The office of Zoning Inspector is hereby established. The City Manager or his or her designee shall serve as Zoning Inspector. The Mayor and Council, at their discretion, may arrange for the sharing of a Zoning Inspector with Worcester County or with another municipality in the county, provided that such Inspector shall be responsible to the City Manager for any zoning certificate issued or action taken with respect to the administration and enforcement of this chapter.

It shall be the duty of the Zoning Inspector to administer and cause the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter in accordance with its administrative provisions. All municipal officials and employees who are vested with the duty or authority to issue permits or licenses shall conform to the provisions of this chapter and shall issue no permit or license for any use, building or purpose if the same would be in conflict with the provisions of this chapter. Any permit or license issued in conflict with the provisions of this chapter shall be null and void.

Except as otherwise provided herein, it shall be unlawful to locate, erect or begin the construction, reconstruction, extension, conversion or structural alteration of any building or structure or to begin the excavation there for or the construction of a well or sewage disposal system, other than the reconstruction, replacement or extension of any existing well or sewage disposal system, without first applying for a zoning certificate there for. Likewise, it shall be unlawful to use or permit the use of any building or land or part thereof hereafter created or erected, wholly or partly, or to change the use or permit the change of use of any building, structure or land until a zoning certificate (together with special use permit, where required) shall have been issued by the Zoning Inspector. Such zoning certificate shall show that the building or other structure or part thereof and the proposed use thereof, or the proposed use of the land or premises, conform to the provisions of this chapter. It shall be the duty of the Zoning Inspector to issue such zoning certificate if he or she finds to his or her satisfaction that the building, structure, premises and proposed use thereof conform to all the requirements herein set forth.

Application for a zoning certificate shall be made to the Zoning Inspector coincident with the application for a building permit where such is required. Every application for a zoning certificate, whether in connection with a building permit or not, shall be accompanied by a drawing approximately to scale showing the shape and dimensions of the lot to be used or built upon, the size and location on the lot of every existing building and structure and its driveways, the existing and intended use of the premises and of each building or part thereof and such other information with regard to the lot and its neighboring lots, buildings and uses as may be necessary to determine and provide for the administration and enforcement of this chapter.

Issuance of a zoning certificate shall be withheld until the building or the necessary work thereon has been completed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. No work shall be commenced, however, before the issuance of a building permit there for showing that application has been made for a zoning certificate and that the building or part thereof and the proposed use thereof conform to the provisions of this chapter. No construction work shall be started before the lot and the location thereon of the projected building or other improvements have been staked out on the ground and have been inspected by the Zoning Inspector.

A building permit issued in accordance with the provisions of this chapter shall become void 12 months after the date of its issuance if the construction for which it was issued has not been started or has been substantially discontinued. Once the permit becomes void, reapplication must be made.

Upon written request from the owner or tenant, the Zoning Inspector shall issue a zoning certificate for any building or premises lawfully existing at the time of enactment of this chapter certifying, after inspection, the extent and kind of use made of the building or premises and whether or not such use conforms to the provisions of this chapter. Application for such certificate shall be made within 12 months after the date of enactment of this chapter.

A filing fee shall accompany each application for a zoning certificate, in such amount as may be determined by the Mayor and Council.

It shall be unlawful to locate, erect, construct, reconstruct, enlarge, change, maintain or use any building or land in violation of any regulation in or any provision of this chapter or any amendment or supplement thereto, or to fail to comply with any reasonable requirement or condition imposed by the Board of Appeals. Any person, firm or corporation violating the provisions of this chapter or of any amendment or supplement thereto shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished as provided in the general penalty provisions of § 1-18 of this Code. Each day of failure to comply with any provision shall constitute a separate violation.

All zoning certificates and building permits shall be revocable for failure to comply with all applicable requirements and conditions.