This chapter shall be known as the "Caroline
County Zoning Ordinance." The Zoning Ordinance includes both the text
and the Official Zoning District Maps herein adopted, together with
the Table of Uses.
This chapter is established and continued in
accordance with the provisions of former Article 66B, now the Land
Use Article, of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to
the unincorporated territory of Caroline County, Maryland.
This Zoning Ordinance is adopted in accordance
with the Caroline County Comprehensive Plan to promote and protect,
in accordance with present and future needs, the safety, health, morals
and general welfare of the citizens of Caroline County; to promote
the conservation of natural resources, including the preservation
of productive agricultural land; to protect the environment; to effect
the concentration of but avoid the congestion of population; to provide
adequate light and air; to prevent congestion in the streets; to ensure
the appropriate use and occupancy of land and buildings; to preserve
and enhance the attractiveness of the community; to preserve the cultural
heritage of the community; to provide for efficiency and economy in
the process of development; to provide for good civic design; to facilitate
the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewerage, schools,
recreation, parks and other public utilities, services and facilities;
to preserve the character of the land and its suitability for particular
uses; to conserve the value of property and buildings; and to encourage
the orderly development and the most appropriate use of land throughout
the jurisdiction.
Should any section or provision of this chapter
be declared by the courts to be unconstitutional or invalid, such
decision shall not affect the validity of the chapter as a whole or
any part thereof other than the part so declared to be unconstitutional
or invalid.
Whenever any provision of this chapter conflicts
with any other provisions of law, whether set forth in this chapter
or contained in any law, rule, regulation, ordinance, deed restriction
or covenant covering any of the same subject matter, that provision
which is more restrictive or imposes the higher standard or requirement
shall govern.
No building, structure, land or part thereof
shall hereafter be used, occupied, altered, erected, constructed or
reconstructed unless in conformity with this chapter.
