Section 65 ILCS 5/11-74.2-2 - DefinitionsAs used in this Act unless the context requires otherwise:
(a) "Real property" means lands, lands under water, structures, and any and all easements, franchises and incorporeal hereditaments, estates and rights, legal and equitable, including terms for years and liens by way of judgment, mortgage or otherwise.(b) "Commercial blight area" or "blight area" means any improved or vacant area of not less in the aggregate than 2 acres located within the territorial limits of a municipality where, if improved, industrial, commercial and residential buildings or improvements, because of a combination of 5 or more of the following factors: age; dilapidation; obsolescence; deterioration; illegal use of individual structures; presence of structures below minimum code standards; excessive vacancies; overcrowding of structures and community facilities; lack of ventilation, light or sanitary facilities; inadequate utilities; or excessive land coverage; deleterious land use or layout; depreciation or lack of physical maintenance; lack of community planning, are detrimental to the public safety, health, morals or welfare, or if vacant, the sound growth of the area is impaired by, (1) a combination of 2 or more of the following factors: obsolete platting of the vacant land; diversity of ownership of such land; tax and special assessment delinquencies on such land; deterioration of structures or site improvements in neighboring areas to the vacant land, or (2) the area immediately prior to becoming vacant qualified as a blighted improved area.(c) "Commercial project" means any building or buildings or building addition or other structures to be newly constructed, renovated or improved and suitable for use by a commercial enterprise or an entity engaged in providing housing and ancillary services, and includes the sites and other rights in the land on which such buildings or structures are located.(d) "Commercial conservation area" or "conservation area" means any area located within the territorial limits of the municipality, of not less, in the aggregate, than 2 acres in which 50% or more of the structures have an age of 35 years or more. Such an area is not yet a blight area but because of a combination of 3 or more of the following factors: dilapidation; obsolescence; deterioration; illegal use of individual structures; presence of structures below minimum code standards; abandonment; excessive vacancies; overcrowding of structures and community facilities; lack of ventilation, light or sanitary facilities; inadequate utilities; excessive land coverage; deleterious land use or layout; depreciation of physical maintenance; or lack of community planning, is detrimental to the public safety, health, morals or welfare and such an area may become a blight area.(e) "Commercial redevelopment plan" or "redevelopment plan" means the comprehensive program for the clearing or rehabilitation and physical development of a commercial blight or conservation area, and includes an analysis and projection of the steps necessary for the elimination or rehabilitation of a commercial blight or conservation area and the protection of adjacent areas, and all administrative, funding and financial details and proposals necessary to effectuate the plan.(f) "Redevelopment area" means the blighted or conservation area of not less in the aggregate than 2 acres, to be developed in accordance with the redevelopment plan.