What if my property is zoned differently from the way I am now using it?

Zoning cannot be used to make a property owner stop using property as it was used before it was zoned.  In a case where property is zoned differently from the way it is used, the current use is allowed to continue, and it is called a nonconforming use. For example, a business that is in a residential zone would be permitted to continue operating as a nonconforming use. However, non-conforming uses are subject to limitations. For instance, if a nonconforming business is closed and left vacant for more than one year, it cannot be reopened. Or if that business wants to build an addition onto their building, they would have to update the zoning district prior to receiving a certificate of occupancy.

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