For the purpose of this Ordinance, certain words and terms are hereby defined. The word “person” includes a firm, association, organization, partnership, trust company or corporation, as well as individual; words in the present tense include the future and the future includes the present; the singular number includes the plural and the plural the singular; the word “lot” includes the word “plot,” “tract” or “parcel” of land, as the sense may require it; the term “erected” means constructed, altered, moved, or repaired; and the words “shall” and “must” are always mandatory. The word “used” or “occupied” as applied to any land or building shall be construed to include the words “intended, arranged or designed to be used or occupied”; the word “district” is synonymous with the word “zone”; and the term “building inspector” is synonymous with the term Zoning Inspector.

Accessory Building or Use: A subordinate building or use customarily incidental to the main building or use, not used or intended for use conflicting with the main building or use, and located on the same lot or lot adjoining to the lot containing the main building or use.

Alterations, Structural: Any change in the supporting members of a building such as bearing walls, columns, beams, joists, rafters or girders. 

Basement: A story having more than one-half of its height below average grade.

Building: Any structure having a roof supported by columns or by walls and intended for the shelter, housing or enclosure of persons, animals or property.

Building Height: The vertical dimension measured from the average finished grade at the front of the building to the highest point of the roof.

Building, Principle: The building on a lot used to accommodate the primary use to which the premises are devoted.

Building Setback Line: A line parallel to the street right-of-way line at such distance from the street right-of-way line as required by the minimum front yard depth in the district in which it is located.

District: An area of land for which there are uniform regulations governing the use of buildings and premises, density of development, yard requirements, height limitations, and the like.

Dwelling: Any building or structure (except a house trailer, mobile home, or other vehicle which may be used as a residence) which is wholly or partly used or intended to be used for living or sleeping by one or more human occupants.

Dwelling, Single-Family: A detached building designed and used exclusively for occupancy by one family.

Family: One or more persons occupying a single dwelling unit, provided that unless all members are related by blood, adoption or marriage, no such family shall contain over two persons.

Garages: A detached accessory building or portion of a principle building for the parking or temporary storage of automobiles, boats, non-commercial trailers or other permitted vehicles of the occupants of the premises.

Grade, Finished: The average level of the finished surface of the ground adjacent to the exterior walls of the building.

Height: See “Building Height”.

Living Space: The area within a dwelling constituting year-round, permanent enclosed spaces for living, dining, cooking, bathing and sleeping, and adjoining storage closets; excluding decks, patios, porches and garages.

Lot: For the purposes of this Ordinance, a lot is a parcel of land of sufficient size to meet minimum zoning requirements for use, coverage and area, and to provide such yards and other open spaces as are herein required. Lots shall have frontage on an improved public street and may consist of: 

         1. A single lot of record. 
         2. A portion of a lot of record. 
         3. A combination of complete lots of record, or complete lots of record and portion of lots of record, or of portions of lots of record.

Lot, Minimum Area Of: The area of a lot is computed exclusive of any portion of any right-of-way existing or planned for any public street.

Lot, Corner: A lot abutting two or more streets which intersect at an angle of 135 degrees or less.

Lot, Depth: The mean horizontal distance between the right-of-way line of the street and the rear lot line.

Lot Frontage at Street Right-of-Way: The distance between the side lot lines of a lot at the street right-of-way line of the lot. See “Street” and “Street Right-of-Way Line.”

Lot Lines: The lines defining the limits of a lot.

Lot of Record: A lot which is part of a subdivision, the plat of which has been recorded in the office of the Recorder of this County; or a parcel of land, the deed to which was of record on or prior to actual date of this Ordinance.

Lot, Width: The horizontal distance measured between the side lot lines along the building setback line.

Non-Conforming Use: The use of any building, structure, or land which lawfully existed on the effective date of this Ordinance which does not conform to the Use Regulations of the district in which it is located.

Residence, Principle: The building on a lot used for a dwelling.

Right-of-Way: A strip of land taken or dedicated for use as a public way. In addition to the roadway, it normally incorporates the curbs, lawn strips, sidewalks, lighting and drainage facilities, and may include special features (required by the topography or treatment) such as grade separation, landscaped areas, viaducts and bridges.

Sign: Any object or lettering or symbol thereon which attracts or is intended to attract attention for identification, directional, or advertising purposes.

Single-Family Unit: Same as “Dwelling Unit.” Street: A dedicated and constructed through public road or public roadway within the Village corporate limits.

Street Right-of-Way Line: the line between a lot, tract, or parcel of land and a contiguous dedicated and constructed public street. Where the lot, tract, or parcel of land has been conveyed to the center of the street, the street right-of-way line then becomes the inside line of the land used for street purposes.
Structures: Anything constructed or erected, the use of which requires permanent location on the ground or attached to something having a permanent location on the ground, including signs and billboards.

Use: The specific purpose for which land or a building is designed, arranged, or intended, or for which it is or may be occupied or maintained.

Yard: A required open space other than a court unoccupied and unobstructed by any structure or portion of a structure from three (3) feet above the general ground level of the graded lot upward; provided accessories, ornaments and furniture may be permitted in any yard; subject to height limitations and requirements limiting obstruction of visibility. 

         1. Yard, Front: A yard extending between side lot lines across the front of a lot and from front lot line to the front of the principle building. 
         2. Yard, Rear: A yard extending between side lot lines across the rear of a lot and from the rear lot line to the rear of the principle building. 
         3. Yards, Side: The yards extending from the principle building to the side lot lines on both sides of the principle building between the lines establishing the front and rear yards.

Zone: Synonymous with “District.”

Zoning Permit: A document issued by the Village authorizing the use of lots, the use of land and the use of structures, and the characteristics of the use. Same as Zoning Certificate.

Zoning Ordinance: The complete zoning text that contains the specific regulations for both private and public uses within each use district of the Village, and the Zoning Districts Map that indicates graphically the location and extent of district or zone boundaries.