business, craft grower, processing organization, infuser organization, dispensing organization, or transporting organization.
Cannabis Craft Grower: A facility operated by an organization or business that is licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture to cultivate, dry, cure and package cannabis and perform other necessary activities to make cannabis available for sale at a dispensing organization or use at a processing organization, per the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, (P.A. 101-0027), as it may be amended from time-to-time, and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Cannabis Cultivation Center: A facility operated by an organization or business that is licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture to cultivate, process, transport and perform necessary activities to provide cannabis and cannabis-infused products to licensed cannabis business establishments, per the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, (P.A. 101-0027), as it may be amended from time-to-time, and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Cannabis Dispensing Organization: A facility operated by an organization or business that is licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to acquire cannabis from licensed cannabis business establishments for the purpose of selling or dispensing cannabis, cannabis-infused products, cannabis seeds, paraphernalia or related supplies to purchasers or to qualified registered medical cannabis patients and caregivers, per the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, (P.A. 101-0027), as it may be amended from time-to-time, and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Packaged Product Dispensing Business: Any premises where sale of packaged cannabis products is the principal use. Consumption of cannabis at these premises is prohibited.
On-Site Consumption Dispensing Business: Any premises wherein cannabis is sold at retail for consumption on the premises as the principal use. Such businesses include but are not limited
to cannabis cafes, cannabis smoking lounges, cannabis vaping lounges, and cannabis clubs. These facilities may also engage in packaged cannabis sales.
Cannabis Infuser Organization or Infuser: A facility operated by an organization or business that is licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture to directly incorporate cannabis or cannabis concentrate into a product formulation to produce a cannabis-infused product, per the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, (P.A. 101-0027), as it may be amended from time-to-time, and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Cannabis Processing Organization or Processor: A facility operated by an organization or business that is licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture to either extract constituent chemicals or compounds to produce cannabis concentrate or incorporate cannabis or cannabis concentrate into a product formulation to produce a cannabis product, per the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, (P.A. 101-0027), as it may be amended from time-to-time, and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Cannabis Transportation Organization of Transporter: An organization or business that is licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture to transport cannabis on behalf of a cannabis business establishment or a community college licensed under the Community College Cannabis Vocational Training Pilot Program, per the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, (P.A. 101-0027), as it may be amended from time-to-time, and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Care Home, Large Residential: A Residential Care Home for more than eight (8) persons, plus supervisory or oversight personnel, living together as a single housekeeping unit who are disabled, as defined by "Disability" in this appendix, for the primary purpose of providing shelter.
Care Home, Small Residential: A Residential Care Home containing a single one-unit dwelling unit for eight (8) persons or fewer, plus supervisory or oversight personnel, living together as a single housekeeping unit for the primary purpose of providing shelter in a family-like atmosphere.
Carport: A roofed structure providing space for the parking of motor vehicles that may be enclosed on not more than three sides.
Cemetery: A place dedicated to and used, or intended to be used, for permanent interment of human remains. A cemetery may contain land or earth interments; mausoleum, a vault, crypt interments; a columbarium or other structure or place used or intended to be used for the inurnment of cremated human remains; or any combination of one or more of such structures or places.
Church: See definition for religious institution.
Clinic or Medical Health Center: A building containing an individual practitioner or an association or group of physicians, dentists, clinical psychologists, or similar professional health care practitioners, including assistants. The clinic may include apothecary, dental and mental laboratories, and/or x-ray facilities, but shall not include inpatient or overnight care.
Club or Lodge, Private: Non-profit association of persons, who are bona fide members paying annual dues, which owns, hires, or leases a building, or portion thereof, the use of such premises being restricted to members and their guests. It shall be permissible to serve food and meals on such premises provided adequate dining room space and kitchen facilities are available. The sale of alcoholic beverages to members and their guests shall be allowed provided such sale of alcoholic beverages follows the applicable Federal, State and Municipal laws.
Comprehensive Plan: The plan or any portion thereof adopted by the City to guide and coordinate the physical and economic development of the City. The comprehensive plan includes, but is not limited to, plans and programs regarding the location, character, and extent of highways, bridges, public buildings or uses, utilities, schools, residential, commercial or industrial land uses, parks, drainage facilities, etc.
