Words used in the present tense shall include the future; the
singular number shall include the plural and the plural the singular;
the word "building" shall include the word "structure"; the word "shall"
is mandatory; the word "may" is permissive.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
The official appointed by the City Council to administer
the provisions of this code, or his duly appointed representative(s),
such as the City Clerk.
ALLEY
A minor right-of-way dedicated to public use which gives
a secondary means of vehicular access to the back or side of properties
otherwise abutting a street, and which may be used for public utility
purposes.
AREA, BUILDING
The total of areas taken on a horizontal plane at the main
grade level of the principal building and all accessory buildings,
exclusive of unenclosed porches, terraces and steps.
AREA, NET SITE
The total area within the property lines, excluding external
streets.
BLOCK
A parcel of land, intended to be used for urban purposes,
which is entirely surrounded by public streets, highways, railroad
rights-of-way, public walks, parks or green-strips, rural land or
drainage channels or a combination thereof.
BUILDING
Any structure, whether temporary, semi-permanent, or permanent,
designed or intended for the support, enclosure, shelter or protection
of persons or property.
CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT
A subdivision development planned and constructed so as to
group housing units into relatively dense patterns while providing
a unified network of open space and wooded areas, and meeting the
requirements of this code and the Zoning Code.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
A Comprehensive Plan of the City, whether in whole or in
part, as adopted by the Plan Commission, approved by the City Council
and duly recorded in the office of the City Clerk. It may consist
of several maps, data, and other descriptive matter, for the physical
development of the City or any portion thereof; including any amendment,
extension, or additions thereof adopted by the Board of Aldermen indicating
the general locations for major streets, parks, schools, or other
public utilities, zoning districts, or other similar information.
[Amended 6-5-2017 by Ord.
No. 3328]
CUL-DE-SAC
A short, minor local street having only one end open for
vehicular traffic, and the other end permanently terminated by a turnaround
for vehicles.
DENSITY, GROSS
The total number of dwelling units divided by the total project
area; expressed as gross dwelling units per acre.
DENSITY, NET
The total number of dwelling units divided by the total project
area, less area for street rights-of-way.
DESIGN
The arrangement of uses on the land and the arrangement of
easements, lots and rights-of-way, including specifications of materials,
alignment, grade and width of these elements.
DRAINAGEWAY
A watercourse, gully, dry stream, creek or ditch which carries
stormwater runoff; which is fed by street or building gutters or by
stormwater sewers, or which serves the purpose of draining water from
the lands adjacent to such watercourse, gully, dry stream, creek or
ditch.
EASEMENT
A grant by the owner of the use of land to a person or persons
or the general public for a specified purpose.
FILING DATE
The beginning or starting date that commences after the applicant
has filed the last item of required data or information, and has paid
the necessary fee(s), for review by the Plan Commission.
FLOOD HAZARD AREA
All land subject to periodic inundation from overflow of
natural waterways.
GRADE
The slope of a surface specified in percent and shown on
surface profile plans as required herein.
IMPROVEMENT
Refers to site grading, street work and utilities (including
water, sewer, electric, gas and stormwater) to be installed or agreed
to be installed by the subdivider on land to be used for public or
private streets, and easements or other purposes as are necessary
for the general use of lot owners in the subdivision; includes the
furnishing of or a formal agreement and performance bond to furnish
all material, work, equipment and services, including plans and engineering
services, staking and supervision, site grading, street work and utilities
(including water, sanitary sewer, gas and electric) to be installed
by the subdivider on land to be used for public or private streets
and easements or other purposes as are necessary for the general use
of the lot owners in the subdivision. All such materials, equipment
and services shall be provided at the subdivider's cost and expense,
unless otherwise specifically provided for by written agreement with
the City.
IMPROVEMENT PLANS
The engineering plans showing types of materials and construction
details for the physical structures and facilities to be installed
both in or in conjunction with the subdivision.
LAND USE PLAN
The comprehensive, long-range plan for the desirable use
of land, the purpose of such plan being, among other things, to serve
as a guide to the zoning and progressive subdividing and use of undeveloped
land.
