374'/Maryland Manual

Within the Maryland-Washington Metropolitan
District, the Commission is empowered to ac-
quire, develop, maintain, and operate a park sys-
tem with recreational facilities, the expense of
which, including debt service, is paid from a sepa-
rate park tax levied within the district. The Com-
mission is authorized to cooperate and negotiate
with federal agencies for financial assistance and
with other agencies in the park development pro-
gram. In Prince George's County the Commission
operates the County's recreation program.

Within the Maryland-Washington Regional
District, the Commission is empowered to make,
adopt, and amend a General Plan for the Physi-
cal Development of the District, which takes into
account all factors of urban, suburban, rural, and
regional planning. The two County Planning
Boards have exclusive subdivision control, power
and jurisdiction over street grades and locations,
public buildings and utilities, and after the adop-
tion of a Master Plan of Highways, over street
naming and house numbering. The Planning
Boards have advisory zoning powers, but the zon-
ing ordinances and amendments are enacted by
the County Councils sitting as District Councils
for the portion of the district within their respec-
tive county. Through the Planning Boards the
Commission recommends land use or zoning or-
dinances and similar ordinance subject matters to
the respective District Councils. The administra-
tive and planning expenses of the Commission are
paid from an administrative tax levied within the
regional district.

The taxes levied by the Commission, which are
collected in both counties, are as follows for Fis-
cal Year 1980-1981. Figures are expressed in
cents per hundred dollars valuation:

Montgomery County
Regional District:
Administrative Tax 7.00/S100

Metropolitan District:
Park Tax 20.70 / $100

All County:
Advance Land Acquisiton Tax 1.00/S100

Prince George's County
Regional District:
Administrative Tax 7 75/$100

Metropolitan District:
Park Tax 22.56/S100

All County:
Advance Land Acquisition Tax 0.80/S100

WASHINGTON SUBURBAN SANITARY
COMMISSION

Chairperson: Lawrence L. Brooks, Sr., 1983
Vice-Chairperson: Jesse L. Maury, 1983

Andrew M. Vislosky, 1979; Sally P. Kanchuger,
1981; Johanna S. Norris, 1981; David R.
Scotton, 1983.

Robert S. McGarry, General Manager
William S. Lindung, Secretary
Garnett C. Ball, Treasurer
Paul J. Hefferon, General Counsel

General Offices:
4017 Hamilton Street
Hyattsville 20781 Telephones: Customer Services
699-5600

General Offices
699-4000

24-Hour Emergency Service
699-4555

Engineering Department Offices
Arbitron Building
312 Marshall Avenue
Laurel 20810 Telephone: 441-4002

The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commis-
sion, the governing body of the Washington Sub-
urban Sanitary District, created by Chapter 122,
Acts of 1918, consists of six members, three of
whom are from Prince George's County and three
from Montgomery County, appointed by the
governing body of each county.

When the Commission was organized the Dis-
trict's service area covered ninety-five square
miles: forty-one miles in Montgomery County
and fifty-four miles in Prince George's County.
The District had a population of 32,000 and a to-
tal assessable tax base of $20,000,000. In
succeeding years, the General Assembly has made
additions to the service area, and the Washington
Suburban Sanitary District now contains about
1,000 square miles within Prince George's and
Montgomery counties adjacent to the District of