In the construction of this zoning ordinance, the rules and definitions contained in this article shall be observed and applied, except when the context clearly indicates otherwise.

3.1.1. Words used in the present tense shall include the future; and words used in the singular number shall include the plural number, and the plural the singular.

3.1.2. The word "shall" is mandatory and not discretionary.

3.1.3. The word "may" is permissive.

3.1.4. The word "lot" shall include the words "piece" and "parcel"; the word "building" includes all other structures of every kind; and the phrase "used for" shall include the phrases "arranged for," "designed for," "intended for," "maintained for" and "occupied for."

3.1.5. The word "person" shall include the words "individual," "corporation," "governmental agency," "business trust," "estate," "trust," "partnership," "association," "joint or common interest," "ventures," "joint ventures" or any other legal entity.

3.1.6. All units of measurement shall be deemed to include their metric equivalents.

3.1.7. Any words not defined in this article shall be construed in their generally accepted meaning, as defined in the most recent publication of Webster's New International Dictionary.

Accessory building or use: A subordinate building or use which is located on the same lot and under the same ownership as the principal building or use and which is customary in connection with, and clearly incidental to, the principal building or use. Also, see definition of "playhouse."

Agriculture: The use of land for activities including farming, dairying, pasturage, apiculture, horticulture, floriculture, viticulture and animal and poultry husbandry, and the necessary accessory uses for packing, treating, and storing the produce; provided, however, that the operation of any such accessory uses shall be secondary to that of the normal agricultural activities. "Agriculture" shall not include the commercial feeding of garbage or offal to swine or other animals; or operations for the disposal of garbage, sewerage, offal or rubbish; or commercial feed lots.

Alteration: Any change in the character, size, shape, occupancy, or use of a building or structure.

Animal clinic: A structure where animals or pets are given treatment on an outpatient basis.

Animal hospital: A structure where domestic animals or pets are given medical or surgical treatment. Use as a kennel, or for other boarding purposes, shall be limited to short-time and fully enclosed boarding and shall only be incidental to such hospital use.

Apartment: One or more rooms in a dwelling designed and intended for occupancy as a separate dwelling unit.

Assisted living facility: A residential facility containing individual living units providing shelter, food service, oversight and assistance with daily living activities for the residents, who because of age or physical condition are in need of such assistance. Such a facility shall not supply the level of services such as nursing care, dispensing of drugs or physical therapy, as would a nursing or convalescent home.

Automated teller machine (ATM): A mechanized banking device operated by banks and financial institutions for conducting transactions including deposits, withdrawals, and financial transfers without contact with financial institution personnel. The ATM may be located at or within the bank or financial institution, or in other locations, and may be used by patrons in vehicles, on foot or by other means of transportation, in compliance with these regulations.

Automobile laundry (carwash): A building or portion thereof, containing facilities for washing more than two motor vehicles, using automatic production line methods with a chain conveyor, blower, steam cleaning device, or other mechanical devices; or providing space, water and equipment for the handwashing of more than two motor vehicles, whether by the customer or the operator.

Automobile rental/leasing establishment: A building and property used for the renting or leasing of automobiles, vans, sport utility vehicles, and pick-up trucks. Does not include delivery/moving-type truck or trailer rental.

Automobile repair service establishment: Any land, building, structure or premises used for the repair of automobiles, motorcycles or recreational vehicles. This use includes muffler shops, auto repair garages, tire sales and installation, wheel and brake shops, body and fender shops, and similar repair and service activities, but excludes dismantling, salvage or long term storage of vehicles.

Automobile service station and/or minimart: Any land, building, structure or premises used for the sale at retail of motor vehicle fuels, oils or accessories and of convenience-type food and general merchandise from a limited sales area, and also including the incidental servicing and repair of vehicles, parts or accessories.

Awning: A roof like cover, retractable or fixed, that projects from the wall or over a door, entrance or window.

Basement: A story having part, but not more than one-half, of its height below grade. A basement is counted as a story, for the purposes of height regulation, if subdivided and used for dwelling purposes other than by a janitor employed on the premises. (See Figures 1 and 11.)

