Continuing prior use after zoning change

• A. Nonconforming Use
• B. Variances
• C. Conditional Use
• D. Building Codes

Answer: (A)

When a zoning change happens, a use that was legally established under the old rules can often continue because it doesn’t conform to the new zoning. This is a nonconforming use. It allows the existing use to remain, preserving the owner’s investment, but it usually comes with limits—you generally can’t expand or intensify the use, and if the building is damaged beyond a certain point or the use is abandoned for a long period, the nonconforming status can be lost and the property may have to conform to the new zoning.

Why this fits: it specifically describes the situation where a preexisting use remains after a zoning change, exactly matching the scenario of continuing prior use.

Why the other options don’t fit as the main concept here: a variance would grant permission to violate a specific zoning rule for a particular parcel, not merely allow continuation of a preexisting use; a conditional use is a use allowed under certain conditions with notice and review, not automatic continuation of a grandfathered use; building codes govern construction standards and safety, not land-use allowances after a zoning change.