This ordinance is adopted to implement one or more of the following purposes:

1.

To promote and protect the public health, safety, morals, comfort and general welfare of the people of the City of Watervliet, Berrien County, Michigan.

2.

To divide the City of Watervliet into zones or districts, restricting and regulating therein the location, erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, and use of buildings, structures and land for residence, business, manufacturing and other specified uses.

3.

To protect the character and stability of the residential, business, and manufacturing areas within the City of Watervliet and to promote the orderly and beneficial development of such areas.

4.

To provide adequate light, air, privacy and convenience of access to property.

5.

To regulate the intensity of use of lot areas and to determine the area of open spaces surrounding buildings, necessary to provide adequate light and air, and to protect the public health.

6.

To establish building lines and the locations of buildings designed for residential, business and manufacturing or other uses within such areas.

7.

To fix reasonable standards to which buildings or structures shall conform therein.

8.

To prohibit uses, buildings or structures incompatible with the character of development or intended uses within specified zoning districts.

9.

To prevent additions to or alteration or remodeling of existing buildings or structures in such a way as to avoid the restrictions and limitations imposed hereunder.

10.

To limit congestion in the public streets and protect the public health, safety, convenience and general welfare by providing for the off-street parking of motor vehicles and the loading and unloading of commercial vehicles.

11.

To facilitate adequate provision for a system of transportation, sewage disposal, safe and adequate water supply, education, recreation and other public requirements.

12.

To protect against fire, explosion, noxious fumes and other hazards in the interest of public health, safety, comfort and general welfare.

13.

To prevent the overcrowding of land and undue concentration of structures, so far as is possible and appropriate in each district, by regulating the use and bulk of buildings in relation to the land surrounding them.

14.

To conserve the taxable value of land and buildings throughout the City of Watervliet.

15.

To conserve the natural resources and character of land throughout the City of Watervliet.

16.

To provide for the gradual elimination of nonconforming uses of land, buildings, and structures which are adversely affecting the character and value of desirable development in each district.

17.

To define and limit the powers and duties of the administrative officers and bodies as provided herein.

18.

And to prescribe the penalties for the violation of the provisions of this ordinance or any amendments thereto.