This article shall apply to all nonconforming uses, structures and lots, as defined by this chapter. Nothing contained herein shall require any change in the overall layout, plans, construction, size or designated use of any development, building, structure or part thereof for which official approval and required permits have been granted prior to the effective date of this chapter or any amendment thereto.
These regulations shall apply to any use of a structure or lot in any zoning district which is a nonconforming use as defined by this chapter. Whenever the boundaries of a zoning district shall be changed so as to transfer an area from one zoning district to another zoning district of a different classification, these regulations shall apply to any uses which thereby become nonconforming.
A. 
Continuation and sale. Where at the effective date of adoption or amendment of this chapter a lawful use of a lot or structure exists that is made no longer permissible under the terms of this chapter as enacted or amended, such use may be sold or otherwise transferred to other owners and may be continued as long as it remains otherwise lawful in accordance with the provisions of this article.
B. 
Enlargement or expansion.
(1) 
No nonconforming use of a lot or nonconforming use of a structure shall be enlarged or increased or extended to occupy a greater area of the lot or structure than was occupied at the effective date of adoption or amendment of this chapter, unless the Zoning Hearing Board, after public hearing, shall interpret that the enlargement or extension is necessitated by the natural expansion and growth of the nonconforming use. Any such enlargement or expansion shall conform to the area, height and yard requirements of the zoning district in which it is located.
(2) 
No nonconforming use shall be moved in whole or in part to any other portion of the lot occupied by such use at the effective date of adoption or amendment of this chapter.
(3) 
Any nonconforming use may be extended throughout any part of a structure which was designed for such use at the time the use became nonconforming; however, a nonconforming use shall not be extended to occupy any structure, lot or portion of a lot that was not owned by the owner of the nonconforming use at the time the use became nonconforming.
C. 
Change of use.
(1) 
A nonconforming use shall not be changed to any use other than a conforming use, except as permitted as a use by special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board in accordance with the following standards:
(a) 
The new use will more closely correspond to the uses authorized in the district as permitted uses, conditional uses or uses by special exception.
(b) 
The new use will be in keeping with the character of the neighborhood in which it is located and will have an equal or lesser impact on the neighborhood than the existing nonconforming use.
(c) 
The applicant clearly demonstrates a hardship in converting the use to a conforming use in accordance with the criteria of § 220-100 for obtaining a variance.
(2) 
When a nonconforming use is changed to a conforming use, the use thereafter shall not be changed to a nonconforming use. Any change from one nonconforming use to another shall comply with the parking requirements of Article VII for the new use and shall be subject to the area, bulk and buffer area regulations for such use in the zoning district where such use is authorized as a permitted use, conditional use or use by special exception.
(3) 
Where a nonconforming use exists on a lot, a conforming use shall not be established on the same lot unless the nonconforming use is discontinued.
D. 
Abandonment. When a nonconforming use of a structure and/or lot is discontinued or abandoned for 12 consecutive months, the structure and/or lot shall not thereafter be used except in conformance with the regulations of the zoning district in which it is located.
E. 
Damage or destruction.
(1) 
Residential dwellings which are nonconforming uses in the B District may be rebuilt on the existing foundation in the event of damage or destruction, provided the reconstruction is started within three years of the date of destruction.
(2) 
In the case of nonconforming uses, other than dwellings, when damage or destruction of a structure in which the nonconforming use is conducted involves 50% or less of the total floor area of the structure, repairs or reconstruction may be undertaken, provided that such restoration is started within 18 months of the date of destruction.
(3) 
In the case of nonconforming uses other than dwellings, when the structure in which the nonconforming use is conducted is damaged or destroyed by fire or other means to an extent of more than 50% of its total floor area, the structure shall be reconstructed only to house a conforming use.
These regulations shall apply to all nonconforming structures, as defined by this chapter, in all zoning districts.
A. 
Structural alteration. A nonconforming structure may be enlarged or structurally altered, provided the enlargement or alteration does not encroach any further into a required yard than the existing nonconforming structure does, and further provided that no new nonconformities are created. All other alterations or enlargements shall require review by the Zoning Hearing Board and, after public hearing, the Board may determine undue hardship and may authorize a variance for the reasonable modification of such structure.
B. 
