Otter Creek Township Zoning Ordinance - Mercer County Regional ...

ARTICLE XNON-CONFORMING USES, STRUCTURES AND LOTSSection 1000: Intent and StandardsWithin the districts established by this ordinance or amendments that may later be adoptedthere exist lots, structures, and uses of land and structures which were lawful before thisordinance was passed or amended, but which would be prohibited under the terms of thisordinance or future amendment.It is the intent of this ordinance to permit these non-conformities to continue until they areremoved. Such uses are declared by this ordinance to be incompatible with permitted uses inthe districts involved. Non-conformities may be enlarged and expanded only by the approvalof the Zoning Hearing Board. Any enlargements or expansions approved by the ZoningHearing Board shall meet the Provisions of Use for that type of use. Non-conformingindustrial uses shall meet the Provisions of Use for the Industrial District and likewise anyNon-conforming commercial uses shall meet the Provisions of Use requirements for theBusiness-Highway District when they are either enlarged or expanded.A non-conforming use of a structure, a non-conforming use of land, or non-conforming use ofa structure and land shall not be extended or enlarged after passage of this ordinance byattachment of additional signs to a building, or the placement of additional signs or displaydevices on the land outside the building, or by the addition of other uses, if such additions areof a nature which would be prohibited generally in the district involved.Nothing in this ordinance shall be deemed to require a change in the plans, construction, ordesignated use of any building on which actual construction was lawfully begun prior to theeffective date of adoption or amendment of this ordinance and upon which actual buildingconstruction has been diligently carried on. Actual construction is defined to include theplacing of construction materials in permanent position and fastened in a permanent manner,and demolition, elimination, and removal of an existing structure in connection with suchconstruction, provided that actual construction work shall be diligently carried on until thecompletion of the building involved.Section 1001:Non-Conforming Lots of RecordIn any district in which single-family dwellings are permitted, notwithstanding limitationsimposed by other provisions of this ordinance, a single-family dwelling and customaryaccessory buildings may be erected on any single lot of record at the effective date of adoptionor amendment of this ordinance. Such lot must be in separate ownership and not ofcontinuous frontage with other lots in the same ownership. This provision shall apply eventhough such lots fail to meet the requirements for area or width, or both, that are applicable in67