This chapter is adopted for the following purposes:
A.Â
Promoting the public health, safety, comfort, morals, convenience
and general welfare;
B.Â
Securing adequate natural light, pure air, and safety from fire and
other dangers;
C.Â
Lessening or avoiding the hazards to persons and damage to property
resulting from the accumulation or runoff of storm- or floodwaters;
D.Â
Lessening or avoiding congestion in the public streets and highways;
E.Â
Conserving the value of land and buildings throughout the County;
and
F.Â
Preserving and enhancing aesthetic values throughout the County.
To the ends set forth in § 400-2 above, this chapter is intended to establish and accomplish certain standards and objectives to assure the orderly growth in the unzoned areas of Stephenson County of agriculture, residential, business, commercial, manufacturing and complementary developments by providing that:
A.Â
Lands best suited for pursuit of agriculture be protected from the
encroachment of urban-type residential and business developments in
order to promote more efficient use of the increasingly reduced area
of land in agriculture uses as the result of expanding urbanization.
B.Â
Existing residential areas and areas designated for expansion of
residential development be suitably located in relationship to business,
commercial, and manufacturing areas and be protected against intrusion
which will interfere with decent living conditions.
C.Â
Existing business and commercial areas be protected against the encroachment
of incongruous uses; that business areas be used only for those retail
trade establishments engaged in serving a large volume of daily shoppers
where service business and commercial establishments are not permitted
to encroach upon the continuity of such shopper-type business places;
that commercial areas be used for those specialized service business
and commercial establishments, as well as for those uses permitted
only in the business area and that vehicles of customers using the
business and commercial areas.
D.Â
Existing manufacturing areas be given adequate protection; additional
land be designated and regulated for future manufacturing development
so that present industry may expand, and that a wide range of sites
for new industry be provided, having access to transportation facilities
and other features, enabling industry in Stephenson County to compete
successfully with industry elsewhere in the nation.
E.Â
Land, woodland, rivers, streams and underground deposits of mineral
resources be given adequate protection to that these natural resources
will be preserved for future uses.
F.Â
Where land and structures adjoin incorporated communities and it
is evident that such land could ultimately be annexed to the community,
the uses of such land and buildings be related to the existing and
planned land use pattern of the adjacent communities.
G.Â
The uses of land and structures within the entire County be so related
as to provide effectiveness and economy in government.
H.Â
Adequate space can be available for the disposition of sewage treatment
plant products consistent with the health and welfare of the public.
