Davis Junction — Ch. 26 Art. III Vacant Building and Property Regulations § 26-210
Definitions
Operative Text
Unless otherwise expressly stated or clearly indicated by the context, the following terms will, for the purpose of this article, have the meanings indicated in this section: Boarded building: A building which has had, in a manner intended to be temporary or permanent, any or all openings, which openings are windows or doors which were present for the purpose of light, ventilation or egress, some material whether opaque, solid or transparent, affixed to such openings, from the interior or exterior of the building, for the purpose of securing or preventing access or damage to the building or its components. Building: Any structure occupied or intended for supporting or sheltering any occupancy. Trustee: A Village of Davis Junction Trustee. Dangerous building: A building defined as a "dangerous building" in the village building code, as it may be amended. Such buildings are public nuisances. Owner: Any person, agent, operator, firm, or corporation having a legal or equitable interest in the property; or recorded in the official records of the state, county, or municipality as holding title to the property; or otherwise having control of the property, including the guardian of the estate of any such person, and the executor or administrator of the estate of such person if ordered to take possession of real property by a court. Person: Includes a corporation, a partnership, or other entity as well as an individual. Premises: A lot, plot, or parcel of land including any structure thereon. Public nuisance: Includes the following: (1) The physical condition, or uses of any building regarded as a public nuisance at common law, under the Illinois Compiled Statutes, or under this article; (2) Any physical condition, use or occupancy or any building or its appurtenances considered an attractive nuisance to children, including, but not limited to, abandoned wells, shafts, basements, excavations, and unsafe fences or structures; (3) Any building which has unsanitary sewerage or plumbing facilities; (4) Any building designated by a Village of Davis Junction Trustee as unsafe for human habitation or use; (5) Any building which is manifestly capable of being a fire hazard, or manifestly unsafe or insecure as to endanger life, limb or property; (6) Any building which is unsanitary, or which is littered with rubbish or garbage, or which has an uncontrolled growth of weeds; (7) Any building that is dangerous, in a state of dilapidation, deterioration or decay; faulty construction; open or vacant and the doors, windows, or other openings are boarded up or secured, by any means other than conventional methods used in the design of the building or permitted for new construction of similar type; damaged by fire to the extent as not to provide shelter, in danger of collapse or failure and dangerous to anyone on or near the premises; or (8) Any building defined as a "dangerous building" by this article, as it may be amended. Unoccupied building: A building or portion thereof which lacks the habitual presence of human beings who have a legal right to be on the premises, including buildings ordered vacated by the Village of Davis Junction Trustee pursuant to authority granted to him by this article. In determining whether a building is "unoccupied", a Village of Davis Junction Trustee may consider these factors, among others: (1) A building at which substantially all lawful residential or business activity has ceased. (2) The percentage of the overall square footage of occupied to unoccupied space or the overall number of occupied and unoccupied units shall be considered. (3) The building is substantially devoid of contents. The condition and value of fixtures or personal property in the building are relevant to this determination. (4) The building lacks utility services, i.e., water, sewer, electric or natural gas. (5) The building is the subject of a foreclosure action. (6) The building is not actively for sale as part of a contractual agreement to sell the building, the building lacks "for sale", "for rent" or similar signage. (7) The presence or recurrence of uncorrected code violations. Vacant building: A building or portion of a building which is: (1) Unoccupied and unsecured; (2) Unoccupied and secured by boarding or other similar means; (3) Unoccupied and a dangerous structure; (4) Unoccupied and condemned by a Village of Davis Junction Trustee pursuant to applicable provisions of this article; (5) Unoccupied and has multiple code violations; (6) Unoccupied and the building or its premises has been the site of unlawful activity within the previous six months; (7) Condemned by a Village of Davis Junction Trustee and unlawfully occupied; (8) Unoccupied for over 180 days and during which time a Village of Davis Junction Trustee has issued an order to correct public nuisance conditions and same have not been corrected in a code compliant manner; or (9) Unoccupied for over two years. (10) An "abandoned residential property," as defined in 65 ILCS 5/11-20-15.1 as a residential dwelling unit that has been unoccupied by any lawful occupant or occupants for at least 90 days, and for which after such 90 day period the village has made good faith efforts to contact the legal owner or owners of the property or, if known, the agent of the owner, and no contact has been made. But not including: Unoccupied buildings which are undergoing construction, renovation, or rehabilitation and which are in compliance with all applicable ordinances, codes, legislation, and regulations, and for which construction, renovation or rehabilitation is proceeding diligently to completion.
Davis Junction Chapter 26, Article III, § 26-210 establishes the working definitions that govern the village's vacant building and property regulations. Key terms such as 'vacant building,' 'unoccupied building,' 'boarded building,' 'dangerous building,' and 'public nuisance' are each given specific meanings that apply throughout the article, and these definitions determine which properties fall under the article's regulatory reach. Notably, buildings actively undergoing compliant construction, renovation, or rehabilitation are expressly carved out from the 'vacant building' classification, provided that work is proceeding diligently toward completion.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in Davis Junction should familiarize themselves with the definitions set out in § 26-210, because these terms determine whether a property triggers obligations under Chapter 26, Article III. A compliant operator generally ensures that any unoccupied property is secured through conventional means, maintains active utility services where possible, addresses code violations promptly, and keeps renovation or rehabilitation work moving diligently so the property qualifies for the active-construction exemption. Understanding how a Village Trustee may evaluate 'unoccupancy'—including factors like ceased business activity, lack of utilities, and pending foreclosure—helps operators anticipate regulatory scrutiny before a property is formally classified as vacant.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
For tenants, the definitions in Davis Junction Ch. 26 Art. III § 26-210 are important because they establish what conditions can cause a building to be classified as a 'vacant building' or 'public nuisance,' which can affect habitability and occupancy rights. Conditions such as unsanitary sewerage, fire hazards, dilapidation, or a Trustee's designation of a building as unsafe for human habitation all fall within the article's scope under these definitions. Tenants who believe their building meets one of these definitions may consider reaching out to the Village of Davis Junction, consulting a local tenant-rights organization, or reviewing available complaint processes to understand what options exist.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
Rules and statutes cited by this regulation
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.
Related Rules
Source Information
Use this in your app
Access this data programmatically via our API