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Denham Springs City Zoning Code

ARTICLE 3

- NONCONFORMING USES OF LOTS, LAND, OR STRUCTURES

Sec. 3.01.- Intent.

If within the districts established by this ordinance or amendments that may later be adopted there exists lots, structures, and uses of land and structures which were lawful before the adoption or amendment of this ordinance, but which would prohibited under the terms of this ordinance, it is the intent of this ordinance to permit these nonconforming uses to continue, but not to encourage their survival. Such uses are declared by this ordinance to be incompatible with permitted uses in the districts involved.

(Ord. of 7-23-90)

Sec. 3.02. - Continuation of nonconforming uses of land and/or structures.

Any use of a structure and/or land existing at the time of enactment or subsequent amendment of this ordinance, but not in conformity with its provisions, may be continued subject to the following provisions:

3.02.1 The use of the building and land cannot be changed to another nonconforming use.

3.02.2 If the nonconforming use has ceased for a period of six continuous calendar months, it shall not be re-established, provided that, if the lessee of any building or place used or occupied for nonconforming purposes under a bona fide lease shall at any time before the expiration of said lease discontinue occupancy or use of said building or land, it shall be considered vacant until the owner of said building or place shall again obtain control of its occupancy and use. This exception shall not apply, however, if lessor, for any reason be entitled to regain possession and does not by legal or other effective means attempt to do so.

3.02.3 A nonconforming building shall not be rebuilt after damage exceeding 75 percent of the fair sales value of the building immediately prior to damage.

3.02.4 A nonconforming use of a building or portion thereof, or land or a portion thereof, shall not be extended or enlarged except in conformity with this ordinance. "Extended" is construed to include attachment of signs or display material on land outside of the building, or the attachment of racks, balconies, or other projections from the buildings, providing, however, that dwellings which are nonconforming only as to height and/or yard areas may be structurally altered, or enlarged as provided in section 2.01 of this ordinance.

(Ord. of 7-23-90)

Sec. 3.03. - Repairing nonconforming buildings and completing construction of nonconforming buildings.

Nothing in this ordinance shall be deemed a prohibition against strengthening or restoring to a safe condition a building or portion thereof declared to be unsafe by any public official charged with protecting the public safety, upon order of such official.

To avoid undue hardship, nothing in this ordinance shall be deemed to require a change in the plans, construction, or designated use of any building on which actual construction was lawfully begun prior to the effective date of adoption of amendment of this ordinance and upon which actual building construction has been diligently carried on. Actual construction is hereby defined to include the placing of construction materials in permanent position and fastening these materials in a permanent manner, and demolition, elimination, and removal of an existing structure in connection with such construction, provided that actual construction work shall be diligently carried on until the completion of the building involved.

(Ord. of 7-23-90)

Sec. 3.04. - Nonconforming lots of record.

In any district in which single family dwellings are permitted, notwithstanding limitations imposed by other provisions of this ordinance, a single family dwelling and customary accessory buildings may be erected on any single lot which is of record at the effective date of adoption or amendment of this ordinance. Such lot must be in separate ownership and not of continuous frontage with other lots in the same ownership. This provision shall apply even though such lots fail to meet the area requirements for the district, provided, however, that the building placed upon said lot shall conform to the yard requirements of the district as closely as possible.

(Ord. of 7-23-90)