6-2-3: DEFINITIONS:

When used in this Title, the following words and terms shall have the meaning set forth in this Section, unless other provisions of this Title specifically indicate otherwise:

ABANDONED SIGN:	A sign which no longer identifies or advertises a bona fide business, lessor, service, owner, product or activity located on the premises.
ACCESSORY BUILDING OR USE:	A subordinate building or use which is located on the same lot on which the main building or use is situated and which is reasonably necessary and incidental to the conduct of the primary use of such building or main use, when permitted by zoning district regulations. An "accessory use" includes, but is not limited to, the following:   a.   A children's playhouse, garden house and private greenhouse.   b.   A garage, shed or building for domestic storage, but does not include a Temporary Carport (as defined below).   c.   Incinerators incidental to residential use.   d.    A guest house or servant's quarters (may be above garage).   e.    Storage of merchandise normally carried in stock on the same lot with any retail service or business use, unless such storage is excluded by the zoning district regulations.
	f.    Storage of goods used in or produced by manufacturing activities, on the same lot or parcel of ground with such activities, unless such storage is excluded by the zoning district regulations.   g.    Off-street motor vehicle parking areas, and loading and unloading facilities.   h.    Signs as regulated in this Title.   i.    Satellite dishes, antennas and other receiving equipment.   j.    Tennis courts, swimming pools and other recreational facilities.   k.    The following are additional accessory uses allowed in Business and Manufacturing districts, provided such uses cater primarily to the employees of the principle use:      1.   Business service and supply service establishments.      2.    Child care facilities.      3.    Eating establishments.      4.    Health clubs, spas, saunas, swimming pools, tennis courts and other such recreational facilities.      5.    Repair service establishments.      6.    Pharmacies.      7.    Quick service food stores.      8.    A dwelling unit for a watchman, custodian, proprietor, or owner of principle structure in manufacturing districts only.      9.    Retail sales establishments selling convenience merchandise.
ACREAGE:	Any tract or parcel of land which has not been subdivided and platted.
ADMINISTRATOR:	The Building Official or his designated representative.
ADVERTISING SIGN:	A sign which directs attention to a business or profession conducted, or to a commodity or service sold, offered, or manufactured, or an entertainment offered on the premises where the sign is located or to which it is affixed.
ALLEY:	A public way, not more than thirty feet (30') wide, which affords only a secondary means of access to abutting property.
ALTERATION:	Any change, addition, or modification in construction or occupancy of an existing structure.
ALTERATION, STRUCTURAL:	Any change in the supporting members of a building or structure, such as bearing walls, columns, beams, or girders; provided, however, that the application of any exterior siding to an existing building for the purpose of beautifying and modernizing shall not be considered a structural alteration.
AMUSEMENT CENTER:	An amusement center is any one place containing more than three (3) mechanical devices set up or placed together in one location by an operator and used as an amusement center as the primary use. When used as a secondary use, said use shall not exceed more than ten percent (10%) of the sales area. Expressly excluded from this definition is any premises for which a liquor license has been issued pursuant to Title V, Chapter 13.
ANIMATED SIGN:	Any sign which uses a movement or change of lighting to depict continuous action or to create a continuous special effect or scene.
APARTMENT:	A room or suite of rooms in a multiple-family structure, which is arranged, designed, used or intended to be used as a single housekeeping unit. Complete kitchen facilities, permanently installed, must always be included for each apartment.
AUTO WRECKING YARD:	Any place where two (2) or more motor vehicles not in running condition, 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; and including any used farm vehicles or farm machinery, 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.
AUTOMOBILE LAUNDRY:	A use auxiliary to an automobile service station, housed in a structure and capable of being utilized for the washing of automobiles, whether by hand or by automation, where no automatic conveyor or drive-through facility is incorporated into the process and where no more than two vehicles are able to be washed on the premises at any given time.
AUTOMOBILE LAUNDRY - SELF-SERVICE:	A structure, the principal use of which is to allow for washing of vehicles with hand-operated facilities used principally for the cleaning, polishing, or waxing of vehicles.
AUTOMOBILE REPAIR; MAJOR:	Engine rebuilding or major reconditioning of worn or damaged motor vehicles or trailers; collision service, including body, frame or fender straightening or repair; and overall painting of vehicles.
AUTOMOBILE REPAIR; MINOR:	Incidental repairs, replacement of parts, and motor service to automobiles, but not including any operation specified under "automobile repair, major".
AUTOMOBILE SERVICE STATION:	A place where gasoline, stored only in underground tanks, kerosene, lubricating oil or grease, for operation of automobiles, is offered for sale directly to the public on the premises, and including minor accessories and services for automobiles, but not including automobile repairs; and including washing of automobiles where no chain conveyor, blower or steam cleaning device is employed. When the dispensing, sale or offering for sale of motor fuels or oil is incidental to the conduct of a public garage, the premises shall be classified as a public garage.
