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To qualify for such protection, a nonconforming use must lawfully exist at the time the restriction is adopted and have continually existed since that time.

In the 1960s, the town rezoned the district to its present residential/agricultural status, and Siergiewicz lawfully continued to operate his enterprise as a nonconforming use.

Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 359, 187 A.2d 60, 62 (1962); cf. Keene v. Blood, 101 N.H. 466, 469, 146 A.2d 262, 264 (1958) (provisions permitting change in nonconforming uses are strictly construed).

Consequently, estoppel would not normally be available to the plaintiffs here, see Arsenault v. Town of Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 187 A.2d 60 (1962) (no rights created by use which was illegally established); Parkview Associates v. City of New York, 71 N.Y.2d 274, 279, 519 N.E.2d 1372, 1373, 525 N.Y.S.2d 176, 176 (“estoppel is not available to preclude a governmental entity from discharging its statutory duties or to compel ratification of *

Town of Derry v. Simonsen, 117 N.H. 1010, 1016, 380 A.2d 1101, 1105 (1977); Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 358, 187 A.2d 60, 62 (1962).

All of the sections of a statute must be construed together, Blue Mountain Forest Ass’n v. Town of Croydon, 119 N.H. 202, 204, 400 A.2d 55, 57 (1979), and “not viewed separately in isolation,” Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 358, 187 A.2d 60, 62 (1962).

Nonconforming uses relate to conditions which exist prior to the time a zoning ordinance is passed.

“[I]t is ‘the general policy of zoning to carefully limit the extension and enlargement of nonconforming uses.’ ” Wunderlich v. Town of Webster, 117 N.H. 283, 286, 371 A.2d 1177, 1179 (1977) (quoting Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 359, 187 A.2d 60, 62 (1962)); see 6 P. Rohan, Zoning and Land Use Controls § 41.03 [3][a] (1978).

The defendant primarily builds his case around a one sentence dictum in Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 187 A.2d 60 (1962).

We note that it is “ ‘the general policy of zoning to carefully limit the extension and enlargement of nonconforming uses.’ ” Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 359, 187 A.2d 60, 62 (1962).

Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 187 A.2d 60 (1962); Mills v. Manchester, 109 N.H. 293, 295, 249 A.2d 679, 681 (1969).

This right acquired by a prior owner was valid so long as it was continued (Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 358-59, 187 A.2d 60, 62 (1962)), but it could be lost by abandonment.

New London v. Leskiewicz, 110 N.H. 462, 467, 272 A.2d 856, 859 (1970); Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 187 A.2d 60 (1962).

of Educ., *407 112 N.H. 74, 77, 289 A.2d 73, 75 (1972); Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 358, 187 A.2d 60, 62 (1962).

RSA 36:21; Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 187 A.2d 60 (1962); Flanagan v. Hollis, 112 N.H. 222, 293 A.2d 328 (1972).

Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 358, 187 A.2d 60, 62 (1962); Plymouth School Dist.

2 Rathkopf, supra ch. 62; New London v. Leskiewicz supra; Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 187 A.2d 60 (1962); Ackley *16 v. Nashua, 102 N.H. 551, 163 A.2d 6 (1960); Keene v. Blood, 101.

New London v. Leskiewicz, 110 N.H. 462, 272 A.2d 856 (1970); Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 187 A.2d 60 (1962); Ackley v. Nashua, 102 N.H. 551, 163 A.2d 6 (1960); Keene v. Blood, 101 N.H. 466, 146 A.2d 262 (1958); 8A McQuillin, Municipal Corporations ss.

Dumais v. Somersworth, 101 N.H. 111, 115; Annot., 6 A.L.R.2d 960.” Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 357, 187 A.2d 60, 61 (1962).

Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 187 A.2d 60 (1962); LaChapelle v. Goffstown, 107 N.H. 485, 225 A.2d 624 (1967).

Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 358, 187 A.2d 60, 62 (1962); cf. 50 Am.

Arsenault v. Keene, 104 N.H. 356, 359, 187 A.2d 60, 62 (1962); Keene v. Blood, 101 N.H. 466, 469, 146 A.2d 262, 264 (1958); Annot., 87 A.L.R.2d 4, 10 (1963).