The lawful use of any building or land existing on July 2, 1972, may be continued, although such does not conform with the provisions of this chapter or any prior zoning law of the Town of Chatham.

When any existing nonconforming use of land or buildings has been discontinued for one year, the land and buildings shall thereafter be used only in conformity to this chapter, except that the Board of Appeals, after a public hearing, may permit the resumption of said nonconforming use.

Once changed to a conforming use, no building or land shall be permitted to revert to a nonconforming use. A nonconforming use may be changed to a use of the same or higher classification, and such use thereafter shall not be changed to a lower classification.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, any nonconforming automobile wrecking yard, junkyard or billboard in existence on March 10, 1988, became a prohibited and unlawful use as of March 10, 1991, except that a junkyard may continue as a nonconforming use if within that period it is maintained in accordance with the standards set and enforced by the State of New York and also in accordance with the standards required by the Town Board.

Any nonconforming use may be expanded up to 33 1/3% of the existing size at the time of adoption of this chapter. Any nonconforming use may be expanded up to an additional 33 1/3% of the existing size at the time of the adoption of this chapter as a special exception by the Zoning Board of Appeals upon the recommendation of the Planning Board.

Any building housing a nonconforming use burned by fire may be replaced within one year if not over 80% destroyed.