AUTOMOBILE WASHING FACILITY:	A machinery or an operation, other than an Automobile Laundry, for the washing of automobiles or other motor vehicles, which machinery or operation may utilize such mechanical devices as a vehicle conveyor, hot air blowers, steam cleaners, and wax applicators - all located upon a single lot of record with a paved off-street parking area sufficient in size to provide a minimum number of off-street parking facilities equal to the product obtained by multiplying the maximum number of automobiles capable of being washed at any one time by ten (10).
AWNING:	A shelter projecting from and supported by the exterior wall of a building constructed of non-rigid materials on a supporting framework (compare "Marquee").
AWNING, CANOPY, AND MARQUEE SIGN:	A sign painted on, printed on, or attached flat against the surface of an awning, canopy or marquee.
BANNER SIGN:	A sign made of fabric or any non-rigid material with no enclosing framework.
BAR, TAVERN, OR LOUNGE:	A building, or part of a building, where liquors are sold by the drink to be consumed by customers standing or seated at a bar, at tables, or in lounge chairs at which the service of food is absent or incidental to the service of liquor.
BASE DENSITY:	The number of dwelling units per net acre of land based on dividing the calculated net acreage by the minimum lot size of the appropriate residential district.
BASEMENT:	A story partly or wholly underground. Where more than one-half (1/2) of its height is above the established curb level or above the average level of the adjoining ground where curb level has not been established, a basement shall be counted as a story for purposes of height measurement.
BED AND BREAKFAST ESTABLISHMENT:	A dwelling in which no more than eight (8) transient guests are provided sleeping accommodations and a continental breakfast. The operator of the bed and breakfast shall live on the premises.
BILLBOARD SIGN:	A sign which may advertise goods, products, or services not necessarily sold on the premises on which the sign is located and is a free standing structure with advertising copy in the form of pasted paper.
BLOCK:	A tract of land bounded by streets or, in lieu of streets, by public parks, cemeteries, railroad rights of way, bulkhead lines or shore lines of waterways or a corporate boundary line of the City.
BOARDING HOUSE:	A building other than a hotel or restaurant where meals are provided for compensation for four (4) or more persons who are not members of the keeper's family.
BUILDABLE AREA:	The space remaining on a zoning lot after the minimum open space and yard setback requirements of this Title have been complied with.
BUILDING:	Any structure with substantial walls and roof securely affixed to the land and entirely separated on all sides from any other structure by space or by walls in which there are no communicating doors, windows or openings; and which is designed or intended for the shelter, enclosure or protection of persons, animals or chattels. Any structure with interior areas not normally accessible for human use, such as gas holders, oil tanks, water tanks, grain elevators, coal bunkers, oil cracking towers and other similar structures are not considered as buildings.
BUILDING HEIGHT:	The vertical distance measured from grade to the highest point of the coping of a flat roof or the deck of a mansard roof, or to the mean level between the eaves and the ridge of a gable, hip, or gambrel roof, or to the highest point of a shed roof (see illustration 2.1)
BUILDING, NONCONFORMING:	Any building which does not conform to the regulations of this Title prescribing the maximum floor area ratio, required yards, coverage, height and setbacks, minimum required spacing between buildings on a single lot, and minimum required usable open space for the district in which such building is located.
BULK:	The term used to describe the size and mutual relationships of buildings and other structures; as to size, height, coverage, shape, location of exterior walls in relation to lot lines, to the center line of streets, to other walls of the same building, and to other buildings or structures, and to all open spaces relating to the building or structure.
BULLETIN BOARD SIGN:	A sign that identifies an institution or other non-profit organization on whose premises it is located and which contains the name of the institution or non-profit organization and/or movable letters announcing events or activities occurring on the site.
BUS LOT:	Any lot or land area used for the storage or layover of passenger busses or motor coaches.
CANNABIS:	Shall have the meaning set forth in the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act.
CANNABIS BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT:	A cultivation center, craft grower, processing organization, dispensing organization, or transporting organization.
CANOPY:	Any permanent exterior roof structure attached to a building at the inner end and supported on the outer end in conformance with the Building Code of the City of Dixon.
CARTAGE, LOCAL:	Pickup and delivery of parcels, packages and freight by motor truck within the Dixon area.
CHANGEABLE COPY SIGN: (Manual)	A sign on which copy is changed manually in the field, e.g., readerboard with changeable letters.
CHILD DAY CARE CENTER:	Any child care facility which regularly provides day care for less than twenty four (24) hours per day for more than twelve (12) children in a family home or more than three (3) children in a facility other than a family home.
CHILD DAY CARE HOME:	Family homes which receive more than three (3) up to a maximum of twelve (12) children for less than twenty four (24) hours per day. The number of counted includes the family's natural or adopted children and all other persons under the age of twelve (12). The term does not include facilities which receive only children from a single household.
