For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
(a) “Blighted area” means an area in which a majority of the structures are detrimental to the public health, safety, morals and general welfare by reason of age, obsolescence, dilapidation, overcrowding, faulty arrangement, mixture of incompatible land uses, a lack of ventilation or sanitary facilities or any combination of these factors.
(b) “Preliminary plan” means a plan prepared by the Planning Commission for an urban renewal area.
(c) “Project area” means a blighted or deteriorating area for which an urban renewal plan has been prepared. A project area shall consist of or be located within one or more urban renewal areas.
(d) “Project improvements” means public improvements within or serving the project area which are necessary for carrying out the urban renewal objectives provided for in the urban renewal plan or Council approved design plans.
(e) “Redevelopment” means the acquisition of property in a blighted area, the demolition of the structures thereon, site preparation, the making of project improvements and the sale of such property for use in accordance with an urban renewal plan. Redevelopment shall not include the construction or improvement by the Village of any buildings other than municipal buildings, except as provided in “Rehabilitation” hereunder.
(f) “Redeveloper” means any person, firm, public agency or corporation purchasing property within a project area for use in accordance with the urban renewal plan.
(g) “Rehabilitation” means the restoration, rehabilitation or conservation of a deteriorating or blighted area by:
(1) Formulating and carrying out a plan for a program of voluntary improvement, modernization, repair or rehabilitation of privately owned structures;
(2) The acquisition of real estate and the demolition or removal of buildings thereto where necessary to eliminate unhealthful, unsanitary or unsafe conditions, lessen density or eliminate blight or incompatible land uses detrimental to the public health and welfare;
(3) Otherwise removing or preventing the spread of blight or deterioration;
(4) Constructing or reconstructing necessary streets, playgrounds, utilities, parks and other public improvements;
(5) Acquiring and clearing land for development of privately owned community facilities; and
(6) Disposing, for uses in accordance with the urban renewal plan, of property acquired.
(h) “Site preparation” means the demolition, clearance and removal of structures and abandoned utility facilities from a site and the necessary filling, grading and relocation or adjustment of utility facilities necessary to prepare the site for resale to a redeveloper or to carry out the Village's contractual obligations under contracts for sale of lands.
(i) “Underutilized” means an area that has aging structures, lack of coordinated or compatible development, lack of parking facilities, obsolete buildings or small lots that individually preclude coordinated redevelopment, or any combination of these factors.
(j) “Urban renewal” means the redevelopment of a blighted area or areas or the rehabilitation of a deteriorating or blighted area or areas, or a combination thereof, by the acquisition of real estate and the demolition or removal of buildings and the resale of such property to public or private agencies for redevelopment or rehabilitation in accordance with an urban renewal plan.
(k) “Urban renewal area” means a blighted or deteriorating area which is appropriate for redevelopment or rehabilitation as defined in urban renewal hereof.
(l) “Urban renewal plan” means a plan, as it exists from time to time, for the urban renewal of a project area. The plan shall be in general conformance to the preliminary plan and recommendations of the Planning Commission for the urban renewal area or areas in which the project area is located.
(Ord. 2002-1. Passed 2-11-02.)