Preserve and enhance the integrity, stability and livability of residential neighborhoods;

Maintain property values by stabilizing expectations and ensuring predictability in development;

Prevent or minimize land use incompatibilities and conflicts;

Prevent overcrowding of buildings and overdevelopment of sites and excessive concentrations of population or commercial activities;

Encourage commercial revitalization;

Preserve and enhance the city’s natural environment and avoid natural hazards in the development of the city;

Balance the protection of community and neighborhood resources with the need to promote economic development and protect individual property rights;

Maintain opportunities for development and redevelopment to respond to changes in the marketplace, while respecting the character of surrounding areas;

Establish a process that effectively and fairly applies the regulations and standards of this chapter and respects the rights of property owners and the interests of citizens.

Except as provided in Articles 16 and 19 of this ordinance, no land shall hereafter be used and no building or structure shall hereafter be occupied, used, erected, altered, removed, placed, demolished or converted which is arranged or designed to be used for other than those uses specified for the district in which it is located and as set forth by the proper District and contained within the Schedule of Uses or Chart of Uses incorporated in this Ordinance.

No building, structure or land shall hereafter be used or occupied, and no building, structure or part thereof shall hereafter be erected, constructed, reconstructed, installed or structurally altered, except in conformance with all the regulations specified in this Zoning Ordinance.

The lot area, required yards and other open spaces provided in connection with any structure or use, in order to comply with the regulations specified in this Zoning Ordinance, shall be situated on the same lot as the structure or use.

No part of a yard, open space or off-street parking and loading area required in connection with this Zoning Ordinance shall be included as part of a yard, open space, off-street parking or loading area similarly required for another building, except as allowed under specific provisions for shared parking facilities.

No yard or lot existing on the effective date of this Zoning Ordinance shall be reduced in dimension or area below the minimum requirements set forth herein. Yards or lots created after the effective date of this Zoning Ordinance shall meet the minimum requirements established herein.

This Zoning Ordinance is not intended to abrogate or annul (1) any permits properly issued or land use created before the effective date of this Zoning Ordinance, with the exception to any use deemed hazardous to the health, safety or welfare of Littlefield residents by the proper authority(ies), or (2) any easement, covenant or any other private agreement.

Except as specifically provided, the provisions of this Zoning Ordinance shall not affect any building permit issued or any valid building permit application filed prior to the effective date of this Zoning Ordinance, provided that construction pursuant to such permit, if and when issued, is commenced within six (6) months of the date of issuance of the permit and diligently pursued to completion.

No presently illegal use shall be deemed to have been legalized unless such use specifically falls within a zoning district where the actual use is a conforming use. Otherwise, such uses shall remain legally nonconforming uses where recognized, or an illegal use, as the case may be.

No offense committed, and no liability, penalty or forfeiture, either civil or criminal, shall be discharged or affected by the adoption of this Zoning Ordinance; but prosecutions and suits for such offenses, liabilities, penalties or forfeitures may be instituted or causes presently pending continued.

If a use lawfully occupying land or buildings is classified by the Zoning District where located or by the Use Table, such use shall not be considered a nonconforming use. Any existing use shall become nonconforming unless or until zoned within the correct Zoning District. The existing use shall be considered a lawful nonconforming use, the same as if the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council had expressly approved the location of that use on the lot where existing at the effective date of this Zoning Ordinance.