Except as otherwise provided herein, the lawfully permitted use of property and the lawfully permitted existence of buildings and structures at the time of adoption of this article may be continued although such use, building or structure does not conform to the standards specified in this chapter for the district in which such presently lawfully existing property, building or structure is located. Similarly, whenever a zoning district classification, or the restrictions effecting property within any zoning district shall be changed hereafter so as to render nonconforming a use, building or structure then presently lawfully existing, such use, building or structure may nevertheless be continued, subject to the conditions set forth below. Said uses shall be deemed nonconforming uses and said buildings and structures shall be deemed dimensionally nonconforming. The provisions of this Article
XVI shall not apply to or be applicable to telecommunication and microwave transmission use, telecommunication and microwave towers, telecommunication and microwave facilities, structures and buildings associated with said use.
A building or structure that is presently lawfully existing
and conforming in use, but does not conform to the lot dimension,
yard dimension, height, building coverage, floor area ratio, off-street
parking, or other dimensional requirements of this chapter shall be
deemed to be dimensionally nonconforming. No permit shall be issued
that will result in the increase of any such dimensional nonconformity,
without Zoning Board of Appeals approval. However, any building or
structure, or portion thereof, may be maintained, repaired and structurally
altered to either decrease its dimensional nonconformity or not increase
the dimensional nonconformity without Zoning Board of Appeals approval.
Upon application, a nonconforming use of land, buildings or
structures may be changed to another nonconforming use upon approval
by the Zoning Board of Appeals based upon a finding that the proposed
use is more appropriate to the district than the existing nonconforming
use. In permitting such change, the Zoning Board of Appeals may impose
such conditions and safeguards as it may deem necessary or appropriate
to further the purposes of this chapter.
Any lot legally established on or before January 1, 2011, which
is currently located within the Residence AA District, but is nonconforming
as to lot area, shall be governed by the minimum dimensional requirements
of the Residence A District for building coverage and lot coverage
and shall not otherwise be subject to dimensional requirements for
building coverage and lot coverage of the Residence AA Zoning District.