LOT
A parcel of land intended to be separately owned, rented,
developed or otherwise used as a unit.
LOT AREA
The total horizontal area within the boundaries of a lot,
exclusive of any land designated for roadway purposes.
LOT WIDTH
The horizontal distance between the side lot lines, measured
at right angles to the lot depth at the building line.
LOT, BUTT
A lot at the end of a block and located between two corner
lots.
LOT, CORNER
A lot abutting upon two or more streets at their intersection.
LOT DEPTH
The mean horizontal distance between the front and the rear
lot lines measured in the general direction of the side lot lines.
MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN
A combination of maps, drawings, site plans, charts and supportive
narrative material that portrays total development to be achieved
in the overall project area; which provides sufficient detailed information
to both illustrate and describe the intended character and configuration
of development to be accomplished.
METES AND BOUNDS
A description of real property which is not described by
reference to a lot or block shown on a map, but is described by starting
at a known point and description of the lines forming the boundaries
of the property or delineates a fractional portion of a section, lot
or area by describing lines or portions thereof.
OFFICIAL MAP
The map showing streets, highways, parks and drainage, both
existing and proposed. It shall be formally adopted by the City as
the Official Map.
OWNER
A person having sufficient proprietary interest in the land
sought to be subdivided to commence and maintain proceedings to subdivide
the same under these regulations.
PARKING LANE
An auxiliary lane of a street and primarily used for vehicular
parking.
PEDESTRIAN WAY
A right-of-way dedicated to public use which cuts across
a block to facilitate safe pedestrian access to adjacent streets and
properties.
PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE OR BOND
A surety issued by an insurance company licensed to do business
in Illinois, or with other security acceptable to the City, and approved
by the City to guarantee installation of any improvement.
PERSON
Any agent, individual, firm, association, partnership, corporation,
syndicate or trust.
PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT (PUD)
A comprehensively planned development containing residential,
commercial, industrial, or other land uses on an area of land under
continuing unified control. A planned unit development may contain
a single type of land use or combination of land uses, provided that
such development is reviewed, evaluated and approved by the City and
satisfies the requirements contained herein.
PLANS
All of the drawings, including plats, cross-sections, profiles,
working details and specifications, which the subdivider prepares
or has prepared to show the character, extent and details of improvements
required in this code and which plans shall conform to any requirements
of the Plan Commission as to scale and details for submittal to the
approval officials of the City for consideration, approval or disapproval.
PLAT
The maps, drawings, charts, specifications and other documents
complying with all applicable provisions of this code which constitute
the plan for subdivision.
PLAT, FINAL or FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAT
The final engineering and architectural detail maps, drawings
and supportive material on which the developer's plan of the
project area is presented and, if approved, which will be submitted
to the County Recorder of Deeds for recording and to the Zoning Official
for filing.
PROJECT AREA
That territory intended to be subdivided or developed, and
portrayed and defined in the preliminary and final plats.
RIGHT-OF-WAY (R.O.W.)
A strip or parcel of land over which the owner, by dedication
or otherwise, has granted or reserved the right of use for streets,
alleys or other public ways.
ROADBED
The graded portion of a street upon which the base course,
surface course, shoulders and median are constructed.
ROADWAY
The entire improved portion of the street, including shoulders,
parking lanes, travel way, curbs and gutter.
SETBACK LINE
The line, usually parallel to the front, side or rear lot
line, establishing the minimum space to be provided as the front,
side or rear yard.
SLOPE
The degree of natural inclination of the existing ground.
SPECIFICATIONS
The Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction, prepared by the Department of Transportation of the State of Illinois, as adopted and amended by said Department, which are in effect at the time the area is being subdivided. Any term in such specifications referring to state departments or officials or to persons contracting with the state shall be deemed to refer to applicable departments, officials, or persons in the City. Any person or his agent, or the employee, or agent of any business entity, known herein as a "subdivider" for the purpose of this code shall be known as a "contractor" for purposes of making and entering into contracts as contemplated within the meaning of this code and pursuant to the requirements set forth in Article
VI hereof, even though said subdivider (contractor) may enter into agreements to be completed by independent contractors.
