BUILDING & ZONING - Frequently Asked Questions
§ 151.01 DEFINITIONS.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
TRAILER COACH. Any vehicle used or maintained for use as a conveyance upon highways or city streets so designed and so constructed as to permit occupancy hereof as a temporary dwelling or sleeping place for one or more persons having no other foundation than wheels or jacks.
TRAILER COACH LOT. A unit of level, adequately drained ground, of definite size, clearly indicated by corner markers for the placing of a trailer coach or a trailer coach and tow car.
TRAILER PARK. Any site, lot, field, or tract of ground upon which one or more trailer coaches are placed, and shall include any building, structure, tent, vehicle, or enclosure used or intended for use as a part of the equipment of such park.
(1977 Code, § 9-8-1)
§ 151.02 PARKING; PERMIT REQUIRED.
(A) Parking unlawful in public place. It shall be unlawful for any person to park any trailer coach of any kind on any street, alley, highway, or other public place in the city.
(B) Parking unlawful on land within city. No trailer coach shall be parked, used, or occupied on any tract of ground within the city.
(C) Plumbing fixtures. The use of trailer coach plumbing fixtures is prohibited unless the fixtures meet the requirements noted in § 151.09.
(D) Permit to park required. No person shall park, use, or occupy any trailer coach for more than 48 hours on the premises of any occupied dwelling, nor for more than 24 hours on any lot which is not a part of the premises of any occupied dwelling, unless a permit therefor shall have been first obtained; nor shall any person permit such parking, use, or occupancy unless the occupant of the trailer coach shall first have obtained a permit therefor.
(1977 Code, § 9-8-2) Penalty, see § 10.99
§ 156.366 FENCES AND WALLS.
A. A fence, up to six feet in height, may be built on the property line of adjoining property owners provided that all support structures for said fence face the builder’s property, and the fence shall be attractive, sturdy, safe, uniform and of even dimension.
B. A fence or wall may be constructed to a maximum height of six feet above the average grade without a permit being required. If a fence or wall exceeds six feet in height, a building permit for a fence shall be obtained from the Administrative Official. A building permit for a fence shall also be required for the replacement or reconstruction of 50% or more of the linear length of the entire existing fence that exceeds six feet in height.
C. Walls are not permitted in front yards.
D. No fence shall be located within the sight distance triangle as defined in § 156.015.
E. Fencing, when permitted in the front yard, must not exceed 30 inches in height measured from the grade of the street level and shall be open in at least 30% along the total vertical surface plane as measured in linear feet along its entire perimeter. No agricultural type wire fence shall be permitted in any front yard in any residential district.
F. A retaining wall may be permitted where it is reasonably necessary due to the changes in slope on the site, where the wall is located at least two feet from any street right-of-way, and where such wall does not extend more than six inches above the ground level of the land being retained.
G. When retaining walls are tiered, the minimum horizontal distance between retaining walls (closest edge to closest edge) shall be four feet.
H. No fence, wall or other obstruction shall be erected within any public right-of-way, except by written permission of the City Council.
I. No fence, wall or other obstruction shall be erected in violation of the Illinois Drainage Code (ILCS Ch. 70, Act 605, §§ 1-1 et seq.).
J. In all commercial and industrial districts, a fence or wall may be constructed on any side or rear property line but shall not be located in any required front yard setback or be closer to any public or private street than the required setback for a building.
K. The city takes no responsibility for any damages to fences, structures or buildings constructed over an easement caused during maintenance, repair, replacement or any other activity that is derived from or associated with the intent and purpose of said easement.
(Ord. 2013-22, passed 11-25-2013)
Reduced Square Footage Homes
(Tiny Homes)
Content coming soon
MOVING BUILDINGS
§ 91.15 PERMIT REQUIRED.
No person, firm or corporation shall move any building on, through or over any street, alley, sidewalk or other public place in the city without having obtained a permit therefor from the City Council. Application for the permits shall be made in writing to the City Clerk and shall state thereon the proposed route and the number of days it is intended that the building should occupy any portion of any street, alley, sidewalk or other public place. (1977 Code, § 9-4-1) Penalty, see § 10.99
§ 91.16 APPROVAL FEE.
