These regulations shall be known and may be cited as the "Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance" of the Town of St. Francisville in the State of Louisiana.

A.

Purpose. These zoning regulations as herein set forth have been prepared for the Town of St. Francisville, Louisiana to safeguard the health, property and public welfare by controlling the design, location, use or occupancy of all buildings and structures through the regulated and orderly development of land and land uses within this jurisdiction.

B.

Authority. This Ordinance adopted pursuant to the Charter of the Town of St. Francisville, and the provisions of R.S. 33:4721 et seq., R.S. 33:101 et seq., and R.S. 25:731 et seq. of the Louisiana statutes and the Constitution of the State of Louisiana in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of the Town of St. Francisville, Louisiana.

C.

Commission provisions.

1.

Under the authority of the R.S. 33:101 et seq. the Town of St. Francisville maintains a municipal planning commission, to be known as the "St. Francisville Planning Commission" or "planning commission" herein, whose administrative provisions are found in the Town of St. Francisville Code of Ordinances.

2.

As per R.S. 33:4721 et seq. the municipal planning commission shall also serve as the municipal zoning commission, and shall have all of the powers conferred upon zoning commissions by law, and shall be known as the "St. Francisville Zoning Commission" or "zoning commission" herein. The administrative provisions for the zoning commission are found in the Town of St. Francisville Code of Ordinances.

3.

There may be a board of zoning adjustment, the membership, terms of office, and rights and duties of which shall be provided in R.S. 33:4727, as amended.

D.

Any reference or citation made in this ordinance to any duly enacted statute of the United States of America or of the State of Louisiana; or any duly enacted ordinance of the Parish of West Feliciana or of the Town of St. Francisville; or any regulation enacted or promulgated by any department, agency, bureau or other institution or subdivision of the United States of America, the State of Louisiana, the Parish of West Feliciana or of the Town of St. Francisville shall refer to the provisions of the cited or referenced statute, ordinance or regulation as of the date of the enactment of this ordinance or as cited or referenced statute, Ordinance or regulation may thereafter from time to time be amended, reenacted or re-designated.

E.

All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith or incompatible with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed.

F.

Upon the effective date of this ordinance, the pre-existing Appendix A: Zoning Ordinance of the St. Francisville Code of Ordinances shall be repealed.

A.

These regulations shall apply to all the areas located within the corporate limits of the Town of St. Francisville. All developments shall meet minimum standards and requirements of these regulations, as amended. This ordinance, or any amendment thereto, shall not affect the validity of any building permit lawfully issued prior to the effective date of the ordinance, or any amendment thereto, provided that the permit is valid upon the effective date of the adoption of this ordinance or any amendment thereto, that construction authorized by such permit has commenced prior to the effective date of the ordinance, or any amendment thereto, and provided that construction has and does continue without interruption until development is completed.

B.

Any use established on the effective date of this ordinance and which conforms to the conditional use provisions applicable in the zoning district in which the use is located shall be considered a lawful conditional use; provided that the use continues to conform to the provisions of this ordinance.

C.

This ordinance, or amendment thereto, shall not affect the validity of variances granted prior to the effective date of this ordinance, or amendment thereto. Said variances shall remain in effect after the effective date of this ordinance, and shall constitute variances to the applicable provisions of this ordinance.

A.

The provisions of this code shall apply to the construction, addition, alteration, moving, repair and use of any building, structure, parcel of land or sign within the town, except work located primarily in a public way, public utility towers and poles and public utilities unless specifically mentioned in this code.

B.

Where, in any case, different sections of this code specify different requirement, the more restrictive shall govern. Where there is conflict between a general requirement and a specific requirement, the specific requirement shall be applicable.

C.

In fulfilling these purposes, this ordinance is intended to benefit the public as a whole and not any specific person or class of persons. Although, through the implementation, administration and enforcement of this code, benefits and detriments will be enjoyed or suffered by specific individuals, such as merely a byproduct of the overall benefit to the whole community. Therefore, the Town of St. Francisville, its officers, agents and employees shall have qualified immunity against unintentional breaches of the obligation of administration and enforcement imposed on the jurisdiction hereby.

D.

If any portion of this code is held invalid for any reason, the remaining herein shall not be affected.

The board of aldermen shall establish a schedule of fees, charges and expenses and a collection procedure for building permits, certificates of occupancy, appeals and other matter pertaining to this ordinance. This schedule of fees shall be available from the mayor's office in the Town of St. Francisville and may be altered or amended only by the board of aldermen. No permit, certificate, conditional use or variance shall be issued unless or until such costs, charges, fees or expenses have been paid in full.

A.

Lawfully established buildings and uses, lighting, landscaping, parking, building setbacks, and other site features in existence at the time of the adoption of this ordinance shall be permitted to lawfully continue subject to the provisions of section 6.1 (Nonconforming Uses, Lots and Structures) and other provisions of this ordinance applicable to nonconformity with the provisions of this ordinance, provided that such continued use is not dangerous to life or community.

B.

All buildings or uses, both existing and new, and all parts thereof, shall be maintained. The owner or designated agent shall be responsible for the maintenance of buildings and parcels of land. To determine compliance with this section, the building official shall be permitted to order any structure or use to be inspected.

C.

Buildings or structures moved into or within the jurisdiction shall comply with the provisions of this code for new buildings and structures. Temporary buildings, structures and uses such as reviewing stands and other miscellaneous structures, sheds, canopies or fences used for the protection of the public shall be permitted to be erected, provided a special approval is received from the building official for a limited time period. Temporary buildings or structures shall be completely removed upon the expiration of the time limit stated in the permit.

D.

Illegal uses. Uses that are illegally established prior to the adoption of this code shall remain illegal.