2636 ARTICLE 66B

of the previous section relative to public hearings and official notice shall
apply equally to all changes or amendments.

This section applied in sustaining validity of ordinance of Baltimore City passed by
majority vote of Council, as protestant did not meet the requirements as to area or dis-
tance. Montebello Land Co. v. Novak Realty Co., 167 Md. 185.

See see. 21.

1927, ch. 705, sec. 6.

6. (Zoning Commission.) In order to avail itself of the powers con-
ferred by this Article, such legislative body shall appoint a commission, to
be known as the Zoning Commission, to recommend the boundaries of the
various original districts and appropriate regulations to be enforced there-
in. Such commission shall make a preliminary report and hold public
hearings thereon before submitting its final report, and such legislative
body shall not hold its public hearings or take action until it has received
the final report of such commission. Where a Board of Zoning Appeals
already exists, it may be appointed as the Zoning Commission.

1927, ch. 705, sec. 7. 1935, ch. 448.

7. (Board of Zoning Appeals.) Such local legislative body may pro-
vide for the appointment of a Board of Zoning Appeals, and in the regula-
tions and restrictions adopted pursuant to the authority of this Article may
provide that the said Board of Zoning Appeals may, in appropriate cases
and subject to appropriate conditions and safeguards, make special excep-
tions to the terms of the ordinance in harmony with its general purpose
and intent and in accordance with general or specific rules therein con-
tained.

The Board of Zoning Appeals shall consist of five members and they
shall be appointed for a term of four years, but of the first appointed
members one shall be appointed for a term of one year, one for a term of
two years, one for a term of three years and one for a term of four years.
Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term of any member whose
term becomes vacant. The members of the Board of Zoning Appeals shall
be removable for cause by the appointing authority upon written charges
and after public hearing.

The board shall adopt rules in accordance with the provisions of any
ordinance adopted pursuant to this Article. Meetings of the board shall
be held at the call of the chairman and at such other times as the board
may determine. Such chairman, or in his absence the acting chairman,
may administer oaths and compel the attendance of witnesses. All meet-
ings of the board shall be open to the public. The board shall keep min-
utes of its proceedings, showing the vote of each member upon each ques-
tion, or, if absent or failing to vote, indicating such fact, and shall keep
records of its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall be
immediately filed in the office of the board and shall be a public record.

Appeals to the Board of Zoning Appeals may be taken by any person
aggrieved or by any officer, department, board or bureau of the munici-
pality affected by any decision of the administrative officer. Such appeal
shall be taken within a reasonable time, as provided by the rules of the
board, by filing with the officer from whom the appeal is taken and with
the Board of Zoning Appeals a notice of appeal specifying the grounds
thereof. The officer from whom the appeal is taken shall forthwith trans-