CHILD DAY CARE PROVIDER (Home Occupation):	Family homes which receive one to three (1 - 3) client children, at any given time, for less then twenty four (24) hours per day. The number counted includes the family's natural or adopted children and all other persons under the age of twelve (12). Although licensing of home occupations is not required by the State, all permit requirements as declared in all relevant building and health codes of Dixon must be met. The term does not include facilities which receive only children from a single household.
CHURCH OR PLACE OF WORSHIP:	An institution that people regularly attend to participate in or hold religious services, meetings, and other activities. The term "church" shall not carry a secular connotation and shall include buildings in which the religious services of any denomination are held.
COMMON OPEN SPACE:	Open space refers to the land that is devoid of structures, other than recreational facilities and uses accessory thereto, and is suitable for active and passive recreational activities, but specifically excludes parking lots; street rights of way; front, rear and side yard setbacks if buildings and lots are subdivided and individually owned; private yard use areas; school sites; and retention ponds unless they are capable of sustaining water-based recreation.
CONGREGATE HOUSING:	A residential facility for four (4) or more elderly persons (age 60 or older) within which are provided living and sleeping facilities, limited medical services, shared food preparation services and major dining areas, and common recreation, social and service facilities for the exclusive use of all residents.
CONSTRUCTION SIGN:	A temporary sign identifying an architect, contractor, subcontractor, and/or material supplier participating in construction on the property on which the sign is located.
CONVENIENCE STORE:	Any retail establishment offering for sale prepackaged food products, household items, and other goods commonly associated with the same and having a gross floor area of less than 5,000 square feet.
CORNER LOT:	(See Lot, Corner)
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.
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 other necessary activities to provide cannabis and cannabis-infused products to Cannabis Business Establishments.
CURB LEVEL:	The level of the established curb in front of the building measured at the center of such front. Where a building faces on more than one street, the "curb level" shall be the average of the levels of the curbs at the center of the front of each street. Where no curb elevation has been established, the mean level of the land immediately adjacent to the building shall be considered the "curb level".
DENSITY, GROSS:	The total number of dwelling units per gross acre of land divided by the total gross acreage of a site, by the minimum lot or dwelling unit size of the appropriate residential district.
DENSITY, NET:	The total number of dwelling units per net acre of land determined by dividing the calculated net acreage by the minimum lot or dwelling unit size of the appropriate residential district.
DIRECTIONAL/INFO RMATION SIGN:	An on-premise sign giving directions, instructions, or facility information and which may contain the name or logo of an establishment but no advertising copy, e.g., parking or exit and entrance signs.
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 a cultivation center, craft grower, processing organization, or another dispensary for the purpose of selling or dispensing cannabis, cannabis-infused products, cannabis seeds, paraphernalia, or related supplies under the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act to purchasers or to qualified registered medical cannabis patients and caregivers. A dispensing organization shall include a registered medical cannabis organization as defined in the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act that has obtained an Early Approval Adult Use Dispensing Organization License.
DOUBLE FACED SIGN:	A sign with two faces.
DWELLING:	A building or portion thereof, but not an automobile house trailer, designed or used exclusively for residential occupancy, including one-family dwelling units, two-family dwelling units and multiple-family dwelling units, but not including hotels, boarding or lodging houses.
DWELLING, GROUP:	Two (2) or more one-family, two-family or multiple-family dwellings, or boarding or lodging houses, located on one zoning lot, but not including tourist courts or motels.
DWELLING, MULTIPLE-FAMILY:	A building or portion thereof designed for occupancy by three (3) or more families living independently of each other.
DWELLING, ONE-FAMILY:	A building designed exclusively for use and occupancy by one family, and entirely separated from any other building space.
DWELLING, ROW:	A row of two (2) to eight (8) attached, one-family, party-wall dwellings, not more than two and one-half (2-1/2) stories in height, nor more than two (2) rooms deep.
DWELLING, TWO-FAMILY:	A building designed exclusively for occupancy by two (2) families.
DWELLING UNIT:	One or more rooms in a residential structure or apartment hotel, designed for occupancy by one family, plus not more than four (4) lodgers, for living and sleeping purposes.
ELECTRICAL SIGN:	A sign or sign structure in which electrical wiring, connections, or fixtures are used.
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTER SIGN:	A sign on which the copy changes automatically on a lamp bank or through mechanical means, e.g., electrical or electrical time and temperature units.
EMERGENCY SHELTER/MISSION:	A facility providing temporary housing for one or more individuals who are otherwise homeless.
ENCLOSED:	A structure which contains a permanent roof, and all the space between the floor and ceiling of the structure is closed in by solid walls, pierced only by windows and normal exit and entrance doors. Temporary covers, including but not necessarily limited to, tarpaulins, lattice, screens, linens, and curtains shall not be used to enclose a garage and qualify a garage as an enclosed garage.
