[Amended 7-15-1975 by L.L. No. 4-1975; 3-14-1989 by L.L. No. 6-1989; 3-12-1991 by L.L. No. 1-1991[1]; 9-27-1994 by L.L. No. 9-1994; 5-23-1995 by L.L. No. 7-1995; 4-8-1997 by L.L. No. 3-1997; 1-23-2001 by L.L. No. 1-2001; 5-13-2008 by L.L. No. 3-2008; 1-13-2015 by L.L. No. 1-2015]
A.
Nonconforming uses. Nonconformity of any use with any provision of this chapter shall not be a violation of this chapter if such use existed on March 1, 1957, and was permitted by the Zoning Ordinance in effect immediately prior to that date or if the use was permitted on the effective date of any modification of this chapter which rendered the use nonconforming. Such use shall be permitted to continue subject to the provisions of Subsection D(3) of this section and the following conditions:
(1)
No building housing a nonconforming use may be enlarged or altered structurally, except as may be required or permitted by law. For the purposes of this section, an increase in the fuel storage capacity of a service station is not considered to be an expansion of a nonconforming use.
(2)
No such nonconforming use shall be enlarged or extended, nor shall it be changed to another nonconforming use, nor shall it be moved to another building (either conforming or nonconforming).
(3)
No such nonconforming use, if changed to a use which conforms to the provisions of this chapter, shall be changed to a nonconforming use.
(4)
No such nonconforming use that shall have ceased for six months or longer, whether or not with intent to abandon, shall be resumed.
(5)
Any otherwise legal, preexisting, nonconforming use in a residential district may be continued, subject to the issuance of a special use permit by the Board of Appeals for residential uses or by the Planning Board for nonresidential uses.
(a)
The initial application for such nonconforming use special use permit shall be filed by the owner of the property within one year of the effective date of this subsection or, if later, the effective date of the applicability of this subsection to a particular nonconforming use. If the initial application is not so filed, it may be initiated at any time by the Village or by the owner of any property, any part of which is within 300 feet of any part of the property on which a nonconforming use exists or is asserted to exist.
(b)
Upon the filing of an application or other initiation of the nonconforming use special use permit process, the Board of Appeals or the Planning Board, as applicable, shall, after a public hearing, determine:
[1]
Whether a nonconforming use exists on the site.
[2]
If such nonconforming use exists, what terms and conditions applied to the lawful use of the property immediately prior to the date upon which the use became nonconforming.
[3]
Whether the use of the property at the time of the special use permit proceeding is in full compliance with such immediately prior terms and conditions. In making this determination, the applicable board shall consider all factors which may be pertinent under such immediately prior terms and conditions, which in particular cases may include, without limitation, building design, functional uses, emissions (noise, vibration, smoke, dust, odors or others), hours of operation, off-street parking, traffic, lighting, landscaping and screening.
(c)
If the applicable board determines, pursuant to Subsection A(5)(b)[3] above, that there is a nonconforming use and that such use of the property at the time of the special use permit proceeding is in full compliance with the aforementioned immediately prior terms and conditions, it shall grant the nonconforming use special use permit, setting forth the immediately prior terms and conditions so determined, which are to continue to pertain as long as the nonconforming use is lawfully continued.
(6)
Any commercial sale, delivery and/or transfer of firearms, ammunitions, ENDS and/or ENDS components and parts which was lawful prior to the adoption of § 310-89A(11) and (12) shall be deemed a nonconforming use. These nonconforming uses will be permitted to continue for a period not to exceed 12 months unless sooner terminated pursuant to another provision of § 310-67.
[Added 2-13-2019 by L.L. No. 1-2019]
B.
Construction on nonconforming unimproved lots.
(1)
An unimproved lot, that does not conform to the requirements of §§ 310-14 and 310-15A, is merged with an adjoining improved or unimproved lot if that lot is owned or controlled by the same owner of the adjoining improved or unimproved lot, unless said unimproved lot meets the requirements noted in Subsection B(2) or (3) below.
