Promoting the health, safety, morals, and general welfare;

Securing adequate light, pure air, and safety from fire and other dangers;

Conserving the taxable value of land and buildings; and

Preserving and enhancing aesthetic values, generally, throughout the City of Lodi.

Dividing the entire City of Lodi into districts and regulating therein the location, construction, reconstruction, alteration and use of buildings, structures and land for residence, business, manufacturing or other specified uses;

Avoiding or lessening congestion in the public streets by adequate requirements for off-street parking and loading facilities;

Preventing the overcrowding of land by regulating and limiting the height and bulk of buildings hereafter erected;

Establishing, regulating, and limiting the building or setback lines on or along streets, alleys, or property lines;

Regulating and limiting the intensity of the use of lot areas and regulating and determining the area of open spaces within and surrounding such buildings;

Permitting in each of the zoning districts only those uses, buildings, and structures that are compatible with the character of each district;

Providing controls over additions to and alterations and remodeling of existing buildings and structures;

Providing controls governing the continuation of those uses, buildings, and structures that are incompatible with the character of the districts in which they are located;

Providing controls governing the size and location of signs and other forms of outdoor advertising;

Defining the powers and duties of the administrative officers and bodies for the administration and enforcement of this chapter; and

Prescribing penalties for the violation of the provisions of this chapter or of any amendment thereto.

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

Where the conditions imposed by any provisions of this chapter are either more or less restrictive than comparable standards imposed by any other provisions of this chapter or of any other applicable law, ordinance, resolution, rule, or regulation of any kind, the regulation that is more restrictive or that imposes higher standards or requirements shall govern.

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

No building, structure, or use not lawfully existing at the time of the adoption of this chapter shall become or be made lawful solely by reason of the adoption of this chapter. To the extent that said unlawful building, structure, or use is in conflict with the requirements of this chapter, said building, structure, or use remains unlawful hereunder.

The language of this chapter shall be interpreted in accordance with the following rules of construction. Words used in the present tense shall include the future; the singular number shall include the plural, and the plural the singular; the word "building" shall include the word "structure"; and the word "used" shall include "arranged, designed, constructed, altered, converted, rented, leased" or "intended to be used." The word "may" is permissive, and the word "shall" is mandatory and not discretionary. All distances shall be measured horizontally, except height which shall be measured vertically.

With respect to the classification of land uses that are not defined or specifically listed within this chapter, the Zoning Administrator shall make interpretations based on the most recent edition of the Standard Industrial Classification Manual (SIC) published by the United States Office of Management and Budget.

If any court of competent jurisdiction shall adjudge any provision of this chapter to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect any other provision of this chapter not specifically included in said judgment;

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