In any district in which single-family dwellings are permitted, a single-family dwelling and customary accessory building may be erected on any single lot of record at the effective date of adoption or amendment of this appendix, notwithstanding limitations imposed by other provisions of this appendix. 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 requirements for area or width, or both, that are generally applicable in the district, provided that yard dimensions and requirements other than those applying to area or width, or both, of the lots shall conform to the regulations for the district in which such lot is located.

If two or more lots or combinations of lots and portions of lots with continuous frontage in single ownership are of record at the time of passage or amendment of this appendix, and if all or part of the lots do not meet the requirements established for lot width and area, the lands involved shall be considered to be an undivided parcel for the purposes of this appendix, and no portion of said parcel shall be used or sold in a manner which diminishes compliance with lot width and area requirements established by this appendix, nor shall any division of any parcel be made which creates a lot with width or area less than the requirements stated in this appendix.

Where at the time of passage of this appendix lawful use of land exists which would not be permitted by the regulations imposed by this appendix, and where such use involves no individual structure with a replacement cost exceeding $1,000.00, the use may be continued so long as it remains otherwise lawful, provided:

(1)

No such nonconforming use shall be enlarged or increased nor extended to occupy a greater area of land than was occupied at the effective date of adoption or amendment of this appendix.

(2)

No such nonconforming use shall be moved in whole or in part to any portion of the lot or parcel other than that occupied by such use at the effective date of adoption or amendment of this appendix.

(3)

If any such nonconforming use of land ceases for any reason for a period of more than 120 days, any subsequent use of such land shall conform to the regulations specified by this appendix for the district in which such land is located.

(4)

No additional structure not conforming to the requirements of this appendix shall be erected in connection with such nonconforming use of land.

Where a lawful structure exists at the effective date of adoption or amendment of the ordinance from which this appendix is derived which could not be built under the terms of this appendix due to restrictions on area, lot coverage, height, yards, its location on the lot or other requirements concerning the structure, such structure may be continued so long as it remains otherwise lawful, subject to the following provisions:

(1)

No such nonconforming structure may be enlarged or altered in a way which increases its degree of nonconformity, but any structure or portion thereof may be altered to decrease its degree of nonconformity.

(2)

Should such nonconforming structure or nonconforming portion of a structure be destroyed by any means to an extent of more than 50 percent of its replacement cost at the time of destruction, it shall not be reconstructed except in conformity with the provisions of this appendix.

(3)

Should such structure be moved for any reason for any distance whatever, it shall thereafter conform to the regulations for the district in which it is located after it is moved.

If lawful use involving individual structures with a replacement cost of $1,000.00 or more, or of structure and land in combination, exists at the effective date of adoption or amendment of this appendix, the lawful use may be continued so long as it remains otherwise lawful, subject to the following provisions:

(1)

No existing structure devoted to a use not permitted by this appendix in the district in which it is located shall be enlarged, extended, constructed, reconstructed, moved or structurally altered except in changing the use of the structure to a use permitted in the district in which it is located.

(2)

Any nonconforming use may be extended throughout any parts of a building which were manifestly arranged or designed for such use at the time of adoption or amendment of this appendix, but no such use shall be extended to occupy any land outside such building.

(3)

If no structural alterations are made, any nonconforming use of a structure, or structure and premises, may be changed to another nonconforming use, provided that the proposed use is equally appropriate or more appropriate to the district than the existing nonconforming use. In permitting such change, the city council may require appropriate conditions and safeguards in accord with the provisions of this appendix.

(4)

Any structure, or structure and land in combination, in or on which a nonconforming use is superseded by a permitted use, shall thereafter conform to the regulations for the district, and the nonconforming use may not thereafter be resumed.

(5)

When a nonconforming use of a structure, or structure and land in combination, is discontinued or abandoned for six consecutive months (except when government action impedes access to the premises), the structure, or structure and premises in combination, shall not thereafter be used except in conformity with the regulations of the district in which it is located.

(6)

Where nonconforming use status applies to a structure and premises in combination, removal or destruction of the structure shall eliminate the nonconforming status of the land. The term "destruction," for the purpose of this subsection, is defined as damage to an extent of more than 50 percent of the replacement cost at time of destruction.

(a)

For any nonconforming structure or portion of a structure containing a nonconforming use, work may be done in any period of 12 consecutive months on ordinary repairs, or on repair or replacement of non-bearing walls, fixtures, wiring or plumbing, to an extent not exceeding ten percent of the current replacement cost of the nonconforming portion of the structure as the case may be, provided that the cubic content existing when it became nonconforming shall not be increased.

(b)

If a nonconforming structure or portion of a structure containing a nonconforming use becomes physically unsafe or unlawful due to lack of repairs and maintenance, and is declared by any duly authorized official to be unlawful by reason of physical condition, it shall not thereafter be restored, repaired or rebuilt except in conformity with the regulations of the district in which it is located.

(c)

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

There are found to be certain uses of land, buildings and structures which have an adverse effect on the carrying out of the land use plan, and which can be discontinued after a reasonable time irrespective of aforementioned rules as to nonconforming uses. The following uses shall be removed or made conforming within the specified amortization period. Said amortization period shall commence upon the effective date of the ordinance from which this appendix is derived.

(1)

Fences, walls and foliage which constitute a hazard by virtue of impairing sight distances at a curve or intersection shall be made conforming within 90 days. However, nothing contained herein shall be construed to place a duty upon the city or any agent thereof to remove or require the removal of such items.

(2)

Outdoor advertising signs and billboards deemed a nuisance shall conform within five years or the remainder of any lease, whichever is the lesser. Outdoor advertising signs and billboards deemed a hazard by the building official shall conform or be removed with six months' notice.

(3)

All provisions in business or industrial districts of this appendix setting forth specifications for the operation of a business or industry requiring fencing or opaque shielding shall be complied with within one calendar year.

(4)

Nonconforming open storage operations, such as truck parking, automobile wrecking or salvage material storage and similar uses, shall be made conforming within two calendar years.

(5)

Nonconforming frame, block or light metal structures shall be made conforming within 25 years of adoption of this appendix.

(6)

Structures incurring damage of less than 50 percent of fair market value above the foundation may be restored and used as before, provided that such restoration is commenced within six calendar months from the date damages were incurred. If reconstruction is not commenced within six months, the use of said land or structure shall thereafter conform with the provisions of this appendix. Fair market value shall be determined by reference to current statutory provisions pertaining to real estate assessment and the records of the city assessor.