(2)
A building may be erected, altered or maintained on a lot in accordance with the setback and lot coverage requirements of this Code, subject to the special setback provisions of § 310-18 or 310-36, even if the lot does not conform to § 310-14 or 310-15A, provided that the following lot criteria are met:
(a)
On April 1, 1947, the lot conformed to the Zoning Ordinance in effect immediately prior to that date and the lot was shown on a plat filed in the County Office of Land Records; and
(b)
The lot was not reduced in area after February 1, 1947; and
(c)
The lot has an area of at least 75% of the current requirement; and
(d)
The lot has a width and length of streetline frontage of at least 85% of the current requirement.
(3)
A building may be erected, altered or maintained on a lot in accordance with the setback and lot coverage requirements of this Code, subject to the special setback provisions of § 310-18 or 310-36, if a lot is rendered nonconforming by any amendments to the Zoning Map (§ 310-4) adopted after October 2000, provided that the lot meets the following criteria:
(a)
The lot conformed to the Zoning Ordinance in effect immediately prior to the effective date of the amendment; and
(b)
The lot was not reduced in area in the month prior to the effective date of any amendment; and
(c)
The lot has an area of at least 65% of the current requirement; and
(d)
The lot has a width and length of streetline frontage of at least 80% of the current requirement.
C.
Construction on nonconforming improved lots.
(1)
(2)
Subject to the special setback provisions of §§ 310-18 and 310-36, and Subsection D(1) of this section, if applicable, an existing building may be enlarged, altered or maintained on a lot in accordance with the setback and lot coverage requirements of this Code if the lot is rendered nonconforming by zoning amendments to the Zoning Map (§ 310-4) adopted after October 2000, provided that the lot meets the following criteria:
D.
Nonconforming buildings. Nonconformity of any building shall not be a violation of this chapter if such building existed on March 1, 1957, and was permitted by the Zoning Ordinance in effect immediately prior to the date or if the building was permitted on the effective date of any modification of this chapter which rendered the building nonconforming. Such nonconforming building shall be permitted to continue, subject to the following conditions:
[Amended 1-10-2023 by L.L. No. 1-2023]
(1)
No such building which is nonconforming with respect to height, area of lot occupied or setback from any lot line shall be enlarged in any respect as to the portion thereof which is nonconforming, subject to the provisions of this chapter and § 310-18 or 310-36. Notwithstanding the foregoing, alterations of the portion thereof which is nonconforming, but which would not increase the existing nonconformity, shall be permitted.
(2)
No such nonconforming building, if changed to a conforming building which conforms to the provisions of this chapter, shall be changed to a nonconforming building.
(3)
No such nonconforming building, if all or substantially all thereof is destroyed due to any cause, shall be restored in a nonconforming form or location or for the continuance of a nonconforming use, except that such a building, if destroyed accidentally due to fire, explosion or other cause, may be restored in substantially the same form and location, but without enlargement, for a conforming use or the continuance, but without enlargement, of the nonconforming use provided that the restoration of the building is completed and any nonconforming use is continued within 12 months of the damage.
E.
Nonconforming lot coverage. Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the repair or replacement in-kind, as determined by the Building Inspector, of any legal nonconforming impervious surface or structure, such as a driveway, walkway, patio, tennis court, or swimming pool, provided such repair or replacement is completed within 12 months of any removal of the impervious surface or structure. Replacement in-kind shall not include the replacement of one type of impervious surface or structure for another, such as the replacement of a patio with a tennis court. Such repair or replacement shall not increase the existing impervious coverage on the lot. Notwithstanding any other provision or section of this Code, Subsection E shall not apply where site disturbance exceeds the threshold requiring site plan review established in § 251-1C(1).
[Added 1-10-2023 by L.L. No. 1-2023; amended 7-9-2024 by L.L. No. 7-2024]
[1]
Editor's Note: Section 14 of this local law provided as follows:
"This local law shall not prevent the issuance of a permit for any new building, building addition or alteration in compliance with the laws in effect prior to the effective date hereof for which a complete application was submitted prior to such date." (This local law became effective April 4, 1991.)