1336                            LAWS OF MARYLAND                     [CH. 755

CHAPTER 755
(House Bill 1156)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact with amendments, Sections 169(a),
169(d), 170, 171, 182, 184, 185, 186, 187, 189, 190, 191, 193, 199,
200, 203(a), 209, and 213 and to add new Section 216A to follow
immediately after Section 216 of Article 25 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1957 Edition, 1965 Cumulative Supplement),
title "County Commissioners," subtitle "Public Watershed Associa-
tions," providing for the planning and carrying out of works of
improvement for watershed protection, flood prevention, recrea-
tion, soil conservation, drainage, and/or the conservation develop-
ment, storage, utilization, and disposal of water for all beneficial
purposes in watershed and subwatershed areas of the State.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Sections 169(a), 169(d), 170, 171, 182, 184, 185, 186, 187, 189,
190, 191, 193, 199, 200, 203(a), 209 and 213 of Article 25 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition, 1965 Cumulative Sup-
plement), title "County Commissioners," subtitle "Public Water-
shed Associations," be and the same are hereby repealed and re-
enacted, with amendments, and a new Section 216A be added the
same to follow immediately after Section 216, and all to read as
follows:

169.

(a) The board of county commissioners or the county council of
the several counties of Maryland, and the Mayor and City Council
of Baltimore City, shall have jurisdiction, power, and authority to
establish public watershed associations in their respective counties
[of] or Baltimore City for the purpose of constructing, operating,
maintaining, and carrying out works of improvement for water-
shed protection, flood prevention, recreation, soil conservation, drain-
age, and/or the conservation, development, storage, utilization, and
disposal of water for all beneficial purposes in watershed or sub-
watershed areas [including but not limited to flood protection, stor-
age of water, adequate drainage facilities], and the protection
of areas subject to sediment or erosion damages, and to cooperate
with local, county, State, and federal agencies; and it is hereby
declared that such watershed protection, flood prevention, recrea-
tion, soil conservation, drainage and/or the conservation, develop-
ment, storage, utilization, and disposal of water for all beneficial
purposes is a public benefit and conducive to the public health, safety,
and welfare.

(d) As used in this subtitle the term "landowner" and "owner
of land" shall mean any person, firm, or corporation, who shall hold
title to, or shall have contracted to purchase, land which shall be
benefited and/or damaged by the proposed works of improvement
under consideration within a public watershed association organ-
ized or proposed to be organized under this subtitle.

170.

A petition signed by not less than one third of the landowners
or by the owners of not less than one third of the land in a water-