ERECT:	To build, construct, attach, hang, place, suspend, or affix, and shall also include the painting of wall signs.
EXTERNAL ILLUMINATION:	The illumination of a sign which is produced by an artificial source of light which is not contained within the sign itself.
FACADE:	The entire building front including the parapet.
FACE OF SIGN:	The area of a sign on which the copy is placed.
FAMILY:	One or more persons related by blood, marriage or adoption, or a group of not more than five (5) persons (excluding servants) who need not be related by blood, marriage or adoption, living together and maintaining a common household, but not including sororities, fraternities or other similar organizations.
FLAG:	Any fabric or bunting containing distinctive colors, patterns, or symbols, used as a symbol of a government, political subdivision, or other entity.
FLASHING SIGN:	A sign which contains an intermittent or sequential flashing light source used primarily to attract attention. Does not include electronic message center, animated signs, or signs which, through reflection or other means, create an illusion of flashing of intermittent light (compare "Animated Sign", "Electronic Message Center").
FLORIST (Retail):	A business establishment that is not a greenhouse, where the primary activity is for retail sales of plants, nursery stock, and where other general retail sales may occur as a secondary use. A florist may include a greenhouse as an accessory use.
FREESTANDING SIGN:	Any sign supported by uprights or braces placed and anchored into the ground and not attached to any building. It shall not include portable signs.
FRONTAGE:	The length of the property line of any one premise along a public right of way on which it borders.
FRONTAGE, BUILDING:	The length of an outside building wall on a public right of way.
GARAGE, BUS:	Any building used or intended to be used for the storage of three (3) or more passenger motor buses, or motor coaches used in public transportation, including school buses.
GARAGE, PRIVATE:	A detached accessory building or portion of the main building, designed, arranged, used or intended to be used for the storage of automobiles of the occupants of the premises. All detached accessory building or portions of the main building that meet the definition of "GARAGE, PRIVATE" shall be enclosed on all sides, except for normal exit and entrance doors.
GARAGE, PUBLIC:	A building other than a private garage, used for the care, incidental servicing and sale of automobile supplies, or where motor vehicles are parked or stored for remuneration, hire or sale within the structure, but not including trucks, tractors, truck trailers and commercial vehicles exceeding one and one-half (1 1/2) ton capacity.
GARAGE, TRUCK:	A building which is used or intended to be used for the storage of motor trucks, truck trailers, tractors and commercial vehicles exceeding one and one-half (1 1/2) ton capacity.
GOVERNMENT SIGN:	Any temporary or permanent sign erected and maintained by the City, County, State or Federal government for traffic direction or for designation of or direction to any school, hospital, historical site, or public service, property, or facility.
GRADE:	The average of the finished ground level at the middle of all walls of a building. In case walls are parallel to and within five feet (5') of a sidewalk, the ground level shall be measured at the sidewalk.
GREENHOUSE (COMMERCIAL):	A business establishment that is not a florist, where the primary activity is for growth and wholesale sales of plants, nursery stock, and where other general retail sales of plants and other related items may occur as a secondary use.
GROSS FLOOR AREA (GFA):	The gross floor area, including the exterior building walls of the several floors of a building or structure used privately or by the public as customers, patrons, clients, patients, or members. GFA shall include all occupied (see definition "Occupied") areas minus the following deductions:
	a.   Parking areas within the structure
	b.   Rooms occupied only by permitted specialized automatic, mechanical or electrical equipment or apparatus.
GROSS LEASABLE AREA (GLA):	The gross floor area minus the following additional deductions:
	a.   Elevator shafts and stairwells
	b.   Public restrooms
	c.   Public lobbies, common mall areas, atriums and courtyards at points of pedestrian access to the building from the exterior.
GROUND SIGN:	A sign erected on a free standing frame and not exceeding the height of four feet (4') above ground level.
GROUP HOME:	A facility located in a residential community providing shelter and/or rehabilitation for less than ten (10) children under the age of eighteen (18) years who, for various reasons, cannot reside in their natural home. Twenty four (24) hour a day adult supervision is mandatory, and professional consultation must be available to both child care staff and children. Group care facilities should be allowed only when licensed by the appropriate State and/or local agency.
GROUP HOME FOR THE HANDICAPPED:	A dwelling shared by six (6) or more handicapped persons, including resident staff, who live together as a single housekeeping unit and in a long-term, family-like environment in which staff persons provide care, education and participation in community activities for the residents with the primary goal of enabling the resident to live as independently as possible in order to reach his/her maximum potential.
	As used herein, the term "handicapped" shall mean having: 1) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of such person's major life activities so that such person is incapable of living independently; 2) a record of having such an impairment; or 3) being regarded as having such an impairment. However, "handicapped" shall not include current illegal use of or addiction to a controlled substance, nor shall it include any person whose residency in the home would constitute a direct threat to the health and safety of other individuals. The term "group home for the handicapped" shall not include work release facilities for convicts or ex-convicts, or other housing facilities serving as an alternative to incarceration.
