It is the general purpose and intent of this Code to foster the use and development of land in an orderly manner by both private and public interests with consideration being given to the City's social, environmental, economic, and physical development goals and objectives. It is further recognized that the City needs to regulate and manage land use in order to implement sound Comprehensive Planning policies, and to protect individual landowners and general neighborhoods from incompatible and detrimental land uses. Therefore, the establishment of zoning districts and the regulations pertaining thereto as provided in this Code are declared to be essential to the public interest and are expressly found to be a matter pertaining to the City's government and affairs.

In addition to this general purpose and intent, this Code or portions thereof are further intended to give effect to the following specific purposes.

If any court of competent jurisdiction shall adjudge any provision of this Code to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect any other provisions of this Code not specifically included in said judgment order.

If any court of competent jurisdiction shall adjudge any provision of this Code invalid as it applies to a particular property, building, or other structure, such judgment shall not affect the application of said provision to any other property, building, or structure not specifically included in such judgment order.

In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this Code shall be held to be the minimum requirements deemed necessary for the promotion of the public health, safety, and general welfare.

This Code is not intended to abrogate any easement, covenant, or other private agreement, provided that where the regulations of this Code are more restrictive than such easements, covenants, or other private agreements, the requirements of this Code shall govern.

To the extent that a building, structure or use not lawfully existing at the time of the adoption of this Code is in conflict with the requirements of the Code, said building, structure or use shall remain unlawful hereunder.

Where the conditions imposed by any provision of this Code are either more or less restrictive than conditions imposed by any other law, ordinance, resolution, rule, or regulation applicable to property or to the use of property with the City of Bloomington, the regulation which is more restrictive, or which imposes the higher standard or requirement shall govern.

In cases where two or more standards in this chapter conflict with one another, the more restrictive standard shall not necessarily control. Rather, the Director of Development Services shall determine which standard controls based on the degree to which a particular standard results in:

Headings and illustrations are provided for convenience and reference only and do not define or limit the scope of any provision of this Code. In the case of any difference of meaning or implication between the text of this Code and any heading, drawing, table, figure, or illustration, the text shall govern.

No person shall hereafter use or occupy a building, structure or land or establish a use or construct, erect, place, structurally alter or maintain any building, structure, or part thereof within the City unless such use, building, structure, or land is in conformity with all the regulations herein specified for the district in which it is located.

It shall be the duty, obligation, and responsibility of the owner of property within the City to permit and maintain its use and occupancy only in strict accordance with the requirements of this Code.

No lot or yard existing on the effective date of this Code shall be reduced in dimension or area below the minimum requirements set forth herein, unless a variation for such reduction is granted by the Board of Zoning Board of Appeals in accordance with § 44-1708 of this Code.

Unless otherwise specifically permitted or authorized pursuant to a special use permit or by an approved final plan for a planned unit development, no person shall use any part of a lot, yard or other open space or off-street parking or loading space required about or in connection with any use or structure for the purpose of complying with this Code for any other use or structure.

Any lot or parcel of land which permits residential uses by right or special use permit, shall not be developed into a residential occupancy without first meeting the parkland dedication and reservation requirements of Article VII of the Subdivision Code, Chapter 24.

All parcels of land, in any zoning classification, which are improved with the addition of impervious surface (such as paved parking, sidewalks, roofs, etc.) shall be sloped and/or drained so as to prevent surface water from such impervious areas from running onto adjoining property in unreasonable volumes.

Any parcel of land, except those improved with a single one or two-family dwelling unit on a single lot, in any zoning classification, which are improved with the addition of 1,400 square feet or more of impervious surface, or any existing impervious surface in excess of 1,400 square feet which is being reconstructed, shall dispose of surface water in one or more of the following methods approved by the Director of Engineering and compliant with Chapter 6 of the Manual of Practice for the Design of Public Improvements in the City of Bloomington.