The purposes of the Zoning Regulations are to:
A. Planning: Implement and advance the goals and policies of the Village's Comprehensive Plan.
B. Community Character: Preserve and promote the Village's distinctive community character through regulations designed specifically for these purposes.
C. Land Use: Encourage the appropriate and orderly development of land throughout the Village, including the mixing of compatible uses of land; the separation of incompatible uses of land; and the prohibition of generally undesirable, inappropriate, or noxious uses of land. Provide for the gradual elimination of nonconforming uses that adversely affect the character and value of the types of development that are permissible under these Zoning Regulations.
D. Residential Areas: Maintain and enhance the Village's character as a predominantly single-family residential community. Maintain and promote high-quality housing stock and a superior quality of life in residential neighborhoods. Encourage the creation of housing choices and the development of alternative housing opportunities in compatible locations.
E. Commercial Areas: Promote vital, well-maintained, and attractive commercial areas that provide a variety of goods and services. Promote the redevelopment of under-utilized commercial properties to increase the tax base in a manner consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and the Village's land use policies.
F. Aesthetic Values: Preserve and enhance aesthetic values throughout the Village. Encourage the attractive design of public property and facilities, private commercial structures, and private residences.
G. Natural Areas: Ensure the preservation of the Village's unique and valuable natural resources, including its open and natural spaces; its extensive tree canopy (both publicly and privately owned); its distinctive bluffs, ravines, lakefront, and other topological features; and the rhythms of manmade and natural spaces that help to define the Village's distinctive character.
H. Transportation: Minimize congestion in the public streets and rights-of-way; ensure safe and efficient circulation of vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians; and provide adequate and efficient off-street parking and loading facilities.
I. Public Facilities: Facilitate the most efficient use of existing and planned public facilities, utilities, and operations. Protect these public functions from being overloaded or degraded as a result of excess development.
J. Public Health and Safety: Secure adequate natural light, clear air, privacy, safety, and convenience of access to property. Manage and mitigate the hazards of fire, flooding, and stormwater accumulation and runoff.
K. Administration: Provide for the efficient, effective, and predictable application of these Zoning Regulations, including their enforcement.
L. General Welfare: Otherwise promote and protect the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the Village and its residents. (Ord. 2022-38, 12-12-2022)