All legal land uses existing and active as of the effective date of this ordinance shall be allowed to continue in the same land use, even if such land use does not conform with the provisions of this ordinance. All such land uses shall be considered to be nonconforming.

No permit shall be issued to physically extend or structurally alter a nonconforming land use except to make said use conform to, or comply with, the provisions and requirements of this ordinance. A non-conforming use or structure may not be enlarged beyond its size at the time of the use or structure became non-conforming. This includes, but is not limited to, the size of the building, the use of additional land either on the same or adjoining property and additional and or more powerful equipment.

A nonconforming use which has been discontinued for a continuous 12-month period shall not be reestablished. Any other use at the site of a previously abandoned land use shall be in conformity with provisions of this ordinance.

A nonconforming land use damaged by fire, storm or any other cause may be restored to the same nonconforming use as existed before such damage, provided restoration is begun within 12 months of such damage.

Nothing in this ordinance shall prevent the restoration of any building to a safe and sanitary condition when required to do so by the proper authorities of the county.

Nonconforming land uses shall be allowed to continue under changes in tenancy, management and/or ownership.

A nonconforming land use shall not be changed to another nonconforming land use.

A nonconforming sign shall not be improved (other than for normal maintenance), altered or relocated except in conformance with provisions of this ordinance.

All nonconforming salvage yards shall be made to conform with the general provisions of this ordinance within a two-year period of ordinance adoption. Salvage yard expansion and screening requirements follow:

1.

A wall buffer eight (8) feet high or a landscaped buffer eight (8) feet deep is required along the full perimeter of the salvage yard. The wall buffer must be of wood, concrete or other material approved by the Zoning Commission. The landscaped buffer must consist of a specie/species and variety/varieties of plants matched to the soils of the plant site and maintained per specie recommendations so as to attain a minimum height of eight feet within five years of planting. Both types of buffers must be maintained so as to block the view of the salvage yard, and help deflect, muffle or absorb noise generated by activities in the salvage yard.

2.

Screening is intended to shield the view and reduce audible noise levels of salvage yards from surrounding properties and roadways, and to protect surrounding properties from fire. Modification of these requirements may be granted at the discretion of the Zoning Commission when the requested modification does not contravene the intent of these regulations. Requests for modification must be filed with the Zoning Officer and require a public hearing.

3.

No salvage yard existing at the time this ordinance is adopted shall be expanded unless it meets requirements for screening.

Nothing in this ordinance shall prohibit the replacement or alteration in a farm animal house which was lawfully existing and active at the time of enactment of this ordinance, even if such replacement or alteration does not conform to the provisions of this ordinance. The non-conforming use shall in no way be expanded, except by a variance as provided elsewhere herein. For purposes of this Section, farm animal operations include farm animal houses and poultry houses, as defined in Article III herein.