Block: A tract of land bounded by streets, or by a combination of streets and public parks, cemeteries, railroad rights-of-way or corporate boundary lines of the Village of Vernon Hills, or other natural barriers.

Bowling facilities: A building containing bowling lanes as a principal use.

Buildable area: The space remaining on a lot after the minimum yard and open space requirements have been complied with.

Building: Any structure built for the support, shelter, or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels or movable property of any kind and which is permanently affixed to the land. (See Figure 5.)

Building, detached: A building surrounded by open space on the same lot.

Building height: The vertical distance from the mean curb level, or its equivalent, opposite the center of the front of the building to the highest point of the underside of the ceiling beams of a flat roof; to the deck line of a mansard roof; and to the mean level of the underside of the rafters between the eaves and the ridge of a gable, hip or gambrel roof. Where no curb level has been established, the height of the building may be measured from the mean elevation of the finished lot grade at the front of the building. (See Figure 7.)

Building setback line: The line within a lot, parallel to corresponding lot lines, designating the minimum required distance from the front, side and rear lot lines to the building or structure. (See Figures 2, 3 and 4.)

Building, principal: A nonaccessory building in which is conducted the principal use of the lot. (See Figure 5.)

Bulk: The term used to indicate the size and mutual relationships of a building or structure and the location of same, with respect to: size and height of the building; location of exterior walls at all levels in relation to lot lines, streets, or other buildings; gross floor area of the building in relation to the lot area; all open space allocated to the building.

Business: An occupation, employment, or enterprise which occupies time, attention, labor, and materials, or wherein merchandise is exhibited or sold, or where services are offered.

Canopy: A freestanding or projecting structure, other than an awning as defined herein, wholly or partially supported by columns, poles or braces extending to the ground, that acts as a roof-like cover above an outdoor service area, such as at an automobile service station, outdoor dinning area, or door or entrance to a building.

Catering service: An establishment providing the processing, assembly and packaging of food into servings for consumption off-premises without provision for on-site consumption. Tastings and customer pick up of scheduled orders may be offered by appointment.

Cellar: An area having more than one-half of its floor to clear ceiling height below grade and which is not counted as a story. (See Figures 1 and 11.)

Children's recreation and fitness facilities: Uses which provide activities for the entertainment and recreation of children under the supervision of adults. The term "children" is generally limited to those under the age of 15. All activities must be indoors.

Clinic, medical or dental: A building or portion thereof, the principal use of which is for offices of physicians or dentists or both, for the examination and treatment of persons on an outpatient basis.

Club or lodge, private: A nonprofit association whose facilities are restricted to persons who are bona fide members and their guests. Food and alcoholic beverages may be served on its premises, provided they are secondary and incidental to the principal use.

Collector street: A street for access of traffic from several minor streets to a major street.

Commercial vehicle: Any vehicle designed or operated primarily for the transportation of persons or property in the furtherance of any commercial, industrial or business enterprise, and includes any truck, van, panel-type vehicle, tax [taxi], bus, or other vehicle operated for compensation.

Common open space: Land and/or water unoccupied by structures, buildings, streets, rights-of-way and automobile parking lots and designed and intended for the use or enjoyment of residents of a planned unit development. Common open space may contain walks and structures for recreational use, but except for such recreation structures, no area within 30 feet of any building or structure shall be included as common open space.

Comprehensive plan: Collectively those documents and ordinances of the village relating to land use, zoning, major street planning and land development known as the Village of Vernon Hills Comprehensive Land Use Plan 2003 and as amended from time to time.

Conforming building or structure: A building or structure which:

(a)

Complies with all the regulations of this ordinance, or any amendment thereto, governing bulk of the district in which said building or structure is located; and

(b)

Is designed or intended for a permitted or conditional use as allowed in the district in which it is located.

Congregate housing for the elderly: Residential development providing housing, food service and various optional services for the elderly, who are at least 62 years old and are capable of independent living. The optional services may include housekeeping, linen service, laundry, transportation and various social activities. Each residential unit shall provide kitchen facilities.

Contiguous: In contact, adjoining, or touching another object or item, as distinguished from being nearby.

