The governing body of the City may by ordinance adopt or amend an Official Map of the City which shall reflect the appropriate provisions of the Master Plan. However, the governing body may adopt or amend an Official Map which in whole or in part is inconsistent with the appropriate provisions of the Master Plan, but only by the affirmative vote of a majority of its full authorized membership with the reasons for so acting recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

The Official Map shall be deemed conclusive with respect to the location and width of streets and public drainageways and the location and extent of flood control basins and public areas, whether or not such streets, ways, basins or areas are improved or unimproved or are in actual physical existence.

No permit for the erection of any building or structure shall be issued unless the lot abuts a street giving access to such proposed building or structure. Such street shall have been duly placed on the Official Map or shall be an existing state, county or City street or highway; or a street shown upon a plan approved by the Planning Board; or a street on a plat duly filed in the office of the County Recording Officer.

Before any such permit shall be issued, such street shall have been certified to be suitably improved to the satisfaction of the governing body or such suitable improvement shall have been assured by means of a performance guarantee, in accordance with standards and specifications for road improvements approved by this chapter as adequate in respect to the public health, safety and general welfare or the special circumstances of a particular street.

Where the enforcement of § 30-40 would entail practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship, or where the circumstances of the case do not require the building or structure to be related to a street, the Board of Adjustment may, upon application or appeal, vary the application of § 30-40 and direct the issuance of a permit subject to conditions that will provide adequate access for fire-fighting equipment, ambulances and other emergency vehicles necessary for the protection of health and safety, and that will protect any future street layout shown on the Official Map or on a general circulation plan element of the Master Plan.

The Board of Adjustment shall not exercise the power otherwise granted by this section if the proposed development requires approval by the Planning Board of a subdivision, site plan or conditional use in conjunction with which the Planning Board has power to direct the issuance of a permit pursuant to its ancillary powers.