This title shall be known and may be cited as the “Unified Development Ordinance of the Village of Willowbrook” or the “UDO” and shall be in full force and effect after its passage, approval and publication, as provided by law. (Ord. 23-0-05, 1-23-2023)

   (A)   This UDO is adopted to:

      1.   Promote the public health, safety, comfort, and general welfare;

      2.   Secure adequate light, pure air, and safety from fire and other dangers;

      3.   Conserve the taxable value of land and buildings throughout the Village;

      4.   Lesson or avoid congestion in the public streets;

      5.   Lessen or avoid hazards to persons and damage to property resulting from the accumulation of runoff of storm or flood waters;

      6.   Ensure and facilitate the preservation of sites, areas, and structures of historical, architectural, and aesthetic importance; and

      7.   Enhance and preserve aesthetic values throughout the Village.

   (B)   To achieve these purposes, this UDO sets forth regulations and standards:

      1.   To regulate and limit the height and bulk of buildings erected after the date of adoption of this UDO;

      2.   To establish, regulate, and limit the building or setback lines on or along any street, traffic way, drive, parkway, storm or flood water runoff channel or basin or other property line;

      3.   To regulate and limit the intensity of the use of lot areas, and to regulate and determine the area of open spaces, within and surrounding buildings;

      4.   To classify, regulate, and restrict the location of trades and industries and the location of buildings designed for specified industrial, business, residential, and other uses;

      5.   To divide the entire Village into districts as may be deemed best suited to carry out the purposes of this UDO;

      6.   To fix standards to which buildings or structures shall conform;

      7.   To prohibit uses, buildings, and/or structures that are incompatible with the character of such districts;

      8.   To prevent additions to, alterations of, or remodeling of existing buildings or structures in such a way as to avoid the restrictions and limitations lawfully imposed under this UDO;

      9.   To provide for the gradual elimination of uses, buildings, and/or structures which are incompatible with the character of the districts in which they are located;

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

      11.   To prescribe penalties for the violation of the provisions of this UDO, or any amendments to this UDO. (Ord. 23-0-05, 1-23-2023)

   (A)   Interpretation:

      1.   The provisions of this UDO shall be held to be minimum requirements, unless otherwise stated.

      2.   Where the regulations imposed by any provision of this UDO is either more restrictive or less restrictive than other applicable regulations established by this UDO or of any other law, ordinance, resolution, rule or regulation of any kind, the regulations that govern shall be those which are more restrictive or which impose higher standards or requirements.

      3.   This UDO is not intended to abrogate any easement, covenant, or other private legal agreement, provided, that where the regulations of this UDO are most restrictive or impose higher standards or requirements than such easements, covenants, or other private agreements, the requirements of this UDO shall govern.

      4.   No building, structure, and/or use not lawfully existing at the time of the adoption of this UDO, shall become or be made lawful solely by reason of the adoption of this UDO.

   (B)   Separability: The provisions of this UDO are separable, in accordance with the following provisions.

      1.   If any court of competent jurisdiction shall adjudge any provision of this UDO is invalid, such judgement shall not affect any other provision of this UDO and not specifically included in said judgement.

      2.   If any court of competent jurisdiction shall adjudge invalid the application of any provision of this UDO to a particular property, building, or structure, such judgement shall not affect the application of said provision to any other property, building, or structure not specifically included in the judgement. (Ord. 23-0-05, 1-23-2023)