Convalescent care facilities: A nursing facility for the aged or convalescing in which three or more persons, not the immediate family are accommodated for the provision of intermediate, extended or long-term care.

Crosswalk: A public right-of-way, within a block, ten feet or more in width, intended primarily for pedestrians, but which may include utilities where necessary, and from which motor-propelled vehicles are excluded.

Cul-de-sac: A minor street having one open end and being permanently terminated at the other by a vehicular turnaround. (See Figure 8.)

Curb level: The level of the established curb in front of a structure, measured at the center of such front. Where no curb elevation has been established, the elevation of the crown of the access roadway fronting the center of the lot shall be considered the curb level.

Day care center: Any child care facility, with or without stated educational purposes, receiving six or more children for care during all or part of a day, licensed and operated under the provisions of the Child Care Act (1972) of the State of Illinois.

Density: The average number of dwelling units per acre in a tract of land.

Density, net: The average number of dwelling units per acre in a tract of land, exclusive of the rights-of-way of publicly dedicated streets.

District: A section or sections of the Village of Vernon Hills for which the regulations governing the use of buildings and premises, the height of buildings, the size of yards, and intensity of use, are uniform.

Driveway: The paved accessway constructed primarily outside the street right-of-way between the driveway entrance and an off-street parking area whose intended use is for egressing and ingressing the property with motor-driven vehicles. Where no sidewalk is present, a driveway shall begin at the right-of-way line; where a sidewalk is present, a driveway shall begin at the right-of-way line side of the sidewalk. A residential driveway shall be a minimum of ten feet in width. The maximum width of a residential driveway shall be no wider than the width of the garage; where no garage exists or where the garage is less than 20 feet wide, the maximum driveway width shall be 20 feet. A driveway may be configured to allow access to a parking pad installed in accordance with Article 4, Section 4 of this ordinance. The driveway shall be located a minimum of five feet from an adjoining property and configured to meet the width of the driveway entrance at the property line, unless a variance is obtained therefor. Nonresidential driveways shall be designed in accordance with the Village of Vernon Hills Development regulations.

Driveway entrance (apron): A paved surface extending from the roadway to the driveway over the parkway. A driveway entrance shall include the curb cut and pavement (driveway apron) but not the sidewalk located within a public right-of-way that connects a private road or driveway to the street right-of-way. The maximum width of a residential driveway entrance shall be 20 feet at the property line and 24 feet at the curb, unless a variance is obtained therefor. Nonresidential driveway entrances shall be designed in accordance with the Village of Vernon Hills Development regulations.

Dwelling: A building, or portion thereof, designed or used exclusively for residential occupancy, including single-family dwellings, two-family dwellings, and multiple-family dwellings, but not including mobile homes or other trailers or lodginghouses, hotels, or motels.

Dwelling, attached: A dwelling unit having its own ground floor entrance, joined to two or more dwellings by party walls, or other horizontally unifying structural element. (See Figure 6.)

Dwelling, detached: A dwelling which is surrounded on all sides by open space. (See Figure 6.)

Dwelling, multiple-family: A dwelling containing three or more dwelling units.

Dwelling, single-family: A dwelling containing one dwelling unit.

Dwelling, two-family: A dwelling containing two dwelling units.

Dwelling unit: A single residential unit providing complete independent-living facilities designed and arranged to house not more than one family. A dwelling unit shall include permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation quarters.

Easement: A recorded agreement whereby a property owner grants the use of air, land or mineral rights for a specific purpose.

Electric vehicle (EV): A vehicle that uses energy stored in rechargeable battery packs onboard the vehicle to propel the vehicle. The EV must be plugged into an external source to recharge. Includes plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Electric vehicle (EV) charger, level 1: EV battery charging that uses 110 to 120 VAC supply power, with a power range from 880 Watts (0.88 kilowatts, kW) to 1,920 kW (1.92 kW) and provides three to six range miles per hour connected. Level 1 EV chargers are supplied with alternating current (AC) and in turn provide AC power to the EV through a standard connector.

