The lawful use of any building or land existing
on July 2, 1972, may be continued, although such does not conform
with the provisions of this chapter or any prior zoning law of the
Town of Chatham.
When any existing nonconforming use of land
or buildings has been discontinued for one year, the land and buildings
shall thereafter be used only in conformity to this chapter, except
that the Board of Appeals, after a public hearing, may permit the
resumption of said nonconforming use.
Once changed to a conforming use, no building
or land shall be permitted to revert to a nonconforming use. A nonconforming
use may be changed to a use of the same or higher classification,
and such use thereafter shall not be changed to a lower classification.
[Amended 7-15-1999 by L.L. No. 1-1999]
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this
chapter, any nonconforming automobile wrecking yard, junkyard or billboard
in existence on March 10, 1988, became a prohibited and unlawful use
as of March 10, 1991, except that a junkyard may continue as a nonconforming
use if within that period it is maintained in accordance with the
standards set and enforced by the State of New York and also in accordance
with the standards required by the Town Board.
Any nonconforming use may be expanded up to
33 1/3% of the existing size at the time of adoption of this
chapter. Any nonconforming use may be expanded up to an additional
33 1/3% of the existing size at the time of the adoption of this
chapter as a special exception by the Zoning Board of Appeals upon
the recommendation of the Planning Board.
Any building housing a nonconforming use burned
by fire may be replaced within one year if not over 80% destroyed.
