A. 
This chapter is adopted for the purposes of promoting the health, safety, morals and the general welfare of the community through the regulation and restriction of the height, number of stories and size of buildings and other structures, the percentage of lots that may be occupied, the size of yards, courts and other open spaces, the densities of population and the location and use of buildings, structures and land for industry, business, residence and other purposes; and through the division of the community into districts; and providing fines and penalties for the violation of its provisions.
B. 
This chapter is also adopted for the purpose of achieving the following related and more specific objectives:
(1) 
To guide and regulate the orderly growth, development and redevelopment of the municipality in accordance with a comprehensive plan and with long-term objectives, principles and standards deemed beneficial to the interests and welfare of the people.
(2) 
To protect the established character and social and economic well-being of the evolving community as it is affected by the use of both private and public property.
(3) 
To promote, in the public interest, the utilization of land for the purposes for which it is most appropriate.
(4) 
To secure safety from fire, flood, panic and other dangers and to provide adequate light, air and convenience of access.
(5) 
To prevent overcrowding of land or buildings and to avoid undue concentration of population.
(6) 
To lessen and, where possible, to prevent traffic congestion on public streets and highways.
(7) 
To eliminate nonconforming uses gradually.
(8) 
To conserve the value of buildings and to enhance the value of land throughout the municipality.
(9) 
To protect the environment from all types of pollution.
(10) 
To conserve and reasonably to protect the natural scenic beauty of the municipality and its environs.
(11) 
To make provision for, so far as conditions may permit, the accommodation of solar energy systems and equipment and access to sunlight necessary therefor.
(12) 
To facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewerage, schools, parks and other public requirements.
The provisions of this chapter shall be deemed to be specific. Those uses and procedures for which there are no specific provisions in this chapter shall be deemed to be prohibited.
A. 
Except as hereinafter provided, no building or structure or part thereof and no lot or land or part thereof shall hereafter be used except for a purpose specifically permitted by the provisions of Article III for the district in which such building or structure, lot or land is located on the Zoning Map.
B. 
Any lawful use that does not conform to the use regulations of this chapter shall be deemed a nonconforming use (see Article VIII).
C. 
A specially permitted use authorized by the Planning Board shall be deemed a conforming use.
D. 
A use authorized by a variance from the use regulations of this chapter, granted by the Board of Appeals, shall be deemed a nonconforming use.
A. 
Except as hereinafter provided, no building or structure or part thereof shall hereafter be erected, structurally altered, enlarged, rebuilt or moved except in conformity with the provisions of Article III for the district in which such building or structure is located on the Zoning Map.
B. 
Any lawful existing building or structure that does not conform to such dimensional regulations of this chapter shall be deemed a nonconforming building or structure irrespective of the use to which it is put (see Article VIII).
C. 
A building or structure or part thereof authorized as a variance from the dimensional regulations of this chapter, granted by the Board of Appeals, shall be deemed a nonconforming building or structure or part thereof.