Electric vehicle (EV) charger, level 2: EV battery charging that uses 208 to 240 VAC supply power, with a range from 3.3 kW to 19.2 kW, and provides 16 to 80 range miles per hour connected. Level 2 EV chargers are supplied with alternating current (AC) and in turn provide AC power to the EV through a standard connector.

Electric vehicle (EV) charger, level 3: Direct current fast charging (DCFC). EV battery charging that uses DC power to recharge EVs at various amperage levels and voltage levels, most commonly 480 VAC, with power outputs ranging between 25 and 350 kW of power and provides 50 to 800 range miles per hour connected. DCFCs convert alternating current (AC) from facility power and output direct current (DC) and volts direct current (VDC), which then delivers DC power to the BEV through a standard connector.

Electric vehicle charging station (EVCS): Equipment designed to safely supply and manage power into plugin EVs. EV charging stations include hard-wired EV charging stations and EV charging stations that plug in to standard wall outlets and may also integrate communication, metering, GPS and other features that assist EV drivers and the host facility.

Electric vehicle charging station (EVCS), primary use: A retail establishment, not accessory to a permitted land use, that provides electric vehicle charging as its primary function. May include accessory uses such as a convenience store and/or an indoor lounge for customers.

Electric vehicle charging station (EVCS), accessory use: An EVCS located within a parking area accessory to a permitted use in a given zoning district. Includes charging infrastructure and equipment typically required to support the EVCS.

Entertainment use: Predominately spectator uses conducted within an enclosed building. Typical uses include motion picture theaters and concert or music halls. Uses such as musical, theatrical, dance cabaret, or comedy act performed by one or more persons are permitted. Any form of dancing by patrons and guests at an eating or drinking establishment is live entertainment and considered an accessory use to the eating or drinking establishment. Live entertainment does not include the term "adult entertainment or adult uses" as set forth in Section 18.6.

Family: One or more persons occupying a dwelling unit and living as a single housekeeping unit, with one kitchen constituting the cooking facilities for the entire housekeeping unit, whether or not related to each other by birth, adoption or marriage. Provided, however, that:

(a)

No housekeeping unit consisting of all unrelated persons shall exceed four persons;

(b)

No housekeeping unit consisting of related and unrelated persons shall exceed three unrelated persons and the related family, regardless of whether or not the unrelated persons provide compensation to the related family for the room and/or board;

(c)

No housekeeping unit consisting of related and unrelated persons shall have any structural or mechanical changes within the interior of the dwelling unit or any additional exterior means of egress which would, in any way, change the character of the dwelling unit from a single-family unit to a two-, or more, family dwelling unit.

Farm: Land being used for agricultural purposes.

Fence: A manmade structure forming a barrier which is not part of any building or structure, and which is more than 24 inches overall in height above the existing grade.

Fence, solid: A fence which is impenetrable by vision, and which conceals activities on a lot from view of adjoining lots or rights-of-way.

Financial institution: A bank, savings and loan, or credit union where the principal businesses of banking, savings and loan, and investment activities are performed in accordance with federal and state laws.

Floor area: The total square footage within the outside line of walls, and includes the total of all space on all floors, of a building. It shall not include porches, garages, or space in a basement or cellar except when determining the occupant load and the number of required off-street parking spaces.

Floor area ratio: The floor area of the building or buildings on the zoning lot, divided by the area of the zoning lot or in the case of a planned unit development, divided by the gross site area, exclusive of dedicated streets.

Frontage: All property fronting on one side of a street between the two nearest intersection streets, measured along the line of the street, or if dead-ended, then all of the property abutting on one side between an intersecting street and the dead end of the street.

Frontage, lot: All of the boundaries of lot abutting a street.

Garage, private: A detached accessory building, or a portion of a main building, housing the automobiles of the occupants of the premises, excluding commercial vehicles.

Garage, public: A building or portion thereof, other than a private or storage garage, designed or used for equipping, servicing, hiring, repairing, storing, or parking motor-driven vehicles. The term "repairing" shall not include an automotive body repair shop nor the rebuilding, dismantling or storage of wrecked or junked vehicles.

Garage, storage: Any building or premises, used for housing only motor-driven vehicles, other than commercial vehicles.

