4-1-2: DEFINITIONS:

For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.

COMMERCIAL BUILDING:	A commercial building is one in which at least 50 percent of its floor space is used for commercial activities, such as retail, the providing of services, or food service (restaurants and the like). A space that allows businesses to carry out day-to-day operations and serve customers or clients. As such, a commercial property does not strictly need to be a store or restaurant; it can also be a space in which income is being generated by providing services to people, such as a law office or a doctor’s office.
EMERGENCY SITUATION:	Where the condition of the building, structure, or any part thereof is an imminent, immediate, and substantial danger to the health or safety of anyone on the premises or the general public. Such conditions include, but are not limited to: fire hazards; falling or dilapidated buildings, structures, or any part thereof; or such condition resulting from a sudden event/occurrence which causes loss of significant water, heat, ventilation, or lack of sanitary conditions.
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER:	Individuals charged with enforcing the Code of Ordinances of the Village, including the Zoning Enforcement Officer and Police Officers.
OWNER:	The person, persons or entity shown to be the owner or owners on the records of the LaSalle County Recorder or Grundy County Recorder, those identified as the owner or owners on a vacant building registration form, a mortgagee in possession, a mortgagor in possession, assignee of rents, receiver, executor, trustee, lessee, or other person, firm or corporation in control of the premises. Any such person shall have joint and several obligations for compliance with the provisions of this Chapter. This definition specifically excludes any realtor or listing agent for the subject property, unless such person is also the owner of record.
UNOCCUPIED:	A commercial building which lacks the habitual presence of human beings who have a legal right to be on the premises, including buildings ordered vacated by an enforcement officer of the Village, a court of competent jurisdiction, or Administrative Adjudication Hearing Officer. The term shall also mean a building which is empty or not lawfully occupied on a regular basis for the usual and customary purposes for which the building is designed. In determining whether a building is unoccupied, the enforcement officer may consider these factors, among others: whether lawful business activity has ceased; the building is substantially devoid of contents or has minimal fixtures or personal property in the building; the building lacks utility service; the building is subject to a foreclosure action; and, the presence or reoccurrence of violations of village codes.
UNSECURED:	Any structure which is not occupied by a legal or equitable owner thereof, or by a lessee of a legal or equitable owner, and into which there are one or more unsecured openings such as broken windows, unlocked windows, broken doors, unlocked doors, holes in exterior walls, holes in foundation stem walls, holes in the roof, broken basement or cellar hatchways, unlocked basement or cellar hatchways, or other similar unsecured openings which would allow an unauthorized entry into the structure.
VACANT BUILDING:	A building or structure which is any one or more of the following:
	(1)   Unoccupied and unsecured;
	(2)   Unoccupied and an unsafe building as determined by the enforcement officer;
	(3)   Unoccupied and an enforcement officer has issued an order to correct code violations; Illegally occupied. (Ord. 24-02, 2-6-2024)