Damage or destruction. Any nonconforming structure which has been partially or completely damaged or destroyed by fire or other means may be rebuilt or repaired on its existing foundation even though such foundation may violate the setback requirements for the zoning district in which the structure is located, provided that the repair or reconstruction and reoccupancy of the structure occurs within 18 months of the date that the original structure was damaged or destroyed.
C. 
Moving. Should a nonconforming structure be moved for any reason for any distance whatever, it shall thereafter conform to the requirements of the zoning district in which it is located.
D. 
Signs.
(1) 
Nonconforming signs may be repaired or reconstructed, provided that no structural alterations are made which increase the gross surface area of the sign; however, nonconforming signs which are damaged or destroyed to an extent of more than 50% of their replacement cost at the time of destruction shall not be reconstructed except in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.
(2) 
Nonconforming signs shall not be enlarged, added to or replaced by another nonconforming sign, use or structure, except that the interchange of poster panels shall be permitted.
E. 
Repair or maintenance. Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to prevent the strengthening or restoring to a safe condition of any structure or part thereof declared to be unsafe by any official charged with protecting the safety of the public, provided all other requirements of this section are met.
The following regulations shall apply to nonconforming lots, as defined by this chapter.
A. 
Lots of record. Any lot of record existing at the effective date of this chapter may be used for the erection of a structure conforming to the use regulations of the zoning district in which it is located, without a lot area or lot width variance, even though its lot area and width are less than the minimum required by this chapter; however, such lot must comply with the front, rear and side yards, height and lot coverage standards of the zoning district wherein it is located.
B. 
Existing structures on lots of record. Where structures exist on adjacent nonconforming lots of record which have front yards less than the minimum depth required, the minimum front yard for an adjacent nonconforming lot of record shall be the average depth of the nonconforming front yards on the adjacent nonconforming lots in the same block on the same side of the street.
A. 
The owner of a nonconforming use shall make an application for registration of the nonconforming use and, upon presentation of documentation acceptable to the Zoning Officer that the use was lawfully in existence prior to the effective date of this chapter or any amendment which created the nonconformity, the Zoning Officer shall register the same on a map and by the Westmoreland County Property Tax Assessor's identification number as a legal nonconforming use.
B. 
In the course of administering this chapter and reviewing applications for zoning approval, building permits, certificates of occupancy or variances, the Zoning Officer shall register all nonconforming structures and nonconforming lots as they become known through the application process.
The following provisions shall apply to all nonconforming uses and structures as defined.
A. 
In the event that any lawful nonconforming building is damaged, destroyed by fire, explosion, act of God or any other cause not within the control of the owner, the owner may repair or rebuild the damaged or destroyed building or build a new structure in the same location on the lot and within the same footprint of the nonconforming building. Any change in the location of the building shall comply with the applicable zoning regulations. The building shall be designed for the same use, regardless that the provisions of this chapter may otherwise forbid the construction of such building or prohibit such a use in the district in which the land is located, and provided that such repairs or reconstruction are completed within 18 months of the date of such damage.
B. 
In the event that any lawful nonconforming use ceases for a period of one year, such nonconforming use shall not be resumed.
C. 
A lawful nonconforming use that occupies a portion of a structure or premises, as such existed when the prohibitory provision took effect, and a lawful nonconforming use or a lawful nonconforming structure created as such by this chapter may be expanded on the lot only as a variance but not in violation of the area and yard requirements of the district in which such structure or premises are located or in violation of the use regulations that would apply to the nonconforming use or structure if the same were located in an area permitting the use. The more restrictive yard requirements shall apply.
D. 
All nonconforming uses shall be registered within one year of the effective date of this chapter. The Zoning Officer shall identify, register and certify the registration of all lawful nonconforming uses and all lawful nonconforming structures. Appeals of his decision may be made to the Zoning Hearing Board. Such registration shall be prima facie evidence of the prior existence and extent of the nonconforming nature of the premises covered. The absence of a nonconforming use certificate prior to application for an occupancy or use certificate based upon such nonconformity shall be prima facie evidence of the lack of lawful nonconforming existence and may constitute a sufficient basis for refusal to find a lawful nonconforming status existing as of the adoption of this chapter.
E. 
Whenever the use of a building or land becomes nonconforming through a change in this chapter or in the district boundaries, such use may be continued, provided that registration and certification thereof is made as set forth in Subsection D hereof, subject to the regulations of this section above.