WM. PRESTON LANE, JR., GOVERNOR. 1291

the municipality into districts of such number, shape and
area as it may deem best to carry out the purpose of this
Act; and within such districts may regulate and restrict
the erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair
or use of buildings, structures or land. All such regula-
tions shall be uniform for each class or kind of buildings
throughout each district, but the regulations in one district
may differ from those in other districts.

531E. Such regulations to be made in accordance with
a comprehensive plan and designed to lessen congestion
in the streets; to secure the safety from fire, panic and
other dangers; to promote health and the general welfare;
to provide adequate light and air; to prevent overcrowd-
ing of land; to avoid undue concentration of population;
to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation,
water, sewerage, schools, parks, and other public require-
ments, and otherwise to control and direct municipal
expansion and development. Such regulations shall be
made with reasonable consideration, among other things,
to the character of the district and its peculiar suitability
for particular uses, and with a view to conserving the
value of buildings and encouraging the most appropriate
use of land throughout such municipality.

531F. The Mayor and Council of Westminster may
provide for the manner in which such regulations and
restrictions and the boundaries of such districts shall be
determined, established, and enforced, and from time to
time amended, supplemented, or changed. However, no
such regulation, restriction, or boundary shall become effec-
tive until after a public hearing in relation thereto, at
which parties in interest and citizens shall have an oppor-
tunity to be heard. At least 15 days' notice of the time and
place of such hearing shall be published in a paper of
general circulation in Carroll County.

531G. Such regulations, restrictions and boundaries
may from time to time be amended, supplemented, changed,
modified, or repealed. In case, however, of a protest against
such change, signed by the owners of 20 per cent, or more
either of the area of the lots included in such proposed
change or of those immediately adjacent in the rear thereof
extending 100 feet therefrom, or of those directly opposite
lots, extending 100 feet from the street frontage of such
opposite lots, such amendment shall not become effective
except by the favorable vote of all the members of the
legislative body of such municipality. The provisions of