Governmental offices: A building(s) leased or owned, operated, or occupied by any agency, political subdivision or unit of government, including by not limited to, federal, state, county, and municipal agencies and fire, school and park districts.

Grade: The average level of the finished surface of the ground adjacent to the exterior walls of the building.

Ground floor area: The lot area covered by a principal building, at the highest ground grade adjacent to the building, measured from the exterior faces of the exterior walls, but excluding open porches or terraces, or garages.

Hard surface or pad: An area upon or in the ground made up of concrete, bituminous materials or of the same or similar material as the existing driveway, rectangular in shape and having a length at least equal to the length of the recreational vehicle at its longest point, and a width at least equal to the width of the recreational vehicle at its widest point.

Health club: A facility designed for the major purpose of improving physical wellness or weight reduction which includes, but is not limited to, such equipment as weight resistance machines, whirlpools, saunas, showers, and lockers and which may include racquet courts, and/or swimming pool. This shall not include a municipal or private, not for profit owned recreation building and/or adult entertainment cabaret.

Health or day spa: A business which provides personal services directly to customers at the site of the business which includes, but is not limited to hair stylists, cosmeticians, toning or tanning salons and non-medically prescribed massage therapy.

Home occupation: Any business, occupation, or profession conducted within a dwelling unit by a person residing in the dwelling unit, as regulated in section 4.7.3.

Hospital: An institution devoted primarily to the maintenance and operation of facilities for the diagnosis, treatment or care of three or more nonrelated individuals suffering from: illness, disease, injury, deformity or other abnormal physical condition, but does not apply to institutions operating primarily for treatment of insane persons, drug addicts, alcoholics, or other cases necessitating restraint of patients. "Hospital" does not include convalescent [homes], nursing shelters or boardinghouses.

Hotel: An establishment containing lodging rooms, for occupancy by transient guests, and which provides customary hotel services such as: maid, telephone and secretarial, bellboy and desk services; and the use and upkeep of furnishings and laundry of linens.

House of worship: A structure devoted to use by a religious institution for the practice of its faith.

Kennel: Any premises or portion thereof on which more than three dogs, cats, or other household domestic animals over one year of age are kept; or on which more than two such animals are maintained, boarded, bred, or cared for, in return for remuneration, or are kept for the purpose of sale.

Loading space: A space within the principal building or on the same lot as the principal building, having access to a street or driveway, and designed for the standing, loading or unloading of one truck.

Long-term rental: A residential dwelling located in a residential zoning district being rented or otherwise let as a single housekeeping unit to a person(s) other than the owner of the subject property for a period or term of not less than 12 months.

Lot: A parcel of land having its principal frontage upon a road or street and occupied or intended for occupancy by a use permitted in this ordinance, including a principal building or buildings, together with accessory buildings, open spaces, and parking spaces required by this ordinance.

Lot area: The area of a horizontal plane bounded by vertical planes through front, side and rear lot lines. (See Figure 9.)

Lot, corner: A lot situated at the intersection of two or more streets, or adjoining a curved street at the end of a block. (See Figure 10.)

Lot coverage: The area of a lot occupied by the principal and accessory structures.

Lot depth: The mean horizontal distance between the front lot line and the rear lot line of a lot, measured within the lot boundaries. (See Figure 10.)

Lot, interior: A lot that is not a corner lot. (See Figure 10.)

Lot line: Any property line bounding a lot.

Lot line, front: The boundary of a lot which is along an existing or dedicated public or private street, or public way. On a corner lot, the lot line having the shortest length abutting a street is the front lot line. (See Figures 2, 3 and 4.)

Lot line, interior: A lot line which does not abut a street.

Lot line, rear: That boundary of a lot which is most distant from and is, or is approximately, parallel to the front lot line. If the rear lot line is less than ten feet in length, or if the lot forms a point at the rear, the rear lot line shall be deemed to be a line ten feet in length within the lot, parallel to and at the maximum distance from the front lot line. (See Figures 2, 3 and 4.)

Lot line, side: Any boundary of a lot which is not a front lot line or a rear lot line. (See Figures 2, 3 and 4.)

