If lawful use involving incidental structures with a replacement cost of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or more, or of structure and premises in combination, exists at the effective date of adoption or amendment of these regulations, that would not be allowed in the district under the terms of these regulations, the unallowed use may be continued so long as it remains otherwise lawful, subject to the following provisions:
A. Alteration: No existing structure devoted to a use not permitted by these regulations in the district in which it is located shall be enlarged, extended, constructed, reconstructed, moved or structurally altered except in changing the use of the structure to a use permitted in the district in which it is located;
B. Extensions: Any nonconforming use may be extended throughout any part of a building which was manifestly arranged or designed for such use at the time of adoption or amendment of these regulations, but such use shall not be extended to occupy any land outside such building;
C. Changes: If no structural alterations are made, any nonconforming use of a structure, or structure and premises, may as a special exception be changed to another nonconforming use; provided, that the city council, either by general rule or by making findings in the specific case, finds that the proposed use is equally appropriate or more appropriate to the district than the existing nonconforming use. In permitting such change, the city council may require appropriate conditions and safeguards in accordance with the provisions of these regulations;
D. Cessation: Any structure, or structure and land in combination, in or on which a nonconforming use is removed, or ceases, or is superseded by a permitted use, shall thereafter conform to the regulations for the district, and the nonconforming use may not thereafter be resumed;
E. Discontinuance; Abandonment: When a nonconforming use of a structure, or structure and premises in combination, is discontinued or abandoned for six (6) consecutive months (except when government action impeded access to the premises), the structure or structure and premises in combination shall not thereafter be used except in conformity with the regulations of the district in which it is located;
F. Removal Or Destruction: Where nonconforming use status applies to a structure and premises in combination, removal or destruction of the structure shall eliminate the nonconforming status of the land. "Destruction", for the purpose of this subsection, is defined as damage to an extent of more than fifty percent (50%) of the replacement cost at the time of destruction. (Ord. 172, 9-24-1996, eff. 10-31-1996)