Non-conforming uses can be categorized two ways. What are they?

• A. Legal and illegal non-conforming uses
• B. Residential and commercial uses
• C. Temporary and permanent uses
• D. Conditional and unconditional uses

Answer: (A)

Non-conforming uses are distinguished by their legality at the time they began under zoning rules. Legal non-conforming uses were already allowed under the previous zoning and are permitted to continue, though they typically can’t be expanded and may face eventual phase-out. Illegal non-conforming uses, on the other hand, began in violation of zoning and aren’t protected to continue, though the exact enforcement can vary by jurisdiction.

This framing matches common zoning practice, whereas other pairings like residential vs commercial, temporary vs permanent, or conditional vs unconditional don’t capture how non-conforming uses are treated in terms of legality and protection.