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Land Use Controls and Regulations

Nonconforming use

A property use that was lawful before a zoning change and is permitted to continue afterwards, commonly described as grandfathered.

How the exam uses nonconforming use

Confused with a variance, which is permission granted after the fact because of a hardship. Grandfathered means nonconforming.

What a question on this looks like

A property use that was lawful before a zoning change and is allowed to continue is:

Answer: A nonconforming use A nonconforming use is grandfathered because it predates the ordinance. A variance is permission granted after the fact for a hardship.

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