1292 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 528

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

531H. In order to avail itself of the powers conferred
by this Act, the Mayor and Council of Westminster may
appoint a commission, to be known as the Zoning Com-
mission, to recommend the boundaries of the various orig-
inal districts and appropriate regulations to be enforced
therein. Such Commission shall make a preliminary report
and hold public hearings thereon before submitting its final
report, and the Mayor and Council of Westminster shall
not hold its public hearings or take action until it has
received the final report of such Commission.

531-I. The Mayor and Council of Westminster may
provide for the appointment of a Board of Zoning Appeals,
and in the regulations and restrictions adopted pursuant
to the authority of this Act may provide that the said
Board of Zoning Appeals may, in appropriate cases and
subject to appropriate conditions and safeguards, make
special exceptions to the terms of the ordinance in har-
mony with its general purpose and intent and in accord-
ance with general or specific rules therein contained.

The Board of Zoning Appeals shall consist of five mem-
bers 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 two 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 pro-
visions of any ordinance adopted pursuant to this Act.
Meetings of the Board shall be held at the call of the
Chairman and at such other times as the Board may deter-
mine. Such Chairman, or in his absence the acting Chair-
man, may administer oaths and compel the attendance of
witnesses. All meetings of the Board shall be open to the
public. The Board shall keep minutes of its proceedings,
showing the vote of each member upon each question, 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.