Convenience Store: Any retail establishment offering for sale prepackaged food products, household items, commercial products associated with minor auto servicing (but not automobile parts), and other goods commonly associated with the same including the retail dispensing of vehicular fuels.
Day Care Home: A family dwelling unit occupied by attending family which receives more than three (3) and up to a maximum of eight (8) children for less than twenty-four (24) hours a day. The maximum of eight (8) children includes the family's natural or adopted children and all other persons under the age of twelve (12). A Day Care Home may also be a family home which receives adults who are sixty (60) years of age or older.
Day Care Center: A child care facility which regularly provides day care for less than twenty-four (24) hours per day for (a) more than eight (8) children in a family dwelling unit, or (b) more than three (3) children in a facility other than a family dwelling unit.
Deck: Is an outside porch without a roof not necessarily attached to a dwelling wall, whose floor is built on a foundation, piers, or blocks, as a distinct structure requiring a building permit, above ground grade, limited to a maximum height of the adjacent first floor level in the dwelling. It is not allowed any higher level than above grade, to avoid the deck floor from creating a de facto roofed porch underneath; but a deck can be located on the existing roof of dwellings and garages.
Disability: As defined by the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), a person who has:
(1) A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities;
(2) A record of such an impairment; or
(3) Is regarded as having such an impairment.
District, Zoning: A portion of the territory of the City wherein uniform requirements or various combinations thereof apply to structures, lots, and uses under the terms of the zoning ordinance.
Dormitory: A building used as group living quarters for a student body operated by a college or university or other such institution of higher education, subject to relevant codes and regulations for behavior of students and others in effect at such educational facility which are enforced by resident personnel at such institution.
Dwelling Group: Two or more one-unit, two-unit or multiple-unit dwellings, or boarding or lodging houses, located on one zoning lot, but not including tourist courts or motels.
Dwelling, One-unit: A building designed exclusively for use and occupancy by one family, and entirely separated from any other dwelling by space totaling at least 900 square feet and the structures length does not exceed four times its width and is affixed to a permanent masonry or concrete footing and/or foundation.
Dwelling, Two-unit: A building designed or altered to provide dwelling units for occupancy by two families.
Dwelling, Multiple-unit: A building or portion thereof designed or altered for occupancy by three or more families living independently of each other.
Dwelling, Row (Townhouse): A row of two or more attached, one-unit, party-wall dwellings.
Dwelling Unit: One or more rooms which are arranged, designed or used as living quarters for a family or for a community residence as a single housekeeping unit. A dwelling unit includes bathroom and kitchen facilities in addition to sleeping and living areas.
Easement: A right to use a portion of another person's real property for certain limited purposes.
Educational Institution: Public, private, or parochial school, charitable or non-profit junior college, college or university, other than trade or business schools, including instructional and recreational uses, with or without living quarters, dining rooms, restaurants, heating plants and other incidental facilities for students, teachers and employees.
Essential Services: The erection, construction, alteration or maintenance by public utilities or municipal or other governmental agencies, of underground or overhead gas, electrical, steam or water transmission or distribution systems, collection, communication, supply or disposal systems, elevated and underground water storage tanks, including poles, wires, mains, drains, sewers, pipes, conduits, cables, fire alarm boxes, police call boxes, traffic signals, hydrants, and other similar equipment and accessories in connection therewith, reasonably necessary for the furnishing of adequate service by such public utilities or municipal or other governmental agencies or for the public health or safety or general welfare but not including buildings.
Family: One or more persons each related to them by blood, marriage, or adoption (including foster children), together with such relatives of the respective spouses who are living with the family in a single dwelling and maintaining a common household. A family may also be composed of not to exceed three (3) persons not so related, provided that such unrelated persons live in a single dwelling and maintain a common household and single housekeeping unit. A family includes any domestic servants and not more than one gratuitous guest residing with said family; such servants or guest shall be included in the unrelated persons attained by this definition, and shall not be in addition thereto.
