Sugar Hill › Zoning Ordinance

Article 8 — Non-Conforming Uses

current as of 2026-01-21verified current · checked 2026-08-24Officialofficial source ↗4 sections · full chapter

§ 800

Continuance of Non-conforming Uses.

The lawful use of any building or structure or land existing at the time of the enactment or amendment of this Ordinance may be continued, even though such use does not conform with the provisions of this Ordinance, except that the non-conforming use shall not be:

1.Extended to occupy a greater area of land.

2.Extended to occupy a greater area of a building or structure unless such additional area of the building or structure existed at the time of the passage or amendment of this Ordinance and was clearly designed to house the same use as the non-conforming use occupying the other portion of the building or structure.

3.Re-established after discontinuance for one (1) year.

4.Changed to another or different non-conforming use.

§ 801

Continuance of a Non-Conforming Building or Use.

A non-conforming building or use existing at the time of the enactment or amendment of this Ordinance may be retained except as follows:

1.No building or structure other than a single-family detached dwelling may be enlarged, or altered except in conformance with this Ordinance but it may be repaired to the extent necessary to maintain it in a safe and sanitary condition.

2.No building or structure other than a single family detached dwelling shall be rebuilt or altered after damage if the cost of the repair or alteration will exceed 50% of the value of the structure prior to the damage. Any such structure shall be brought into conformity with this ordinance. A single family detached dwelling which has been damaged as a result of fire, flood, wind, earthquake or other natural disaster or any accident may be rebuilt, altered or repaired structure contains at least as many square feet of heated space as the dwelling which was damaged or destroyed.

§ 802

Amortization and Discontinuance.

Certain uses of land, buildings, and structures have an adverse affect on the orderly development of the community and on the general health and welfare of the citizens. Such uses can reasonably be required to cease after a reasonable time, irrespective of the general rules governing non-conforming uses as presented in Sections 800 and 801. The following uses shall be removed, discontinued or made conforming within the specified amortization period. Said amortization period shall commence upon the serving of written notice to the Owner by the City:

1.Fences, walls and foliage which might constitute a hazard by virtue of impairing sight distances at a curve or intersection shall be made conforming within one (1) calendar year.

2.Outdoor advertising signs and billboards shall conform within eight (8) years.

3.All provisions in business or industrial districts of this Ordinance setting forth specifications for the operation of a business or industry requiring fencing or visual screening shall conform within three (3) calendar years.

4.Non-conforming open storage operations, such as truck parking, automobile wrecking or salvage, salvage material storage and similar uses shall conform within two (2) calendar years.

5.Mobile home parks and mobile home subdivisions shall conform within three (3)

calendar years.

§ 803

Validity of Previously Issued Permits and Approvals.

No provision of this Zoning Ordinance shall be construed to affect the validity of any of the following:

1.Any building permit lawfully issued prior to the adoption of this Ordinance, or any Amendment thereto, provided that all time constraints and any procedures for extension specified by such permit shall be observed.

2.Any grading permit lawfully authorized prior to the adoption of this Ordinance, or any Amendment thereto, provided that all time constraints and any procedures for extension specified by such permit shall be observed.

3.Any development permit lawfully authorized prior to the adoption of this Ordinance, or any Amendment thereto, upon approval of relevant construction drawings; and such development may proceed to record provided that all time constraints and conditions relating to the approval are observed, and that the lot size and construction of buildings shall be in accordance with the area and dimensional requirements existing on the date of such approval.

ARTICLE 9.

LOT AND BUILDING DIMENSIONAL STANDARDS