GUEST HOUSE:	Living quarters within a detached accessory building located on the same premises with the main building, for use by temporary guests of the occupants of the premise. Such quarters shall have no kitchen facilities nor be rented or otherwise used as a separate dwelling.
HEIGHT (of a sign):	The vertical distance measured from the highest point of the sign, excluding decorative embellishments, to the grade of the adjacent street or the surface grade beneath the sign, whichever is less.
HOME OCCUPATION:	An accessory use of a service character customarily conducted within a dwelling by the residents thereof, which is clearly secondary to the use of the dwelling for living purposes and does not change the character thereof or have any exterior evidence of such secondary use other than a small nameplate not more than two (2) square feet in area.
	In connection therewith, there is not involved the keeping, sorting or maintaining of an inventory, equipment or machinery; there is no commodity sold upon or from the premises or services rendered that require receipt or delivery of merchandise, goods or equipment by other than a passenger motor vehicle or by parcel or letter carrier mail service using vehicles typically employed in residential deliveries. No deliveries by semi-tractor or trailer are permitted.
	No other person is employed other than a member of the immediate family residing on the premises; no more than three (3) pupils, clients or customers can be present at the same time. No mechanical equipment is used except such as is normally used for purely domestic or household purposes, no commercial vehicle in connection with home occupation is stored or parked except within a fully enclosed private garage. There shall be no noise, odor, dust, vibration, smoke, glare, television or radio interference, fire hazard or any other hazard emanating from the dwelling so as to create a nuisance. No home occupation shall involve the use or production of noxious, toxic or harmful materials. One chair beauty salons shall be deemed a home occupation.
HOSPITAL OR SANITARIUM:	An institution open to the public in which patients or injured persons are given medical or surgical care; or for the care of contagious diseases or incurable patients.
HOTEL, APARTMENT:	A building containing dwelling units or individual guest rooms, the majority of which are for permanent guests. Maid and janitor service may be provided but kitchen facilities are not necessarily included.
HOTEL OR MOTEL, TRANSIENT:	A building, or portion thereof, or a group of buildings which contains sleeping accommodations for transients on a daily or weekly basis, whether such establishment is designated as a hotel, inn, automobile court, motel, motor hotel, motor inn, motor lodge, tourist cabin, tourist court, or otherwise. No residential units shall contain cooking facilities.
HOUSEHOLDER:	The occupant of a dwelling unit who is either the owner or lessee thereof.
IDENTIFICATION SIGN:	A sign whose copy is limited to the name and address of a building, institution, or person and/or to the activity or occupation being identified.
ILLEGAL SIGN:	A sign which does not meet the requirements of this Code and which has not received legal nonconforming status.
ILLUMINATED SIGN:	Any sign which has characters, letters, figures, designs or outline illuminated by electric lights or luminous tubes as a part of the sign proper.
IMPERVIOUS SURFACE:	Any material that substantially reduces or prevents the infiltration of stormwater into previously undeveloped land. Impervious surface shall include driveways and parking areas. (see illustration 2.2)
INCIDENTAL SIGN:	A small sign, emblem, or decal informing the public of goods, facilities, or services available on the premises, e.g., a credit card sign, a sign indicating hours of business, or garage sale signs.
INTERIOR PARKWAY:	A portion of the front yard, or side yard of a corner lot, adjacent to the parkway of a public street, lying between a property line adjacent to a public right-of-way and a setback line established in Chapter 14 of this Title for landscape planting and screening.
KENNEL, COMMERCIAL:	Any lot or premises on which two (2) or more dogs, cats or other domestic animals over four (4) months in age are kept, boarded for compensation, or bred for sale.
LABORATORY:	A place devoted to experimental study such as testing and analyzing. Manufacturing, assembly or packaging of products is not included within this definition.
LEGAL NONCONFORMING SIGN:	Any sign covered by a sign permit or variance prior to the effective date of this Title.
LIFE CARE FACILITY:	A residential facility for four (4) or more unrelated elderly persons (age 60 or older) within which skilled nursing care and related services is provided for patients who require medical or rehabilitation services or nursing care. Also provided are living and sleeping facilities, shared food preparation service and major dining areas, and common recreation, social and service facilities for the exclusive use of all residents.
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. Such space shall be not less than ten feet (10') in width, forty five feet (45') in length, and fourteen feet (14') in height, exclusive of access aisles and maneuvering space.
LODGING OR ROOMING HOUSE:	A building with not more than five (5) guest rooms where lodging is provided for compensation pursuant to previous arrangement, but not open to the public or to overnight guests.
LOT, BUILDING COVERAGE:	Determined by dividing that area of a lot which is occupied or covered by the total horizontal projected surface of all buildings, including covered porches and accessory buildings, by the gross area of that lot. (see illustration 2.2)
LOT, CORNER:	A parcel of land situated at the intersection of two (2) or more streets adjoining a curved street at the end of a block.