Farm: An area which is used for the growing of the usual farm products such as vegetables, fruit, trees, flora, fauna, and grain, and their storage on the area, as well as for the raising thereon of the usual farm poultry feeding of such farm poultry and farm animals shall be subject to the regulations of the State of Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The term "farming" includes the operating of such an area for one or more of the above uses, including dairy farms with the necessary accessory uses for treating and storing the produce, provided, however, that the operation of any such accessory uses shall be secondary to that of the normal farming activities, and provided further that farming does not include the extraction of minerals. The term "farm" includes farm dwellings.
Fast Food Restaurant: An establishment whose principal business is the sale of rapidly prepared food directly to the customer in a ready-to-consume state for consumption either within the restaurant building or off premises. The establishment may include a drive-up or drive-through service facility or offers curb service.
Fence: A structure, other than a building, which is an artificially constructed barrier of approved material or combination of materials erected to enclose or screen areas of land. Decorative corner treatments which do not exceed six feet (6') in length and three feet (3') in height are not considered fences if it allows for fifty percent (50%) or more open visibility.
Foster Family Home: A family home which provides full-time family care to foster children unrelated to them. Foster family homes are limited to a maximum of eight (8) children, including the foster family's children, unless all of the children unrelated to the foster family are of common parentage, or the applicable department of the State of Illinois has waived the limit of eight (8) unrelated children to facilitate an adoptive placement.
Foster Group Homes: A child care facility which regularly provides care for no more than ten (10) children placed by and under the supervision of a child welfare agency licensed by the applicable department of the State of Illinois. Adult supervision shall be provided on a twenty-four (24) hour basis.
Frontage Lots: See Lots, Multiple Frontage
Garage, Bus or Truck: A building which is used or intended to be used for the storage of motor trucks, truck trailers, tractors, commercial vehicles, and buses exceeding one and one-half (1-1/2) ton capacity.
Garage, Private: A detached accessory building or portion of a principal building used for storage of self-propelled passenger vehicles or trailers of the occupants of the premises and/or not more than (1) truck of a rated capacity exceeding one and one-half (1-1/2) tons.
Halfway House/Group Home: A temporary residential living arrangement for up to five (5) persons, excluding staff, who are receiving therapy, counseling and/or care from support staff who are present at all times residents are present, for the following purposes:
(1) To help them re-enter society while housed under supervision while under constraints of alternatives to imprisonment including, but not limited to, pre-release, work release, and probationary programs.
(2) To help persons with family or school adjustment problems that require specialized attention and care in order to achieve personal independence;
(3) To provide temporary shelter for persons who are victims of domestic abuse and/or neglect; or
(4) To provide adult congregate living arrangements without nursing care.
Hazardous Waste: Any substance or material that, by reason of its toxic, caustic, corrosive, abrasive or otherwise injurious properties, may be detrimental or deleterious to the health of any person handling or otherwise coming into contact with such material or substance. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a list of hazardous wastes based upon corrosivity, reactivity, and toxicity. Hazardous substances include, but are not limited to, inorganic mineral acids of sulfur, fluorine, chlorine, nitrogen, chromium, phosphorous, selenium and arsenic and their common salts, lead, nickel, and mercury and their inorganic salts, or metallo-organic derivatives; coal, tar acids, such as phenol and cresols and their salts, and all radioactive materials.
Health/Recreational and Physical Training Club: An indoor facility including uses such as game courts, exercise equipment, locker rooms, training studios, Jacuzzi and/or sauna, and pro shop.
Height: See Building, height of.
Hemp: Otherwise known as "industrial hemp," this material is made from Cannabis with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis that has been cultivated under a license issued under the Illinois Industrial Hemp Act or is otherwise lawfully present in the State of Illinois, and includes any intermediate or finished product made or derived from industrial hemp.
Home Occupation: An occupation or profession customarily carried on by an occupant of a dwelling unit as a secondary use, and which is clearly incidental to the use of the dwelling unit for residential purposes. There are major and minor home occupations which are clearly addressed under the General Provisions of this appendix.
Hospital or Sanitarium: An institution in which patients or injured persons are given medical or surgical care; or for the care of contagious diseases or terminal patients, and may include inpatient overnight care.
Hotel: A facility offering transient lodging accommodations on a daily rate to the general public and providing additional services, such as restaurants, meeting rooms, and recreational facilities and is not a bed and breakfast (also see "Motel").