Lot of record: A single lot which has been recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds of Lake County, Illinois.

Lot, reversed corner: A corner lot, the street side lot line of which is substantially a continuation of the front lot line of the first lot to its rear. (See Figure 10.)

Lot, through: A lot having a pair of opposite lot lines along two more or less parallel streets, and which is not a corner lot. (See Figure 10.)

Lot width: The horizontal distance between the side lot lines at the building setback line. (See Figure 10.)

Motel or motor hotel: Any building or group of buildings containing guestrooms, some or all of which have a separate entrance leading directly from the outside of the building, with garage or parking space conveniently located on the lot, and designed, used, or intended wholly or in part for the accommodation of transient automobile travelers.

Motor vehicle: Any self-propelled, wheeled vehicle designed for the transportation of persons or goods along the public streets.

Motor vehicle terminal: Any premises used by a motor vehicle or similar company for the purpose of storing, maintaining, loading and unloading of trucks and other motor vehicles including trailers, without the long-term storage of any goods or items on the subject property.

Nameplate: A sign indicating the name and address of a building, the name of the occupant thereof, or the practice of a permitted occupation therein.

Nonconforming building: Any building or structure or portion thereof lawfully existing at the time of the adoption of this ordinance, or amendment thereto, which does not comply with all the regulations of this ordinance, or of any amendment hereto, governing bulk for the zoning district in which said building or structure is located; or is designed or intended for a nonconforming use.

Nonconforming use: The use of any building or structure or the use of land, that does not conform with the regulations of this ordinance, or any amendment thereto, governing use in the district in which it is located, but that conformed with all of the codes, ordinances, and other legal requirements applicable at the time such building or structure was erected, enlarged, or altered, and the use thereof[,] or the use of land was established.

Nursery school: Any day care center which receives children between the ages of two and six years and which is established and professionally operated primarily for educational purposes, to meet the developmental needs of the children served.

Nursing home: See "Convalescent care facilities."

Off-street parking area, facility or lot: Land which is improved and used, or a structure which is designed and used, exclusively for the storage of passenger motor vehicles, or trucks not exceeding 1½ tons in capacity, either for accessory off-street parking spaces or commercial off-street parking spaces, when permitted herein by district regulations.

Open sales lot: Land used or occupied for the purpose of buying, selling, or renting merchandise stored or displayed out-of-doors prior to sale. Such merchandise may include automobiles, trucks, motor scooters, motorcycles, boats or similar commodities.

Outlot: A parcel of land which is a separate lot within a main tract under unified control authorized as a planned unit development or regional planned unit development and intended for occupancy by a use permitted on the main tract having its sole means of vehicular access connected to an internal transportation network on the main tract.

Parking space: A durable hard-surfaced area, not less than nine feet wide and 20 feet long, enclosed in the main building, in an accessory building, or unenclosed, which is reserved for the parking of one motor vehicle and which is accessible to and from a street or driveway.

Party wall: An interior wall of adjoining structures extending unbroken from its footing to the underside of the roof, and which separates, and is in common use by, such adjoining structures. (See Figure 6.)

Planned unit development: A parcel or tract of land, initially under single ownership or unified control, which contains two or more principal buildings and one or more principal uses, is planned and constructed as a unified development, and is processed under the planned development procedures of this ordinance.

Planning and zoning commission: The Planning and Zoning Commission of the Village of Vernon Hills, Illinois, as established by Ordinance No. 96 of the village.

Playhouse: A single-story accessory building or structure with four walls whose intended use is by children for recreational activity. A playhouse shall not be used for storage. Playhouses and treehouses that comply with the size and height requirements, as stated in Article 4 of this ordinance are exempt from building permits.

Premises: A lot, together with all buildings and structures thereon.

Public utility: Any person, firm, corporation or municipal department, duly authorized under public regulation to furnish to the public, cable television, electricity, gas, telephone, sanitary sewer, transportation, or water supply and distribution.

Recreational vehicle: Any motor vehicle, travel trailer, trailer, camper, motor home, tent trailer, camping trailer, motor home or camper box, boat, hover craft, or other watercraft device, motorcycle or offroad vehicle, snowmobile or snowmobile trailer or other device designed for any similar purpose.