LOT DEPTH:	The horizontal distance between the front and rear lot lines measured in the mean direction of the side lot lines.
LOT, FRONTAGE:	That boundary of a lot along a public street; for a corner lot the owner may elect either street line as the front lot line. (see illustration 2.3)
LOT, INTERIOR:	A lot other than a corner lot. (see illustration 2.3)
LOT LINE, REAR:	The lot line most nearly parallel to the front line. Other lot lines are side lot lines. (see illustration 2.3)
LOT, THROUGH:	A lot having frontage on two (2) parallel or approximately parallel streets, and which is not a corner lot. (see illustration 2.3)
LOT WIDTH:	The horizontal distance between the side lot lines measured at right angles to the lot depth at the established front building line.
LOT, ZONING:	(See Zoning Lot).
MAINTENANCE:	For the purpose of Chapter 6 "Sign Regulations," maintenance shall mean the cleaning, painting, repair or replacement of defective parts of a sign in a manner that does not alter the basic copy, design, or structure of the sign.
MANSARD:	A sloped roof or roof-like facade architecturally comparable to a building wall.
MARQUEE:	A permanent roof-like structure or canopy of rigid materials supported by and extending from the facade of a building (compare "Awning").
MOTOR FREIGHT TERMINAL:	A building in which freight, brought to the building by motor truck, is assembled and sorted for routing in intrastate and interstate shipment by motor truck.
MOTOR TRUCK REPAIR SHOP:	A premises where motor trucks, tractors, truck trailers and industrial and commercial vehicles in excess of one and one-half (1 1/2) tons capacity, or their bodies, are overhauled, rebuilt or repaired.
NAMEPLATE:	A nonelectric on-premise identification sign giving only the name, address, and/or occupation of an occupant or group of occupants.
NET ACREAGE:	The gross acreage minus the acreage devoted to street rights-of-way, retention basins, wetlands, mature tree cover, flood plains, stream corridors, areas with slopes greater than twenty percent (20%), and other natural features.
NET DENSITY:	The number of dwelling units per net acre of land including incentive bonuses.
NONCONFORMING USE:	Any building, structure or land lawfully occupied by a use or lawfully established at the time of the passage of this Title or amendments thereto, which does not conform after the passage of this Title or amendments thereto with the use regulations of this Title.
NURSING HOME OR REST HOME:	A private home for the care of children or the aged or infirm, or a place of rest for those suffering bodily disorders, but not including facilities for the treatment of sickness or injuries or for surgical care.
OCCUPIED:	An area having headroom of 7'-0" or more, that is used and inhabited, or kept for use on a normal basis. Occupied space may include basements, cellars, penthouse attic space and interior balconies or mezzanines if the space is regularly used or inhabited.
OFF-PREMISE SIGN:	Any sign identifying or advertising a business, person, activity, goods, products or services not located on the premises where the sign is installed and maintained.
ON-PREMISE SIGN:	A sign which pertains to the use of the premises on which it is located.
OPEN SPACE, COMMON:	Open space within or related to a development, not in individually owned lots, which is designed and intended for the common use or enjoyment of the residents of the development.
OWNER:	A person recorded as such in official records. For the purpose of Chapter 6 "Signs," the owner of the property on which a sign is located is presumed to be the owner of the sign unless facts to the contrary are officially recorded or otherwise brought to the attention of the Administrator, e.g., a sign leased from a sign company.
PAINTED WALL SIGN:	Any sign which is applied with paint or similar substance on the face of a wall.
PARAPET:	The extension of a false front or wall above a roof line.
PARCEL DELIVERY STATION:	A building in which commodities, sold at retail within the Dixon area are packaged by the retailer, assembled, sold and routed for delivery to retail customers located within the Dixon area.
PARKING AREA, PRIVATE:	An open, hard-surfaced area of land, other than a street or public way, designed, arranged and made available for the storage of private passenger automobiles only; for occupants of the building for which the parking area is developed and is accessory.
PARKING AREA, PUBLIC:	An open, hard-surfaced area, other than a street or public way, intended to be used for the storage of passenger automobiles and commercial vehicles under one and one-half (1 1/2) ton capacity, and available to the public, whether for compensation, free or as an accommodation to clients or customers.
PARKING SPACE, AUTOMOBILE:	Space within a public or private parking area 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 (1 1/2) ton capacity.
PENNANT:	Any sign printed or painted on cloth, plastic, paper, canvas, or other light material, typically designed to move when subject to pressure by the wind, and used for attracting the attention of the public. A pennant is usually, but not limited to being long, narrow and triangular in shape.
PERSON:	Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.
PHYSICAL FITNESS CENTER:	A recreational facility designed and equipped for the conduct of physical fitness training and exercise.
PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT:	Planned Unit Development shall mean an area for which an overall site plan has been prepared indicating land uses, open space allocations, circulation for pedestrians and automobiles, parking, setbacks, housing densities, building spacings, land coverage, landscaping relationships with adjoining areas and streets, building heights, accessory uses, and architectural treatment.
POLITICAL SIGN:	For the purposes of Chapter 6, a temporary sign used in connection with a local, State or national election or referendum.
PORCH:	A roofed-over structure, projecting out from the walls of a main structure and commonly open to the weather in part.
PORTABLE SIGN:	A sign designed to be moved from place to place and not permanently affixed to the ground or to a structure or a building, and signs attached to or painted on vehicles parked and visible from the public right-of-way, unless said vehicle is used in the normal day-to-day operations of the business.
PREMISES:	A parcel of land with its appurtenances and buildings which, because of its unity of use, may be regarded as the smallest conveyable unit of real estate.
PRINT SHOP:	A retail establishment that provides duplicating services using photocopy, blueprint and offset printing equipment, including collating of booklets and reports.
PROJECTING SIGN:	A sign, other than a flat wall sign, which is attached to and projects from a building wall or other structure not specifically designed to support the sign.
PROCESSING ORGANIZATION:	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. A "processing organization" shall include infuser organizations and infusers, as such terms are defined in the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act.
PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY:	All of the land dedicated for the use as a highway, street or other public thoroughfare intended to provide for the movement of the general public, including, but not limited to, the public area between the sidewalk and the curb or that public area within the dedicated right of way not used for vehicular or pedestrian traffic. Any and all such public rights of way within the corporate boundaries of the City are subject to the provisions of the Chapter.
PUBLIC UTILITY:	Any person or municipal department, duly authorized to furnish under public regulation to the public; electricity, gas, steam, telephone, cable television, telegraph, transportation or water.
RAILROAD RIGHT-OF-WAY:	A strip of land with tracks and auxiliary facilities for track operation, but not including depots, loading platforms, stations, train sheds, warehouses, car shops, car yards, locomotive shops or water towers.
REAL ESTATE SIGN:	A sign pertaining to the sale or lease of the lot or tract of land on which the sign is located, or to the sale or lease of one or more structures or a portion thereof located thereon.
RECYCLING CENTER:	A facility or site that is not a salvage yard and in which recoverable resources, such as newspapers, glassware, and metal cans are collected, stored, flattened, crushed, or bundled, essentially by hand.
RECYCLING PLANT:	A business that is not a salvage yard, at least some of which is enclosed, that accepts or purchases recyclable materials that have been diverted or recovered from material otherwise intended for permanent disposal, such as in a landfill, and that then sorts and processes those materials so that they can safely and efficiently be resold to businesses or individuals that otherwise would be using and depleting new natural resources.
RESTAURANT, CARRY-OUT:	Any business establishment whose primary purpose is to offer food and beverages for sale and served in disposable containers for consumption off the premises, but is not necessarily a "fast food restaurant".
RESTAURANT, FAST FOOD:	An establishment that offers quick food service, which is accomplished through a limited menu of items already prepared and held for service, or prepared, fried or griddled quickly or heated in a device such as a microwave oven. Orders are not generally taken at the customer's table and food is generally served in disposable wrapping or containers.
RESTAURANT, SIT-DOWN:	Any business establishment, the primary purpose of which is to offer food and beverages for sale and served for consumption at tables in nondisposable containers on the premises. Dancing and live entertainment is permitted in a sit-down restaurant as a special use within specific zoning districts.
SALVAGE YARD:	An 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, but excluding similar uses taking place entirely within a completely enclosed building.
SELF-SERVICE STORAGE FACILITY:	A building consisting of individual, small, self-contained units that are leased or owned for the storage of business and household goods or contractor's supplies.
SENIOR CITIZEN HOUSING:	One or more one-family, two-family or multiple-family dwellings or combinations of the above and related facilities specifically designed for persons sixty (60) years of age or older or couples where at least one person is sixty (60) years of age or older. This does not include a development that contains convalescent or nursing facilities.
SIGHT CLEARANCE TRIANGLE:	The part of a property on a corner lot on which no sign or other object shall intrude upon the air space between the height of twenty four inches (24") and eight feet (8'). This restriction shall not include the standard upon which a free standing sign rests. The triangle shall be formed as follows: beginning at the corner of the property where the property line intersects, a distance of thirty five feet (35') shall be measured along each property line. From the end of those lines another line shall be made connecting the two (2) ends. The triangle formed shall be known as the sight clearance triangle.
SIGN:	Every sign, billboard, ground sign, wall sign, roof sign, illuminated sign, projecting sign, temporary sign, marquee, awning, canopy, and street clock, and shall include any announcement, declaration, demonstration, display illustration or insignia used to advertise or promote the interests of any person when the same is placed out of doors in view of the general public.