Hotel, Transient: See Boarding House.
Household Hazardous Waste: A hazardous waste that can catch fire, react, or explode under certain circumstances, or that is corrosive or toxic. Common household hazardous waste items, and others not included on this list, might contain materials that are ignitable, corrosive, reactive, or toxic such as: drain openers, oven cleaners, wood and metal cleaners and polishers, automotive oil and fuel additives, grease and rust solvents, carburetor and fuel injection cleaners, air conditioning refrigerants, starter fluids, paint thinners, paint strippers and removers, adhesives, herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides/wood preservatives.
Independent Trailer Coach or Independent Mobile Home: A transportable non-permanent single-unit dwelling unit on wheels suitable for year-round occupancy and containing the same water supply, waste disposal, heating and air condition, electrical conveniences and with self-contained toilet and bath or shower facilities as conventional housing. This definition is not intended to include recreational vehicle types.
Junk Yard: Open area where waste, scrap metal, paper, rags, or similar materials are bought, sold, exchanged, stored, baled, packed, disassembled, or handled, including auto and building wrecking yards.
Kennel: Any structure or premises where dogs and cats over four (4) months of age are kept, raised, bred or boarded for commercial purposes excluding animal hospitals, clinics and pet shops.
Land Use Plan: The comprehensive long-range plan for the desirable use of land in the jurisdiction, as officially adopted and as amended from time to time by the City Council, the purpose of such plan being among other things, to serve as a guide to the zoning and prospective changes in the zoning of land to meet changing community needs in the subdividing and use of undeveloped land.
Legal Objector: The owner of a lot, parcel, or tract of land, which is next to a lot, parcel, or tract of land, for which a Special Use is proposed or which is the subject of an amendment of this appendix. For the purposes of this appendix, a lot shall be deemed to be next to another if the lots, parcels, or tracts share a common lot boundary line in whole or in part or if a common lot boundary in whole or in part would occur if all street, highway, or alley right-of-way between such lots were excluded.
Loading and Unloading Space, Off-Street: An open hard-surfaced area of land other than a street or public way, the principal use of which is for the standing, loading and unloading of motor trucks, tractors, and trailers, to avoid undue interference with the public use of streets and alleys.
Lodging or Rooming House: See Boarding House.
Lodging Room: See Boarding House.
Lot: A tract of land intended as a unit for the purpose (whether immediate or future) of development or transfer of ownership. A lot may or may not coincide with a "lot of record."
Lot Area/Coverage: The area of the lot covered by buildings above grade, excluding permitted projections.
Lot of Record: An area of land designated as a lot on a plat recorded with the Recorder of Deeds of Rock Island County, Illinois in accordance with State law.
Lot, Corner: A lot having at least two (2) adjacent sides that abut for their full length upon streets.
Lot, Front or Frontage: The length of any one property line of a premises, which property line abuts a legally accessible street right of way, except alleys.
Lot, Multiple Frontage: A lot that fronts on two or more street right of ways, such as corner lots, through lots, etc.
Lot, Interior: A lot other than a corner or reversed corner lot.
Lot Line, Rear: The lot line or lot lines most nearly parallel and most remote from the front lot line.
Lot Line, Side: A lot line which is not a front or rear lot line.
Lot, Reversed Corner: A corner lot, the rear of which abuts upon the side of another lot, whether across an alley or not.
Lot, Through: A lot having a pair of approximately parallel lot lines that abut two (2) approximately parallel streets. Both such lot lines shall be deemed front lot lines.
Lot, Width: The horizontal distance between the side lot lines measured at right angles to the side lot lines at the front building line.
Lot, Zoning: A single tract of land located within a single block, which (at the time of filing for a building permit) is designated by its owner or developer as a tract to be used, developed, or built upon as a unit, under single ownership or control. Therefore, a "zoning lot" may or may not coincide with a lot of record.
Mobile Home: A detached residential dwelling unit designed for transportation after fabrication on streets of highways on its own wheels or on a flatbed or other trailers, and arriving at the site where it is to be occupied as a dwelling, complete and ready for occupancy except for minor and incidental unpacking and assembly operations, location on jacks or other temporary or permanent foundations, connections to utilities, and the like. A travel trailer, self-contained motor home or other recreational vehicle is not to be considered a mobile home.