Recreational vehicle height: A vertical distance measured from the mean height of the ground to the uppermost aerial extension, excluding antennas, of a recreational vehicle.

Recreational vehicle length: A linear distance measured along a straight line from the rearmost portion or extension to the front-most portion or extension of a recreational vehicle.

Recreational vehicle width: A linear distance measured along a straight line from one opposing side (including extensions) to the other corresponding side (including extensions) of a recreational vehicle.

Research laboratory: A building or group of buildings in which are located facilities for scientific research, investigation, testing, or experimentation, but not facilities for the manufacture or sale of products, except as incidental to the main purpose of the laboratory.

Restaurant: An establishment whose sole business is the sale of food or beverage to seated customers, for consumption only within the building. The food is ordered through and brought to the customer by a waiter or waitress, consumed, and all dishes cleared by the waiter or waitress in preparation for the next customer.

Restaurant, carryout: An establishment whose principal business is the sale of food or beverages to the customer in a ready-to-consume state, for consumption off the premises.

Restaurant, drive-thru: A restaurant, with or without dining facilities which includes a building opening, window, door or mechanical device through which occupants of a motor vehicle receive or obtain a product or service.

Restaurant, fast food: An establishment whose principal business is the sale of food or beverages in a ready-to-consume state, for consumption on or off the premises, and which is served in edible containers or in paper, plastic or other disposable containers.

Right-of-way, public: An accessway dedicated to public use.

Right-of-way, railroad: A strip of land with railroad tracks and auxiliary facilities for track operation, but not including depots, loading platforms, stations, train sheds, warehouses, care of locomotive shops [sic], car or locomotive shops, car or locomotive yards or water towers.

Setback: The minimum horizontal distance between a street line and the nearest wall of a building, or side of a structure facing such street line, or edge of the area of operation of a principal use, when no building or structure is involved. (See Figures 2, 3 and 4.)

Short-term rental: All or part of a residential dwelling unit located in a residential zoning district, being rented or otherwise let as an accessory use and/or occupancy to a person(s) other than the owner of the subject property for a period or term that is less than 12 months. For the purpose of this definition, short-term rental shall not include multi-family buildings or developments held in common ownership whereby all dwelling units are rented or otherwise let as a single occupancy and not individually owned.

Story: That portion of a building, other than a cellar, included between the surface of any floor and the surface of the floor next above it or, if there be no floor above it, then the space between the floor and the ceiling next above. The floor of a story may be split between levels, provided that there is not more than four feet difference in elevation between the different levels of the floor. A basement shall be counted as a story. A mezzanine floor shall be counted as a story when it covers over one-third the area of the floor next below it, or if the vertical distance from the floor next below it to the floor next above it is 24 feet or more. (See Figure 11.)

Story, half: A partial story under a gable, hip, mansard, or gambrel roof, the wall plates of which, on at least two opposite exterior walls, are not more than three feet above the floor of such story, except that any partial story used for residence purposes, other than by a family occupying the floor immediately below it, shall be deemed a full story.

Street: The paved portion of a public or private right-of-way which affords a primary means of vehicular access to abutting properties, whether designated as a street, avenue, highway, road boulevard, lane, or otherwise designated, but not including driveways.

Structural alteration: Any change other than incidental repairs which would prolong the life of the supporting members of a structure, such as bearing walls, columns, beams or girders.

Structure: Anything constructed or erected which has a fixed location on the ground or which is attached to something which has a fixed location on the ground.

Tasting room: A retail outlet with a customer facing area for persons to sample, consume for on-premises consumption, and purchase for off-premises consumption, liquor products. Such premises need not be attached to the manufacturing facility, nor owned by a manufacturer.

Technical review committee: The technical review committee established under the plan review procedures adopted by the village board.

Unified control: The combination of two or more tracts of land wherein each owner has agreed that his tract of land shall be developed as part of a planned unit development and shall be subject to the controls applicable to such development.

Use: The purpose for which land or a structure thereon is designed, arranged, or intended, or for which it is occupied or maintained.

