Pursuant to the authority conferred by the Public Acts of the State of Michigan, this Ordinance has been established for the purpose of:

A.

Promoting and protecting the public health, safety, and general welfare;

B.

Promoting the orderly and beneficial development of residential and non-residential areas within the City of Norway;

C.

Regulating the intensity of use of land and lot areas and determining the area of open spaces surrounding buildings and structures necessary to provide adequate light, air, access and privacy to protect the public health;

D.

Lessening and avoiding congestion or other traffic-related problems on the public highways and roads;

E.

Facilitating adequate and efficient provision for transportation systems, sewage disposal, water, energy, education, recreation, and other public service and facility needs;

F.

Protecting the public and adjacent uses from fire, explosion, noxious fumes or odors, excessive heat, dust, smoke, glare, noise, vibration, radioactivity, and other health and safety hazards;

G.

Preventing the overcrowding of land and undue concentration of buildings and structures so far as possible and appropriate in each zoning district by regulating the use and bulk of buildings in relation to the land surrounding them;

H.

Enhancing social and economic stability in the City of Norway;

I.

Conserving the taxable value of land, buildings and structures in the City of Norway;

J.

Enhancing the aesthetic desirability of the environment throughout the City of Norway;

K.

Conserving the expenditure of funds for public improvements and services to conform to the most advantageous uses of land;

L.

Protecting the character and stability of the City of Norway's valuable natural resources-its forests and agriculture;

M.

Providing for the needs of forest resource production, housing, and commerce for future growth;

N.

Preservation of agricultural uses in the City of Norway; and

O.

Regulating the growth of the City of Norway.

This Ordinance shall be known and may be cited as the City of Norway Zoning Ordinance.

This Ordinance shall become effective seven days following publication of the notice of adoption in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Norway.

In interpreting and applying the provisions of this Ordinance, they shall be held to be the minimum requirements adopted for the promotion of the public health, safety, comfort, convenience, prosperity and general welfare. Unless specifically provided for, it is not intended by this Ordinance to repeal, abrogate, annul or in any way impair or interfere with the existing and unrepealed provision of law or ordinance or any rules, regulations, or permits previously adopted or issued pursuant to law relating to the use of building or land, provided however, that where this Ordinance imposes a greater restriction upon the courtyards or other open spaces that are imposed or required by such existing provisions of law or ordinance or by such rules, regulations or permits, the provisions of this Ordinance shall control.

A certain document, three copies of which are on file in the offices of the city clerk, being marked and designated as the International Property Maintenance Code as published by the International Code Council, Inc., be and is hereby adopted as the property maintenance code of the city for regulating and governing the conditions and maintenance of all property, buildings and structures by providing the standards for supplied utilities and facilities and other physical things and conditions essential to ensure that structures are safe, sanitary and fit for occupation and use; and the condemnation of buildings and structures unfit for human occupancy and use, and the demolition of such existing structures as herein provided; providing for the issuance of permits and collection of fees therefore; and each and all of the regulations, provisions, penalties, conditions and terms of said property maintenance code on file in the office of the city are hereby referred to, adopted, and made a part hereof, as if fully set out in this article, with the additions, insertions, deletions and changes, if any, prescribed in section 8-32 of the City of Norway Code of Ordinances.

This Ordinance and the various parts, sections, subsections, and clauses thereof, are declared to be severable. If any part, sentence, paragraph, subsection, section, or clause is adjudged unconstitutional or invalid, it is provided that the remainder of this Ordinance shall not be affected. If any part, sentence, paragraph, subsection, section, or clause is adjudged unconstitutional, or invalid as applied to a particular property; building, or structure, it is provided that the application of such portion of this Ordinance to other property, buildings, or structures shall not be affected. Whenever any condition or limitation is included in an order authorizing any conditional use permit, variance, zoning compliance permit, site plan approval, or designation of nonconformance, it shall be conclusively presumed that the authorizing officer or body considered such condition or limitation necessary to carry out the spirit and purpose of this Ordinance or the requirement of some provision thereof, and to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, and that the officer or board would not have granted the authorization to which the condition or limitation pertains except in the belief that the condition or limitation was lawful.

Nothing in this Ordinance should be interpreted or construed to give rise to any permanent vested rights in the continuation of any particular use, district, zoning classification or any permissible activities and, they are hereby declared to be subject to subsequent amendment, change or modification as may be necessary to the preservation or protection of public health, safety, and welfare.

The Zoning Ordinance for the Norway Area, Michigan, adopted by the City of Norway on October 18, 2010, and subsequent amendments, is hereby repealed.

A.

Zoning compliance permits shall require proof of pins placed by a licensed land surveyor when setbacks and property lines are in question at the discretion of the zoning administrator.

B.

Appeals: See section 1503.B.1.