Upon approval of the intended route by the City Council, a fee of $50 for each day or fraction thereof that it is intended that the building shall occupy any such portion of any such public place shall be paid to the City Clerk and the permit issued. An additional payment of $50 for each day or fraction thereof over and above the time stated on the permit during which any building shall occupy any public place shall be paid. (1977 Code, § 9-4-2) Penalty, see § 10.99
§ 91.17 BOND.
Every person, firm or corporation applying for a permit under this chapter shall submit with his or her application a cash bond or other bond with a lawful corporate surety to be approved by the City Council, in such amount as the City Council may determine, conditioned on his or her compliance with all the provisions of this chapter and agreeing to pay and to hold the city harmless from any claim which may be made against it by reason of the occupation of any street, alley, sidewalk or other public place by the building or structure moved. (1977 Code, § 9-4-3) Penalty, see § 10.99
§ 91.18 LIGHTS AND WARNINGS.
Whenever a street or alley is blocked by a house or structure which is being moved, warnings to that effect shall be placed by the Police Department so as to warn vehicles and persons from entering that portion of the street so blocked. The person, firm or corporation moving any building through the streets shall keep warning signs and lanterns or lights at night on the building so as to guard against any person or vehicle from colliding with it. (1977 Code, § 9-4-4) Penalty, see § 10.99
§ 91.19 WIRES, CUTTING.
Whenever it shall be necessary to interfere with wires or cables of a public utility in moving a building, the terms of any special or franchise ordinance governing shall apply and the bond therein specified shall be given. If no such terms apply, then the Mayor shall estimate the expense of fixing the wires and bond to be given to cover this. (1977 Code, § 9-4-5) Penalty, see § 10.99
§ 91.20 FIRE ALARM WIRES.
When any such moving building shall approach any fire alarm wire or pole which shall be endangered by the removal of the building, it shall be the duty of the mover to notify the Chief of the Fire Department at least six hours before reaching the wire or pole so that they may be removed or cared for by the authorities of the city. (1977 Code, § 9-4-6) Penalty, see § 10.99
DELIVERY
*See "Purchasing or Moving Buildings Within City Limits"
REQUIREMENTS & INSTALLATION
§ 156.315 MANUFACTURED HOME REQUIREMENTS AND INSTALLATION REGULATIONS.
(A) The minimum width requirement of any single-wide manufactured home is 16 feet; the minimum width of a double-wide manufactured home is 28 feet.
(B) All towing devices, wheels, axles, and hitches must be removed from the manufactured home upon its placement on the lot.
(C) Each exterior door of a manufactured home shall be provided with a landing that is a minimum of 36 inches square, and shall be provided with hand rails.
(D) All manufactured homes are required to be installed by an Illinois licensed manufactured home installer or the homeowner.
(E) The installation of each manufactured home must be inspected and approved by the Administrative Official prior to the pouring of the piers footing, and again before installing the skirting.
(F) The required perimeter around each manufactured home shall be brick, masonry, or stone.
(G) Openings for under floor ventilation must be provided. The minimum area of openings for under floor ventilation shall not be less than one square foot for each 150 square feet of under floor space area. One such ventilating opening shall be within three feet of each corner of the building. Ventilation openings shall be covered with metal mesh or metal screen of a maximum of 1/4 inch grid.
(H) No permanent additions of any kind whatsoever shall be built onto or become part of any manufactured home.
(I) Pad requirements: pad surfaces shall consist of a flexible surface with a minimum of five-inch-thick gravel, stone, or compacted surface, treated to discourage plant growth, constructed to discharge water, and edged to prohibit fraying or spreading of surfacing materials; or shall be of a hard surface of a minimum of two 18-inch-wide concrete ribbons or slabs capable of carrying the weight of, and of sufficient length to support, all blocking points of the manufactured home.
(J) All crawl spaces must be minimum 24 inches in height.
(K) Footings and foundation.
1. The manufactured home shall be installed on the number of piers recommended by the manufacturer and shall consist of a minimum poured concrete foundation, 24 inches by 24 inches by 12 inches deep and extending 24 inches into the ground. All piers are to be double concrete blocked eight inches by eight inches by 16 inches (solid or celled) with blocks interlocked and filled with mortar or mortared joints then capped with four-inch solid concrete block placed seam perpendicular to the main mobile home frame. “Sonotube” construction of 24 inches in diameter may be used and, if used, must extend 24 inches into the ground.
2. Placement of piers and concrete footings, as applicable shall be in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
3. Concrete blocks shall be placed on either the pier footings or continuous footings, as applicable; such blocks shall be double locked with mortar or filled with mortar.
