The City is hereby divided into zones or districts as shown on the Official Zoning Map and a metes-and-bounds description which, together with all explanatory matter thereon, is hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this chapter.

The Official Zoning Map shall be identified by the signature of the Mayor, attested by the City Clerk, and bearing the Seal of the City under the following words:

If, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and Title 30-A M.R.S., as amended, changes are made in district boundaries or other matter portrayed on the Official Zoning Map or Shoreland Zoning Map, such changes shall be entered on said map promptly after the amendment has been approved by the City Council with an entry on the official zoning or Shoreland Zoning Map indicating the number of the ordinance that revised the map and the date that the ordinance was adopted. In addition, changes to the official Shoreland Zoning Map must be made within 30 days after approval of the amendment by the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection. Each revised official zoning or Shoreland Zoning Map shall be signed by the Mayor and attested by the City Clerk. (Duplicate copies of the Official Map need not be signed.)

No changes of any nature shall be made in the Official Zoning Map or matter shown thereon except in conformity with the procedures set forth in this chapter. Any unauthorized change of whatever kind by any person or persons shall be considered a violation of this chapter and punishable as provided under Article VI, § 275-6.1.

Regardless of the existence of purported copies of the Official Zoning Map which may from time to time be made or published, the Official Zoning Map, which shall be located in the office of the City Clerk, shall be the final authority as to the current zoning status of land in the City.

In the event that the Official Zoning Map becomes damaged, destroyed, lost or difficult to interpret because of the nature or number of changes and additions, the City Council, by resolution, may adopt a new Official Zoning Map which shall supersede the prior Official Zoning Map. The new Official Zoning Map may correct drafting or other errors or omissions in the prior Official Zoning Map, but no such correction shall have the effect of amending the original Official Zoning Map or any subsequent amendment thereof. The new Official Zoning Map shall be identified by the signature of the Mayor, attested by the City Clerk, and bearing the Seal of the City under the following words:

Unless the prior Official Zoning Map has been lost or totally destroyed, the prior map, or any significant parts remaining, shall be preserved, together with all available documents pertaining to its adoption or amendment.

Residential districts.

Institutional Districts (INST).

Commercial districts.

Industrial districts.

Resource Protection District (RP).

Transitional District (T).

Contract Zoned Districts (CZD).

Airport District (AIR).

Suburban Mixed Use District.

Solar Farm District.

Unless indicated otherwise, district boundary lines are the center lines of streets, alleys, parkways, streams and other waterways, the boundaries of the shoreland area as defined, rights-of-way of public utilities and roads or such lines extended, platted at the time of adoption of this chapter.

Other boundary lines which are not listed in the preceding subsection shall be considered as lines paralleling a street at distances from the sidelines of such street as stated on the Official Zoning Map; and in certain instances, well-defined property lines; or lines indicated as midway between nonparallel streets.

Distances not specifically indicated on the Official Zoning Map shall be determined by the scale of the map.

Where uncertainties exist which are not covered by Subsections A through C above, the Zoning Board of Appeals shall interpret the district boundaries. Any conflict between the Zoning Map and the metes-and-bounds description shall be resolved in favor of the metes and bounds.