A pre-existing state of affairs, usually referring to land use or buildings, could also be exempt from present zoning rules if it predates their enactment. For example, a fence constructed barely over the established boundary earlier than the present rules had been put in place may be allowed to stay as is. This idea offers a authorized mechanism for honoring established makes use of that may in any other case be non-conforming.
Such exemptions supply stability and predictability for property house owners by defending established property makes use of from retroactive software of recent legal guidelines. This precept acknowledges the potential hardship and unfairness that might come up from forcing quick compliance with newly established guidelines. Traditionally, a majority of these authorized provisions have performed a job in managing the transition between older and newer land use rules, facilitating neighborhood improvement whereas respecting present investments.
