A.
To the end that adequate light, pure air, and safety from fire and other dangers may be secured, that the taxable value of land and buildings throughout the municipality may be conserved, that congestion in the public streets may be lessened or avoided, that the hazards to persons and damage to property resulting from the accumulation or runoff of storm- or floodwaters may be lessened or avoided, and that the public health, safety, comfort, morals, and welfare may otherwise be promoted, and to ensure and facilitate the preservation of sites, areas, and structures of historical, architectural and aesthetic importance, the City of Washington Zoning Ordinance, in accordance with the Revised Statutes of Missouri, provides for the following:
1.
To regulate and limit the height and bulk of buildings hereafter to be erected.
2.
To establish, regulate and limit the building or setback lines on or along any street, trafficway, drive, parkway or storm- or floodwater runoff channel or basin.
3.
To regulate and limit the intensity of the use of lot areas, and to regulate and determine the area of open spaces, within and surrounding such buildings.
4.
To classify, regulate and restrict the location of trades and industries and the location of buildings designed for specified industrial, business, residential, and other uses.
5.
To divide the entire municipality into districts of such number, shape, area, and of such different classes (according to use of land and buildings, height and bulk of buildings, intensity of the use of lot area, area of open spaces, or other classification) as may be deemed best suited to carry out the purposes of this Chapter.
6.
To fix standards to which buildings or structures therein shall conform.
7.
To prohibit uses, buildings, or structures incompatible with the character of such districts.
8.
To prevent additions to and alteration or remodeling of existing buildings or structures in such a way as to avoid the restrictions and limitations lawfully imposed under this Chapter.
9.
To establish other regulations of land use and development that are consistent with the statutory authority afforded to the City of Washington so as to promote the public health, safety, comfort, morals and welfare of the City and its environs.
B.
This Chapter is intended to be utilized in conjunction with the City of Washington Subdivision Regulations (Chapter 410) to ensure that the development of land within the City occurs in a manner that protects, provides for and promotes the public health, safety, convenience, comfort, and general welfare of the residents of Washington.
C.
Except as otherwise provided for in Article VIII, Non-Conforming Situations, all structures erected hereafter, all uses of land or structures established hereafter, all structural alterations or relocation of structures occurring hereafter, and all enlargements or additions to existing uses occurring hereafter shall comply with the regulations of this Chapter.
D.
In the event a non-conforming situation is caused by this Chapter and a building permit for a structure has been lawfully issued prior to the effective date of this Chapter, or amendment thereto, and provided that construction is begun within six (6) months of the date of the building permit and diligently prosecuted to completion, such structure may be completed in accordance with the approved plans on the basis of which the building permit has been issued and may, upon completion, be occupied under a certificate of occupancy for the use originally designated, subject thereafter to the provisions of Article XII of this Chapter.
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Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Chs. 400, 402, 405, 410, 412, 413, 415, 420, 425, 430, 435, 440, 445, 450, 455, 457, 458, 459, 460, 463, 465, 470 and 475, which together comprised the former Zoning Regulations. Said former Zoning Regulations were adopted 7-18-1988 by Ord. No. 6548, as amended.