No land shall be occupied or used and no building hereafter erected or structurally altered shall be occupied or used in whole or in part for any purpose whatsoever until a certificate is issued by the building commissioner, stating that the building and use comply with the provisions of this ordinance and the building and health ordinances of the City of Ballwin. No change of use shall be made in any building or part thereof now or hereafter erected or structurally altered without a permit being issued therefor by the building commissioner. No permit shall be issued to make a change unless the changes are in conformity with the provisions of this ordinance.

Cross reference— Buildings and structures, ch. 7; health and sanitation, ch. 12; housing, ch. 13.

Nothing in this article shall prevent the continuance of a nonconforming use as hereinbefore authorized unless a discontinuance is necessary for the safety of life or property.

Certificates for occupancy and compliance shall be applied for coincidentally with the application for a building permit and shall be issued within ten days after the lawful erection or alteration of the building is completed. A record of all certificates shall be kept on file in the office of the building commissioner and copies shall be furnished on request to any person having a proprietary or tenancy interest in the building affected.

No permit for excavation for or the erection or alteration of any building shall be issued before the application has been made for certificates of occupancy and compliance, and no building or premises shall be occupied until the certificate and permit is [are] issued.

A certificate of occupancy shall be required of all nonconforming uses. Application for certificate of occupancy for nonconforming uses shall be filed within 12 months from the effective date of this ordinance.