Development permit required. No certificate of occupancy shall be issued for the use of any building, structure or land unless a development permit shall have first been issued for the use of such building, structure, or land.

New uses. No building, structure or land shall be occupied or used until such time as a certificate of occupancy is issued by the Construction Official.

Existing uses at the time of passage of this chapter. Upon written request from the owner, tenant, occupant, or purchaser under contract, the Construction Official, after inspection, shall issue an occupancy permit for a use legally existing at the time this chapter is made effective, certifying the extent and kind of use and whether any such existing use conforms with the provisions of this chapter.

Change of use. Whenever there occurs a change in the occupancy or use (as herein defined) of a nonresidential building, structure and/or land, a new certificate of occupancy shall be applied for to ensure compliance with all applicable codes and ordinances. The Construction Official may issue that such change in occupancy or use is not a "change in use" as herein defined and determines, therefore, that a development permit is not required, provided that the applicant has met the requirements of the applicable regulations.

Scope of certificate of occupancy. The certificate of occupancy shall contain sufficient information as to the extent and kind of use or uses, such that any future investigation of the premises would disclose the extent to which a use was altered. It shall also indicate whether such use is a permitted or nonconforming use and the extent to which the use does not conform to the provisions of this chapter.

Improvement required. No permanent certificate of occupancy shall be issued until all required improvements have been installed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. A temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued to permit occupancy for a period not to exceed one year. If at the end of that period the required improvements have not been completed, the occupancy permit becomes null and void and the owner may be subject to the penalties herein defined by this chapter.