STREET
A public or private way for the purpose of vehicular travel.
The term includes all facilities which normally occur within the right-of-way;
it shall also include such other designation for a street as a highway,
thoroughfare, parkway, throughway, road, pike, avenue, boulevard,
lane, place, drive, court or as otherwise designated, but excluding
an alley or a way for pedestrian use only.
STREET, AREA SERVICE HIGHWAY
Area service highways interconnect collectors and land access
streets with the principal system and vice versa, bring all developed
areas within a reasonable distance of principal streets, connect and
provide direct access to major traffic generators, provide secondary
service to smaller communities, may provide access to abutting property,
and have a medium-volume design capacity and travel speeds.
STREET, ARTERIAL
A street designed or utilized primarily for high vehicular
speeds or for heavy-volume traffic on a continuous route, with intersections
where needed, and on which geometric design and traffic control measures
are used to expedite the safe movement of through traffic.
STREET, BUTT OR STUB
A street that is temporarily terminated, but is planned for
future continuation.
STREET, COLLECTOR
Collector streets interconnect the principal street system
with land-access streets; provide internal circulation within residential,
commercial, and industrial areas; provide access to abutting properties;
and have a moderate-volume design capacity and travel speeds.
STREET, CUL-DE-SAC
A short land-access street having only one end open for vehicular
traffic and the other permanently terminated by a turnaround for vehicles.
STREET, DEAD-END
Land-access streets similar to culs-de-sac, except that they
provide no turnaround circle at their closed end.
STREET, LAND-ACCESS
Land-access streets provide access to abutting properties,
have a relatively short travel distance, and have a low-volume design
capacity and travel speeds (as local streets).
STREET, LOCAL
A street used primarily for access to abutting properties,
providing for minimum speeds and traffic volumes (as land-access streets).
STREET, LOOPED
Land-access streets having two open ends, each end generally
connecting with the same street, no other streets intersecting between
its ends, and property fronts on both sides of the street.
STRUCTURE
Anything constructed which requires permanent or temporary
location on or in the ground or is attached to something having a
permanent or temporary location on or in the ground.
SUBDIVIDER
Any person dividing or proposing to divide land in a manner
that constitutes a subdivision as herein defined.
SUBDIVISION
All property development, whether residential, commercial,
or otherwise, and whether located on a unitary tract of property or
on land divided into two or more lots, tracts or parcels of property
divided for the purpose of immediate or future sale, rental or building
development or use, other than agricultural use or production. This
chapter shall apply to any developments other than agricultural developments,
whether a subdivision is required or not under the law, statutes,
ordinances or regulations of the State of Illinois or other governmental
bodies or agencies having jurisdiction or control, and regardless
of whether the same is labeled a "subdivision" or not. It is the intent
of this code to apply to all types of development under the subdivision
control jurisdiction of the City. The establishment or dedication
of a public street, alley or way through a tract of land shall also
be deemed a subdivision. The term "subdivision" shall also include
resubdivision of land.
[Amended 3-19-2001 by Ord. No. 1932]
SUBDIVISION, MINOR
Property development, whether residential, commercial, or
otherwise, located on a unitary tract of property or upon two, but
not more than six, lots, all of which front on an existing street,
not involving any new streets or other rights-of-way, easements and
improvements, or other provisions for public area and facilities.
[Amended 6-18-2001 by Ord. No. 1965]
TRAVEL WAY
That portion of a street used for the movement of vehicles,
exclusive of shoulders and auxiliary lanes.
YARD, FRONT
A yard extending across the full width of the lot, the depth
of which is set forth in the Zoning Code.
YARD, REAR
A yard extending across the full width of the lot between
the nearest rear main building and the rear lot lines. The depth of
the required rear yard shall be measured horizontally from the nearest
part of the main building toward the nearest point of the rear lot
lines.
YARD, SIDE
A yard between a main building and the side lot line, extending
from the front yard or front lot lines, where no front yard is required,
to the rear yard. The width of the required side yard shall be measured
horizontally from the nearest point of the side lot line toward the
nearest part of the main building.