Modular Home: Factory-built housing certified to meet the current building codes and amendments as adopted by Rock Island County, IL and the requirements of the Illinois Department of Public Health, applicable to modular housing. Once certified by the state, modular homes shall be subject to the same standards as site-built homes.
Motel: A building or a group of buildings, whether attached or in connected units, used as individual sleeping units designed primarily for transient travelers and providing for accessory off-street parking facilities. The term "motel" includes but is not limited to buildings designated as auto courts, tourist courts, motor hotels, motor lodges, and similar terms.
Motor Freight Terminal: A building or area in which trucks, including tractor or trailer units, are parked, stored, or serviced, including the transfer, loading or unloading of goods. A terminal may include facilities for the temporary storage of loads prior to shipment.
Nightclub: A tavern or other commercial establishment where alcoholic beverages and/or food are served for consumption on premises and a dance floor and/or entertainment are provided. See also "Tavern."
Non-conforming Use: A lawful use of land that does not comply with the use regulations for its zoning district but which complied with applicable regulations at the time the use was established.
Nursery School: An institution providing instructional/educational services for six preschool aged children.
Ordinance: Reference to "Ordinance" herein shall be construed as the Zoning Ordinance.
Outdoor Storage: The storage of any product, goods, equipment, machinery, vehicles, boats, supplies, building materials or commodities, including raw, semi-finished and finished materials, the storage of which is not accessory to a residential use and is outside of a fully enclosed building. Vehicular parking, fleet vehicles, and the display of automobiles, boats, truck, or farm equipment associated with a legally established vehicle sales or rental use shall not be deemed outdoor storage.
Owner: The word "owner" applies to the entity in which title is vested in the building or land.
Parking Area, Accessory: An area of one or more parking spaces located at the same property as the building, structure or premises it is intended to serve, or on adjoining or nearby property and of such shape and nature as to be appropriate and usable for the parking or storage, loading and unloading of self-propelled vehicles.
Parking Space, Automobile: Space within a public or private parking area of not less than 160 square feet (eight and one-half feet by nineteen feet) exclusive of access drives or aisles, ramps, columns, or office and work areas, for the storage of one passenger automobile or commercial vehicle under one and one-half ton capacity.
Person: An individual, group of individuals, corporation, association, partnership, joint venture or other entity, and includes any trustee, estate, receiver, assignee or personal representative.
Plan Commission: Planning Commission of the City of Rock Island.
Planned Unit Development: A planned unit development is a parcel of land or contiguous parcels of land of a size sufficient to create its own environment, controlled by a single land-owner or by a group of landowners in common agreement as to which is compatible with adjacent parcels, and the intent of the zoning district or districts in which it is located. The developer or developers of a planned unit development may be granted relief from specific land-use regulations and design standards and may be awarded certain premiums in return for assurances of an overall quality of development, including any specific features which will be of exceptional benefit to the community as a whole.
Porch: Is a roofed structure (either enclosed or unenclosed), attached to one or two permanent exterior walls of a dwelling building, whose floor is at or just below the level of the dwelling first floor adjacent to the porch.
Principal Building: A building in which the primary use of the lot on which the building is located is conducted.
Property Owner: Any individual, group of individuals, association, corporation, joint stock association, joint venture, or any other entity in whose name the legal title to the real estate is recorded.
Recreational Vehicle: A general term for a vehicular unit bearing current license and/or registration, not exceeding thirty-six (36) feet in overall length, eight (8) feet in width or twelve (12) feet in overall height, which includes but is not limited to the following specific vehicle types:
(1) Camper Trailer: A folding or collapsible vehicular structure without its own (motive) power designed as temporary living quarters for travel, camping, recreation and vacation uses; and (to) be licensed and registered for highway use.
(2) Travel Trailer: A rigid structure without its own motive power designed as a temporary dwelling for travel, camping, recreation and vacation use; to be licensed and registered for highway use; and which, when equipped for the road, has a body width of not more than eight (8) feet, six (6) inches.
