No nonconforming vacant lot shall be further reduced in size. In residential districts, such lots, as well as those which are consolidated into a single lot but still are nonconforming in area or dimension, may be improved for a single-family residence and its permitted accessory uses without appeal for variance relief provided the following provisions are met:
A. 
The lot is in separate ownership at the date of adoption of this chapter, and not contiguous to lots in the same ownership, and the owner has made a conscientious effort to acquire additional property. However, in the case of two or more contiguous lots under the same ownership, regardless of whether or not each may have been approved as a subdivision, acquired by separate conveyance or by other operation of law, where one or more of said lots does not conform with the area and/or division requirements for the zone in which it is located, the contiguous lots shall be considered as a single lot and the provisions of the applicable zoning district shall apply.
B. 
The lot must be a minimum of 5,000 square feet in area, with a minimum frontage of 50 feet.
C. 
As appropriate, all necessary health approvals are given by the responsible municipal agency or its agent.
D. 
All other regulations prescribed for the zone must be complied with.
E. 
Yard exceptions.
(1) 
Where the lot does not have the required width, each side yard may be reduced by six inches for each one foot that the lot is below the minimum required width, and provided that the principal building shall be a minimum of five feet from the property line.
(2) 
Where the lot does not have required depth, the rear yard may be reduced six inches for every foot below 100 feet in depth except that no rear yard shall be less than 1/2 that required by the zoning district.
(3) 
If, after the application of the exceptions in Subsection E(1) and (2) above, front yard infringement is necessary, no building shall be set back less than 50% of the required front yard in the zoning district.
A. 
Any lawful nonconforming use which existed on the date of adoption of the ordinance which made the use nonconforming may be continued upon the lot or in the structure so occupied providing that no nonconforming use which has been changed to a conforming use shall thereafter be changed back to a nonconforming use and no nonconforming use shall be changed to another nonconforming use.
B. 
Any structure or yard area containing a nonconforming use on the date of adoption of the ordinance which made the use nonconforming shall not be enlarged unless the use is changed to a conforming use.
C. 
Any nonconforming structure existing at the time of the passage of the ordinance which made the structure nonconforming may be continued upon the lot so occupied and any such structure may be repaired or restored in the event of the partial destruction thereof, provided that it does not extend or expand the nonconformance. Residential dwellings as a nonconforming use may be rebuilt in the event of the total destruction thereof.
D. 
Normal repairs and maintenance work required to keep a structure in sound condition may be made to a nonconforming structure or to a structure containing a nonconforming use, provided it does not extend or expand the nonconformance.
[Added by Ord. No. 01-02]
A. 
An existing detached single-family dwelling, which is either a nonconforming use or structure, may be enlarged or a detached accessory structure may be constructed or enlarged, provided that such construction or enlargement conforms with all minimum yard area regulations of the appropriate zone.
B. 
An existing detached single-family dwelling or detached accessory structure which is either a nonconforming use or structure may be enlarged provided that such enlargement does not decrease the distance between the structure and the property line contiguous to the nonconforming yard area, nor extend the structure into a yard area which is now conforming such that it becomes nonconforming. In no case shall this exception apply to an enlargement within a nonconforming yard area previously authorized by variance.
C. 
Alterations to detached single-family dwellings which are either nonconforming uses or structures, including but not limited to the construction of the following typical residential uses or facilities: decks, patios, swimming pools, gazebos, driveways and fences shall be permitted as of right as long as said alteration can comply with all applicable bulk regulations of the appropriate zone and all other applicable standards.