A pre-existing construction or land use that conforms to rules on the time of its institution, however doesn’t meet present zoning necessities, is commonly thought-about exempt from newer, extra restrictive guidelines. For instance, a small bakery working in a residential zone earlier than the realm was rezoned solely for residential use could also be permitted to proceed its operations. This sort of exemption is usually granted to keep away from undue hardship on property homeowners and to acknowledge established property rights.
Such exemptions present stability and predictability for property homeowners by safeguarding investments made in good religion reliance on prior rules. They forestall abrupt and probably financially devastating adjustments in land use. This authorized precept additionally acknowledges the evolving nature of city planning and acknowledges the impracticality of forcing instant conformity with each new regulation. Traditionally, this idea has performed an important function in managing the stress between neighborhood growth objectives and particular person property rights.