(3) Truck Camper: A portable structure without its own motive power designed to be transported on a power vehicle as a temporary dwelling for travel, camping, recreation and vacation use; and which, in combination with the carrying vehicle (shall) be licensed and registered for highway use.
(4) Motor Home: A vehicular unit built on or as a part of a self-propelled motor vehicle chassis, primarily designed to provide temporary dwelling for travel, camping, recreation and vacation use; and to be licensed and registered for highway use. This category shall include converted bus campers.
(5) Boat Trailer: A vehicular structure without its own motive power designed to transport a boat for recreation and vacation use and which is licensed and registered for highway use.
(6) Horse Trailer: A vehicular structure without its own motive power designed primarily for the transportation of horses and which, in combination with the towing vehicle, is licensed and registered for highway use.
(7) Utility Trailer: A vehicular structure without its own motive power designed and/or used for the transportation of all manner of motor vehicles, goods or materials and licensed and registered for highway use.
(8) Recreational Boat: A vessel, whether impelled by wind, oars or mechanical devices, and which is designed primarily for recreation or vacation use. A recreation vessel when mounted upon a boat trailer shall be considered one unit. If the recreational vehicle is equipped with liquefied gas containers, they shall meet the standards of the Interstate Commerce Commission or the Federal Department of Transportation standards in existence at the passage of this appendix.
Refuse Equipment Operation: The storage, repair, maintenance, sale or lease of equipment used in the collection, storage or transportation of refuse, including but not limited to vehicles, containers and any repair, parts, accessories and appurtenances thereof.
Religious Institution: A building, together with its accessory buildings and uses, where persons regularly assemble for institutional religious purposes and related social events. The buildings and uses are maintained and managed by a religious body organized to support religious activities and purposes. While a private home may host a religious activity, such as a prayer group and/or religious study, it shall not be covered by this definition unless the home is maintained and maintained institutionally by a religious body.
Residential Solid Waste: Waste that normally originates in a residential environment.
Restaurant: A food establishment serving full course meals prepared on the premises and which may serve alcoholic beverages.
Right of Way: A strip of land dedicated to the City or other unit of government for streets, alleys, and other public improvements.
Set-back: The minimum horizontal distance between the lot or property line and the nearest front, side or rear line of the building, including terraces or any covered projection thereof.
Short-Term Rental: Any rental property where the term of the rental is less than thirty (30) days in duration. These are often but not always facilitated by digital platforms that assist with booking and promotional services. These are distinct from traditional bed and breakfast establishments in that they are often less formal, impermanent, and target a different market. These are distinct from hotels, motels, and similar types of lodging.
Ground-Mounted Solar Energy Systems: A solar energy system where an array is mounted on the ground.
Solar Array: Multiple solar panels combined together to create one system.
Solar Energy: Radiant energy (direct, diffused, or reflected) received from the sun at wavelengths suitable for conversion into thermal, mechanical, chemical, or electrical energy.
Solar Energy System: Any solar collector or other solar energy device, or any structural design feature, mounted on a building or on the ground, and whose primary purpose is to provide for the collection, storage, and distribution of solar energy for space heating or cooling, water heating, or electricity. Such systems shall be considered equipment and not accessory structures.
Solar Energy Facilities: An alternative energy facility that consists of one or more ground-mounted, free-standing, or building-integrated solar collection devices, solar energy related equipment, and other associated infrastructure with the primary intention of generating electricity or otherwise converting solar energy to a different form of energy for primarily commercial or other off-site use.
Solar Thermal System: A solar energy system that directly heats water or other liquid using sunlight. Consists of a series of tubes that concentrate light to heat either water or a heat-transfer fluid. The heated liquid is used for such purposes as space heating and cooling, domestic hot water, and heating pool water.
Tilt: The angle of the solar panels as installed per manufacturers installation instructions.
Tobacco Business, Retail: Any premises where the sale of tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, or alternative nicotine products is the principal use, as defined by the sale of said products generating more than 80% of gross revenue for the premise.
Stable, Riding: A stable shall mean a building or buildings, including other structures, and grounds used for the boarding or housing of horses used for riding sessions or pleasure riding on the premises.