Use, permitted: Any use which is or may be lawfully established in a particular district or districts, provided it conforms with all requirements and regulations of this ordinance applicable to such district or districts.

Use, principal: The dominant use of land or buildings, as distinguished from a subordinate or accessory use.

Use, special: A use which, because of its unique characteristics, cannot properly be classified as a permitted use.

Vacant single-family residential lot: A lot zoned or platted for single-family dwelling residential use that does not contain a building.

Village: The Village of Vernon Hills, Illinois.

Village board: The Board of Trustees of Vernon Hills, Illinois.

Village clerk: The Village Clerk of Vernon Hills, Illinois.

Village engineer: A professional engineer, registered in the State of Illinois, who has been duly appointed as the village engineer of the Village of Vernon Hills, or who has been hired by the village as its consulting engineer.

Village planner: The office of village planner, as established by Ordinance Number 258 [article II of chapter 16 of the Village Code of Ordinances] of the village.

Warehouse retail facility: An establishment for the retail sale of goods from a warehouse facility with a minimum of 100,000 square feet.

Yard: An open space on a lot which is unoccupied and unobstructed from its lowest level to the sky. A yard extends along a lot line and at right angles to such line to a depth or width specified in the yard regulations for the district in which such lot is located. (See Figures 2, 3 and 4.)

Yard, front: A yard extending along the full length of the front lot line between the side lot lines. (See Figures 2, 3 and 4.)

Yard, minimum: The open yard area located between a lot line and the nearest line of the principal building or structure, to a depth specified in the yard requirements section for the district in which the lot is located.

Yard, rear: The open yard area extending between the rear lot line and the nearest line of the principal building or structure, extending along the full width of the lot between the side lot lines.

Yard, required: See "Yard, minimum."

Yard, side: A yard extending along a side lot line from the front yard to the rear yard. (See Figures 2, 3 and 4.)

Yard, side; adjoining a street: A yard which is bounded by the front lot line, a street line, and the rear lot line. (See Figure 2.)

Yard, interior side: A side yard which adjoins another lot separating such side yard from another lot. (See Figures 2, 3 and 4.)

Zoning administrator: The building commissioner of the Village of Vernon Hills, Illinois, duly appointed and designated to administer and enforce the zoning ordinance, or his duly authorized representative.

Zoning board of appeals: The Zoning Board of Appeals of Vernon Hills, Illinois.

Zoning districts: The districts in which the Village of Vernon Hills, Illinois, has been divided for zoning regulations and requirements, as set forth on the zoning district map.

Zoning district map: The zoning district map of the Village of Vernon Hills, Illinois.

Zoning lot: A single, continuous tract of land, which (at the time of filing for a building permit) is designated by its owner or developer as a tract of land to be used, developed, or built upon as a unit, under single ownership or control. Therefore, a "zoning lot or lots" may or may not coincide with a lot of record. Every zoning lot must have access to a public street either by having frontage on a public street or by a private access road and once developed, a zoning lot may not be split so as to create a non-conforming building or lot.

(Ord. No. 428, § 1, 5-17-83; Ord. No. 650, § 1, 6-28-88; Ord. No. 90-43, § I, 9-18-90; Ord. No. 91-17, § I, 3-19-91; Ord. No. 91-30, § I, 5-21-91; Ord. No. 91-32, § II, 6-4-91; Ord. No. 92-26, § II, 5-5-92; Ord. No. 95-17, §§ I, III, 3-21-95; Ord. No. 2000-29, §§ I—III, 5-2-00; Ord. No. 2001-38, §§ I, II, 6-5-01; Ord. No. 2003-70, § I, 11-4-03; Ord. No. 2004-112, § I, 12-7-04; Ord. No. 2008-060, § Ia.—d., 10-7-08; Ord. No. 2012-036, § 1(Exh. A), 6-19-12; Ord. No. 2018-104, § I(Exh. A), 6-5-18; Ord. No. 2023-055, § II, 5-16-23; Ord. No. 2025-014, § II, 2-4-25; Ord. No. 2025-040, § II, 4-15-25; Ord. No. 2025-100, § 2 (Exh. B), 9-2-25)