4. If block height exceeds 80 inches, four steel reinforcement bars shall be used per pier.
5. The underneath frame to the ground shall be no less than 12 inches.
6. Inspection and approval of the setup of piers or continuous footings (as applicable), before concrete is poured, shall be completed by the Administrative Official prior to the placement of the manufactured home on its lot.
(L) Inspection and approval. Inspection and approval of setup of piers or continuous footings (as applicable) shall be completed by the Administrative Official prior to the placement of the manufactured home on its lot.
(Ord. 2013-22, passed 11-25-2013)
MANUFACTURED HOME PARKS
§ 156.314 LIMITATIONS.
(A) Minimum design standards: each manufactured home park shall be designed in accordance with all city and state codes and to the following minimum design standards:
1. All roadways and sidewalks within the manufactured home park shall be hard surfaced and shall be adequately lighted at night;
2. The perimeter of all manufactured homes shall be fully skirted;
3. Sidewalks shall be required on one side of all streets;
4. All manufactured home lots shall front upon a private hard-surfaced/dust-free roadway of not less than 25 feet in width. If parallel parking is permitted on one side of the street, the width shall be increased to 30 feet, and if parallel parking is permitted on both sides of the street, the width shall be increased to 36 feet. All roadways shall have unobstructed access to a public street;
5. A community structure may be provided which may include recreation facilities, laundry facilities, and other similar uses;
6. A storm shelter shall be provided for any new manufactured home park, or any manufactured home park which is expanded in size;
7. A site plan must be submitted for each manufactured home park, and such site plan must be approved by the Administrative Official prior to the issuance of final approval for the manufactured home park; and
8. Final approval for development shall be obtained before any grading, clearing, installation of streets or moving a manufactured home into any “M” district.
(B) Manufactured home required setbacks, buffer strips and screening.
1. Within a manufactured home park, all manufactured homes shall be located at least 50 feet from any exterior property line of the park and from a public road right-of-way.
2. Within a manufactured home park, there shall be a minimum distance of 15 feet between manufactured homes, common parking area or other common areas located within such manufactured home park.
3. For all manufactured homes not located within a manufactured home park, but within the “M” district, the designed front of the manufactured home shall face the public road right-of-way, or private road right-of-way (whichever is applicable).
(C) Off-street parking.
1. Off-street parking areas shall be provided at the rate of at least two car spaces for each manufactured home lot.
2. Required car parking spaces shall be so located as to provide convenient access to the dwelling it serves and shall not exceed a distance of 200 feet from such dwelling.
(D) Water supply.
1. Water shall be supplied to the dwellings in a manufactured home overlay district by a public water system.
2. The size, location and installation of water lines shall be in accordance with the requirements of the codes of the city.
3. Individual water service connections shall be provided at each manufactured home lot.
(E) Required recreation areas.
1. In all manufactured home parks accommodating or designed to accommodate 25 or more manufactured homes, there shall be one or more recreation areas which shall be easily accessible to all residents within such park.
2. The size of such recreation areas shall be based upon a minimum of 100 square feet for each lot within the manufactured home park. No outdoor recreation area shall contain less than 2,500 square feet.
3. Recreation areas shall be so located as to be free of traffic hazards and should be centrally located.
4. The required recreational area(s) within the manufactured home park shall contain playground equipment or other recreational facilities as approved by the Planning Commission. The cost of purchasing and installing said recreational equipment shall be paid for by the developer of the manufactured home park.
5. The maintenance of recreation area(s) and equipment within each manufactured home park shall be paid for by the owner of the park and/or trustees.
(F) Sewage disposal: each manufactured home park shall be connected to the city’s sewer system and each manufactured home within a manufactured home park shall be connected to and served by the city’s sewer system.
(G) Tie-downs and ground anchors: all manufactured homes shall be secured to the ground by tie-downs and ground anchors in accordance with the Illinois Tie Down Act.
(H) Electrical: each manufactured home space shall be provided with an individual electrical supply which shall be installed in accordance with the building codes of the city and requirements of the electric supplier.
(I) Gas: natural gas hookups, when provided, shall be installed in accordance with the building codes of the city and the regulations of the gas supplier.
(J) Refuse and garbage handling: storage, collection and disposal of refuse in a manufactured home park shall be in accordance with city code.
(Ord. 2013-22, passed 11-25-2013)