Story: That portion of a building included between the upper surface of any floor and the upper surface of the floor next above, except that the topmost story shall be that portion of a building included between the upper surface of the topmost floor and the ceiling or roof above. If the finished floor level directly above a usable or unused under floor space is more than six (6) feet above grade as defined herein for more than fifty percent (50%) of the total perimeter or is more than twelve feet (12') above grade as defined herein at any point, such usable or unused under-floor space shall be considered as a story.
Story, Half: A partial story under a gable, hip or gambrel roof, the wall plates of which on at least two opposite exterior walls are not more than four (4) feet above the floor of such story.
Street: A public or private way for motor vehicle travel. The term "street" includes a highway, thoroughfare, parkway, throughway, road, pike, avenue, boulevard, lane, place, drive, court and similar designations, but excludes an alley or way for pedestrian use only.
Structural Alteration: Any changes in the supporting members of a building including but not limited to bearing walls, load-bearing walls, load-bearing partitions, columns, beams or girders or any substantial change in the roof or the exterior walls.
Structure: Is that which is built or constructed, an edifice or building of any kind, or any piece of work artificially built up or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner.
Tavern or Bar: Any premises wherein alcoholic beverages are sold at retail for consumption on the premises as the principal uses; and where sandwiches, snacks and other food products are available for purchase. "Tavern" does not include "restaurants," where the principal business is serving food (includes "Bar" and "Cocktail Lounge"). (See Nightclub".)
Terrace/Patio: Is an unroofed paved area located outside at ground grade, which is paved as concrete, stone, brick or wood paver blocks (also known as patio blocks).
Theater: An establishment used to observe films and other visual material which is neither an Adult Motion Picture Theater nor Adult Mini-Motion Picture Theater.
Tourist Courts, Motor Lodges, Motels: A group of attached or detached buildings containing individual sleeping or living units, designed for or used temporarily by automobile, tourists or transients, with garage attached or parking space conveniently located to each unit, including auto courts, motels, motor lodges or other similar type uses.
Toxic Waste: Any combination of pollutants, including disease-carrying agents, that, after discharge and upon exposure, ingestion, inhalation or assimilation into any organism, can cause death or disease, mutations, deformities or malfunctions in such organisms or their offspring and that adversely affect the environment, which are being discarded by being disposed, incinerated or recycled.
Trailer Park or Mobile Home Park: An area of land upon which two (2) or more occupied trailer coaches or mobile homes are harbored either free of charge or for revenue purposes, and shall include any building, structure, tent, vehicles, or enclosure used or intended for as, a part of the equipment of such trailer coach park.
Truck Parking Area or Yard: Any land used or intended to be used for the storage or parking of trucks, tractors, truck trailers, and including commercial vehicles, while not loading or unloading. Does not include Class B trucks.
Unrelated Group Family: A group of no more than five (5) unrelated adults living together as a common household by doing their own cooking and living together, as distinguished from a group occupying a boarding house, lodging house, club, fraternity, sorority, or hotel. Unrelated group families are permitted with administrative approval, provided that they comply with the standards and conditions specified in General Provisions of this Zoning Ordinance.
Vehicle Impound and Towing Yard: Any place used for the temporary outdoor storage of vehicles which have been towed by a towing company or for the storage of impounded vehicles, but does not include permanent storage or dismantling of vehicles. Any vehicle stored on the premise for longer than one hundred eighty (180) days shall be considered permanent storage. This definition excludes Junk Yards and Automobile Wrecking Yards.
Yard: The space adjacent to lot lines which is required to be open and unobstructed from its lowest level upward except as otherwise permitted. The minimum depth or width of a yard shall consist of the horizontal distance between the lot line and nearest point of the foundation or exterior wall of a building.
Yard, Front: An open space extending the full width of the lot between a principal building and the street right-of-way except for an alley, unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground upward, except as hereinafter specified.
Yard, Rear: An open space extending the full width of a lot between a building and the rear lot line, unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground upward, except as hereinafter specified.
Yard, Side: An open space extending from the front yard to the rear yard between a building and the side lot line, unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground upward, except as hereinafter specified.
Zoning Maps: The map or maps incorporated into this appendix as a part hereof. (Ord. 070-2020, 12-21-2020; Ord. 005-2023, 3-13-2023; Ord. 38-2024, 6-10-2024)