SIGN CONTRACTOR:	A person or entity who performs work for compensation in connection with the erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, improvement, maintenance, conversion or manufacture of any sign.
SIGN FACING OR SURFACE:	The surface of the sign upon, against, or through which the message is displayed or illustrated on the sign.
SIGN SURFACE AREA:	The total exposed surface within a continuous perimeter composed of a single rectangle enclosing the extreme limits of characters, lettering, illustrations, ornamentations, or other figures, together with any material, or color used as an integral part of the display or to differentiate the sign from the background on which it is placed.
SITE INTERIOR:	The area of a lot or parcel between a building and a property line, exclusive of parking lots and impervious surfaces, which is not part of an interior parkway or buffer yard, as defined herein, for the purpose of establishing landscape requirements in Chapter 14 of this Title.
SPECIAL USE:	Any use of land or buildings, or both, described and permitted, subject to the provisions of Chapter 13 of this Title.
STABLE, LIVERY:	Any building, other than a private stable, designed, arranged, used or intended to be used for the storage of horses and horse-drawn vehicles or both.
STORY:	That portion of a building 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 it. Any portion of a story exceeding fourteen feet (14') in height shall be considered as an additional story for each fourteen feet (14') or fraction thereof.
STREET:	A public way other than an alley.
STREET LINE:	A line separating an abutting lot, piece or parcel, from a street.
STRUCTURE:	Anything constructed or erected which requires location on the ground or is attached to something having location on the ground.
SUSPENDED SIGN:	A sign that is suspended from the underside of a horizontal plane surface and is supported by such surface.
TEMPORARY CARPORT:	A prefabricated structure, commonly comprised of a lightweight metal frame and a fabric roof which is intended as a shelter for motor vehicles or other similar equipment and which covers an area in excess of one hundred twenty (120) square feet.
TEMPORARY SIGN:	As regulated by Chapter 6, temporary signs shall include any sign, banner, pennant, or advertising display constructed of cloth, canvas, light fabric, cardboard, wall board or other light materials, with or without frames, intended to be displayed for a short period of time only.
TERRACE, OPEN:	A level and rather narrow plane, or platform, which for the purpose of this Title is located adjacent to one or more faces of the main structure, and which is constructed not more than four feet (4') in height above the average level of the adjoining ground.
TOURIST COURT, MOTOR LODGE, 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 facilities.
TOURIST HOME:	A dwelling in which accommodations are provided or offered for transient guests.
TRAILER CAMP, HOUSE:	Any premises occupied or designed to accommodate more than one family living in an automobile house trailer.
TRAILER, HOUSE:	A vehicle without motive power, designed to be drawn by a motor vehicle and to be used for human habitation or for carrying persons and property, including a trailer coach or house trailer.
TRANSPORTING ORGANIZATION:	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.
TRUCK PARKING AREA:	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, and which exceed one and one-half (1 1/2) tons in capacity.
USE:	The purpose for which land or a building thereon is designed, arranged or intended, or for which it is occupied or maintained, let or leased.
USED CAR LOT:	A zoning lot for which land or a building thereon is designed, arranged or intended for the sale, lease, or maintenance of used vehicles.
WALL SIGN:	Any sign attached to or erected against the wall of a building, and within six (6") inches of such wall.
WINDOW AREA:	Any transparent area on a facade through which the interior of a premises may be viewed from outside.
WINDOW SIGN:	Any sign, either permanent or temporary, which is affixed or placed so that its message or image is read as a part of the total composition of a window area.
YARD:	An open space on the same zoning lot with a main building, which is unoccupied and unobstructed from its lowest level to the sky, except as otherwise permitted in this Title, and which extends along a lot line and at right angles thereto to a depth or width specified in the yard regulations for the district in which the zoning lot is located.
YARD, BUFFER:	A landscaped area intended to separate and partially obstruct the view of two adjacent land uses or properties from one another.
YARD, FRONT:	A yard extending across the full width of the zoning lot and lying between the front line of the lot and the nearest line of the building. (see illustration 2.4)
YARD, REAR:	A yard extending across the full width of the zoning lot and lying between the rear line of the lot and the nearest line of the building. (see illustration 2.4)
YARD, SIDE:	That part of the yard lying between the main building and a side lot line, and extending from the required front yard, or from the front lot line, if there is no required front yard, to the required rear yard. (see illustration 2.4)
ZONING LOT:	A plot of ground made up of one or more parcels which is or may be occupied by a building or buildings including the open spaces required by this Title.
ZONING MAPS:	The maps incorporated into this Title as a part thereof. (Ord. 1973, 1-6-1997; amd. Ord. 2300, 2-5-2001; Ord. 2423, 12-2-2002; Ord. 2490, 7-6-2004; Ord. 3178, 12-2-2019)

 

(Ord. 1973, 1-6-1997)