Except as provided in this Article, any nonconforming use of
any structure or land existing on the effective date of this chapter
may be continued.
In any district, whenever a nonconforming use of land, premises,
building or structure has been discontinued for a period of one year,
such nonconforming use shall not thereafter be reestablished, and
all future use shall be in conformity with the provisions of this
chapter.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, any billboard,
advertising structure or nonconforming sign in existence in any R-1,
R-2 or R-3 District on the effective date of this chapter shall, at
the expiration of three years from such date, become a prohibited
and unlawful use and shall thereupon be discontinued; provided, however,
that lawfully existing signs accessory to an institutional building
or to a nonconforming business or industrial building shall not be
subject to this section.
Once changed to a conforming use, no building or land shall
be permitted to revert to a nonconforming use. A nonconforming use
may be changed to a use of the same classification upon approval of
the Board of Appeals or to a use of more restricted classification;
and when so changed to a more restricted classification, such use
thereafter shall not be changed to a less restricted classification.
A nonconforming use shall not be extended except within the
same building or on the same lot, in the case of uses not located
within buildings, which it partially occupied on the effective date
of this chapter.
A building devoted to a nonconforming use may not be reconstructed
or structurally altered during its life to an extent exceeding in
aggregate cost 75% of the equalized assessed value (i.e., full value)
of the building on the effective date of this chapter, unless said
building is changed to a conforming use. No building damaged by fire
or other causes to the extent of more than 75% of its equalized assessed
value shall be repaired or rebuilt except in conformity with the regulations
of this chapter, unless completely rebuilt on the original foundations
within a period of two years from the date of such damage.
Whenever the boundaries of a district shall be changed so as
to transfer an area from one district to another district of a different
classification, or whenever the text of this chapter shall be changed
with respect to the uses permitted in a district, the foregoing provisions
shall also apply to any nonconforming uses existing therein.