Any land, the existing lawful use of which at the time of passage of this chapter does not conform to the regulations of the district in which it is located shall have such use considered as a nonconforming use, which may continue on such land but shall be subject to the regulations covering nonconforming uses. Any land which constituted a lawful nonconforming use under the East Norriton Township Zoning Ordinance of 1963 shall be governed by this article as of the date it first became a lawful nonconforming use under the 1963 Ordinance.[1]

Any lawful building or the lawful use of any building existing at the time of the passage of this chapter that does not conform to use, height, location, size or bulk or to the regulations of the district in which it is located shall be considered a nonconforming building or use and may continue such use in its present location but shall be subject to the regulations covering nonconforming uses. Any building which constituted a lawful nonconforming use under the East Norriton Township Zoning Ordinance of 1963 shall be governed by this article as of the date it first became a lawful nonconforming use under the 1963 Zoning Ordinance.

A nonconforming building or use shall be considered as such unless and until it complies with the regulations of the district in which it is located. Such use shall not be changed to a use designated for a district having less restrictive regulations, and such use shall be of the same class of use as the prior nonconforming use.

A nonconforming use, when discontinued, may be resumed or changed anytime within one year from such discontinuance, but not after.

Any lawful nonconforming use of a portion of a building may be extended throughout the building, and any lawful nonconforming building or any building of which a lawful nonconforming use is made may be extended upon the lot occupied by such building and held in single and separate ownership on the effective date of this chapter, except in case of nonconforming uses which existed prior to the effective date of this chapter, and, in those cases, the nonconformity shall be determined as of the date the use first became nonconforming, provided that the floor area of such building shall not be increased by more than a total of 50% of the area of such building existing on the date it first became a lawful nonconforming building or a building of which a lawful nonconforming use is made, and provided further that any structure, alteration, extension or addition shall conform to all the height, area, width, yard and coverage requirements for the district in which it is located.

Any lawful nonconforming use of a portion of a building may be extended throughout the building, and any lawful nonconforming building or any building of which a lawful nonconforming use is made may be extended upon the lot occupied by such building and held in single and separate ownership on the effective date of this chapter, except in cases of nonconforming uses which existed prior to the effective date of this chapter, and, in those cases, the nonconformity shall be determined as of the date the use first became nonconforming; in excess of the 50% allowed by the preceding subsection up to a maximum of 100% increase in floor area by special exception granted by the Zoning Hearing Board. Any such special exception shall provide that any structural alteration, extension or addition shall conform to all the height, area, width, yard and coverage requirements for the district in which it is located.