The provisions of this chapter shall be interpreted to be the
minimum requirements adopted for the promotion of the health, safety,
morals or the general welfare of the City of Melrose, Massachusetts,
and except for Chapter 25, Zoning, of the Revised Ordinances of 1956,
City of Melrose, Massachusetts, and all subsequent amendments thereto,
the provisions of this chapter are not intended to repeal, amend,
abrogate, annul or in any way impair or interfere with any lawfully
adopted ordinance, covenants, regulations or rules. Whenever the regulations
made under the authority hereof differ from those prescribed by any
statute, ordinance or other regulation, that provision which imposes
the greater restriction or the higher standard shall govern.
Except as herein provided, the provisions of this chapter shall
apply to the erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration or
use of buildings or structures or use of land. Except as herein provided,
any existing conforming use, structure or lot shall not by any action
become nonconforming, and any existing nonconforming use, structure
or lot shall not become further nonconforming.
[Amended 7-16-1973 by Ord. No. 18052]
This chapter shall not apply to existing buildings or structures,
nor to the existing use of any building or structure or of land, to
the extent to which it is legally used at the time of adoption of
this chapter, but it shall apply to any change of use thereof and
to any alteration of a building or structure when the same would amount
to reconstruction, extension or structural change and to any alteration
of a building or structure to provide for its use for a purpose or
in a manner substantially different from the use to which it was put
before alteration or for its use for the same purpose to a substantially
greater extent, except as hereinafter provided.
In cases of mixed occupancy, the regulations for each use shall
apply to the portion of the building or land so used.
