The O-R&D-1 Office, Research and Development District is intended to provide for innovative, well-designed and maintained office and nuisance-free research uses, in an environment which is characterized by controlled ingress and egress to major streets and extensive setbacks and yard areas with imaginative landscaping, and which will provide screening and landscaping necessary to create a proper relationship with adjacent residential and nonresidential areas.

(Ord. No. 590, § 1, 7-28-87)

The following uses are permitted in the O-R&D-1 Office, Research and Development District:

15A.2.1. Business offices such as corporate headquarters, district, branch, sales, insurance, real estate, advertising, computer facility and other similar business offices;

15A.2.2. Professional offices, such as medical and dental offices and clinics, legal offices, certified public accountants and other similar professional offices;

15A.2.3. Financial offices, such as commercial banks, savings and loan, stock or commodities brokers, automobile, commercial and real estate financing, real estate title and other similar financial offices;

15A.2.4. Governmental offices;

15A.2.5. Sales offices, with incidental repairs and service, for business and office equipment and supplies with incidental storage of parts and supplies not to exceed a storage area of 100 percent of the gross square foot area of the sale area and offices;

15A.2.6. Wholesale sales, displays and offices, but not including storage or warehousing;

15A.2.7. Research laboratories, including the testing of products, but not including the manufacturing of products, except as incidental to the research and testing of products;

15A.2.8. Accessory uses, subject to the provisions of Article Four; and

15A.2.9. Off-street parking and loading facilities as required or permitted by Article Nineteen.

(Ord. No. 590, § 1, 7-28-87)

Upon recommendation by the planning and zoning commission, after public hearing on petition pertaining thereto, in accordance with the requirements set forth for such hearing in section 21.6 of this ordinance, the corporate authorities of the village may, by special use permit, allow the following uses in the O-R&D-1 Office, Research and Development District:

15A.3.1. Any public building erected or leased by any department of a municipality, county, state or federal government, other than office uses as permitted in this district;

15A.3.2. Any buildings erected or leased by any public utility (light, gas, telephone, water, sewer) for use as a branch office, excluding a distribution center;

15A.3.3. Private clubs, including health clubs;

15A.3.4. Hotel or motor hotel;

15A.3.5. Business or trade school;

15A.3.6. Consumer credit or financing office; and

15A.3.7. Services or commercial uses intended primarily to serve the immediate convenience needs of persons employed in the area, including stationery and office supply stores, restaurants (but not drive-in facilities) and similar uses.

15A.3.8. Temporary use of a trailer or modular units to accommodate a financial institution with or without drive-through facilities and subject to the standards set forth in Article Eighteen.

(Ord. No. 590, § 1, 7-28-87; Ord. No. 2004-112, § XII, 12-7-04)

Every lot or tract of land upon which a building is erected or maintained shall have:

15A.4.1. An area of not less than 200,000 square feet;

15A.4.2. A width of not less than 300 feet;

15A.4.3. A ratio of building coverage of not more than 25 percent of the total site area for the principal building or buildings; and

15A.4.4. A maximum floor area ratio of 0.5.

(Ord. No. 590, § 1, 7-28-87)

15A.5.1. No building hereinafter erected shall exceed four stories, nor shall it exceed 45 feet in height, except as provided in Article Four. No building within 300 feet of a residential district shall exceed two stories, nor shall it exceed 25 feet in height.

15A.5.2. Chimneys and other rooftop structures:

15A.5.2.1. No chimney, cooling tower, mechanical appurtenances, or other rooftop structure shall extend above the maximum permitted building height of the district;

15A.5.2.2. All cooling towers, mechanical equipment or appurtenances, vents, intakes or stacks, or other rooftop structures shall be screened from view on all sides of the building by a parapet wall, solid sight screen or other means which shall completely conceal the rooftop structures from view. A chimney constructed of the same masonry as the exterior of the building is excepted, but a chimney of any other material must be screened. The zoning administrator shall determine the need for sight screens and the screens shall comply with all building code requirements for fire rating, wind loads and structural integrity.

(Ord. No. 590, § 1, 7-28-87)

Except as provided in Article Four, no building shall be erected or enlarged and no use shall be maintained, unless the following yards are provided:

15A.6.1. A front yard on a public right-of-way shall be provided according to the following street designation, as contained in the Village of Vernon Hills Official Map:

Highway .....60 feet

Major street .....60 feet

Collector street .....40 feet

Local street .....30 feet

15A.6.2. A side yard of not less than 30 feet;

15A.6.3. A rear yard of not less than 40 feet;

15A.6.4. Where any building exceeds 35 feet in height, the yard requirements shall be increased one foot for each foot of building height over 35 feet;

15A.6.5. Where any front or corner side yard abuts a public right-of-way, a landscaped buffer strip of not less than 50 feet in depth along the lot line abutting that public right-of-way shall be provided and maintained as part of the required yard, except that a 30-foot landscaped buffer strip shall be provided along a local street;

15A.6.6. Where any side or rear yard abuts a residential district, a 25-foot-wide buffer strip, improved with earth berms and full landscaping, shall be provided and maintained along the lot lines abutting such residential districts. The height of the berms shall be from four to eight feet in height depending on the finished grades of the abutting residential property in relationship to the proposed building height and finished grades of the new development. The berm height and the entire buffer strip landscaping plan is subject to approval by the president and board of trustees.

(Ord. No. 590, § 1, 7-28-87)

15A.7.1. Signs shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Vernon Hills Sign Control Ordinance, as amended[, Chapter 19 of the Village Code].

15A.7.2. All ingress and egress systems for permitted or special uses within the O-R&D-1 Office, Research and Development District shall intersect a major arterial thoroughfare or a major collector street, each as designed and designated in the official map of the village or pertinent village ordinance; and, as part of such ingress and egress systems, there shall be provided a clearly marked fire/emergency lane, not less than 15 feet in width, as close to any structure as might be possible, and then plainly marked so as to prohibit parking thereon or obstruction thereof in any way.

15A.7.3. Refuse or trash collection areas shall be provided at the rear of each structure or positioned in or near the common parking lot or a driveway, as recommended by the planning and zoning commission; and shall be completely screened from view on all sides, with solid fencing of either wood or masonry construction, to a height of seven feet; and shall include concrete pad and an operable door of adequate width. Each such refuse area shall be provided with [a] closed and covered trash container of a type and size as required by the village ordinances pertaining thereto. It shall be the responsibility, either separate or joint, of the owner and/or manager of the structure to ensure that the refuse areas are kept in a neat and well-ordered manner at all times. The owner and/or manager of the structure shall ensure that any spillover at the time of refuse removal is promptly and properly cleaned up, and that refuse is removed on a regular basis according to village ordinances pertaining thereto.

15A.7.4. Off-street parking and loading facilities shall be provided as required in Article Nineteen.

15A.7.5. Trucks and semitrailers shall not be parked or stored out-of-doors overnight, in the parking lot or on the premises, except within an enclosed loading dock, garage, or within a walled and gated sight screen enclosure, open to the sky, constructed of the same masonry exterior materials as the principal building and equal in height to the height of the first floor of the principal building. However, temporary parking overnight, not to exceed a 48-hour time period, may be permitted for delivery vehicles which arrive after normal business hours.

15A.7.6. There shall be no outdoor storage of any materials of any kind, except as provided in section 15.7.5, nor shall there be any sale of any goods or services out-of-doors, except by special permission of the president and board of trustees.

(Ord. No. 590, § 1, 7-28-87)