1326 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 599

authorize the commission from time to time to adopt and
publish parts of the said master plan; to vest in the said
commission the right of eminent domain and authorize
it to purchase or condemn lands or interests therein; to
prescribe the purposes for which the said plan shall be
made; to prescribe the procedure to be followed by the
commission for the adoption of the plan or any part
thereof, and to provide public hearing in connection
therewith; to define the status and effect of the said plan
after the same shall have been adopted and to prevent the
construction or authorization of streets, squares, parks
or other public ways, public buildings or public utilities
except with the approval of the said commission, and to
provide for appeals from its decisions thereon; and to
confer upon the commission such reasonable and neces-
sary powers as may enable it to fulfill its functions, pro-
mote municipal planning and/or carry out the purposes
of this Act; for the purpose of promoting health, safety,
morals or general welfare of the community, to authorize
and empower the legislative bodies of counties, cities and
other incorporated areas to regulate and restrict the
height, number of stories and size of buildings and other
structures, the percentage of lot occupancy, the size of
yards, courts and other spaces, density of population and
location and use of buildings, structures and land for
trade, industry, residence or other purposes; to authorize
and empower the said legislative bodies to divide the
municipality into districts and within such districts to
regulate and restrict the erection, construction, recon-
struction, alteration, repair or use of buildings, struc-
tures or land; to authorize and empower the said legis-
lative bodies to make regulations for certain purposes
named herein; to provide a method of procedure for the
administration of said regulations and require public
hearings with respect thereto and authorize changes to
be made from time to time therein; to provide for the
creation of a board of adjustment and appeals, and for
the manner of appointment, terms of members, duties
and powers of the said board, and for appeals from the
decisions of said board, and to define its jurisdiction and
powers and provide for a review by the courts of the
rulings of said board; to vest in the commission created
by this Act certain powers hitherto granted by law to
other planning and/or zoning commissions; to vest in
the commission created hereby certain powers of control
over subdivisions of land within its jurisdiction; to at-
tach certain conditions to the approval of subdivision